Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA

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

12oz bottle. Pours a dark red with a small off-white head. I am scared of this beer. Ever since I tried DFH 120 min again I’ve had a deep dislike for sweet, overly high ABV ipas. I just got the feeling this could fall into the same category. Aroma is not bad. Smells like a barley wine. Caramel, huge malt sweetness, and a significant amount of hops, though not enough to make this smell like anything other than a hop forward American style barley wine. Definitely has too much malt character for an double or triple ipa. The taste is malty, strong, bitter though surprisingly smooth. I wouldn’t call this very drinkable but it is much more so than I thought it would be. Again, tastes like a barley wine. The alcohol and bitterness are present but neither are off putting. This isn’t exactly a beer I’d run out to buy again but it’s much better than I thought it would be.

Draft. Cherry-brown coloring with limited head. Hoppy, with sweet fragrant aroma. Lightly fruity. High alcohol warmness assaults the top of the mouth. Tangy, apricot-like notes. Packs a wallop.

Unbelievable. I was scared at the thought of something 13% as many beers this high tend to have fuesels & lean toward the alcohol or are too sweet. The balance of this beer should make one scared as the taste is so damn good and I cannot tell with the exception of the aftertaste that it is as big as it is. Rich malt gives a very caramel/breaddy undertone and the hops just explode on the pallet. Would never guess 200IBU. This brewery should be given the brewery of the year for this beer alone!

Bottle.

I confess that I’m not usually looking for a 13% IIPA, but cracking this one open tonight I was really quite pleased. Rich amber pour, not much head of course, big caramel and oxidizing-hops aroma, the latter not so far gone as to be unpleasant. More barleywine-like than IIPA. The flavor is similar, but even better. Massive rich caramels are set off beautifully by the huge doses of hops that this one brings to my glass; sweetness slightly winning out over the hops. Very smooth, considering, very drinkable. Obviously big enough to make its ABV known, but not boozy or particularly hot, especially considering the ABV.

Nice beer. Wouldn’t a be regular sipper for me even if I could get it locally, but for the style (which I do really like) it’s quite nice.

12 oz. bottle. Deep ruby/amber pour. Thin off-white head that quickly turns into a halo of lace. Malt, dark fruit, and a whiff of alcohol in the aroma. Huge malt backbone balanced with a piney resinous hop presence. Full mouthfeel, a bit sticky,....very delicious. Bitter lasting finish. This beer ROCKS, and very drinkable.

Pours dark red, a little muddy with no head at all. Aroma is of fruits and hops. Flavor starts out sweet, but slowly turns very bitterly and hoppy. Finish is again soft and sweet. The overall sweetness spoils a bit this otherwise very good brew. Yet, I do not pick up any alcohol despite there being a lot of it.

on tap - Capone’s, Norristown PA
I picked up a couple bottles of this but haven’t tasted those yet. Tap pours a deep, slightly hazy amber color with some reddish orange tints. Head was thick, pure white and had excellent retention. Aroma was thick with sour citrus, grapefruit and some slight earthiness. Mouthfeel was viscous and slightly sticky. Flavor started off with sweet malt and then almost immediately - ka-POW - hop detonation. Green, resiniy, fresh, citrus, raw under-ripe grapefruit all explode into your tastebuds. Hop flavor lasts and lasts too, but is surprisingly well balanced with the malt body. Some warming notes from the massive alcohol content, but holy crap - this beer is really drinkable. After one 10oz glass I had to step it down to the Southern Tier Imp. Oat Stout at only 12.5%!

Pours a reddish orange with a tiny light tan head. Aroma is of the forest with beavers and dandelions and stuff. It starts out sweet and heavy on the alcohol and finishes with an earthly and bitter bite.