Only Child Double Dog Dare 22OZ

Only Child Double Dog Dare 22OZ is a double dry-hopped Double IPA brewed with locally sourced honey, packaged in a 22-oz bomber format. Produced by the now-closed Only Child Brewing of Gurnee, Illinois, this limited-availability DIPA earned a 3.9 out of 5 rating across more than 1,400 reviews on Untappd, making remaining bottles a genuine collector's find.

Quick Facts: Style: Double IPA (DIPA)  |  Origin: Gurnee, Illinois  |  Size: 22 oz  |  Brewery: Only Child Brewing  |  Process: Double Dry-Hopped with Locally Sourced Honey

Production & Heritage

Only Child Brewing operated out of Gurnee, Illinois, where it built a dedicated following for bold, ingredient-driven beers. Double Dog Dare stood as the brewery's flagship Double IPA, distinguished by the addition of honey sourced from Chalet Nursery in Wilmette, Illinois. The wort was double dry-hopped and clarified using a traditional tablet method before fermentation, producing a beer that balanced aggressive hop character with the rounded sweetness of natural comb honey. With Only Child Brewing no longer in operation, Double Dog Dare has become a discontinued release, and any remaining stock represents the final production run.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ruby red grapefruit leads the nose, followed by under-ripe pineapple and light tangerine. Beneath the citrus sits a layer of lightly candied pine resin and distinct wafts of natural comb honey.

Taste: The entry is bright with juicy citrus and tropical fruit, hitting mid-palate with a strong floral honey backbone that adds well-rounded sweetness without tipping into cloying territory. The hop bitterness characteristic of a DIPA is present but moderated by the honey, creating an unusually balanced profile for the style.

Finish: Citrus pith, dried fruit pits, and lingering hints of floral honey settle into the corners of the mouth. The finish is moderately long and drying, with residual hop resin and a gentle sweetness that invites the next sip.

How to Drink Double Dog Dare

Pour into a tulip glass or snifter at around 45–50°F to let the honey aromatics open fully; this beer rewards deliberate, unhurried sipping. Given its discontinued status, drinking it neat is the most respectful approach, but it also works in hop-forward beer cocktails. A Beermosa pairs the citrus hop profile with fresh orange juice for a bold brunch serve. A Hop Shandy using fresh lemonade tempers the bitterness while highlighting the honey sweetness. A Michelada variation with hot sauce and lime transforms the tropical notes into a savory, spicy experience.

Best For

• Sharing with fellow craft beer enthusiasts who appreciate discontinued or hard-to-find releases
• Side-by-side tastings comparing honey-infused DIPAs against traditional hop bombs
• Gifting to a collector of retired Illinois craft beer
• Pairing with a backyard cookout featuring bold, spicy foods

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Double Dog Dare taste like? Double Dog Dare delivers juicy citrus and tropical fruit flavors balanced by a floral honey sweetness that tempers the aggressive hop bitterness typical of Double IPAs. The finish dries out with citrus pith and lingering honey.

How does Double Dog Dare compare to Bell's Hopslam? Both are honey-infused Double IPAs, but Double Dog Dare uses locally sourced Illinois honey from Chalet Nursery, giving it a distinctly floral, comb-honey character, whereas Bell's Hopslam leans heavier into its six hop varieties and has a confirmed 10% ABV. Some reviewers have stated they replaced their annual Hopslam purchases with Double Dog Dare when it was available.

Is Double Dog Dare good for sipping neat? Yes — pouring it into a tulip glass at a cool but not ice-cold temperature allows the honey aromatics and layered hop character to express fully, making it an excellent standalone sipper.

Where is Double Dog Dare made? Double Dog Dare was brewed by Only Child Brewing at 1350 Tri State Parkway in Gurnee, Illinois. The honey used in brewing was sourced from Chalet Nursery in Wilmette, Illinois, keeping the supply chain hyper-local.

What foods pair well with Double Dog Dare? Spicy Thai green curry complements the tropical hop notes while the honey sweetness cools the heat. Grilled citrus-marinated chicken echoes the grapefruit and tangerine aromatics. Sharp aged cheddar contrasts the sweetness with savory depth. A honey-glazed pork belly mirrors the beer's own honey backbone. Key lime pie ties into the citrus pith finish.

What sizes does Double Dog Dare come in? Double Dog Dare was released in the 22-oz bomber format, which was the standard large-format bottle for Only Child Brewing's specialty releases.

Is Double Dog Dare worth the price? As a discontinued release from a closed brewery, Double Dog Dare has shifted from a standard craft DIPA price point into limited-availability territory where rarity drives value. For collectors and fans of honey-forward Double IPAs, the combination of quality ingredients and scarcity positions it well above everyday shelf DIPAs.

Why Double Dog Dare?

What set Double Dog Dare apart in a crowded DIPA field was its commitment to a single, high-quality local ingredient — honey from Chalet Nursery in Wilmette — that fundamentally changed the beer's balance without masking its hop identity. The double dry-hopping process delivered the resinous, citrus-heavy punch expected from the style, while the honey created a rounded sweetness that made the beer more approachable than many of its peers. With Only Child Brewing permanently closed, no further batches will be produced, making existing bottles the definitive final expression of the recipe. For anyone seeking a honey-infused DIPA that earned genuine word-of-mouth devotion across more than 1,400 Untappd reviews, this is a rare opportunity to taste a beer that quietly built a cult following in Illinois craft circles.