Founders Hand of Doom

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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Thanks to badnewsbrews for this beer. 12oz bottle Opaque dark golden pour with a nice white head, the hoppiness of this beer is complemented nicely by the oak/vanilla flavors from the barrel aging. It’s hoppy (grapefruit) but smooth with the vanilla flavor. It’s very enjoyable.

Reviewed back in 2010 from a unlabeled brown bottle from a trade - Hand of Doom (isn’t that the coolest name ever?) poured a hazy deep orange color. No head is poured at all. I was a little worried this brew wouldn’t be carbonated but the cap come off with a nice pffft! It’s alive! Nice carbonation. In some of the reviews I read, some people mentioned the smell and taste of Maple. Like they use on their CBS. But I didn’t get that at all. Maybe they got to try a special version? The smell I did get though was fantastic. First you’ll notice just how boozy this sucker is. Up front is the smell of alcohol and straight up bourbon. It stings the nose and takes you by surprise. As the beer warms though everything comes together. There’s a beautiful aroma of fruit. Citrus and tropical fruits. Then I picked up some pine and a wonderful aroma of vanilla. So much going on. Big and potent. At first sip I couldn’t get into this brew. A lot of alcohol and not much more. My mouth and throat burned. But as the beer warmed up, just like the aroma, the beer came alive. The fruitiness started to take charge. Huge citrus and tropical fruits. Mixed with the bourbon, vanilla, and oak it just added up to an out of this world taste. Big hop character. A while back I mentioned that when I have Pliny the Younger I feel like the enamel of my teeth is going to come off. I kinda felt the same way here. Huge. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, dry, and oily. Can’t forget the alcohol burn. It’s there from start to finish. Perfect beer for a cold night.

UPDATED: JAN 29, 2012 A: Dark, hazy amber body. Good head height and good retention. Nice lacing. S: Boozy, heavy malt presence. Mostly caramel. Some citrus hops shine through the booze and malt. T: Tastes like a smooth, woody pot still Irish whiskey. Reminiscent of Redbreast 12 actually. Interesting since I really didn’t get any bourbon notes. Light citrus hop bitterness. While I like my Irish Whiskey... it didn’t quite work here. M: I like my beer to feel like beer. Hand of Doom didn’t quite have a burn to it, but rather was a thick, slick, oily, greasy like feel to it. O: All in all, it was an interesting attempt. Personally, I think it failed to really hit the mark.

Handbottle? thanks to Daknole. Pours apricot gold. White head. Nose of oxidized fruits, hops and caramel malt. Taste of same. Medium body.

The beer is light gold with a hint of orange. Not much carbonation here at all, looks thick. The aroma is super strong and dominated by hops. Its the strong grain alcohol hops of an imperial that is either great or too strong like in this beer. There is the slightest citrus note at the end. Like the aroma the taste is way too grain alcohol hoppy sucking on a pine needle pine cone bitter. Some people love this, but for the all around beer drinker its not a pleaseant taste, feeling or experience. Its not at all balanced which if only it was might make this beer drinkable. The feel is actually pretty nice. Overall, another too hopped up imperial that is going for all ibu’s and nothign else.

Bottle shared by BOLTZ. Gold color pour with a small foamy head. Aroma of pine, citrus, caramel and light fruit. Sweet malt and lots of hop bitterness in the flavor. Great brew!

slight orangish/golden amber color, aroma of sweet caramel malt, citrus, honey, and cotton candy. hoppy and bitter, but the bitterness is well balance and not overpowering, similar to Bell’s Hopslam

bottle from boltzy on 3/21/2010. golden colored with a small white head. nice sweet bw aromas... green peppery barrel, vanilla, caramel , citrus/orange, pine and a little bit of spiciness. the flavor is the same. unfortunately, a little too sweet for my taste. the rich chewy mouth feel doesn’t make it easier... 7/4/7/3/15/3.6

Bottle, thanks tarheels! Got a smirnoff ice with your name on it when you get back from Philly! Pours golden with a small white head. Flavor is big hops, but is much closer to a barleywine then a DIPA. Has the medicine mouthfeel of a barleywine with a aggressive pine/citrus nose and flavor.

Hand bottle thanks to Badnewsbeers.
This is my first bourbon barrel aged IPA and I guess I’m not really a big fan. I just do not agree with the combination of bourbon and hops. I think it takes alot away from the beer in the case. I got mostly bourbon out of this, with hints of hops and bitterness but really a little too sweet and boozy. It was drinkable, but probably not my thing.

12oz hand bottle courtesy of badnewsbeers. Pours a clear pineapple, bright syrupy yellow with no head, some white bubbles that leaves crystalline lace. Aroma is not hoppy or even stale hoppy. It is barleywine with vanilla, booze, white sugar, orange juice. Taste is sweet, boozy, full of vanilla. Reminds me a bit of older Bells Oracle. Pretty much a DIPA turned into barleywine instead of rotting strawberry cheesecake.