The slow decline of Founders Brewing, is it true or just a myth?

Yakima 728
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Is Founders slowly declining as a brewery?

  • Sure is

    Votes: 35 22.9%

  • Maybe, but no real evidence to support that claim

    Votes: 30 19.6%

  • No way

    Votes: 21 13.7%

  • Other breweries are just better now

    Votes: 67 43.8%
  • Total voters
    153
brooklyn said:
For whatever it's worth, I think their core offerings/seasonals are as strong across the board as any brewery in the US.

FIS
FBS
Dirty Bastard
All Day
Double Trouble
Porter
Backwoods
Harvest ale

I will say, Centennial and Pale are less than amazing, but comparatively to craft breweries of a similar size I think they do their 'basic' beers as well or better as anyone and some better than anyone expect maybe a few small producers like HF. Their Porter remains a gold standard for american porter in my opinion.

While we in the small niche of craft beer lunatics may have passed KBS by, the vast majority of the moderately interested public still goes bananas for the beer.

I guess I'm just trying to say I tihnk it's unfair to suggest the brewery is in decline when the core offerings and seasonals remain at a high quality while expanding production significantly, even if it's 'arguably' at the cost of a perceived decline in quality of specialty products.
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Yeah but their super limited one off series had a couple of so-so beers that I couldn't trade so **** them!
 
i'm totally cool with them just making sure i can get the 15 packs of all day less than 3 weeks old pretty much whenever, wherever

anything else is just a nice bonus for me at this point
 
Lutter said:
Seriously... I gave up this year when places started doing lottos for 1 single bottle of KBS. Are you ****ing kidding me?
Click to expand...

last year was Founders' first year in CT and people went nuts for KBS. One store near me did 1 bottle/pp $9.99 each with this justification
In this particular instance we called around to other stores that received this beer (not many stores got the beer). We were given pricing from $24 for a four pack to $15 for a single bottle. We settled on $9.99 which is somewhere in the middle. In this case demand supported the price that we set.
Click to expand...
mfw when you try to sell me 1 $10 bottle of KBS:
pF3269d.gif
 
I feel like this topic is missing a defensive kzoobrew rant about how people are hating on Founders as a fad.

I've only had KBS once. Once was enough for me. Not worth the battle/cost it takes to get a bottle.

My favorite Founders move was announcing to the world that FBS was coming in 6 packs at the same price point. Then saying "lol nm we're changing our name to All Day IPA Brewing and won't have time to deliver one that one."
 
ficklenicholas said:
Would kill to get the regular Founders lineup in LA. I like their porter, Imp stout, breakfast stout, etc.
Click to expand...


I thought about this too, until I sat down and compared them to similar breweries. Their line up is very similar to Alesmith, and comparing most of the beers, I prefer Alesmith. Though the main benefit to Founders over Alesmith is price. I wish Alesmith did 4 packs of some of their beers.
 
Founders can brew a shelf stout better than just about anyone.







And a solid porter, scotch ale, and old ale.







And that's it. That's all they've ever been. Too many other breweries smoke them in other categories. Including barrel aged. Would CBS hold up as top-tier now with all the other ridiculous releases that have come out since?
 
nanobrew said:
I thought about this too, until I sat down and compared them to similar breweries. Their line up is very similar to Alesmith, and comparing most of the beers, I prefer Alesmith. Though the main benefit to Founders over Alesmith is price. I wish Alesmith did 4 packs of some of their beers.
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I love Alesmith. I always visit when I am in town and always buy their special releases. Like you said, would love a smaller format , especially for those of us who aren't local.
 
Founders has always been hit or miss for me. All Day, miss. Mosaic Promise, awesome. Wash rinse repeat.

I still think KBS is excellent when fresh. Aged, the complete opposite. Do. Not. Age. KBS. Ever.
 
Dirty Bastard is IMO one of the best values in craft beer, I prefer Centennial to Two Hearted (not that I can say anything wrong about 2H), All Day is tied for my favorite session beer (Levitation is other), Porter is one of my favorite porters, and Red's Rye is another one of my favorite reds/IPA's. I'm not looking forward to the next Backstage, but I know a few who will be all over it.
 
I agree with the OP 100%. I used to drive to Grand Rapids just to hang at Founders. Now there is no reason. I can get over priced Red's Rye here.
 
So... does anyone know of a place where I can order (fresh) All Day IPA, Porter, FBS? I can't find the last one at either WACP or HTB.
 
steimie said:
Happy to grab fresh FBS for you if needed. No idea where you can order it online, but it should be popping up on various sites soon.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I might take you up on that, but I will first try to avoid putting anyone out.

Actually, wait, I just dropped off a case of Pliny to claaark13 today. I know what to do.
 
Cross-post:

A little "for science" going on tonight. Kinda of got into a debate that KBS used be, you know, good. That it used to be thicker, tasted like it was actually in a bourbon barrel at one time, etc.

So here is a 2011 from the cellar. No real coffee taste, but still a hint. Real nice bourbon taste contributing to a nice, thick mouthfeel. Confirmed. KBS used to be much better. Honestly.
HSSdntW.jpg
 
2014 sucked



thebandit1 said:
Cross-post:

A little "for science" going on tonight. Kinda of got into a debate that KBS used be, you know, good. That it used to be thicker, tasted like it was actually in a bourbon barrel at one time, etc.

So here is a 2011 from the cellar. No real coffee taste, but still a hint. Real nice bourbon taste contributing to a nice, thick mouthfeel. Confirmed. KBS used to be much better. Honestly.
HSSdntW.jpg
Click to expand...
 
My biggest issue with Founders is that they obviously want to take over the world with All Day and become a Lagunitas but they still try to keep this small brewery "we can't brew enough to keep up" "we do want we want and you're lucky we can make 500 bottles" game to hype themselves. Either you are a big business or you're not. I don't appreciate the bait and switch.

The fact people actually use the "we brew for us" slogan to defend them also just blows my mind. I'm not sure there is another industry on Earth where a business defiantly doesn't listen to their customers and the customers say "yea! Go Founders, **** us!!!"
 
Jb123 said:
If founders doesn't make mosaic promise year round or even seasonal it will be their biggest business blunder. I think between a few of us we have bought 5 cases. I think its the best Michigan made ipa, passed DripA and two hearted for me.
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It's pretty damn good. I wouldn't put it ahead of those two that you mentioned, but it's really good and a helluva lot better than I expected.
 

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