Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA

Brewed by Founders Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

Bottle, thanks to sprinkle. This is a monster in all regards. Useless to list out everything because there really is everything in this beer. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, I found the malts to just be too overpoweringly sweet, with the bitterness taking a back seat until the finish when the rest of the show was over. Alcohol also seemed to thin out the otherwise unbelievably rich malts. Just too big I thought. More than complex, it was an unnecessary onslaught.

Poured a nice brownish red with very little head. The aroma is a hint of strawberry mixed with hops and spice. This is pretty thick and flavor filled, with a rich malt and floral combo that dissolves in your mouth, leaving alcohol and a caramel/chocolate/malt finish. It’s rich enough to make it hard to drink more than one, and strong enough too.

Whoa. This is a big’un. The body is a dark, murky, burnt-orange to sienna brown color. A small but well retained, creamy, beige colored head crowns the surface. Dense legging morphs into soapy, spotty lacing that clings. The aroma is like a hop milkshake! Huge amounts of luscious caramel, melted toffee, and heavy, velvety cream provide ample malty backbone to counter the ridiculous hop billing. Grapefruit, orange, lemon and pine all make there presence felt in the nose. Flavors follow suit seamlessly, bold, creamy caramel and toffee malts caressing the tongue just before the biting assault of citrus and pine takes over. The body is full and viscous, ultimately falling just on the sugary side of perfect. A long, bitter citrus finish lingers on the tongue. This brew is over the top, but in a good way. Great for when you’re in the mood for a whopper of a brew. Far more reasonable (and drinkable) than 120 Minute, which is the closest comparison I can draw.

This pours a beautiful dark ruby with a light yellowish head that fades to a layer of foam and a little bit of lacing. I love the color of this beer. Smells really fruity, caramel-like and sweet with plenty of alcohol notes as well. Taste is extremely bitter but also nearly cloying sweet. Lots of ripe juicy grapefruit and tons of caramel malt backbone. Very syrupy and still quite smooth. Alcohol and grapefruit bitterness linger on the tongue for a while after each sip. Pushing the limit between "triple IPA" and a really hoppy west coast barleywine. Despite the large amount of alcohol and sweetness I actually enjoyed this beer.

On paper....this beer sounds great. 200+ IBU’s, 10 hop varieties, 13%!!!!!. But I think I might have gotten an old bottle. Poured a deep murky reddish/orange. Hop aroma was very strong. No head what-so-ever - nothing. Taste was very smooth, and not over the top hops. I’m thinking this beer was stored improperly at some point.

Bottle at Monks Cafe. This poured a cloudy reddish copper color with no head, Awesome hop and barrel nose, with a real big mouthful. Really a super hop flavor with with a nice bitter finish, but that doesn’t really do it justice,. There is a complexity to this beer that makes it special. I really enjoyed this.

12oz bottle thanks to schneid. Pours a dark amber with no head. Nose is fruity - peach or apricot - and alcohol. Tasty is very malty, similar to Surly Furious. Mouhtfeel was creamy and btter with alcohol present. This reminded me of a barleywine rather than an IPA

Bottle thanks to mibirder. Doesn’t taste anywhere close to 200+ IBU, maybe an old bottle, but very sedated hops (maybe 80 IBU). Pours a hazed red color with a very small off-white head. Aroma of dough, molasses and caramel, painfully...nearly absent of hops. Taste is a very malt strong IIPA, nearly barely wine taste. Carmel up front and only a bit bitter in the finish. Syrupy mouthfeel with light carbonation.