Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA

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

pours copper, thin tan head, bubbles around the rim. aroma of creamy caramel, some cirtrus, and a hint of sweet tea. the flavor is smooth, smooth caramel, hint of hops with a slightly bitter touch. a full-bodied brew. then it hits you: gee-whiz-bang! hoppy bitter finish that sticks around...then slam-bam-thank-you-ma’am! you get a huge alcoholic warming. "whoa!! how’d this go down so easy?" i thought to myself (which is my favorite way of thinking. see what i mean about the alcohol?). it’s 22.50 on easter sunday and i’m wondering if there is any place open where i can get more. definitely a new favorite. makes me want to start smoking cigars again.

thanks to <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/ViewUser.asp?UserID=1 rayboy01 for this sample

This was a strange brew for me.. almost had the characteristics of a barleywine at first and then as it warmed, it became more IIPA-like. Murky, murky brackish brown color, no head. This wasn’t the most attractive of brews.. Aroma of sweet malts at first then as it warmed, the hops started to show up.. Sweet, syrupy malts big time when this is cold, not much of a hop presence.. as it warms, it seems to reverse and become one dimensional the other way.. This was a nice brew to try but its definitely not one of my favorites or anything... I don’t get it..

Bottle from STFUN! Poured a dark amber color, no head. Smell of sweet/citrus hops. Flavor is also citrus hops and little bit alcohol. Caramel and pine are also there as well. Bitter but not in an offensive way. Above medium texture, almost syrup like. I was really looking forward to this beer and it didnt let me down. I love a good strong beer and an DIPA, this was a combination of both. Thanks josh for hooking me up with this one! I bet this would be amazing on draft...

Man, there is some heat to this beer. To be expected from a 14 percent beer, but the aroma of caramel hops and sweet citrus meld into an intoxicating aroma of Gran Marnier and a redolence of aged Double Bastard. Taste is initially very malty-sweet, the same sweet caramel malting followed by a hugely bitter hopbomb that threatens to destroy the palate, and finishes with a bitter and alcoholic kick. I think the detraction of this beer, and it is not a major one really, is that the bitterness accentuates the alcohol in this beer to make it seem hotter than it is. I could see this being a very good barleywine with some age. Solid. ---re-rate--- 4/8/2008 Sweet grapefruit-like Barry Bonds shitting a grapefruit made of hops. 8/3/8/5/17 --- re-rate--- 2006 bottle consumed 8/21/2009 Lots of sherry, oxidation, and a bit of hops, but mostly sweet caramel. Taste is sweet caramel, piny-bitter hops, and a cloying sweetness on the finish. Yum, but this is a really oxidized- bwine

This beer is definitely unreal. Deep reddish color with a solid, creamy head. Far more complex malt flavors than most IPAs. Loads of caramel, molasses and toffee. Very strong citrus hop flavors with some pine in there as well, and a thick, creamy mouthfeel. This is a damn near perfect beer.

Pours a deep hazy amber/red with almost zero foam. Aroma of spicy & citrusy hops, alcohol and sweet malt. Flavor of toffee, caramel, raisins, burnt sugar followed the spice and grapefruit hop elements. Finishes with a warming dose of alcohol and ends dry & bitter. Mouthfeel is on the heavy/thick side.

Dark amber from the 12oz with a thin head and beady lace. I drank this at Dark Lord Day 08 where Founders was a guest Brewer, some time after I wrote this rating. It was far and away better from an original keg from FoundersThe first whiff is very dense spice that reaches into your sinuses. As you breathe it in, the thick rich maltiness follows. the first sip is a solid crescendo of malt sweetness and hop bitterness in a smooth nearly creamy mouthfeel that rolls across your tongue and reaches around the sides with little fingers of sharp spicyness. The balance nearly made me cry. Finishing this off is a quick fade to strong alcohol astringency, leaving uyou anticipating the next sip. Definitely good for a second or even third. If you like huge IPA’s that border on Barleywine, this beer will be near the top of your list!

Bottle courtesy of JB175. Pours a cloudy amber color with a very small head. Little carbonation but nice lacing. Nose is bitter hops with sweet malt. Palate is bitter – this one makes you pucker. Sweet toffee malt upfront than the citrus hops kick in. Hops are on the sour side with grapefruit and lemon mostly dominating. Lingering bitter aftertaste. The malt helps tone down the hops making this one smoother than I expected. Alcohol is well hidden at 13%. Would drink again for sure.