Double Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

BeerPhan86

New York

4.35/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I've long been a fan of Arrogant Bastard ale, especially the oaked version. I first tried Double Bastard a couple years ago, and to be honest I don't really remember much about it. Found a bomber recently and decided to give it another whirl!

A - Very hazy orange and red, similar to fresh apple cider. A one finger tan head tops it off but dissipates quickly, yet leaves very sticky lacing.

S - Piney hops and fresh apples. Seems to be an apple theme here perhaps? Hints of oak and bready malt come to life after the initial hop blast.

T - The taste of this ale is very complex. Initially, a blast of sweet caramel and malt is present, giving way to a dry earthy hop blast. The finish again returns to caramel and malt flavors with a good amount of woody oak flavor. There is a lingering flavor of honey and citrus hops. Definitely more notes of apple in the aftertaste as well. Taking a fresh breath of air after each sip is wonderful, as there is a noticeable taste of crisp apples, piney hops, and caramel left in your mouth. The beer turns more hoppy as it warms. I'm very glad that the alcohol is so well hidden but that may also be due to the somewhat overly sweet aspect of the beer. Still, there are so many flavors here to ponder and enjoy that make it simply a delight to drink.

M - Chewy and somewhat heavy, but not overly carbonated. Slick and oily on the lips.

D - Much more sweet than I was expecting and definitely a strong strong ale. At 11.2%, I doubt anyone would consider this a session beer.

Overall I was pretty blown away by this. I was expecting something more along the lines of an Imperial IPA but this is definitely not that. Very complex, sweet brew with a hoppy undertone. I might as well move on to PBR after this next glass because my palate is destroyed! Another great beer from the folks at Stone.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 01:17:20 | More by BeerPhan86

irish01980

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

06-19-2013 19:32:37 | More by irish01980

koveras225

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-19-2013 05:20:11 | More by koveras225

iCabaLLero

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-19-2013 02:57:32 | More by iCabaLLero

BeerChanticleer

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-19-2013 01:21:20 | More by BeerChanticleer

Jacob007

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -7%

06-19-2013 01:00:06 | More by Jacob007

GinsuDave

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -12.8%

06-19-2013 00:02:03 | More by GinsuDave

taylor714914

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -7%

06-18-2013 23:43:56 | More by taylor714914

schwemjw

Ohio

4.56/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Brown. shades of gold with little head retention. Big alcohol legs.

S: dark fruit, cherry and a roasted quality up front. A little vegetable quality in there as well. Earthy pine with fig and a great caramel malt. molasses to round it all together.

T: Molasses. Caramel malt, toffee, raisin, tart cherry and hops, hops, hops. A touch of licorice. Its piney, earthy and herbal. A long hoppy DIPA finish that goes for days.

M: Full bodied. silky and syrupy. It works for this brew.

O: Wow. not what i was expecting but so much better. starts almost like a barley wine before finishing as a DIPA. complex, in your face and delicious. amazing offering here. /95

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 20:22:49 | More by schwemjw

sudsy2drunk

Indiana

4/5  rDev -7%

06-18-2013 18:35:30 | More by sudsy2drunk

jbar920

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +16.3%

06-18-2013 17:35:12 | More by jbar920

RyV

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

06-18-2013 06:10:41 | More by RyV

KyleMA

California

3.5/5  rDev -18.6%

06-17-2013 23:54:51 | More by KyleMA

atinman

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-17-2013 23:27:58 | More by atinman

RyanCave

Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

06-17-2013 18:27:04 | More by RyanCave

spw109

New York

5/5  rDev +16.3%

06-17-2013 07:35:58 | More by spw109

ShreddedThumb

Michigan

4.4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A gurgling froth from the obsidian-lined depths of Hell, Stone Brewing Co.'s Double Bastard Ale found its way into my local beer store. Here comes the hype, y'all: the coveted Double Bastard, the successor to the acclaimed Arrogant Bastard Ale, is said to be even more enjoyable and iconoclastic than its predecessor. With full disclosure in mind, I must admit that I did not particularly enjoy Arrogant Bastard. Yet, I am an open-minded beer snob. With that, let's crack open a bomber of Double Bastard and see if we can't have sympathy for this devil of a brew.

The Dorm Room Review

Poured from a 22 oz. Bomber into a Stone Brewing Co. licensed Arrogant Bastard pint glass. (I must admit, Stone's line of pint glasses stand out as the most appealing drink-ware I have ever seen. Guinness, eat your heart out.)
Also, before I get into the liquid review, I must reflect upon the excellent graphic design with which Stone specializes. Beer after beer, it's obvious that the Professional Writers and graphic designers have a special job at Stone. The "Diatribe" rearing the bomber (taking up at least 15 oz. of the Devil's nectar) arrogantly lambastes Macro brewers of both domestic and international origin. This academically-charged (and possibly Thesaurus-quoted) indictment of the likes of AB and Miller-Coors eviscerates the "yellow swill-drinking" majority, divisively separating the craft beer junkies from the ball-park crowd. Also, the Frank Miller-esque Devil caricature adorning the bottle acts as both an invitation an a warning; you don't even know what you're getting yourself into.

Appearance: The Double Bastard pours dark copper, almost ruby red in color. Sort of an extreme amber, if you will. Clearly, the beer is intended to be malevolent: nearly opaque, huge, thick alcohol legs, off-white & cappuccino head. Without direct light, this ale is opaque, red, and very, very dark.

Smell: Certainly complex. Malty flavors and scents prevail. Some smoky characteristics accompany the malted front, but an offensive, unabashed uppercut of alcohol assaults the nose. The hop-forward miasma does not beg to be noticed, as it wafts cruelly into the taster's cartilage. As the beer warms, some spices, dark fruits, cinnamon, and raisins become apparent. The olfactory sense is taken aback by DB; admittedly, the most diverse and experienced palates will identify the cornucopia of flavorful facets this ale has to offer.

Taste: Goodness gracious, great balls of fire! A concussive BOOM of hop bitterness onomatopoetimizes (new word) this ale's relentlessness astringency. While the scent is mostly malt-forward, the immediate taste revolves around a universe of tongue-shriveling bitterness. According to Stone, Chinook, Magnum, and Cascade hops are incorporated in the brew. The second aspect noticeable is the intense carbonation. Combining the astringent hop notes with the overarching carbonation, Double Bastard truly assaults not only the taste buds, but the entire mouth as a whole. The alcohol as mentioned from the smell is back again. Honestly, it tastes like scotch. The warmer concoction tastes bready and even maltier and more bitter. All the while, DB is smooth and drinkable. Yet, one should sip this carefully and thoughtfully, lest they invoke the disapproval of the brand's company Devil. Is it a red? A barleywine? An IPA? A strong ale? Double Bastard is in a class of its own: intense.

Mouthfeel: DRY. The prevailing mouthfeel is somewhat sweet and malty, but one cannot exclude the Sahara-like dryness emanating from all portions of the mouth. No one said the Devil was ever sweet.

Overall: Drinking a beer such as Double Bastard encourages me to develop my palate even further; moreover, it would be doubly important just to comprehend what I just consumed. Those with the most sophisticated tastes for alcohol will ultimately enjoy Double Bastard the most. Yet, even after reading the vociferous screed against the mainstream beer shysters, I firmly believe that any beer connoisseur should invest in a bottle of Double Bastard to sip with like-minded friends over good food and great conversation. They say the devil is in the details: if the Devil is this complex, one may wonder if the red incubus is simply just misunderstood.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 21:28:35 | More by ShreddedThumb

bcheng

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-16-2013 20:19:36 | More by bcheng

anson42

California

3.75/5  rDev -12.8%

06-16-2013 01:22:20 | More by anson42

TonyTalon

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-15-2013 05:16:23 | More by TonyTalon

SanFranJake

California

4.75/5  rDev +10.5%

06-15-2013 01:40:02 | More by SanFranJake

ACB

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

06-14-2013 22:07:24 | More by ACB

andysc83

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

06-14-2013 20:41:28 | More by andysc83

beerasaurusrex

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-13-2013 22:01:14 | More by beerasaurusrex

djre4orm

Virginia

3/5  rDev -30.2%

06-13-2013 20:36:42 | More by djre4orm