Founders Brewing Company - The Beer Thrillers

14 Great High Grade Octane IPAs You Should Be Trying

B. Kline — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 17:55:00 +0000

14 Great High Grade Octane IPAs You Should Be Trying

Fall is Fading Away

As autumn’s pumpkin spice craze gives way, it’s prime time for beer aficionados to circle back to the hop-infused delights that sparked our love for craft brews. With winter’s cozy warmers on the horizon and the decadent season of barrel-aged stouts soon to impact our holiday budgets and merry spirits, this November interlude is ideal for an IPA detox.

The craft beer scene might witness a feigned weariness towards hop-centric beverages, yet India Pale Ales remain the reigning choice for the discerning crowd. The rise of the ‘session IPA’—a lower alcohol iteration designed for extended hop enjoyment—has skyrocketed, becoming the trendiest addition to the craft beer repertoire.

Conversely, the high-alcohol end of the spectrum is where IPA artisans excel, infusing maximum flavor into every bottle. While double and triple IPAs fetch top ratings and prices, a discerning choice in this premium category ensures a rewarding experience. Below is a curated list of twelve exceptional, potent IPAs that perfectly complement the shorter days and cozy evenings of the season.

14 Great High Grade Octane IPAs You Should Be Trying

Here are fourteen examples of some high octane (high ABV) IPAs you should be trying this fall / winter season. They will certainly keep you warm in the cold months, and keep the hop heads amongst all of us happy.

Avery Maharaja (Boulder, CO, 10-12% ABV):

Avery Maharaja (Boulder, CO, 10-12% ABV)

Avery’s Dictator Series offers the Maharaja, a giant among IPAs, crafted with traditional hops like Centennial and Columbus, and paired with the contemporary Simcoe. This concoction delivers a symphony of citrus, tropical, and pine notes, harmonized with a caramel malt foundation. With time, the Maharaja’s complexity unfolds, revealing almond and toffee nuances, setting it apart in the ultra-IPA market.

Green Flash Green Bullet (San Diego, CA; 10.1% ABV):

Green Flash Green Bullet (San Diego, CA; 10.1% ABV)

This seasonal offering from Green Flash utilizes New Zealand hops to deliver a spiced-up IPA experience with a classic pine resin profile.

Other Half All Green Everything (Brooklyn, NY, 10.5% ABV):

Other Half All Green Everything (Brooklyn, NY, 10.5% ABV)

All Green Everything is a testament to Other Half’s reputation as New York’s buzzworthy brewery. This modern hop behemoth, while acknowledging the virtues of moderation, predominates with grapefruit, mango, and pineapple flavors, crowned with a resinous finish. Its less sugary profile elevates it above its East Coast imperial IPA counterparts.

Stone RuinTen (Escondido, CA, 10.8% ABV):

Stone RuinTen (Escondido, CA, 10.8% ABV)

Stone’s triple IPA, RuinTen, balances the tartness of Citra hops with Columbus’s spicy notes and Centennial’s floral essence. Despite its strength, it’s not overwhelmingly bitter, offering layers of brown sugar and chocolate amidst the expected fruity and resinous undertones. This harmony distinguishes RuinTen within Stone’s acclaimed IPA lineup.

Dogfish Head 120 Minute (Milton, DE, 15-20% ABV):

Dogfish Head 120 Minute (Milton, DE, 15-20% ABV)

The iconic Dogfish Head’s Minute IPA series is headlined by the 120 Minute IPA, a trailblazer in the extreme IPA category since its debut in 2003. At an arresting 18% ABV, its potent alcohol content is expertly paired with a bitter yet fruity hop profile. Regarded as a beer that matures well, the 120 Minute is an investment in both flavor and a spirited buzz.

MadTree Galaxy High (Cincinnati, OH; 10.2% ABV):

MadTree Galaxy High (Cincinnati, OH; 10.2% ABV)

MadTree’s imperial IPA taps into Southern Hemisphere hops to present a fruit-forward flavor palette, marked by notes of peach, orange, and mango, balanced against a backdrop of pine.

Port Hop 15 (San Marcos, CA; 10% ABV):

Port Hop 15 (San Marcos, CA; 10% ABV)

Port’s Hop 15 is a masterpiece, blending 15 hop varieties added at 15-minute intervals, producing a complex brew where tropical and citrus notes meet biscuit and caramel for a balanced taste.

Founder’s Devil Dancer (Grand Rapids, MI; 12% ABV):

Founder’s Devil Dancer (Grand Rapids, MI; 12% ABV)

Released annually, Founder’s Devil Dancer is a testament to the longevity of hoppy beers, offering a rich tapestry of tropical, earthy, and citrus hop flavors supported by a robust malt base.

Oskar Blues Gubna (Longmont, CO; 10% ABV):

Oskar Blues Gubna (Longmont, CO; 10% ABV)

Oskar Blues’ Gubna, an annual changing brew, is notable for its unique combination of spicy rye malt and Sorachi Ace hops, offering a distinctive taste worth trying even out of season.

Ballast Point Dorado (San Diego, CA; 10% ABV):

Ballast Point Dorado (San Diego, CA; 10% ABV)

Known for the popular Sculpin IPA, Ballast Point’s Dorado is a gift to hop lovers, with a resinous, fruity profile and a smooth finish, concealing its alcohol content with finesse.

Starr Hill Hopfetti (Crozet, VA; 10.2% ABV):

Starr Hill Hopfetti (Crozet, VA; 10.2% ABV)

Celebrating Starr Hill’s anniversary, the Hopfetti is a harmonious mix of six hops and golden oats, resulting in a creamy, slightly sour tropical profile with a hint of vanilla.

Harpoon Leviathan (Boston, MA, 10% ABV):

Harpoon Leviathan (Boston, MA, 10%ABV)

With its roots in the East Coast IPA movement, Harpoon’s Leviathan is a powerful double IPA that combines classic and modern hops for a citrus-pine flavor blend.

Aslin Pinkies Up (Alexandra, VA, 18.4% ABV):

Aslin Pinkies Up (Alexandra, VA, 18.4% ABV)

Aslin’s Pinkies Up Quadruple IPA has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 18.4% If you’re seeking an IPA that breaks from tradition and offers a unique tasting adventure, Aslin Beer Company’s Pinkies Up is a must-try. This innovative brew captures the imagination with its unexpected twists on the IPA genre. Crafted with a blend of premium hops and a creative twist of ingredients, Pinkies Up tantalizes the taste buds with a symphony of flavors that both challenge and delight. Each sip delivers a sophisticated profile of nuanced hop bitterness, complemented by an undercurrent of subtle fruit and floral notes. It’s a beer designed not just for casual sipping but for those moments when you want to indulge in something a cut above the ordinary. As the name suggests, Pinkies Up is about elevating your beer experience, inviting you to enjoy a brew that’s crafted with a touch of finesse and a nod to the connoisseurs of the craft beer world.

Troegs Independent Brewing – Scratch 501: Triple Perpetual IPA (Hershey, PA, 12% ABV)

Tröegs Independent Brewing’s Scratch #501, also known as Triple Perpetual IPA, elevates their esteemed Perpetual IPA to new heights. As part of their momentous Scratch series, this iteration arrives as their boldest yet, boasting a robust 12% ABV. This Triple IPA amalgamates a myriad of beloved hops, resulting in a sticky, citrusy hop explosion that delivers an artisanal and mechanical marvel. It’s a brew that commemorates the journey from their first Scratch offering to this 501st creation, embodying a craft that’s as audacious and complex as it is grounded in brewing tradition. They released it at the same time as Scratch 500 – Double Perpetual IPA. It is a limited scratch beer, so no word on if they will re-make or re-brew it. It is still currently available in their tasting room and general store on draft; and for crowler and growler fills.

High Octane IPAs

High-octane IPAs stand as titans in the craft beer landscape, catering to those who seek both intensity in flavor and potency. From the aromatic hop fields to the artful brewers’ tanks, these robust IPAs—like Avery Maharaja’s complex citrus notes, Stone RuinTen’s balanced bitterness, and the innovative hop profiles of Other Half All Green Everything—have defined a new pinnacle of beer craftsmanship. Including the unparalleled strength of Aslin’s Pinkies Up and the boldness of Tröegs Triple Perpetual IPA, these brews are not just drinks but experiences, crafted for moments of bold indulgence and savoring the zenith of brewing alchemy.

Check Out Our Recent High ABV Article

Looking for other brews that are high ABV? Then check out our recent article:

Sipping on the Edge: Exploring the Top 5 Highest ABV Beers

A Series of Craft Beer Articles

This is just one of several in a series of over arching ‘craft beer’ related articles. Several alone in a ‘flagship’ series. In the next few weeks there will be some more that come out as well. I would like to have this general level of different ‘craft beer articles’ that everyone can kind of jump to and read and use for informative purposes, and give a better understanding for the other articles on the site.

Some of these articles are about definitions (like “What is Craft Beer?“) and others are about Craft Breweries in general like the Top 50 Producing Craft Breweries, etc.

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Founders Brewing Company Sued for Racial Discrimination (Again) Just Before Detroit Taproom Shut Down

B. Kline — Wed, 03 May 2023 14:13:58 +0000

Founders Brewing Sued for Racial Discrimination Again

In the run up to their announcing their immediate taproom closing in Detroit on May 1st, that Founders Brewing Company is once again being sued for racial discrimination.

This happened previously in 2019, and they temporarily closed the Detroit taproom. This time the taproom is being closed permanently.

(For more information on their previous time being sued, see later in this article.)

As per Detroit Fox News 2:

The Grand Rapids-based brewery abruptly shuttered Monday, citing the impact Covid closures that it said made it difficult to regain foot traffic.

In a statement from Founders, the brewery said the decision to close the taproom was announced to employees Monday morning, and they were not aware of the lawsuit until a reporter contacted them that evening.

…

That announcement came the same day a lawsuit was filed claiming racial discrimination at the taproom.

The suit, brought against Founders by a Black employee who worked there from June 2021 until April 2023, claims that the “environment became so objectively racially hostile that she had no choice but to resign.”

This is the second racial discrimination lawsuit filed against Founders because of alleged conduct at the Detroit taproom. In 2019, a former employee sued the company.

The employee behind that lawsuit said he was fired in 2018 after telling his supervisor that he planned to meet with the company’s human resources department to discuss the alleged racist work environment.

After that lawsuit became public, Founders closed the Detroit taproom for several months. The company eventually settled with the former employee. When the taproom reopened in 2020, it said it was creating a diversity and inclusion strategy.
Founders Brewing again sued for racial discrimination just before announcing Detroit Taproom closure

In October 2019 they announced that the Detroit taproom would be ‘temporarily closed’, citing that they were going through internal revitalization, and changing their diversity programming and working to ensure a better future for their company and employees.

The tap room soon re opened a few months later, just before COVID – 19 and the coronavirus pandemic hit, causing further issues to the tap room and to Founders Brewing Company.

On May 1st they abruptly shuttered the Detroit tap room again, this time posting on social media that it is permanent and citing COVID – 19 and pandemic related issues as the cause.

According to the new lawsuit, the former employee who worked there until April of this year said she was promoted to a part-time management role with no focus area, while white managers had a focus work area.

While she was a manager, she allegedly was still required to work server shifts and would not receive her managerial pay during those shifts. The lawsuit claims she was the only manager required to work server shifts.

Other instances of alleged racial discrimination were also described in the lawsuit, including someone telling the employee to be careful that her toddler doesn’t “steal any money,” and her allegedly being told that she hasn’t “struggled enough to be black.” She also claims that her name would be intentionally mispronounced.

According to the lawsuit, the employee reported the discrimination. She alleges in the suit that her complaints were dismissed or her hours were cut.

Eventually, she resigned. The lawsuit says that a white manager also resigned because they did not want to “be part of the ongoing discrimination she was being subjected to.”
Founders Brewing again sued for racial discrimination just before announcing Detroit Taproom closure

Statement From Founders Brewing Company

Founders Brewing Company issued the following statement about the lawsuit:

“We are deeply saddened and concerned to learn of the recent accusations that have been brought against the Detroit Taproom. We take these claims very seriously, and we are conducting a thorough internal investigation.

Since 2019, we have instituted mandatory bias, discrimination and harassment training throughout our organization. We have reexamined our policies and enacted new policies, along with implementing new procedures for the reporting of workplace concerns.

Closing a business is a difficult decision, and this decision was made after a several year evaluation of the Detroit Taproom’s financial performance that began prior to COVID and was made worse by the pandemic. During the closure of our Detroit facility on Monday, we were unaware of the filing. We announced the closing to all of our Detroit staff on Monday morning, and did not learn about the lawsuit filed against Founders until that evening when a reporter contacted us. As with any closure, there was a lot of work that needed to be done to prepare for the loss of this extension, including redistribution of internal assets, conversations with our landlord and pulling together a comprehensive severance plan, all of which take time.

As to the pending lawsuit, we are sorry that this individual did not have a good experience with us, and to the extent it was due to our actions or inactions that contributed to that, we are deeply sorry.”
Founders Brewing Company

Founders Brewing Company Announces Detroit Taproom Closure

Founders Brewing Company Announces the Closure of Their Detroit Taproom

For more information on the topic – see the original article here: Founders Announce Closure of their Detroit Taproom.

Their announcement, which was posted at 6:30 PM (EST), and which nearly immediately afterwards they turned off and cancelled commenting on, reads:

It is with with great sadness that we announce that the Founders Detroit Taproom will be permanently closings its doors today.

Unfortunately, our Detroit location has not been immune to the struggle to regain foot traffic after temporary Covid closures that have impacted restaurants and bars across the nation. We are working diligently to find new positions within the company for the employees impacted by this closure.

We would like to thank all of our loyal customers, Mug Clubbers, and friends for your support and business over the years. It has been a great pleasure to serve you.
Founders Brewing Company – Facebook Post

The Detroit Free Press also broke the story shortly thereafter, and in their article stated:

The Grand Rapids-based brewery, Michigan’s largest, cited “an ever changing craft beer market, coupled with the struggle to regain foot traffic after temporary COVID-19 closures” as the reasons for shuttering its second location, which originally opened in late 2017 at 456 Charlotte in Midtown Detroit.

“This decision involved a lot of careful consideration of each aspect of our business, and ultimately, what we felt was best for the company and our employees overall,” said Founders CEO Elton Andres Knight in a statement. “We explored every possible avenue to course correct the business and gave it as much time as we could. We are now working diligently to find new positions within the company for the employees who are displaced upon this closure.”
Founders Brewing Co. closes Detroit taproom, cites ‘ever-changing’ craft beer market

Founders Brewing Company states that they made the decision to close their brewery ahead of any news or knowledge of the lawsuit filed against them. It is interesting to note that they posted their announcement at 6:30 PM, despite their stating they told employees that morning. The comment section was immediately deleted and blocked, which I can only imagine was filled with a lot of interesting choice comments that they wished not to be seen.

Initial Racial Discrimination Case

In October of 2019, Founders Brewing Company announced that they were closing the Detroit taproom “until further notice”.

Michigan’s largest brewery sent an email to ticket-holders of this weekend’s highly anticipated Canadian Breakfast Stout release and party in Detroit that it’s canceling said release and party while closing the popular Detroit taproom indefinitely “in light of the recent events” and due to safety concerns for its employees.

Those “recent events,” of course, include the pending racial discrimination lawsuit that reached national news this week when a leaked deposition first posted by the Detroit Metro Times sparked a social media firestorm and led to some Detroit shops, bars and restaurants pulling Founders products from their shelves.

Founders co-founder and president Dave Engbers told the Free Press on Friday afternoon that the brewery closed its Detroit taproom out of an abundance of caution for employee safety and that it has “every intention” of reopening the taproom.Founders Brewing closes Detroit taproom indefinitely amid racial discrimination lawsuit

Founders, which had announced a majority-stake sale to Spanish beer company Mahou San Miguel just weeks earlier, temporarily closed its Detroit taproom in October 2019 after a racial discrimination lawsuit a former employee filed against the company made national headlines and caused a social media firestorm. It reopened the taproom in February 2020 with plans to donate 100% of the profits from the taproom to charities and community organizations through “at least 2022” (it continued that commitment through Sunday, the company said). The COVID-19 pandemic began a month later.

Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers co-founded Founders in 1997 and, along with Larry Bell and Bell’s Brewery, helped lead the Michigan craft beer boom into the 2000s and 2010s. Founders became best known for its sessionable All Day IPA, which represents more than half its output, as well as its Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Dirty Bastard scotch ale and Centennial IPA.

Stevens stepped down as CEO in 2022. Engbers is still with the company as president.Founders Brewing Co. closes Detroit taproom, cites ‘ever-changing’ craft beer market

Founders Brewing Company

Founders Brewing Company was certainly one of the early craft giants of the 2010s, but their market share, and value has greatly declined over recent years. While still greatly available and distributed, they have fallen off many ‘favorites’ lists.

Their controversies and issues have also certainly caught up to them over the years.

Lawsuits, racial discrimination cases, employee issues, and much more has caused them heartache throughout the late 2010s and early 2020s.

COVID-19 and the coronavirus has probably been the least of their issues in recent years.

For further information on craft beer market share, check out our two articles here:

For More Information About Founders Brewing Company

The following comes from Untappd. Founders Brewing Company is a macro brewery, and a subsidary of Grupo Mahou-San Miguel, from Grand Rapids, Michigan. They have 975 unique beers, and over 7 million ratings, with a global average rating of 3.96 (as of 5.1.23). Their Untappd description reads: We don’t brew beer for the masses. Instead, our beers are crafted for a chosen few, a small cadre of renegades and rebels who enjoy a beer that pushes the limits of what is commonly accepted as taste. In short, we make beer for people like us. Founders. Brewed for us.

You can follow them on their social media pages here:

Articles we have written:

Beer Reviews: Green Zebra (Founders) and Next Coast (Goose Island)

Reddit Thread About the Lawsuit:

Founders Brewing again sued for racial discrimination just before announcing Detroit Taproom closure ( /r/ CraftBeer)

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:

Thank You For Reading

Tomorrow is May 4th. “May the 4th Be With You.” Anyone planning on doing any fun silly Star Wars stuff? Any breweries you are hitting up for some fun beer releases? I know Bottle Logic is releasing some Star Wars beers. RAR Brewing has hinted that they are doing a Star Wars Out of Order drop soon. (But haven’t given any details as of this morning.)

Lots of places are turning their normal Thursday night trivia into “Star Wars Trivia” nights.

So what all are you getting into?

Then, Friday is Cinco de Mayo (May 5th). And THEN – its the Craft Brewers Conference May 7th – May 10th. What a busy grouping of days!

Thank you for reading everyone. We are gearing up for the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) this upcoming week. We are traveling down Saturday and Sunday, and going to be at the conference late Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

We are totally psyched and cannot wait.

Will you be there? What do you hope to see, learn, do? Anything cool we should check out? Let us know in the comments!

Cheers All!

-B. Kline

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Founders Announce Closure of their Detroit Taproom

B. Kline — Tue, 02 May 2023 00:05:00 +0000

Founders Brewing Company’s Announcement

Founders Brewing Company Announces Closure of Their Detroit Taproom

Founders Brewing Company – Detroit Taproom

Just a little bit ago (about a hour and a half ago) (at 6:30PM EST), Founders Brewing Company posted on their social media accounts that they are closing their Detroit Taproom.

Citing COVID-19 related issues and other economic related causes. (Founders Brewing Company also disabled comments on their Facebook and Instagram announcement posts.)

Their announcement reads:

It is with with great sadness that we announce that the Founders Detroit Taproom will be permanently closings its doors today.

Unfortunately, our Detroit location has not been immune to the struggle to regain foot traffic after temporary Covid closures that have impacted restaurants and bars across the nation. We are working diligently to find new positions within the company for the employees impacted by this closure.

We would like to thank all of our loyal customers, Mug Clubbers, and friends for your support and business over the years. It has been a great pleasure to serve you.
Founders Brewing Company – Facebook Post

The Detroit Free Press had more information as per their closure.

The Grand Rapids-based brewery, Michigan’s largest, cited “an ever changing craft beer market, coupled with the struggle to regain foot traffic after temporary COVID-19 closures” as the reasons for shuttering its second location, which originally opened in late 2017 at 456 Charlotte in Midtown Detroit.

“This decision involved a lot of careful consideration of each aspect of our business, and ultimately, what we felt was best for the company and our employees overall,” said Founders CEO Elton Andres Knight in a statement. “We explored every possible avenue to course correct the business and gave it as much time as we could. We are now working diligently to find new positions within the company for the employees who are displaced upon this closure.”
Founders Brewing Co. closes Detroit taproom, cites ‘ever-changing’ craft beer market

Racial Discrimination

In October of 2019, Founders Brewing Company announced that they were closing the Detroit taproom “until further notice”.

Michigan’s largest brewery sent an email to ticket-holders of this weekend’s highly anticipated Canadian Breakfast Stout release and party in Detroit that it’s canceling said release and party while closing the popular Detroit taproom indefinitely “in light of the recent events” and due to safety concerns for its employees.

Those “recent events,” of course, include the pending racial discrimination lawsuit that reached national news this week when a leaked deposition first posted by the Detroit Metro Times sparked a social media firestorm and led to some Detroit shops, bars and restaurants pulling Founders products from their shelves.

Founders co-founder and president Dave Engbers told the Free Press on Friday afternoon that the brewery closed its Detroit taproom out of an abundance of caution for employee safety and that it has “every intention” of reopening the taproom.
Founders Brewing closes Detroit taproom indefinitely amid racial discrimination lawsuit

Founders, which had announced a majority-stake sale to Spanish beer company Mahou San Miguel just weeks earlier, temporarily closed its Detroit taproom in October 2019 after a racial discrimination lawsuit a former employee filed against the company made national headlines and caused a social media firestorm. It reopened the taproom in February 2020 with plans to donate 100% of the profits from the taproom to charities and community organizations through “at least 2022” (it continued that commitment through Sunday, the company said). The COVID-19 pandemic began a month later.

Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers co-founded Founders in 1997 and, along with Larry Bell and Bell’s Brewery, helped lead the Michigan craft beer boom into the 2000s and 2010s. Founders became best known for its sessionable All Day IPA, which represents more than half its output, as well as its Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Dirty Bastard scotch ale and Centennial IPA.

Stevens stepped down as CEO in 2022. Engbers is still with the company as president.
Founders Brewing Co. closes Detroit taproom, cites ‘ever-changing’ craft beer market

Founders Brewing Company

Their controversies and issues have also certainly caught up to them over the years.

Lawsuits, racial discrimination cases, employee issues, and much more has caused them heartache throughout the late 2010s and early 2020s.

COVID-19 and the coronavirus has probably been the least of their issues in recent years.

For further information on craft beer market share, check out our two articles here:

For More Information About Founders Brewing Company

You can follow them on their social media pages here:

Articles we have written:

Beer Reviews: Green Zebra (Founders) and Next Coast (Goose Island)

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:

Thank You For Reading

We are totally psyched and cannot wait.

Will you be there? What do you hope to see, learn, do? Anything cool we should check out? Let us know in the comments!

Cheers All!

-B. Kline

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.