Double Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

Brushkanna

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -7%

01-22-2013 18:16:26 | More by Brushkanna

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

Gnarles

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-13-2013 20:26:44 | More by Gnarles

Brewman123

New York

5/5  rDev +16.3%

06-13-2013 12:11:37 | More by Brewman123

JMUbrewz

Virginia

4/5  rDev -7%

06-12-2013 17:23:49 | More by JMUbrewz

coffygrinder

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-11-2013 14:51:39 | More by coffygrinder

kevrice88

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -12.8%

06-11-2013 00:47:01 | More by kevrice88

NMFB

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-10-2013 04:47:15 | More by NMFB

JCTewks

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -12.8%

06-10-2013 03:05:53 | More by JCTewks

jarrgal

North Dakota

4/5  rDev -7%

06-10-2013 02:23:32 | More by jarrgal

Heady978

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

06-09-2013 17:57:36 | More by Heady978

beertardis

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%

06-09-2013 17:14:48 | More by beertardis