Dirty Bastard Scotch Style Ale

Review Date 2/6/2026 By John Staradumsky

  Style: Scotch Ale   Brewery: Founders   Country: USA   State: Michigan   $ Per OZ: $.17 (B), $.34 (D)   ABV: 8.5%

Well folks, here we are again with another episode of “How have I never reviewed this beer?”. That’s right, and this time the beer in question is Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Style Ale, and the fact that I have never posted here about it is all the more perplexing since it may well be my favorite Founders beer of all. Which is really saying something.

I love malty beers, you see, and Founders Dirty Bastard is a malty beer indeed. I bought a six-pack of this delightful Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy in April of 2024 and drank a bottle right away but did not take any tasting notes because, well, I was sure I had already done that. I still hadn’t done this as of February of 2026, almost two years later, at least I cannot find them if I did. Taco mac to the rescue! They are featuring Founders beers as beer of the month this month, and one of them is Dirty Bastard. I made a beeline there for the first Thursday to enjoy this beer and get a tchotchke.

Founders says:

Big, Bold and isn’t for the Wee Lads

The beer that puts us on the map, it’s so good it’s almost wrong. With dark ruby in color, Dirty Bastard is brewed a variety of specialty malts. This beer has a complex in finish, paired with a malty richness and a right hook of hop power to give it the bad attitude that a beer named Dirty Bastard has to live up to. Ain’t for the wee lads.

Founders Dirty Bastard has an alcohol content of 8.5% by volume with 50 IBUs and I paid $11.99 for my sic-pack from Canton Liquor Warehouse. The draft at Taco Mac was $7.87 for a 23-ounce mug and I got a beautiful Founders pint glass included.

Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Style Ale pours to a dark brown, almost black color with a thick creamy tan head and a nose of chocolate and robust caramel. Taking a sip the beer is medium in body with chocolate, caramel, treacle, brown sugar and molasses. It’s very complex indeed in its malty diversity and finishes slightly sweet with gently balancing grassy herbal hops. A hint of dark fruity raisin pokes through here, too.

This really is a wonderful beer and I will say it again, maybe just the best that Founders makes. Only through the magic of beer can you be an Arrogant Bastard, a Double Bastard, a Lukcy Basartd, an Old Howling Bastard, an Old Juicy Bastard, and of course, a Dirty Bastard. Beer. What would we do without it?

Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??