Founders Porter 6Pk

Founders Porter 6-Pack is a 6.5% ABV American robust porter from Grand Rapids, Michigan, sold in six 12-oz units. A two-time Great American Beer Festival Silver Medal winner (2014 and 2020 in the Robust Porter category), this has earned a reputation as one of the most dependable dark ales in American craft brewing.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.5%  |  IBU: 45  |  Origin: Grand Rapids, Michigan  |  Style: American Robust Porter  |  Brewery: Founders Brewing Co.

Production & Heritage

Founders Brewing Co. was established in 1997 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers. The brewery is now fully owned by Spanish brewing group Mahou San Miguel. Founders Porter is brewed with malted barley, hops, water, and yeast, resulting in a more assertive, dry, and roast-forward profile than many other American craft porters. The beer pours silky black with a creamy tan head, reflecting its robust malt backbone and moderate 45 IBU hop presence that provides structure without overwhelming bitterness.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with roasted coffee and dark chocolate, layered over a sweet caramel malt foundation. A graham cracker-like sweetness emerges underneath, giving the aroma depth without heaviness.

Taste: Chocolate and coffee flavors dominate the entry, with semi-sweet chocolate chip and medium-roast coffee driving the mid-palate. A gentle sugar cookie sweetness rounds out the center before balanced hop bitterness arrives to keep the malt richness in check. The mouthfeel is creamy and medium-bodied, never veering into the thickness of a stout.

Finish: The finish is smooth and moderately dry, with lingering roasted malt and a faint bittersweet chocolate note. It resolves cleanly, encouraging another sip without feeling cloying or heavy.

How to Drink Founders Porter

This porter is best enjoyed at around 45–50°F — slightly warmer than a standard refrigerator pour — to let the chocolate and coffee aromatics fully develop. Poured into a tulip glass or English pint, it opens up considerably. For cocktail-minded drinkers, Founders Porter also works well in these applications:

• Beer Float: Poured over vanilla ice cream, the roasted malt and chocolate flavors create a rich, adult dessert.
• Black Velvet (variation): Blended with hard cider, the porter's roast character balances the cider's tartness.
• Porter Shandy: Mixed with cold-brew coffee concentrate, it amplifies the natural coffee notes already present in the beer.

Best For

• Stocking a home fridge for cooler-weather evening drinking
• Introducing someone to dark beer who finds stouts too heavy
• Pairing alongside a backyard cookout featuring grilled or smoked meats
• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who values consistent, award-winning quality

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Founders Porter taste like? Founders Porter leads with dark chocolate and medium-roast coffee, supported by caramel malt sweetness and a smooth, moderately dry finish. It has a creamy mouthfeel and balanced bitterness at 45 IBU.

How does Founders Porter compare to Edmund Fitzgerald Porter? Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter is often considered the benchmark for the style and tends toward a more balanced, slightly hoppier profile. Founders Porter is generally more assertive on roasted malt, creamier in mouthfeel, and smoother in the finish, making it the richer of the two.

Is Founders Porter good for someone new to dark beer? Yes — at 6.5% ABV and medium body, it avoids the heaviness of imperial stouts while delivering approachable chocolate and coffee flavors that serve as an excellent entry point into dark ales.

Where is Founders Porter made? Founders Porter is brewed by Founders Brewing Co. in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a city widely regarded as one of America's top craft beer destinations.

What foods pair well with Founders Porter? Smoked brisket or pulled pork complements the roast-forward malt character. Dark chocolate desserts echo the beer's cocoa notes. Sharp cheddar provides a savory contrast to the malt sweetness. Grilled burgers with caramelized onions mirror the caramel and roast flavors. Coffee-rubbed steak amplifies the beer's natural coffee profile.

What sizes does Founders Porter come in? Founders Porter is widely available in 6-packs of 12-oz bottles and cans, as well as single cans and draft.

Is Founders Porter worth the price? Founders Porter positions as an accessible, everyday craft porter — it sits in the value tier of American craft beer while delivering flavor complexity and consistency backed by two GABF Silver Medals. It punches well above its price class.

Why Founders Porter?

Two Silver Medals at the Great American Beer Festival — in 2014 and again in 2020 — place Founders Porter among the most decorated robust porters in the country. Its profile is deliberately more assertive and roast-driven than much of its competition, giving it a distinct identity in a crowded category. The creamy mouthfeel and clean finish make it equally suited to contemplative sipping and casual weeknight drinking. For a year-round porter at this price tier, few American craft options match its combination of flavor depth, drinkability, and proven competition credentials.