Founders Double Trouble - Founders Brewing Company

Jadjunk

Georgia

4.29/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Founder's Double Trouble is brewed in the style of an American Double IPA. No label information aside from 86 IBUs and the 9.4% ABV notice. Released annually in 4 packs during the spring season.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a tulip. Served north of 49º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a thin, golden-tinged white head of an airy cream consistency. Body color is a golden amber color with medium clarity, mild haze and ample carbonation. Retention is slightly above average and lacing is somewhat thick and stringy but doesn't hold long. Head thickens to a thin cream layer as it recedes. It certainly falls in line with the rest of the DIPA champions. 4

(Smell) Hop presence is forward, a bold blend of citrusy, fruity, resinous and piney hops in decreasing order. Malt profile is clean with a moderate sweetness, a lightly roasted caramel barley with a dap of honey. It's a very inviting marriage of hop and malt character, not unlike other citrus-led DIPAs I've had but leans harder on the hop end. The hop selection makes for an accessible aromatic display. Potency is just a touch shallow for my expectations. 4.25

(Taste) Very hop forward, but with more emphasis to the bitter, resinous and piney varieties than the nose gave off. Hop profile is comprised of citrusy, fruity and floral hop characters, slightly lesser pine and resin varieties on the finish, but it still carries a palate-wrenching intensity. The malt front is as clean tasting as it could be otherwise- it tries hard to match the hop bitterness but is a notch or two below where it should ideally rest, and the balance is slightly bitter over sweet. Flavors overall are really enjoyable for this DIPA- it's not as accessible as ones that are purely citrus and floral variety and have a matching sweetness to boot, but the complexity and depth of the hop varieties used is something worth savoring. It's a moderate, inviting sipper of a beer. 4.25

(Mouthfeel) Clean, mildly crisp textures with a mild slick sweetness. Hop presence has the upper hand and swings the balance slightly bitter, for a standard dry finish. Body is medium+ for a DIPA and medium/high overall. Alcohol presence is medium+, revealed by the lack of depth and cleanliness in the malt body, but the overshadowing hop bitterness intensity makes small change of this complaint. The texture and mouthfeel is thoroughly enjoyable. 4.75

(Overall) A solid DIPA. One may notice the hops taking a lead role in the beer, at the expense of a lesser-perceived malt profile. A touch of complexity couldn't hurt it much, and a slight boost in sweetness would seal the balance of this beer in place. Overall, I was pleased by this DIPA and recommend it to anybody who can tolerate a hoppy palate assault. 4.25

Founders Brewing Company's
Founders Double Trouble Imperial IPA
4.29/5.00

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 20:23:09 | More by Jadjunk

dar482

New York

4.74/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

The bottle was brewed on 4/12 I believe. I got the freshest I could here in NY.

The color is clear gold with a bit of orange. Nice looking DIPA with a one finger head.

Pouring it out of the glass, there is huge huge grapefruit, sweet malt stickiness, honey, a bit of dank Simcoe pine and grass. Just refreshing and juicy aroma.

The flavor is wonderful. At the front of the tongue is just sweet honey grapefruit. Then there’s a good crystal malt flavor, but then the dry dry finish grapefruit peel finish. Very drinkable. The sweet crystal malt isn’t overpowering, nor is the bitterness. There's also a good sticky sweetness that attaches onto your tongue, but still a wonderful balance.

The slow dry bitterness creeps on you after that great juiciness. The malt doesn’t make this feel thin like Enjoy By, which I have a few issues with. It definitely reminds me a lot of Ruination, but just crafted better. Cannot praise this beer more. One of my favorite DIPAs.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 06:28:24 | More by dar482

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Double Trouble opens to a hoppy nose, with pink grapefruit, mint, dandelion stem, eucalyptus, and lemon oil, as well as touches of anise and pepper, the aromas nicely balanced and geared toward the bitter side of the hop spectrum. Orange, apricot, berry, and cherry fruit esters add balancing sweetness, as do brown sugar and touches of confectioner’s sugar. Toast crust, biscuit, and Grape Nuts cereal add bready, grainy notes to counter the bitter and sugary notes. But the hops are always first and foremost, the beer obviously living up to the Imperial IPA label. Still, the beer is fairly nicely balanced between sugar, bread, and hop, and while the hops are the strongest aromas, the others are present in good enough quantity to make themselves known, the orange fruit esters being especially nice.

On the tongue, the beer is incredibly hoppy, with lemon oil, eucalyptus, grapefruit rind, dandelion stem, anise, mint, and pepper all fighting for delicious dominance, the hops heavily geared toward the bitter side, and showcasing virtually every bitter hop flavor possible. The orange, apricot, berry, and cherry fruit esters are still present in good quantity, mixing with the brown sugar to provide a welcome break from the bitterness. Toast crust, biscuit, and Grape Nuts cereal bread-and-grain notes help ground the flavors. Pessimistically, the hop notes can be somewhat medicinal and astringent; the heavy orange fruit esters help counter this somewhat. The aftertaste is mainly hops, lingering on the tongue for a long time. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is excellent Imperial IPA, and should be a must-try for hopheads. The hops are nicely chosen to showcase a wide variety of flavors, and the beer as a whole presents a good measure of countering sugars and breads. While the sheer strength of the hops does lead to an obviously out-of-balance beer, the deliciousness of the overall profile does largely make up for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 00:40:58 | More by jondeelee

kangarooAdam59

Wyoming

3.94/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanx Myrik!

Bottled 04/06/2013:

Into a snifter:

A: somewhat hazy yet clear copper body with a one finger white foamy head that quickly dies, carbonation is seen rising at a moderate pace

S: pine, hops, light mango, some light peppery spice

T: bittersweet and peppery with the pine and citrus aspect combined fairly well, dry sweet aftertaste and finish

M: medium, decent amount of carbonation on this bad boy, ABV not felt so its fairly sessionable

O: this is a good DIPA, but still think there's other DIPA's out there that I like more. I'm glad I tried it

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 16:45:10 | More by kangarooAdam59

biga7346

Michigan

4.54/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From notes

A - Bright copper hue, bronze-ish, lots of soapy lacing, big white foamy head

N - Massive pine cone, honey, soap, hop resin, very fresh tropical fruit like mango, apricot; some orange peel, orange pith.

T/M - Resiny and coating mouthfeel, rib sticking maltiness; more of the hop resin, pine resin, hop bitterness, woody like cedar or fresh oak; some of the citrus hope notes shine through, orange peel, pineapple.

D - Awesome drinkability for a massive Cascade-forward double IPA. I load up when this one comes around.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 02:36:08 | More by biga7346

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: poured from a 12 oz bottle (3/30/13) into a pint glass, orange honey colored with a short white head that lingers leaving some lacing, clear

S: grapefruit, pine, citrus, earthy malt

T: grapefruit and pine resin up front, fades to sweeter malt caramel, finish returns to bitter

M: full bodied with lower carbonation

O: a more balanced DIPA, alcohol well hidden

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 23:46:30 | More by M_C_Hampton

ScottieD

Connecticut

4.36/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle straight into a Lagunitas Large Mouth Glass.

A--Pours a golden orange color with a 1 finger white frothy head.

S--Faint citrus, floral, and dry hop aromas, but nothing overwhelming. The citrus stands out most.

T--Slightly grassy and bit citrusy at the onset with a dry, fairly bitter finish that lingers. As was stated in previous reviews, it is not at all boozy, so very nice to drink. Left me coming back again and again.

O--A really nice Imperial IPA by a phenomenal brewer. I really enjoy the balance of the beer, as the alcohol never overwhelms it. Definitely recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 01:36:59 | More by ScottieD

macher0

Kentucky

3.78/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured into tulip. Not sure of age, but certainly not fresh.

A: Copper to dark copper. Translucent. Very small head that quickly retreats to bubbly rim. Minimal lacing.

S: Not very fragrant. Yeast. Floral. Hops. A minor hint of citrus (likely because I was expecting it).

T: Floral on the front and hops at the end. No citrus. Mildly bitter and a hint of booze.

M: Moderate to full bodied. Fairly smooth. Moderate carbonation.

O: A nice DIPA. There are better ones and worse ones. Based on previous reviews, I was expecting a lot more citrus on the smell and taste, and since I really favor that in an IPA, I was disappointed. The age may have something to do with the lack of citrus, since this bottle was not fresh by any means. I would buy this again if fresh.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 01:49:49 | More by macher0

Axnjxn

North Carolina

3.91/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottled poured into a La Fin Du Monde tulip glass. bottled on 4/2/13.

Pours an amber color with a very thin, bubbly, white head. Smell is a dry, hoppy scent with citrus being the dominating aroma. Taste is extremely bitter with dry hops overwhelming the citrus. ABV is very well hidden and undetectable. Medium bodied with low carbonation. A bit too dry and bitter to be "easy drinking."

Overall an alright DIPA. I expected more from this considering Founders is top class, but this one fell short for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 20:16:30 | More by Axnjxn

deltatauhobbit

Maine

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Pours a slightly hazy golden orange color, good sized fluffy head, fades at a decent rate, leaves some patchy lacing on the glass, thin cap on top sticks around for awhile longer.

Smell has a nice citrus pine aroma, fair amount of caramel malt in the nose as well.

Taste starts with the citrus pine, mild bittering effect in the aftertaste, malt has a stronger than anticipated presence but helps to balance the flavor, nice creamy mouthfeel with a soft but ample amount of carbonation, finishes slightly dry, alcohol is very well-hidden.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 18:29:29 | More by deltatauhobbit

schwemjw

Ohio

4.56/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: a light copper. poured a two finger head that quickly disappeared into a half finger head that lingered.

S: burnt caramel, roasted pineapple, apricots, with a slight herbal quality. a lot of lingering grapefruit. Can't wait to drink!!

T: a tart citrus and grapefruit up front with that sweet malt. then come the hops! not a palate wrecker by any means but wonderful bright tropical fruit flavors with an earthy herbal quality that leads to a semi dry finish that leaves you wanting more. the hops are never too bitter but you definitely know they are there. nice and balanced.

M: i know there is almost 10% abv in here but i dont taste it at all! the mouthfeel is definitely on the lighter side with hardly any carbonation to speak of.

O: I love this beer! its a wonderfully balanced DIPA that hits all of your taste buds. its sweet, dry, a nice acidic quality, easy drinking and full of dank hops. awesome stuff. i think i'd give this a 94 or 95.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 04:15:25 | More by schwemjw

MaineBrewing

Maine

4.63/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - poured a clear golden color with hints of orange. White 2 finger head with large bubbles, soapy appearance. Left moderate lacing with a thick ever present cap making it feel lively to the last drop.

S - delicous hop aromas with a nice sweetness. More to the herbal and fruity side with a nice citrus bite. Not much for alcohol or yeast bouquet, very clean for the high gravity.

T - this is certainly fresh, Massive hops take on a more herbal, minty character with some citrus notes, before I can pick up much of the malt I am hit with a wall of bitter from the 86 IBUs. Might as well be a hundred, the lack of malt sweetness to balance it out allows the bitterness to reign. The malt bill is there, but overshadowed, I do get to enjoy it in the aftertaste.

M - Very easy drinking for the gravity, nice light body, very balanced almost effervescent carbonation.

O- this is a great double IPA. More up my alley with the overly bitter and hop forward taste, unlike some more malty, sweeter examples.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 23:18:35 | More by MaineBrewing

gr0g

New Jersey

4.46/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A slightly hazy straw/gold color. Head is about two fingers tall, and there's a nice ring of lace left behind. The aroma leaves no doubt that a hop bomb is in store - pungent grapefruit rind, fresh cut grass, and some tropical fruit character.

On the palate, it's bitter, of course. Lots of bitter citrus rind, especially grapefruit. The malt body is just big enough to provide complexity and a slight touch of sweetness, but the hops are the star. There's some pineapple in there, too, and plenty of hop oils amidst the vigorous but fine carbonation.

Having first had this in 2012, this year's release brings back fond memories. The more I drink this, the more I like it. Very easy-drinking for an 8%+ ABV IPA, and probably one of my top ten DIPAs.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 02:49:18 | More by gr0g

Lledd

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

12oz bottle served in Alchemist pint glass.

A: Small, half finger head. Lots of bubbly carbonation. Light amber color. Clear and crisp looking, no floaties. <3.75>

S: Not much aroma. But what's there is a clean hop aroma, slightly citrusy. <3>

T: Wow. First sip wow. Nice malt flavor up front with a bitter hop flavor on the finish. The hops are bitter and juicy like you would expect from a DIPA, with just a hint of citrus, especially in the aftertaste. (Note: I bought this the same day my favorite beer store got it in). The flavor is big and wet. What a wonderful balance of hops and malts for a DIPA. The sweetness and bitter hops make my mouth water for another sip. <4.75>

M: Medium-fine non aggressive carbonation. In other words, it doesn't "fizzle" on your tongue. Nice wet feel. <4.25>

O: Great great beer. Delicious balance for a "hop-bomb" style beer. Jim Koch should try this one next time he wants to criticize aggressively hopped beers. <4.75>

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 01:30:48 | More by Lledd

Jacurdy60

Alabama

3.78/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours an unimpressive pale yellow color that is too clear with a thin white head and poor retention. I figured a DIPA brewed by one of the worlds top breweries would look more full than this. Nose is resiny, hoppy, and a bit boozy. The astringent hops and pine notes overpower anything else in the nose. Tastes the same but finishes with a bitter-sweet bite and a nice chewy body. This is a decent DIPA but it pales in comparison to Hercules or Good People's Snakehandler for the matter.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 19:52:22 | More by Jacurdy60

zac16125

South Carolina

4.19/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle into a tulip
No bottled on date, must have rubbed off.

A: Pours a straw yellow, lighter than most beers in the style. One fingers width of sea foam white head builds and then recedes down rather quickly. Leaves a small amount of lacing.

S: Dank, resinous hops, tropical fruits, juniper, strong fresh grapefruit, lemon zest. Really nice. Hop bomb here for sure.

T: More malts in the taste than was in the aroma, give it a pretty big malt sweetness. Lots of piney bitterness is there as well, along with some citrus rind.

M/D: Medium body, smooth with an appropriate carbonation, no hint of the ABV. Drinkability is very good. Great mouthfeel.

O: A really nice beer. If I would have had this 2 years ago I would have thought it was incredible, but there are just so many great DIPAs out there these days. This one is well above average, but there are many better DIPAs available. This falls in the category of, 'will likely pick up a 4 pack once a year when it comes out, but wouldnt go out of my way to obtain'.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 21:55:22 | More by zac16125

MacQ32

South Carolina

4.74/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A - Pours a slightly hazy bright golden orange/yellow with about a finger of off white head which recedes within 2 or 3 minutes to a thickish/bubbly outer ring, pretty decent lacing.

S - Tons of citrusy grapefruit/orange rind, some sweet caramel malts, pine and maybe a bit of honey. Smells phenomenal.

T - Definitely a hope bomb. Citrusy and slightly spicy initially but the explosive bitterness quickly kicks in, which lingers a good bit. Really cant get much past the overwhelming (in a good way) bitterness initially, until my palate adjusted after about 1/4 of the brew. At which point the sweet juicy citriusyness is more recognizable, the malts are certainly overpowered in this one. Fantastic flavors by the second half of the beer.

M - Medium bodied for sure, quite refreshing due to the bitterness. Medium carbonation.

O - After half of one of these my palate has fully adjusted and is able to pick up more flavors than the powerful bitters, founders doing its thing as usual.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 21:45:18 | More by MacQ32

tastymug

Ohio

4.19/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear, medium amber with foamy head, and nice retention around the glass with lacing.

Smell: Very aromatic and hoppy with notes of grass, pine, citrus and a hint of floral.

Taste: Very hop forward with a fair amount of bitterness which lingers on the palette but isn’t overwhelming. Towards the end the malts kick in the sweetness which helps balance out the hoppiness. Earthy and citrusy notes as well. Very flavorful.

Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel that is crisp yet creamy. Has a smooth, bitter finish.

Overall: This is a very good representative of the DIPA (Double Imperial Pale Ale) style. Great summer-time porch sipping beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 16:48:39 | More by tastymug

SierraDeuce

Virginia

4.16/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up at Ned's inside Rivermont Pizza, Lynchburg, VA last Wed. Served in a German fluted pils glass.
A: Deep, deep amber, almost orange. Thick, two fingers white puffy head, diminishes after 5 minutes or so
S: Gorgeous pungent grapefruit and grass. Can't wait to taste
T: Sweet grapefruit followed by bitterness, but not too bitter. Well balanced. Hop flavors linger long. Alcohol is well hidden!
M: Thicker than I expected, but very appealing. Balanced carbonation to the last sip.
O: Frankly, I didn't look this one up before buying at the store. What a pleasant surprise! Good session beer for the spring and summer months ahead.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 22:57:25 | More by SierraDeuce

MNishCT77

District of Columbia

4.98/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

12 oz. bottle purchased in the greater Washington D.C. area, 2013 vintage but unclear bottling date, poured into a DFH quasi-IPA glass, drank two bottles on 4/26-7/13 over several hours.

A: 5 - straw golden-yellow coloration, impressive clarity (can both see or read through), minimal white head dissipates into subtle glass lacing with moderate middle residuals, medium alcohol legs

S: 5 - wow, hop bomb...lots of grapefruit, grapefruit and more grapefruit...also picking up some onion and garlic notes --> perfect smelling imperial IPA for me

T: 5 - on the front of the tongue, it's what you'd expect from the aroma with a big hop presence but not overly bitter, super drying and, even though it's sloughing off my taste buds, I could definitely drink this all day (move over All Day IPA)

M: 4.75 - full-bodied, 9.4% is hidden by the hops; moderate-to-large carbonation and alcohol legs

O: 5 - again, wow! I have never had this imperial IPA before but it hits all the high notes for me: huge grapefruit and onion/garlic aroma, slap of bitterness on the anterior tongue and super dry; this is definitely going into my top 5 DIPAs and the only beer that comes to mind that can compete is Surly Abrasive --> I need a side-by-side comparison pronto; anyway, buy, trade, sell your wares on the street to get this beer if you love hop-forward imperial IPAs!

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 05:32:50 | More by MNishCT77

robhbest

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottled two weeks ago, served in a tulip glass.

A: Pours a translucent yellowish orange color. 1 Finger white head, low retention, some lacing.

S: Definitely citrus up front. Lemon, orange, pine.

T: Mose citrus in the taste. Grapefruit rind bitterness, slight pine at the end as well.

M: Medium bodied, maybe a little light for my personal preference.

O: Founders does a fine job on this one. As always they produced something excellent. If you're not into the grapefruit rind flavor, I'd stay away. I love the fact that this is such an easy drinker while hiding the ABV well. Nice beer and definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 22:29:48 | More by robhbest

erialbill

New Jersey

4.79/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Another homerun by Founders. Born and raised in New Jersey we unfortunately do not get many of the top beers in our state (that needs to change). Thank god for Founders because the quality beers they put out makes it easier for us who miss out on Russian River, Three Floyds and such. This beer is why you have to drink craft beer because when you drink a beer like this you really want to thank the people who make them. This beer is extremely easy to drink and you will not notice the ABV so be warned ... go slowly and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 22:57:48 | More by erialbill

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Light golden to murky orange in color the head was thin and fleeting. Lots of carbonation indicate great freshness.

Fantastic scent! Strong and fruity with huge sweetness. Orange, melon, tangerines, grapefruit with hints of honey, fragrant flower and pine. An absolute juicy fruit wonder.

As with many Founders IPAs, the taste and scent are not a match. Strong earthy tones, hefty floral pine and leafy cannabis tones assault the tongue. Pungent, striking and not necessarily my style, I'll give kudos for a powerful taste experience. High ABV is lost in a smooth almost thick feel.

Overall, this is a great ale that is just not in my wheelhouse.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 22:28:35 | More by KYGunner

screamking

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into wine glass.

Pours a lot lighter than I expected, a light apricot. With a very thin white head. The aroma filled with lucious citrus hops, tons of grapefruit and orange. Some of that pine every bodies talking about too. Very pleasing smell.

The taste is where this one falls off the wagon for me compared to the great DIPA's of our time. It's solid, but lacks the overall direction certain other brews have. The grapefruit is very noticeable as well as the pine. It just doesn't come together for me. The feel is great, full bodied with a dry bitter finish. The price point is also way too high for what you get. To me this is the worst value in DIPA land.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 02:07:18 | More by screamking

JamesMN

Minnesota

4.48/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Freshness date was not legible but this was just released so I'm assuming it's very fresh.

Appearance: Pours a golden honey hue with great clarity and a one finger soapy off-white head. I wasn't sure what kind of DIPA this would be but it's looking like west coast.

Aroma: Sugar-crusted grapefruit and pineapple hop character. Not much malt in the aroma so expecting a good hop bomb.

Taste: Pretty close to what I was expecting based on the aroma. Nice strong bitterness with a piney/grapefruit/somewhat tropical hop character. There is an understated barley flavor to keep all that bitterness in line and provide something of a balance, but Double Trouble is very much hop dominated in flavor, which is great! At times the pine flavor sticks out more than the fruity flavors which makes it drink like a blend of east coast and west coast DIPAs (think 90 Minute mixed with Sucks). Don't taste any of the 9.3% ABV which is no surprise given that alcohol is usually undetectable in DIPAs. A finish that is both juicy and dry at times.

Mouthfeel: Just above medium in body and super smooth on the palate with easygoing carbonation. Above average drinkability.

Final Thoughts: Another great seasonal from Founders! On a personal level this beer delivers my favorite style with an ideal mix of flavors. It is probably best when fresh and is good on its own or would pair nicely with a spicy dish. Would I drink it again? Yes, in my immediate future.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 23:12:10 | More by JamesMN