Founder's Devil Dancer '14: a completely different beer?

Going w/ palate change.

I've re-visited beers from my beginning of craft drinking and several loves/hates have changed

 

I love Imperial, super hopped IPAs, but found the onion-ness of this offputting. Thirded...

 

Nope, it's awful. Any why the hell release a big beer like that in the summer?

 

I have never enjoyed this one much either. Way overpriced imo

 

I agree with the late Spring early Summer releases of huge Imperial Stouts and Barleywines. I think BCBS does it right with a Black Friday release. It's the perfect time of year for that beer. It's also nice to do mini verticals.

With that said I picked up 1 DD. I don't like 120 at all, and I've heard it's a 120 light. I think there's a reason most world class IPA's are in the 7%-8% range with maybe 9% on the high end. An IPA should be refreshing and thirst quenching not cloyingly sweet.

 

I liked it. I was really expecting it to be heavy and thick. It reallyis like a hoppy barleywine. That being said, it def wasnt $20+ a fourpack good. Not even close

 

I was very surprised by the '14. Nowhere near as hop forward as I would of imagined. Lots of sweet citrus, and what I though was a big strawberry note. Great beer-a little boozy.

 

I haven't tried 2014 yet, However I did just have a 2013 a few nights ago, and it was great. As someone said earlier, i approach it as a barleywine. After a year, its nice sweet malty beer and less boozy. If comparing to american barleywine, its still plenty hoppy after aging for a year, much more in the bittering aspect. Still has some hops aroma and tastes, although all that onion-y taste is gone at the year mark.

 

Not sure I'd call it atrocious but not something I'd ever seek out or reccomend to anyone, although if I happen to come across somewhere I could buy a small draft pour (2 oz. or so) I'd give it a taste.

I've only tried it once and certainly was not worth the $6 or 300+ calories per bottle.

 

While this is almost certain agriculturally, I can't help but be at least a little hesitant about it being a reason why beer might change batch-to-batch or year-to-year.

The comparison to wine often comes up in this respect, but unlike most vintners, brewers are not obliged to always source their materials from the very same fields. I suppose I have faith (maybe wrongly so) that if ingredients from some location are responsible for significantly changing the way a beer is designed to taste/smell, those variations would also be detectable before they go into the beer, and a brewer would catch them and make the appropriate adjustments.

 

I will try it again this year but that oniony-garlicky quality is just too off-putting for me.

 

It's not only possible, it's almost certain that this is the case.

 

There will always be variations as we're talking about chemistry but I highly doubt that the recipe has changed...

 

Certainly not worth the $21.00 + that some stores are selling it for. *cough* Savor Market/Growl.

 

Ya I always wanted to try it but I can get two four packs of Hoptimum or a sixer of Illumination for less than that. Maybe one of these days.

 

I just picked up a 4 pack of this today because I've never tried it. I didn't realize that it was $20 until the cashier rang it up (no price on the shelf). After reading this thread, I'm having a bit of buyer's remorse.

 

wasn't thrilled with last years but my palate has changed since then will crack this one soon and report back but at 5 and change it better be better than good lol

 

Nope. Tastes like someone farted in a bottle of 120 and let it stew in the sun. I never understood this style of "IPA." I always get malt bomb. Not what I want in an IPA.

 

I like DD, but am more curious to where Double Trouble is? I will get back to you when I get this years Dancer, not in NH yet!