Devil Dancer
Founders Brewing Company

Devil DancerDevil Dancer
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Founders Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Imperial IPA
Ranked #1,913
ABV:
12%
Score:
87
Ranked #15,421
Avg:
3.9 | pDev: 13.33%
Reviews:
1,499
Ratings:
5,114
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 05, 2024
Added:
May 17, 2004
Wants:
  346
Gots:
  1,159
Triple IPA. Dry-hopped for twenty-six days straight with a combination of 10 hop varieties. 112 actual IBU; although it calculates to over 200!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Boppar:
Photo of Boppar
Reviewed by Boppar from New Hampshire

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
12 oz into snifter

A: Pours a brilliant deep orange/red color. Almost non-existent head, with a faint ring of lace around the edges. As strange as it sounds, it looks almost like a tawny port.

S: It smells very sweet. Much sweeter than I would have thought for this beer. Definite notes of sticky molasses. There are some resinous hop aromas, but not nearly as many as I would've expected from a beer that boasts "Triple IPA" status.

T: Surprisingly malty. The dominant flavors are molasses and a pumpkin-ish sweetness that I've noticed in barleywines. Maybe a little orange rind action in there for good measure. It's fairly tasty, and it's almost scary how well that 13% ABV is hidden in there. It doesn't taste a bit over 8%. But what I really want to know is: where are the hops?! The only hop taste I'm getting is some bittering hops on the finish.

M: Almost still. The nearly complete absence of carbonation is sort of a relief, considering the ABV. It's thick, it's sticky, it's still.

D: Considering this has three times as much alcohol in it as some beers on the market, the drinkability is the one area in which Devil Dancer really excels.

I was expecting a hop-bomb. This hardly fits that description. It's not a bad beer by any stretch, but I think I would like it better if it were called a barleywine, rather than a "triple IPA." I mean hell, it isn't even a single IPA, let alone a double or triple.
Nov 26, 2007
More User Ratings:
Photo of Whyteboar
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan

4.37/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
The first time I was able to try this I was on Mackinaw Island and one of the pubs had it on tap. As the Grand Hotel only had Bells Oberon (this was in late September, it was brewed in March) this was sublime. But that was before I paid attention.
Now I’ve had it fresh and aged and both are great.
The pour is a reddish tinted amber and fresh it has a dense beige head that leaves rings of lacing.
The taste, oh my. Fresh it’s a menagerie of hops that assault your mouth with no intent on letting you surrender. Piney grapefruit, herbs and grass and some flavors I still can’t describe. To top that off, it’s somehow balanced with malty flavors and rein in the bitter and provide a nice base.
Aged the malty flavors take the lead and the hops not so much fade as morph into edging for the malt flavors so it doesn’t get too sweet. Weird the way that works, but tasty!
The feel is so good for the absolute attack of flavors; medium viscosity carries them all easily and makes this a slow sipper.
Jan 05, 2024
Photo of imscotty
Reviewed by imscotty from Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I am enjoying one of my 2012's right now. That's right, this beer is eleven years old. I think Devil Dancer ages just fine. Don't worry, I drink them fresh too.
I think the fresh ones have a bit of an oniony flavor. Not that I mind it. As it ages the onion fades, leaving behind all that piney, caramel, tarry beauty. Finish leaves a nice bitterness on the tongue. Lucious Mouth feel. Yum!

Yes, I confess, this is one of my old-time favorites. I do not get it very often enough now, Glad I found a dusty old one in my cellar.
Nov 06, 2023
 
Rated: 3.83 by scottyshades from Florida

Jul 02, 2023
Photo of buckthehog
Reviewed by buckthehog from Texas

4.76/5  rDev +22.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Drinking this triple ipa with my boys Keith and Greg on the patio on a hot summer night in Dallas brings back great memories. So dank and so dirty. Like the pine tar from George Brett’s bat mixed with the sweat from a Neanderthal woman. Physically and psychologically one of my favorite dirty bird beers ever. I love you Founders.
May 18, 2023
 
Rated: 3.73 by DOCRW from Kentucky

May 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4.16 by SoundMakesSense from Indiana

Mar 05, 2023
 
Rated: 3.73 by Slyde180 from Texas

Jan 21, 2023
 
Rated: 3.94 by carolinabeerguy from North Carolina

Jan 04, 2023
 
Rated: 4.23 by dms1767 from Nebraska

Oct 20, 2022
 
Rated: 3.34 by not2quick from Missouri

Jul 13, 2022
 
Rated: 3.06 by Danny27

Jun 03, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by doctorgary from New York

Oct 31, 2021
 
Rated: 3.61 by Urs from Connecticut

Jul 16, 2021
 
Rated: 4.13 by Sinister from New York

Feb 21, 2021
 
Rated: 2.93 by eagles22 from Pennsylvania

Dec 29, 2020
 
Rated: 4.14 by Sellen from Connecticut

Jul 05, 2020
 
Rated: 3.82 by AmeriCanadian from Tennessee

Jun 07, 2020
 
Rated: 3.27 by WickedBeer from Alabama

May 16, 2020
 
Rated: 3.83 by cgrunin from Texas

May 08, 2020
Devil Dancer from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 5114 ratings