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Devil Dancer
Founders Brewing Company
- 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:
- 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 Naugros:
Reviewed by Naugros from New Jersey
2.84/5 rDev -27.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.84/5 rDev -27.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Triple IPA, huh? Well, at 12% it may qualify. Does that make DFH 120 Minute the first TIPA?
It is dark amber and hazy like many DIPAs out there and raises a nice head of off-white foam that has really good retention. We'll see if the haze is the usual chill haze you get from highly hopped beers...I suspect it is.
There is some serious pine action going on in the smell, but it's pretty solvent in nature. It's almost as if I could clean my floors replete with a bald man, arms crossed, looking on in approval. But there's more going on here and I believe it's from the alcohol level. It's where the solvent is coming from which led to the Mr. Clean reference. As I ponder deeper (and have read some other reviews of this one), I get a sulfuric note which has no place in beer.
If this is what a TIPA would taste like then I'm not a big fan. The level of hopping is fine and appreciated, it's the fusel alcohol notes that have me put off, but what should I expect from a 12% ale? Yet, in many high ABV beers the alcohol takes on a sherry, cognac, rum or whiskey like flavor...not so here. It just tastes like alcohol...rubbing alcohol. Malts? If you really work at that, they're there. Believe it or not they do supply a weak attempt at a sweetening balance, but they really don't stand a chance. The yeast did too good of a job converting them to C2H5OH. One might think that the yeast performed something akin to alchemy and converted some starches to sulfur as well. But after more contemplation on this one there is a smoky meatiness to it, like a nice barbecue that went unchecked. So I get the sense that we have some roasted malts trying to poke their heads out of the hoppy/alchoholic surface strata...and doing so mostly unsuccessfully, but enough to warrant a slightly higher rating in the taste element.
Yeah, this has a major "burn" from the alcohol. Perhaps the largest sense of alcohol I have ever experienced in a beer and I've had a few at 18% and above. It overshadows all the other elements, but since this is dubbed a "Triple IPA" I'm guessing that that is the point. I am so afraid to breathe too close to an open flame right now. The bitterness is pretty high as well and that remains in the aftertaste with the pine and still some of the astringency of a cleanser. Good luck getting the flavor off your tongue as the aftertaste will overpower a good dose of Colgate.
I certainly hope that the point of this beer was to produce something over the top and unable to be categorized as this is not something this all that enjoyable to drink. It reminds me of my experiences with DFH World Wide Stout. Point made! Please get back to the wonderful beers that can be palated.
Jul 25, 2011It is dark amber and hazy like many DIPAs out there and raises a nice head of off-white foam that has really good retention. We'll see if the haze is the usual chill haze you get from highly hopped beers...I suspect it is.
There is some serious pine action going on in the smell, but it's pretty solvent in nature. It's almost as if I could clean my floors replete with a bald man, arms crossed, looking on in approval. But there's more going on here and I believe it's from the alcohol level. It's where the solvent is coming from which led to the Mr. Clean reference. As I ponder deeper (and have read some other reviews of this one), I get a sulfuric note which has no place in beer.
If this is what a TIPA would taste like then I'm not a big fan. The level of hopping is fine and appreciated, it's the fusel alcohol notes that have me put off, but what should I expect from a 12% ale? Yet, in many high ABV beers the alcohol takes on a sherry, cognac, rum or whiskey like flavor...not so here. It just tastes like alcohol...rubbing alcohol. Malts? If you really work at that, they're there. Believe it or not they do supply a weak attempt at a sweetening balance, but they really don't stand a chance. The yeast did too good of a job converting them to C2H5OH. One might think that the yeast performed something akin to alchemy and converted some starches to sulfur as well. But after more contemplation on this one there is a smoky meatiness to it, like a nice barbecue that went unchecked. So I get the sense that we have some roasted malts trying to poke their heads out of the hoppy/alchoholic surface strata...and doing so mostly unsuccessfully, but enough to warrant a slightly higher rating in the taste element.
Yeah, this has a major "burn" from the alcohol. Perhaps the largest sense of alcohol I have ever experienced in a beer and I've had a few at 18% and above. It overshadows all the other elements, but since this is dubbed a "Triple IPA" I'm guessing that that is the point. I am so afraid to breathe too close to an open flame right now. The bitterness is pretty high as well and that remains in the aftertaste with the pine and still some of the astringency of a cleanser. Good luck getting the flavor off your tongue as the aftertaste will overpower a good dose of Colgate.
I certainly hope that the point of this beer was to produce something over the top and unable to be categorized as this is not something this all that enjoyable to drink. It reminds me of my experiences with DFH World Wide Stout. Point made! Please get back to the wonderful beers that can be palated.
More User Ratings:
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
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, 2024Now 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.
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
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, 2023I 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.
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
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
Devil Dancer from Founders Brewing Company
Beer rating:
87 out of
100 with
5114 ratings
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