Founders Dirty Bastard
Malt complexity is an understatement, with rich toffee, slight espresso, chocolate, a little nuttiness, and a touch of peat. In true American fashion, it has an earthy hops kick that adds balancing bitterness to the sweetness. It’s the kind of beer that pairs well with a second and then a good nap.
ABV: 8.5% IBUs: 50 Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Sun King Diddy Muckle
A robust, bourbon barrel–aged version of the brewery’s Wee Mac recipe, this is bursting with the wood and vanilla notes you’d want from the whiskey and rounded out by the malt-forward sweetness of rich caramel, toffee, and some sweet country bread.
ABV: 8% IBUs: 23 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Pike Brewing Kilt Lifter
The faint campfire smoky whisper makes this classic American craft beer stand out among the pack. One of the longest running beers in the brewery’s illustrious history, it’s done according to tradition with toffee and other sweet malts coming together for a sipper that is as good with a roast dinner as it is on its own.
ABV: 6.5% IBUs: 27 Location: Seattle, Washington
Beaver Brewing For Peat’s Sake!
Thinner than you’d expect for the style, this hazy bronze beer has a faint smoky aroma that comes from time spent in peated bourbon barrels from Liberty Spirits. The result is akin to the final sips of a blended scotch after a full glass of ice has melted.
ABV: 5.1% IBUs: 20 Location: Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania