Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA

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

I loved this beer but I am still learning how to write a review so I an a little thin on description here. Not so much an IPA impression as a hoppy Barley wine. really enjoyed it.

Pours a dark ruby with a thin film of soapy head that quickly dissipates. Strong smell of caramel and syrupy hops. This beer doesn’t mask the alcohol as much as you’d think- sharp alcohol taste is matched with a hint of toffee and ends with a strong bitter aftertaste of burnt toast. Not bad at all, but I think I overhyped it in my head.

Bottle from Foodery, Philly. Copper color no head and matching flat mouthfeel. Aroma of chewy malt and syrupy hops (not fresh and lively but heavy and resiny) and alcohol. Sweet candied brandy, fermented fruit and hops. Thick body. Meh.

Poured a nice dark cherry color with a beige colored head. Head didn’t last long and there was virtually no lacing, but still a nice looking brew. There is just a trace of some caramel in the smell, but this is pretty much all hops. Seemed like there were more grapefruit citrus hops than piney resinous, but either way, they worked very well together. Taste is full of much of the same, but there seems to be more piney hops in the taste than the aroma, there’s even a bit of caramel and dark fruit hidden beneath the hops. Mouthfeel is a bit thick, full bodied and medium carbonation; maybe that’s not true to style, but it seemd to fit well. Very enjoyable beer, certainly worth trying, if you can find it.

APPEARANCE/ SMELL: reddish brown with no head. Sweet caramel smell with piny hops. MOUTHFEEL: thick, syrupy, and sticky TASTE: initially malty and sweet, then caramel. Then bitter then alcoholic. The alcohol wasn’t too pronounced but warmed on the way down. THOUGHTS: this more closely resembles a barley wine than IPA. DD was lacking in the citrus, lemony hop flavors and smells. The only thing hoppy about it was the bitter aftertaste, which wasn’t even that bitter or lasting. GREAT BARLEYWINE, POOR IPA

Bottle: Thanks SQNFan! Nice looking pour with a hazy glowing amber color and a deep orange hue. The tan head is small but strong. Rich sweet noce with toasted vanilla, butterscotch soaked grapefruit, and gingerbread. Pretty inviting. Slick and warming feel, with apparent alcohol. Sweet flavor with toasted honey and a vanilla sweetness in the background. Some graham cracker and apparent alcohol burn. The finish has huge layers of resiny bitterness that makes the huge sticky body tolerable. This is a high octane IIPA that kind of works; although it’s very hot and over the top.

12 oz. bottle courtesy of a trade with CaptainCougar. Pours a cloudy dark amber with some reddish highlights when held against light. Very thin, uneven off-white head that quickly vanished. Very pleasant aroma of sweet malt, brandy, and some bright notes of citrus, particularly orange. The flavor is sweet malt up front followed by some very resinous hops. Very luxurious, almost sticky (in a good way) mouthfeel. Rich and full bodied. A bit of brandy in the aftertaste. I enjoyed this one very much in my Southampton snifter this one is a sipper for sure.

Bottle courtesy Ibrew2or3. Thanks Dave you Rock!!! Pours a hazy amber with a small but lasting off-white head that leaves good lacing. Aroma is full on citrus, pine, floral, earthy, and spicy hops with a good dose of sweet malt and caramel to balance it all out. Taste is a punch int the face of hops with tons of sweet malt and caramel. Medium full mouthfeel with an intense amount of bitterness and warm but very smooth alcohol. Damn good.