This is a beer I have kind of been wondering about until Hive account@cryptictruth posted about it and said it was worth a try. Reason I was wondering is for the simple reason, it is a red IPA but it is also barrel aged in bourbon barrels. So on one hand, IPA, ugh, on the other hand, BBA. Worth a try. I will try IPAs, don't get me wrong, I just typically don't favor them. But here is my review.

Founders Brewing - Dank Wood Imperial Red India Pale Ale

Stats

• Brewery: Founders Brewing Company - Grand Rapids, Michigam
• Alcohol Content: 12.2% (YOWSA!)
• IBUs: 65
• Company Description: 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.

<b.The Bottle
The beer came in a 12 oz dark brown bottle but it is also available in 22 oz and on tap. It has a main body front and back label and a neck label, all with a aged wood looking theme. The beer name is prominently displayed in the front with Founders logo name above, as well as on the neck label. The rear label contains a nice description of the beer (see above) and the required warnings and such. Founders does a great job with they label art and the Founders name is always there but the labels differ considerably, so the shelf recognition is not instant.

The Beer

• Appearance: On the pour, this beer is a dark, dank reddish color, murky also. Dank wood indeed! A nice light reddish brown foam head which left some nice lacing.
• Aroma: I noticed the hops and the booze on the aroma. Also a slight piney odor.
• Taste/Mouthfeel: Slightly carbonated, with a piney taste, minor hoppiness and the boozy taste from the barrel aging. The nice thing about bourbon barrel aging is it seems to mellow out hoppiness, which is always a plus for me but there is an almost harsh finish on the back of my throat.
• Drinkability: You have to realize this is a really high abv (12.2 for crying out loud) and boozy, so it is a beer you sip and savor in my opinion.

Rating and Final Thoughts

I gave this beer a rating of 4.00 on Untappd, where several friends rated it an average of 4.31 and it's oveall rating with 10k ratings is 3.95. Again, Founders has mastered the bourbon barrel aging and produced a highly popular beer. I have not tried their regular IPAs but the other Founders beers I have had have been top notch with several being amongst the highest rated beers for me. Again, realize this was an IPA, imperial to boot, but I still rated it at a 4/5, so that says something for me to rate an IPA that high.

4.00/5.0

I'm going to sneak this beer into #beersaturday Week 53 since it is Saturday and I am drinking it. Feel free to head over and upvote me to help my chances of winning the best contest on Steemit!