Double Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

dar482

New York

4.63/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer comes in a brown ruby color with a one finger head. It is relatively clear.

The aroma is of big roasted burnt malts and sweet caramel. There is a bit of hops and bread.

The flavor has some hops to pick it up, but the flavor is surely of really dark hard burnt malt. Almost a woody earthy flavor. There is sweet breadiness and then it turns into huge pine bitterness. It really does not have a huge alcohol flavor with it. The bitterness really stands out and keeps it wonderful. The hops are in your face with the bitterness, although the caramel and burnt notes are truly there to give it body and roundness.

For the ABV and the great taste of this beer, the value is incredible to get a bomber of this. I do think I prefer the Oak Aged Bastard because of the complexity and less sweetness and bitterness. However, Stone keeps blowing me away. What a great brewery. This along with Oaked Aged Bastard, Ruination, and Enjoy By are fantastic beers.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2013 08:07:49 | More by dar482

pkalix

California

4.46/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

for Stone. i was expectin mass hops....
poured a dark amber, little head, very little carbonation...
smell is sweet, malts and barley; very nice and unexpected.
taste is of the same. very much easier than expected to put down. even after a long conversation with the beautiful red-head next to me, the warming of the brew was a complete non-factor. this is urprisingly easy to drink, sweet and almost delicious-especially for the abv.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2013 03:08:31 | More by pkalix

Chadhowie

California

5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Double bastard literally doubles itself on multiple levels. It's not that it's a "better" beer than the original, just bolder and stronger. So it really comes down to preference. I personally love it and wish I could get it where I live. But I'll take getting it when I can until that changes.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2013 22:26:44 | More by Chadhowie

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

2012 Double Bastard, in a tall pint. Yikes... I mean, thanks.

Pours a cloudy auburn color with a thick, dimpling cap. Looks almost positively still. Mesmerizing lacing.

Toffee malts, pine hops, booze, pecan, and some citrus notes. Aromatically flexing. She's a big girl.

Brash hops go big and go bitter from the onset. A juggernaut of pine and pith and more pine. Aggressively bitter. Counter-punch of toffee malts and rigorous toasty and nutty flavors only begs to spell me some relief. This is an axe to the back of the tongue, in a fun way. Throat-gripping strength shows up with about as much tenderness as military-grade rocket fuel. Hints of floral notes and caramel brittle. This Bastard is doubly beastly.

Can't spare much love for the feel. Astringently bitter. Rough and gruff. Boozy, so it should be a sipper, but I'm slugging. Honestly, the body holds up to the carbonation. Kudos?

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2013 02:49:40 | More by thecheapies

sprucetip

Alaska

4.18/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at RIBCO in Rock Island, Illinois

Amber, clear, modest head and retention, minimal lacing.

Boozy with caramel and spiced by piny and citrusy hops.

Rich caramel malty sweetness, fairly aggressive bitterness, pine and citrus hops, and obvious alcohol. It is what it says it is.

Well carbonated, strong warming, full body, bitter finish. A little too much warming to score higher.

And aggressively hoppy and bitter DIPA with strong caramel malty body supporting and balancing (to some extent). I'm sure I've had it before, but it's been a while. I enjoyed it and would have it again. Stone hoppy beers sometimes seem great, and sometimes average. Living far from San Diego may have something to do with that. Maybe sometimes I have had fresh and other times not?

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2012 03:34:47 | More by sprucetip

One2Remeber

Florida

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

A: Dark amber/orange hue body. Light khaki head, as dense as could be, sticky. More transparent but still cloudy.

S: Dark candied caramel, toffee, citrus/lemon. Strawberry fruit roll-up. Earthy perfume undertones.

T/M: Red candy licorice, overbearingly sweet. Clean and pronounced flavors. Mouth feel is creamy and soft which offsets the alcohol burn left over. If I did not drink so many hop bombs I would say this is hop forward. Malts and hops shine at different times.

O: Big boy drink only deserving to sip till it warms to room temperature. This beer will tell you what Stone brewing company is all about in a nutshell. Extreme flavors, unique style and satisfies all kinds of beer nerds. Combination of AV Boont Amber Ale, SN Big Foot Barleywine and Stone IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

11-25-2012 06:03:58 | More by One2Remeber

cfrances33

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Varga Bar in Philly on 7/6/12. Served in a snifter.

Pour: Cloudy copper with two fingers of tannish-white head.

Smell: Strong floral and citrus hops with some pine mixed in. Also some brown sugar sweetness.

Taste: Very similar to the nose. Toasty brown sugar and sweet caramel are dominant but not overshadowing of bitter hops. Hops provide some piney aspects, but mostly served just to add bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Sticky and a sipper for sure. No trace of the alcohol.

Overall: Great, and I will definitely seek out bottles to age and drink now.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2012 17:19:49 | More by cfrances33

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Yardhouse Fenway. 2011 vintage. Served in a goblet.

A- Dark mahogany brown, barely translucent, about three fingers of brownish off-white creamy head that slowly recedes, average to slightly above average carbonation. Tons of layered lacing.

S- Sweet smelling of bready malts, caramel, hops, and a little bit of pine + booze in the background. Definitely a little bit more aromatic then your average beer.

T- Sweet bready malts, caramel, followed by bitter hops that have a very slight piney taste. Lightly sweet boozey aftertaste.

M- A little bit creamy but fairly medium bodied, especially at the beginning before the head recedes. Average carbonation. Well-balanced. Smooth for 10.5% abv but not the smoothest 10.5% beer I've had- still a little bit of alcoholic burn going down, not bad though. Easily drinkable.

O- This was a very well done Ale that I wouldn't mind ordering again in the future. It had a nice sweetness that was balanced with a generous amount of hops. For 10.5% it was easily drinkable. In my opinion it was nothing spectacular, but definitely well done. I would recommend trying it. For $7/pint it wasn't too bad.

Serving type: on-tap

06-24-2012 21:54:11 | More by jaasen64

merc7186

New York

4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer on tap at Crabapples in Cheektowaga NY, poured into a pint glass.

A: Deep Amber/Brownish Hue, Passes Very Little Light, Good White Head, Some Lacing

S: Malty, Mild Piney, Mild Resin

T: Malty, Bready, Resin

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Bitter

Overall, a great strong ale that was almost a heavy pale ale..great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2012 03:47:45 | More by merc7186

troysoy2

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at 1 for the Road in Wexford, PA, in a pint glass.

This beer is a devious, darker brown with a off-white finger or so of head. Not so much retention really, leaving a ring around the glass, and some lacing at the top of the glass only.

Smell is of citrus hops and as it warms up, honey and some sweetness from the malt.

Served cold, at first I got a mouthfull of hops. Citrus, and pretty resiny. Don't get me wrong, this was fine, but I knew there had to be much more to this beer. Luckily, as it warmed up, I started to get a sense of honey, raisins, and an almost confectionery sweetness. The alcohol was really well hidden, but occasionally poked up and showed its face.

And in all honesty, the mouthfeel had me just as enthralled as the taste - if not more. Smooth and creamy. Heavenly, in fact. 5 points!

This is a beer that's definitely got a lot going for it. Complex is its middle name, and I feel lucky to have gotten some on tap. Definitely worth a revisit.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2012 01:45:05 | More by troysoy2

Spider889

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On draft at Winking Lizard in December, review from notes.

Served in a true tulip - nice one WL, stepping up your game.

The beer is a deep unfiltered plum color. Showcases a short but dense meringue of bone-white foam. Decent head retention and sticky, chunky lace cling to my glass.

The aroma is very unassuming - some soap and leather are what first catch my attention. The hop aroma isn't very big like you might expect coming from Stone (and considering the taste).

Great flavor on this Strong Ale. Very bitter - though this likely balances out an otherwise extremely sweet beer. Dry malt flavors and toffee with some dried cherries and herbal hop flavor. Pine and a subtle sticky sweetness underlie it all.

There's some chalkiness to the mouthfeel, and of course the long-lasting and pervasive bitterness. Strong and boozy, but Double Bastard delivers exactly what you'd expect.

Overall this is a beer that needs to be sipped slowly, and is not something to imbibe in regularly. Nevertheless, it packs a punch flavor-wise and is well worth the trip once in a while.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 20:21:23 | More by Spider889

Merkur

Tennessee

4.78/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed the 2011 version on tap into a tulip glass.

Beer pours a nice orange color.

Beer smells extremely sweet and hoppy. Smell is almost like that of pineapple.

Tasts very hoppy and sweet initially and then flavors open up on the back end with a carmel flabor and boozy finish. For being over 10% alcohol, this beer is surprisingly smooth and even a bit easy to drink (relatively speaking).

Beer has a nice mouthfeel and laces well throughout.

Excellent strong ale.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2012 01:40:31 | More by Merkur

armock

New York

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Helm's Ale House in Tracy, CA

A - Poured a mahogany color with a tan head that leaves lacing behind

S - Is of sweet caramel malt with a good bit of alcohol

T - Follows the nose with caramel malt upfront then a strong alcohol finish

M - This beer has a medium body with medium carbonation to it

O - This is a good tasting beer the alcohol in the taste is a little strong for me but that par for the style its a good beer to sip on and relax with worth picking up sometime

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2012 21:36:57 | More by armock

Brenden

Ohio

4.72/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Notes from the Stone event at The Attic last night. Double Bastard 2011 fresh on tap = epic.

The color seems to be (as I made comparison in my notes on V.E. 11.11.11.) an amper-up version of that beer, a similar color but more red-amber than amber-red with a bit more depth. A sticky tan-brown head over a finger tall just hangs out in my glass the whole time, remaining in patches and trailing legs as it drops.
While just a little less than I can draw from the flavor, there's plenty of complexity in this beauty. Caramel, citrus rind, toffee, some liquer, dark fruits, and wood (and this isn't -bal aged) mingle with citric, pine and floral hops in harmony and in such a way that they complement rather than clash.
A bit more gentle sipciness pulls through in the flavor with something like brandy or an excellent bourbon sitting under a dual foundation of hops and malts. I don't know that an American Strong ale can get much tastier or more complex, as all the elements in the aroma mingle, yet each and every one is discernable. This is a beauty and an absolute pleasure to drink. Anyone who loves scotch or the like and wants or needs something intense and , like a good book or a good woman, beautiful, incredibly and fascinatingly deep and complicated yet relatable must drink this beer. Must.
The mouthfeel is rich, lush, deep, and nearly as complex as the flavor. There are practically layers to this beer. It's almost velvety smooth off a gentle carbonation and offers a lingering finish.
This is a beauty.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2011 15:54:48 | More by Brenden

brealbg

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a beautiful red and very strong flavored Ale. Heavy hop aroma and flavor. Full body, slick texture with a long and bitter (hoppy) finish.

APPEARANCE:
*head- large, excellent lacing
*average carbonation
*red in color

AROMA:
*roasted grain, floral, citrus, pear.

TASTE:
*roasted grain, pine, grapefruit, and pear,
long duration, light sweetness, light acidity, and heavy bitterness.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2011 13:59:03 | More by brealbg

ChugginOil

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 vintage on tap @ The House Pub

Pours a reddish brown color that is quite dark but still transparent. There is a fingers worth of off-white that dissipates quickly.

The nose is very sweet and malt with bread-like notes. Some tobacco and leather is also noticeable, as well as a touch of heat.

The taste is beastly and has notes of caramel, butterscotch, and some sweet malty goodness. The abv is brought down significantly from the year of age. There is a bread-like taste in the finish.

The mouthfeel is pretty thick and big bodied. There is a stickiness to it that leaves it's flavors across my palate.

Overall, very enjoyable, big-bodied ale that takes to age very nicely.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2011 01:10:13 | More by ChugginOil

TMoney2591

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in an Arrogant Bastard shaker pint glass at Plainfield's Tap House.

And here, finally, the Accidental Highway to Hell Tour comes to a conclusion. What a ride (and (insert inside joke wink here) it doesn't even really end here, per se). Anyway, this brew pours a dark amber-rust topped by a finger of off-tan foam. The nose comprises orange zest, grapefruit zest, caramel, pine resin, toffee, black pepper, and a touch of booze. The taste brings in more of the same, with more pine (which is more toward sap than resin here) and the addition of some mandarin orange syrup for good measure. The body is a straight medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry-ish finish. Overall, a richly textured and generally enjoyable brew. Definitely not for the faintest of hearts. Good times.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2011 06:01:43 | More by TMoney2591

Scotchboy

Idaho

3.9/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review No. 250

Had on-tap @ Brewfora Beer Market, Meridian ID. Poured into a tasting chalice, about 8oz I believe.

A: Pours a hazy caramel color with amber hues and a light khaki-colored head.

S: Subdued (might be the temperature)...I gets lots of malt sweetness mixed with floral pithy pine hops...toffee and toasted sweetbread...bitter citrus as well.

T: Initially its all hops-pungent pine, floral hop bitterness and intense West Coast dryness-but the malt bill cuts this down to size with a metric ton of caramel and toffee underneath...in fact the warmer this beer gets, the more the malts dominate...

MF: Decent, medium-thick mouthfeel with some sticky viscosity. Dry finish.

O: This beer isn't overrated, and I can see why people clamor for it...'underwhelmed' might be a better descriptor for me right now...overall its good but not epic. Good flavors...medium drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2011 00:51:31 | More by Scotchboy

omnigrits

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A. A rich mahogany brown colour with a cream coloured head that vanishes a bit too quickly.

S. Oh my goodness, where to begin. Cherries, cassia bark, molasses, some spiciness. It reminds me very much of an old fashioned cough drop, and in a good way.

T. Wow. All of the above and more. Sweet malts, bready malts, hops, of course, and a superb bitter finish. Strong hints of alcohol

M. Not too heavy for such a big beer, and very, very smooth.

O. Definitely not something Stone should put out year round. It's great to look forward to and even better to actually drink, but a beer like this on hand all the time is... well, you really can have too much of a good thing. I have to get me a couple more of these and stash them away. I think it would turn into something really rather special. I want to see it dry out a little. Fresh, it's fantastic, but a little on the sweet side.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2011 02:12:22 | More by omnigrits

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.15/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had on draft at Max's.

Pours a deep garnet with a small tannish head. Loads of lacing down the glass.

Smells similar to a hop profile of an IPA with strong citrus and pine hops, but is backed by a ridiculous amount of toffee and bread malt aroma.

Very complex. A bit of citrus up front. Heavy toffee malt with a little bit of a sugary sweetness. Finishes very sharply bitter and dry.

Chewy Creamy and just about perfect.

Always glad when I get this beer every winter. Incredibly bitter, but enough malt to balance it out very nicely.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2011 01:13:52 | More by jmarsh123

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark brown with vibrant red hues.

Hops fill the nose at first with citrus and pine goodness followed by toasted barley, grains and a nice sweetness.

Taste is perfectly balanced and full flavored. Layers of pungent grapefruit and piney resin flavors fall into loads of toffee-like sweetness. Big wave of bitterness at the end.

Big thick body..almost chewy despite the hop character

This is one hell of a beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2011 17:11:40 | More by TheMultiYeast

rand

California

3.8/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From tap to snifter

A: Ruby-red in color, opaque, but not from haze - this brew is dense, and forms a frothy head with lacing everywhere.

S: sharp pine and citrus notes, typical of an IPA, meets waves of sweet bready malts. The nose is big, and several subtones are noticed - tropical, peppery spice.

T: The taste follows, and the huge ABV yields huge flavors. The hoppy pine flavors are really bitter, the honey-sweet malts are really sweet...REALLY sweet. Strangely, the beer is quite drinkable - there are plenty of big beers like this that ruin your palate far more than this one. The beer finished mote sweet than bitter, but alcohol and bitter residues linger long after the swallow.

M: Full bodied, ample carbonation.

Once you wrap your palate around the bold profile, Double Bastard is almost more drinkable than it's little brother. Still, of Stone's infamous lineup of big, bold, aggressively bitter beers, this one sits at the top.

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2011 08:01:10 | More by rand

jbphoto88

Texas

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The ever elusive double bastard finally makes it to my local watering hole here in sunny Texas. It has a deep amber color with a lovely tan head. One of the prettiest brews I've seen in awhile.

The double bastard smells a lot like the regular bastard. Malts that are roasted, full and sweet. The hops are there but not as dominating as the grains.

A tasty beverage to say the least, double bastard is a nice flavor bomb. It leads off with a heavy dose of malts that are thick, sweet and slightly toasted. Those flavors then subside and let a nice hop twang come through. Simple but full flavor.

The mouthfeel is thick and boozy but not in a bad way. It coats your face hole and leaves you with a kind lingering malt flavor. The combination of hop bitterness and booze leave your throat feeling a little raw but satisfied. The regular bastard is good, this one IS better but not twice as good. The ABV does sneak up on you because it is such a smooth brew. I've got a nice buzz after my second and can't wait to try some more!

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2011 20:21:17 | More by jbphoto88

BucannonXC5

California

4.33/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Edited my original rating (10-28-11) from 4.5-4.0-4.0-4.5-4.5 to this rating on 04-10-12.

2010 version.

Poured from a draft into a goblet or tulip glass.
Color was caramel reddish. Maybe ¾-inches of head. Fairly light lacing on the top. Semi sporadic film on the sides.

Smelled of eucalypts, citrus, roasty malts and vanilla.

Smooth taste on the start. Strong taste, yet smooth alcohol bite. Somewhat fruity taste as well.

Medium body. Average carbonation. Smooth and consistent taste.

Thought about a 4.0 or a 4.5 and went with a 4.5. Really good beer!

Serving type: on-tap

10-28-2011 06:04:03 | More by BucannonXC5

olfolxholme

California

3.63/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

9

Enjoyed on tap at Mill Valley Beerworks, served in an Augustijn chalice. I like this kind of beer in a snifter, a tulip, or a chalice and they are always nice about accommodating that.

A - nice tan head filled with bubbles, about one finger thick at first. Traces of it lingered til the very end. Some lacing. Beer is a very dark copper. Looks about right for a beer called Double Bastard.

S - not much aroma for me. Not upfront and not throughout. I'm surprised. It's a strong ale in a wide mouthed glass - I thought there would be a big aroma. Just didn't happen for me. Weird!

T - sweet hop flavors - tastes like a grapefruit. Rind and all. Not grapefruit juice - an actual grapefruit. I love grapefruit, so this was great for me! I didnt pick up a lot of other flavors. There was a trace of copper penny, though. The pure grapefruit was pretty consistent for me thoughout the whole glass. Yum!

M - somewhat thin, somewhat astringent. Like a grapefruit, makes you pucker. This lasts with the aftertaste. Simultaneously, feels good across the tongue, with some creaminess.

O - I would try this again and happily recommend it to fans of "bitter" beers. If you love grapefruit then this is for you. I hope to have it again on tap and will probably pick up a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2011 03:42:38 | More by olfolxholme