Devil Dog Imperial IPA - Laughing Dog Brewing

lonestar4lunch

Texas

4.18/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Popped the top on this bomber and the beer basically exploded out and on to the counter. Immediately started pouring into a pint glass and it was 1/2 head for a good while. Once it finally settled it was a nice deep orange color with a constant lacing around the top. The aroma was of sweet malts and wet pine which went together very nicely.

This is a deliciously sweet and spicy DIPA. The hops are with you for the whole voyage. The assault on your taste buds is relentless and unforgiving...but I dig it. The balance of malt really is what sets this apart. Total hop bomb but kept in check just a bit. Really, really enjoying the spice that lingers after each sip. There is somewhat of an alc punch on this one and isn't the highest on the drinkable scale but it sure is fun.

Being my first sampling from Laughing Dog I am very glad I brought this back from KC.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 03:02:36 | More by lonestar4lunch

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.98/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked this up in Wichita last weekend...

Pours an effervescent amber with 1 finger+ of cream colored head. Head settles in to a nice creamy head 7 the lacing is fantastic

S: Huge breadyness, toffee & herbal hops showing up once warm

T: Follows the nose, plus herbal, piney & woody hops bitterness up front. Caramel, herbal & piney hops, slight apricot & tangerine fruittyness, plus dryness once warm. Finishes with grainy bitterness, caramel, dryness & pineyness; almost pulled a 4.5

MF: Chewy as all get out with nice creamy carbonation, also some nice juicyness to this. Fantastic balance

A well put together DIPA & easily one of my favorites from this brewery

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2011 01:13:24 | More by russpowell

CHADMC3

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a beautiful copper body with orange hues beneath a light tan head that is packed with dense bubbles of carbonation that float in a pillowy cloud-like formation before leaving behind an intense amount of lacing.

Abundant hop aromas waft from the glass, which include herbal and citrus notes as well as pine needles. As the beer warms the malt sweetness appears as well.

The flavor is fantastic featuring similar herbal and citrus hop notes to the aroma with more pronounced caramel malty sweetness to follow that sometimes almost seems nutty. Pine needles are also noticeable towards the back of the palate as this warms, it becomes a bit sweeter and the alcohol really kicks in and there are even touches of sweet fruit.

Medium to full in body with generous carbonation and nice alcohol warmth as it warms. This is a pretty big beer.

This is a nice Impy IPA with plenty of character and while it leans more towards the malt than its counterparts, there is no shortage of hop punch.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 03:43:49 | More by CHADMC3

UMNbeerhunter

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into an HOtD tulip on 5/11/11.

Pours a dark honey yellow with a finger of slightly off white fluffy head. Head dissipates quickly leaving no lacing. Pretty color and head though I would have like more retention.

Smells of sweet malts and some fruit flavors. Some pine flavors as well.

Taste is of sweet malts and pine flavors, alcohol is present but really comes out when the beer warms up.

Mouthfeel is medium in weight and the resin leaves a bitter pine taste in the mouth.

Overall this is a good beer and I would like to have it again but its not a spectacular beer, mostly because it just feels that all its aspects are good but fail to shine.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 04:31:09 | More by UMNbeerhunter

FosterJM

California

3.55/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

457th review on BA
Bottle to tulip
22 oz

App- This was a nice Orange with some dark highlights to make it a darker Orange altogether. A huge three finger head with a pancake batter consistency and lacing all over the glass.

Smell- This was dominated by pine and that resin scent of a big IPA. A little bit of citrus if you take a big whiff.

Taste- A bit over the top for me. The 98 IBUs are a bit hard on the taste buds. A bit of a malty sweetness with a huge hop bitterness kick. A little un balanced but pretty tasty and a bit boozy at over 10%.

Mouth- Medium bodied and medium carbonated. Very piney residual flavors with some sticky sweet caramel flavors.

Drink- This was a big boozy, malty and piney DIPA. Like I mentioned it's tasty but just a bit too over the top. I probably won't come back to this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 04:18:48 | More by FosterJM

BradLikesBrew

Missouri

3.83/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Columbus, Northern Brewer, Anthanum, Cascade, and Simcoe hops with Pale, Caramel, and Munich malts.

10.85% ABV, 98 IBUs

White head above a dark amber body.

Caramel, pine needles, and a fruity sweetness.

Rich caramel, fruity apricot, and a long, bitter finish with grassy, floral, citrus hop notes.

Creamy, rich, sticky, and totally full bodied.

Devil Dog is the sort of malt heavy beer that blends the line between DIPA and American Barleywine. It does have significant bitterness at 98 IBUs, which contributes to the bitter finish. But the hefty malt base lends a substantial malt sweetness to both the aroma and flavor and really dominates this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 23:57:59 | More by BradLikesBrew

FattyJLE

Oregon

3.78/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

A - Poured a hazy rusty/bronze color with a healthy, cream-colored head with good lacing.

S - Wonderful aroma of sweet fruits. Pineapple and orange fragrances dominate.

T - Sweet malts right off the bat with a bitterness that attempts to compete but falls short. Caramel flavor with a hint of citrus zest. The malt clearly dominates this beer as at no point does the sweetness not shine through. As the beer warms, alcohol makes a significant appearance on the palate.

M - Moderate carbonation, dense bodied with an oily, sticky mouthfeel.

O - Overall a solid beer. The dominance of the malts is an interesting diversion from the overly-hopped IIPAs that dominate the shelves. My only knock is that the hops don't make enough of a presence in the flavor department. Would definitely have again, although with the alcohol, just one at a time.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 02:48:30 | More by FattyJLE

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Brewforia, Meridian ID. Served in a snifter.

A: Nice golden orange color, very bright with a slight haze, possibly chill haze. Lacing tended towards 'unimpressive' with this beer but I liked the look of everything else.

S: DIPA for sure. Malt sweetness, juiciness, tropical fruit, hop resin. Not sure but I think I can smell the alcohol.

T: Nice. I dig the yeast on this one, there is a unique blending of sweetness/fruitiness with the taste. Nice malt backbone, good bitterness, a little bit of heat.

MF: Unimpressive for a DIPA, not drying or cloying or hugely bitter or refreshing. Ok, just...forgettable.

O: I like it a lot as a whole, almost like the beer is greater than the sum of its parts. As a hophead and IPA/DIPA lover I would buy again. I'd like to try it in the bottle next.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2011 03:02:06 | More by Scotchboy

Jazz1

Iowa

4.4/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I really like this beer. I thought it was a bit pricey though. The head was incredibly creamy and thick but disappeared sooner on the second pour into a Sam Adams Perfect Pour glass. Believe it or not I'm getting a little chocolate flavor in the aftertaste which is something I didn't expect but like. It is hoppy that is for sure. Very tart. The label has flames behind the cute dog are telling because I'm getting good warmth in the belly on this one. If you like hoppy without a sweet aftertaste this one is for you. I'll be buying more.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2011 21:40:38 | More by Jazz1

TheSarge

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A finger thick off white head, and a caramel colored body with a lot of residual haze.

In the aroma and taste there is a lot of grapefruit along with caramel and toffee sweetness.

Lots of carbonation here and has a oily middle and warm finish.

Altogether a solid brew, but lacking in uniqueness.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 23:06:45 | More by TheSarge

FanofHefe

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a Duvel tulip. An aggressive pour yielded a nice three-finger foamy light tan head that lingers, leaving rings of lacing down the glass. The body is a hazy light orange.

The aroma is sweet. Caramel and malt up front with some of the typical fruity and floral hop notes following.

Wow. Much more bitter hop flavor than the aroma would dictate. Grapefruit and pine resin. Caramel and citrus. Fairly nice blend overall.

The mouthfeel is a little astringent so the drinkability suffers a little. Not the best DIPA I've had, but a good brew, nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 01:12:48 | More by FanofHefe

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A: The beer is a light coppery brown color, with a large foamy off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains caramelized malts, grassy hops and some citrus.

T: The taste starts out bready with a hearty malt character up front. Then some sweet flavors of caramel and citrus come in followed by a hops bitterness that might not be weak overall, but is certainly weak for the style. The alcohol is well-disguised and there's a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, strong kick, good representation of style, although there are a lot of other beer I would choose first when looking for a good hop bomb, this is still a decent beer worth drinking for a long time.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2011 02:52:17 | More by TheManiacalOne

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.98/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark yellow, aroma is hoppy, a little spice kick to it.

Taste, more hops, a little bit of heat (or is it the red tap handle?). Grapefruit, light tobacco feel to it. Different yeast vibe to it, like they did an 80/20 West Coast/Belgian IPA blend. Usual caramel and pale malt. Finished dry. Ample bitterness. Found it to have some neat nuances, a worthy beer from Laughing Dog.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2011 18:23:44 | More by Beerandraiderfan

flexabull

California

3.15/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle courtesy of pwoody11, thanks again!

Pours a bright orange color, slightly hazy, with a nice white head.

Aromas are kind of funky. Kind of tart citrus, floral, dusty, and pine like. Not bad smelling, but not great either.

Sour and tart up front, bitter oranges, and dusty. Light candied sweetness, subtle creaminess, and a mineral and aspirin like bitterness on the finish.

Mouthfeel is pretty good. Full with good carbonation.

Drinkability is so so. This is a flawed DIPA, it's ok, but the tartness is a bit overdone and overwhelms this beer. A little bit of a let down, I was hoping for better

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2011 02:10:00 | More by flexabull

daledeee

Iowa

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A 22 oz bomber poured into my favorite glass

Nice dark orange body with creamy head and lacing.

Hints of hop yeast and malt in the nose. Pretty subdued for this type of beer. Fresh smelling however.

Taste is an up front blend of citrus and malt and rather unusual. The rind comes through at the end. Not a very bitter beer. A blended balanced package.

Mouth feel is creamy with some carbonation.

A balanced beer that is not intense as other DIPA. The alcohol is very well hidden for the strength.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2010 01:03:34 | More by daledeee

CampusCrew

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

appearance: amber, reddish

smell: loaded hops and nice malty bready aromas

taste: balanced. drinking pretty fresh and it may be a little more on the malt side. good hop prescens. like a poors mans 90 min.

mouthfeel: medium bodied

drinkability: fantastic brew. I'd drink more

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 01:36:22 | More by CampusCrew

Lerxst

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A-Pours a slightly hazy light copper with a substantial off white head that has great retention and leaves good lacing all the way down. Great looking beer.

S-Nose is much more balanced than I expected from a DIPA. The nose is also a bit subdued, especially for the style, but I am picking up citrus hops and sweet malt. Both are equally present.

T-Sweet caramel malt is most prominent at first then a slightly bitter citrus hop bite kicks in. As you drink more, the malt becomes even more prominent and overwhelms the hops. The malt backbone becomes a bit much.

M-Medium body and carbonation, a bit slick and oily.

D-The significant sweet malt backbone grows a bit distracting as you progress and overwhelms the hops making this one tougher to drink as you go.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 17:08:13 | More by Lerxst

rajendra82

Georgia

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The orange amber colored body was clear and bubbly, and formed a two finger thick foamy head. The aroma was a mix of citric and earthy smells, and not as strong as other DIPAs. The taste had toasty biscuit and bready sweetness up front with a spicy citric hop presence. The alcohol was quite evident, and provided a drying finish. Th mouthfeel was medium dense and a touch slippery. The overall construction was bit simplistic and boozy compared to its peers, but made for an enjoyable nightcap.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2010 03:29:05 | More by rajendra82

jhammel01

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light orange, a bit cloudy with a nice looking white head. Head dissipates quick as its a little sudsy and leaves the lacing behind...Plenty of it.

Nose is surprising, dominant malt but definitely tons of hops. Just surprised by the maltiness.

Grapefruity hops, nice malty backbone. Medium bodied. Heavy spice from the hops hide the on going alcohol burn of this beer too. It creeps up. Great for a cold night like tonight.

Not bad but not wonderful. It's one I would have again but I was a little bid dissapointed that it wasn't very complexed. That doesnt make it a bad beer at all.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2010 03:42:23 | More by jhammel01

arizcards

Arizona

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a bomber from Total Wine at the end of July for $9.99.

Beer poured a hazy golden orange with a nice long sustaining head.

Nose is muted grapefruit hops.

Taste is grapefruit hops balanced by a huge malt backbone.

Mouthfeel is good, full bodied, smooth, and satisfying.

Drinkability is pretty good, alcohol is hidden on the palate but definitely am noticing the warmth as it goes down.

This is a pretty good beer and am glad to have tried but there are definitely others in the style that are better for less money.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2010 23:32:22 | More by arizcards

StlHopHead77

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Let me start by saying,that I got into the nose on this one and had to look to see if this beer was seasonal.Indeed it was.Spring to be exact and I'm drinking it in September.The only thing is,I think it might be from the spring of '09.I will be doing a follow up review of this beer when I can get a bottle and verify it's freshness.I'm writing this review based solely on the strange experience I had trying one that was obviously out of whack.

Poured from a bomber into a snifter.

A-Pours a rich,hazy rusty orange with a proud,two-finger,tawny head and sudsy rings of lace.

S-Muted citric and flower hops.Bready malts with a definite grain and yeast dominance.Hops are there but weak and strange.Some strange spice notes for a IIPA,almost Orval-like,so out of place but somehow not unpleasant.

T-In some ways,this is drinking like a Belgian pale or Belgian IPA.I know this is not intended but it's happening regardless.Baked spice(some cinnamon/cardamom) and yeast initially with Pale and Caramel malt,honey,artificial citrus flavor and booze.

M-Medium bodied and grainy.No real IIPA oiliness to speak of but a little alcohol burn on the finish.Some alcohol related sweetness.

D-I know that this bottle is not a true representation of this beer but I finished the bomber,so I obviously didn't dislike what I had that much.I'm anxious to try a more viable example.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 11:40:22 | More by StlHopHead77

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Aroma is strong and hoppy with a good undertone of grapefruit. It pours a slightly hazy amber with a thick, fluffy, fairly persistent head that leaves some decent lacing as it wanes. Flavor is hoppy and quite bitter, but not ferociously so; nevertheless, this beer is not for the faint of heart - er, make that faint of tongue. ;) There is an undertone of grapefruit and just a whisper of honey sweetness. Texture is smooth as glass and has a gentle fizz.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2010 23:59:19 | More by Cyberkedi

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.7/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours golden with a fairly slight head. Interesting hop aroma- fairly meaty, with spice and earth notes as well as some blonde tobacco. Grainier in the mouth, and somewhat chewy. Earthy, bitter hops with some pine. Dry malt. A little one dimensional, but not bad. A bit thicker than one might think in the mouth, primarily because of the graininess. Not bad, but the graininess is distracting, and the hops are a bit out of the range I really enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2010 02:53:34 | More by Georgiabeer

gford217

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear golden amber with a tight creamy beige head that clings to the sides with thick lacing and settles in as a soapy swirl for the duration.

The aroma is sweet and fruity with juicy citrus hops, pineapple especially, but with lots of caramel malts.

The taste has an astringent hoppy kick up front with grapefruit and pineapple. The caramel malts and bread form a solid backbone with a finish of bitter resinous hops. The alcohol burn is hefty and the 10% is certainly not hidden.

The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied and heavy on the hop astringency.

Overall, it's a solid DIPA but the alcohol burn is enough to limit the drinkability. Lots of bitterness, lots of malts and a not-so-well-hidden 10% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2010 00:19:26 | More by gford217

cjgator3

Florida

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle 

A- Pours a slightly hazy orangish amber color with an off-white head with good retention and lacing.

S- The aroma is sweet malt and some citrusy hops.

T- The taste like the aroma is sweet malt up front with a good amount of lingering bitterness from the citrusy hops. 

M- The mouthfeel is somewhere between light and medium bodied with a perfect amount of carbonation.

D- Overall, not a bad Imperial IPA. The alcohol is pretty well hidden making it pretty drinkable for a beer of this strength. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 03:13:15 | More by cjgator3