Founders Brewing 'Dankwood' Imperial Red IPA 2018. Aged in Bourbon Barrels. 12.2% abv. 65 IBU. Deep ruby color with two fingers of thick, frothy, off-white head. Outstanding retention and superb lacing that sticks to the glass all the way down. Nose of maple syrup, oak, bourbon, bright floral hops. The bourbon aroma stands tall at the temp rises.

Front taste is fruit pastry, vanilla, bourbon, roasted malt. Aftertaste is strong bourbon, herbal and citrus hops, wood and botanical notes sustain on the back end. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, sticky, clingy, astringent, boozy, woodsy.

This is an excellent beer, a big, boozy, barrel brew that attempts to balance the hop forward profile of an IPA and the amber malty backbone of a red ale with a nearly piercing oak and whiskey expression. It is one of the most complex flavor profiles I've tasted in a long time. Take note that this is a unique taste that will surely put off fans of those individual categories, but will sure to please connoisseurs of experimental beers that grab you firmly by the tongue. This beer is unafraid to combine the towering strengths of three completely different beers in one glass. If you welcome huge, complex taste, this is for you. Strongly recommended.


From the brewery:

"What do you get when a big, bold imperial red IPA meets an oak bourbon barrel? A palate stunner that’ll send your senses spinning or, as we like to call it, Dankwood. Rich caramel notes emerge from the depths of the IPA, highlighting strong malt character while the bourbon barrel-aging develops the complexity. A dank, sticky and slightly sweet sipper, Dankwood is the perfect alchemy of wood and hops... Dankwood is the third release of 2018 in the Barrel-Aged Series, preceded by KBS and Backwoods Bastard, our newest year-round beer."

[source: foundersbrewing.com]

Modern Times 'Blazing World' Hoppy Dank Amber Ale. 6.8% abv. 85 IBU. Copper color. Finger of white small-bead head. Good retention, excellent lace. Nose of sweet malt, light fruit, caramel. Front taste is bright herbal hops, roasted grain, tall malt profile. Aftertaste is bitter hop sustain, toffee back end. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, 

carby, creamy from the carb.

This is an excellent beer, one that challenges beer categories. It's considered an amber but strikes me as an imperial IPA, with its aggressive hop profile and scorched malt sweetness. Whatever you conclude it is, this beer is worth your time. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"This beer is the stickiest of the icky. It's a luxuriously hoppy amber loaded up with intemperate quantities of Nelson, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops, which are some of the fruitiest, dankest hops sweet, sweet money can buy. Despite its amber hue, Blazing World is pleasingly dry, sporting a lightly bready malt backbone that serves as platform for the huge & complex hop profile."
[source: moderntimesbeer.com]