Founders Double Trouble IPA

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

Location:12 oz Bottle from RFDs, 5/23/09
(Drank it right after the Founders Centennial IPA)

Aroma: Mostly lemony, some pine, other citrus fruits mixed in, a bit of caramel
Appearance: Nice dark gold color
Flavor: A nice hop bitterness and some sweet malts for balance, long lasting and relatively complex flavor
Palate: A pretty strong mothfeel to this one, lots of body, a little thick
Overall Impression: I thought this one was a pretty nice, maybe a drop too heavy/thick for a IIPA, but that’s just me nit picking at a very solid beer.

Pour was bright yellow, like a golden pilsner, equipped with a white frothy head. A million little floaties are in suspension in the thick syrupy brew. The aroma is some caramel and a lot of citrus floor cleaner. The flavor is a mixture of grapefruit and pine with a touch of lemon. Really sweet and really, really thick...a little too much for my liking, actually. Only a pretty high level of bitterness makes this drinkable. It’s ok, but a little disappointing given the high average rating and my general respect for the brewer.

Golden-orange pour producing stringy lacing and a medium sized, lasting white head. Bitter and sticky with a juicy mouth feel. There’s a very heavy malt body and a lingering bite. Smells of grapefruit and pine, but there’s also some welcoming aromas of peaches, pears, cereal and sugar cookies. Citrus flavor with a heavy pine/spruce taste. Thick doughy malts that provide a nice nuttiness. It’s very floral with a bitter sweetness. Malty, hoppy and deliciously drinkable but at the price it didn’t seem to stand out compared to many other alternatives.

12 ounce bottle (1/27/09) in pint glass. Nice hazy pale gold with white head and lace. Powerful sweet citrus lemon pastry fresh hoppy aroma. Fresh mild mellow melon fruitiness with nice sweet bitter hoppy dry finish. Well-disguised alcohol. NIce medium body and good carbo. This is an awesome beer. Hits all the right notes for me.

Gorgeous pur, delicate but firm head. Fragrant, very perfumey nose of orange blossum honey, grapefruit rind, and a certain suggestions of...well, a light petrol. Very complex, even the amaraillo hop nod to fine German Riesling. Stunning palate, a shy entrance is quickly eclipsed by a room full of hop voices. Fragrance expoldes and is reigned in by a firm honey malt and the hops themselves in a dry and lingering hop presence. Sticks to your gums, eyes open at first sniff!

12 oz. bottle. Pours hazy yellow/straw colored with a billowing white head with good retention and sudsy lace. Aroma has some honey but is dominated by citrusy (orange) hops along with some piney and floral hops. Flavor includes mostly citrus hops, but with a solidly sweet backing. Balances just a little dry on the finish. Medium mouthfeel, smoothly carbonated and very little alcohol presence. Really solid DIPA; pale version along the lines of Victory Hop Wallop.

12oz bottle. murky gold pour with a thin soapy off-white head. aroma is burning pine with a bit of citrus. tastes of honey and sweet malts followed quickly by the sharp bitter hops. also flavors of cereal, light spices and vanilla. definitely interesting. the bitterness doesn’t overwhelm things like I thought at first glance - it’s a good even bite.

Pours golden with a white head. The aroma has pine, grapefruit, tropical hops along with some sweet malt to balance things out. Medium / thick body with a lot of resin and very minor carbonation. The flavor starts piny with dry grapefruit hop traits with just enough malt to give it a nice balance. The finish has some funky hops and spice. Well done IIPA.