Double Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

4.68/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got this in a bottle then it appeared at the growler stand the next week. I had to do it! Also decided to review it before having my udon with red rooster sauce rather than after.

A: Thick semi hazy reddish brown. Perfect amount of carbonation. Head is a little weak at first but leaves good lacing.

S: Very balanced with some good floral hop notes but also some woody herbaciousness. Some sweetness as well. A hint of citrus in there. Very complex.

T: If there was a beer that tasted a 5 this would be it. Hits you at first with the hops which are sharp and not overwhelming. Then it comes in with a woody earthiness that is a sharp contrast to the floral notes at the start. As the taste fades you get hit with some citrus orange lemon acid which again, is in contrast to the previous flavors. Then the bittereness comes back in the end to finish it out. Goes does exceptionally smooth for such a high ABV and the amount of control here is insane.

M: carbonation is rather aggressive. Great flavor development but pretty intense.

Overall this is one of the best beers I've had. Insanely well controlled complexity and a variety of flavors. Very palatable for so high an ABV. A must have.

Serving type: growler

11-16-2012 23:54:30 | More by Jamesthebrit

JTSbeerislife

Pennsylvania

4.72/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Growler filled 1-2 hours from this tasting, from The Fridge, Lancaster, PA

Poured into a Corsendunk Tulip (at home). This glass has proven itself, time and time again, to be the best glass I currently own for the “Bastard” series of Ales.

Pours a thick, one + finger head, it hangs there, then settles to a medium thin film, easily revived with a swirl. This ale is alive!
Deep dark Amber color, beautiful, picture perfect, this is the color of Ale!

The aroma/smell, is a flowery, enticing, hit of hops. In smell seems to fall between Piney + , to Citrusy, then followed by rich malt, very enticing! Then comes the ale type yeast, a very pleasant and enjoyable aroma.

Very distinct, incredibly rich malt on the palate, then the powerful hops take over, making for a very pronounced, ale experience. Nice crispness and perfect carbonation balance it all out. The hops and malt stay neck and neck thru the entire pour. Just flat out delicious!

Long finish of bitter hops and rich malt.

This is an incredible ale. What a great experience. The 10.5% ABV is completely buried by the distinct flavor and aroma, which is so good I could easily drink myself into oblivion.
I don’t know what more you could ask for in an ale, well OK, wood ageing would be perfect.
Also had several drafts as its been on tap for several days now.

Serving type: growler

10-24-2011 21:51:56 | More by JTSbeerislife

srandycarter

California

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1 ltr growler.

A - Nice light tan head, tons of lace, over dark amber, somewhat murky ale.

S - Sweet and boozy. Nice deep malt, hops trying to get through.

T - Nice! Big bold malt, booze and hops, leaving clean in the end. Amazing. The heat is hardly even there considering the ABV.

M - Med to heavy, beer is deceptively much bigger than it seems. Hops and alcohol effectively squash the sweet malt.

D - Glad it's only the 1 ltr. :)

Serving type: growler

04-04-2011 02:16:32 | More by srandycarter

DoubleSimcoe

New York

4.28/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Stone Double Bastard, growler filled at Whole Foods Bowery for$13.99.

Appearance: My hasty pour produces a voluminous three-finger head reminiscent of a Belgian brew. Head is mostly white with toffee speckles, thick bubbles on top. Great retention, foamy top lingers throughout. I swear I've never seen the Bastard loloking so good and "heady"! Some lacing, but not much. Color is dark-caramel, very dark and opaque- could be mistaken for bourbon.

Smell: Malt, glue, raisin, crushed ripe cherry. Hops, wooden barrel, bourbon/hard liquor. Beautiful, complex, enticing nose.

Taste: Not as interesting as the nose, with mostly heat, hops and booze. Caramel and tartness follow. Somewhat one-dimensional as compared to the aroma, but still delicious, with whiskey overtones and a burnt-sugar finish.

Mouthfeel: Prickly and hot, stings good and lingers in the mouth for a long while. Some booze, dry hoppy finish, tartness. Full body, medium-full flavor, great carbonation. Sticky, almost chewable but not quite like North Coast Old Stock and other old ales. A little too hot when it warms up.

Overall: A great, unimpeachable American Strong Ale. Might be a little hot when fresh, but it rarely ever disappoints. I've had it on tap, I've had Double Bastard vintages, growlers... a great brew, if you like the style.

I am very glad I reviewed this growler because I had one before that wasn't right. This is how fresh Double Bastard is supposed to taste indeed.

Serving type: growler

03-31-2011 04:24:52 | More by DoubleSimcoe

oldsailor

Nevada

4.88/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Waited in line for a long time for the special release of the 2006 vintage. It was well worth the wait. The taste of this was amazing. Smooth and complex, the beer took on a different feel from a typical double bastard. The warmth from the alcohol was definitely there as this beer wasn't messing around. My 2L growler was gone before I knew it.

Serving type: growler

03-20-2011 03:32:27 | More by oldsailor

MrHirschybar

California

4/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2006 Vintage - growler from 2/12/2011 at Stone's Saturday release night
Poured into a New Belgium Globe/snifter

A - Dark copper with off-white head that leaves lacing - copper is dark and not see through even up to the light

S - Malty, bready, initially a mustiness that turned into a sweet bourbon like smell, with hop citrus and a lingering sweetness and alcohol smell

T - sweet, bready, citrus, maltiness - very much reminded me of the similar vintage of 06' Old Guardian -

M - smooth, light coating, minimal to no carbonation, definite alcohol heat on the back-end not sure what remains of the 10% the label states in ABV, but it drinks well despite the heat on the back-end

D - I enjoyed this - a lot of friends of mine that don't like barley wines didn't like this, and my brother - who liked the 06 Guardian didn't care much for this due to the heat on the back-end. I feel it is quite drinkable despite the bit of heat on the finish - seems many were in agreement as they lined up for the release at Stone with quite a few 3L Double Bastard bottles to fill - even a husband and wife couple both with 3L and a couple down from Burbank to Escondido to fill this one up.
Cost for a fill at 2L was around $16... Well worth that price.
Definitely sweetened up from age compared to the '10.

Serving type: growler

02-14-2011 06:04:25 | More by MrHirschybar

Genuine

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aged a 3-liter bottle of this for 9 months..(probably not textbook aged) but decided to open it up and share among friends this past weekend.

Poured a nice dark-reddish in color, with an off white head.

Smell - lots of hops in this one, some citrus.

Taste - this is where it all comes together...obviously very hoppy, you can still taste the alcohol at 10.5% but it goes down smoothly. Tastes better when it warms up a bit.

Mouthfeel - This one felt a bit chunk, probably due to the carbonation, but doesn't take away from it at all.

Drinkability - Based on taste, I could have a few of these...based on alc. percentage, i could only have a couple of these. This is a very big beer!

Serving type: growler

09-29-2010 15:04:38 | More by Genuine

theghost3

Louisiana

4.03/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2009 vintage.

Pours a translucent caramel with some ruby highlights. Color reminds me of bourbon. The head is frothy, light yellow, and there's minimal lacing.

The smell is malty, caramel, slight herbal hops, and booze. The flavor is aggressive--herbal, roasted malts, and booze (whiskey) with some caramel. Mouthfeel burns the palate--carbonated at first but then just crisp as it goes down. Medium-bodied.

I liked this, but one glass is enough. That ABV really takes a toll. Would go well with BBQ or an earthy cheese.

Serving type: growler

09-16-2010 03:21:57 | More by theghost3

Metallix6403

California

4.85/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from the trusty 3 liter Double Bastard growler! Tapped in December 2009. Poured into a pint glass (multiple times).

Appearance - Screams bitchin' beer! Dark and rich amber / copper body with three fingers of a strong tan head. Retains very well.

Smell - A double punch of thick and intense malts and hops. I usually smell some tropical fruits whenever I break open the growler or the bombers.

Taste - Fantastic fruity and sweet flavors. Sugars, caramel, and a hint of butterscotch pairs well with citrus and other fruits. Finishes with a great touch of hops. Beefy yet so delicious! Yeah I said delicious, so what? You wanna fight about it????

Feel - A thick, smooth, full bodied monster. The alcohol is warming even on a cold on a cold pour. Carbonation is delicate and feels like it is cleaning the palate for the next drink.

Drinkability - Amazingly easy to finish multiple pours. A 3L growler goes quick with two or three people. Alcohol is noticeable yet with the taste and experience, it just doesn't matter.

Final Thoughts - This IS my brew of choice when it is in season. On tap, growlers, or bottles, I haven't had a bad experience with DB. As my brother said, "This beer is rocking my fucking world!"

Serving type: growler

04-23-2010 01:07:51 | More by Metallix6403

inspektor

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Pours a crimson myriad of decadence with a moderate head that is accompanied by the same level of lacing.

Hints of alcohol followed by an impressive amount of caramel and blossomy hops upon initial inspection. An array of fruit is present as well to complete the spectrum.

The taste solidifies this double ale's position and superiority over his "younger" brother who is only half as arrogant. Hoppy not overbearing. Strong ABV but not brutal. Well balanced and impressively enjoyable throughout. A bit on the malty side, but that is par for the course in this realm.

The mouthfeel is substantial in girth with lingering traces of malt and hops, followed by a syrupy finish. As the contents of the glass diminishes, the carbonation becomes more apparent, but overall this doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment.

Slightly more enjoyable and vastly more complex than Arrogant Bastard Ale, this is definitely an American Strong Ale that excels at drinkability. Very well balanced between all aspect that comprise a beer that can be enjoyed for multiple iterations.

Serving type: growler

12-25-2009 21:30:34 | More by inspektor

KALIKGOLD

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a hazy sweet tea like reddish brown. The head was dense and light brown. The lacing clings to the glass until the last drop all the way down the walls of the glass

S: Bakers chocolate, caramel, pine, citrus... like grapefruit and orange rinds, bread.

T: Bitter sweet chocolate, biscuit, grapefruit, hops, grapefruit and other citrus fruits. As it heats up the flavor bursts, warms the throat, that's for sure.

M: Medium body but smooth smooth, the carbonation isnt over powering tingles a bit. You can definately feel the alcohol and it leaves a slight bitter coffee taste in the mouth with a lingering alcohol slow burn. I like it alot! I definately could drink a few of these.

Serving type: growler

11-03-2009 23:33:35 | More by KALIKGOLD

cartagena

Pennsylvania

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

Clear Dark Mahogany color/tan head with a nice floral/spicy/vanilla aroma.

Taste is very similar to some of the barleywine's I have tasted but with more hops at the end.

Got a growler of this bad boy from my local pub (Capone at Norristown PA) and it is definitely an A+ beer.

You gotta try this if you get the chance but be careful...

Serving type: growler

01-19-2009 00:13:27 | More by cartagena

mcsweep

Virginia

4.7/5  rDev +9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

wow! where do I start. This beer is everything I had heard and more. Reminded me of a barleywine, and I had to sip this beer in order to saver every drop. An intense beer not to be taken lightly. I grew up in San Diego and I wish we had Stone back then. Enjoy!

Serving type: growler

12-27-2008 19:35:21 | More by mcsweep

taylorhamrick

South Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a dark ruby red with a giant off-white head. The smell is fairly pungent from hops with a kick of centennial citrus, followed by sweet alcohol, maybe a bit estery. The taste is a bit bitter bu with a sweet, burnt alcohol taste. At times I get a bit of bready malts. It's fairly complex, but I keep tasting the burnt taste from alcohol, which might disguise some more pleasant flavors in the mouthfeel. This beer will more-or-less kick your ass but without leaving a black eye. A growler isn't a good idea without some help.

Serving type: growler

12-19-2008 00:55:25 | More by taylorhamrick

HeyItsChili

South Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Stone Double Bastard Ale pours a deep, dark, cloudy copper with a thin tan head that slowly retreats to a foamy film atop the brew.

S - Sweet, fruity, raisins, malty. Very complex

T - The taste is as malty and sweet as the aroma suggests. A little piney with some aftertaste of alcohol giving away the 10.0% ABV. Really amazing, at least to my taste buds.

M - Mouthfeel is good, smooth, medium bodied.

D - Incredible drinkability, especially for such a strong beer. It is just perfect for savoring.

Serving type: growler

12-01-2008 02:45:18 | More by HeyItsChili

rallison

California

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2006 Vintage - growler filled tonight so nice and fresh (so to speak..)!

A: Cloudy reddish dark amber color with a 1 finger white head that mostly dies.

S: Caramel and toffee. Some hops, but the smell is mostly dominated by the malt.

T: Delicious. Strong caramel/toffee malt base is nicely complemented by mostly piny hops. This beer achieves much better balance with some age on it. Right here, this is nice. My favorite is still probably around 5 years old, but give it at least a year and you will be happy. Too raw fresh in my opinion (and this coming from someone who quite enjoys Sam Adams Triple Bock and Dogfish Head 120 Minute). Trust me, give this a year or three to age.

M&D: Thick, rich and viscous, but still very drinkable. Nice.

Recommended. Obviously, not everyone can try this one aged for 5 years. But, I highly recommend sticking a bottle away for about 2 years. You will be rewarded with a beer that goes from an interesting, strong, but not that great beer to a strong, but balanced, integrated and mellow strong ale that deserves the rating it gets. This is one beer I've had enough of to feel confident in saying that. Prost!

Serving type: growler

11-29-2007 07:14:27 | More by rallison

sessycuban

California

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

2005 vintage. Got a growler fill from the brewery some months ago. These are notes I took from the tasting.

Growler. Poured into Stone Double Bastard Ale glass.

A - The beer pours a rich, amber color. The beer is somewhat murky, but this is to be expected given the age. The tan head didn't retain to well, but again, well for a beer that has been aged and poured from a growler.

S - The smell is very complex. I get a slight toastiness, citrus, tropical fruit, and a slight tinge of hops. This has held up well for such a hoppy beer.

T - I'm getting grapefruit very early on followed by pine notes. The beer finishes with a hop backbone, which is a bit surprising. Given the color, I'd expect a maltier backbone. The balance is spectacular.

M: The taste is a bit chewy, but not too thick. I'd still say this is medium bodied. It has a very nice feel to it for such an aggressive beer.

D: The beer does have some heat to it. But as they say, if you can't handle the heat, stay out of the fire. With that said, supremely drinkable for a 10% abv beer that goes to great lengths to warn you how aggressive the beer is.

Highly recommended to all!

Serving type: growler

10-05-2007 21:33:31 | More by sessycuban

Budlum

Maryland

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

2006 edition served from a fresh growler from Capone's.

Pouring this ale produces one inch of creamy, tan head that slowly recedes to a quarter inch layer. Head retention and lacing are excellent. The body is an absolute, textbook amber color displaying excellent clarity and moderate carbonation.

The nose of this beer is quite simple yet delicious. A dry, earthy, hop smell blends with a perfectly balanced, sweet, malty aromas. Very balanced in presentation although I expected a little more pop.

The flavors of this beer are much like the smell only with the "pop" that I expected from the smell. An assertive hop flavor provides a strong, earthy taste much like Arrogant Bastard. Unlike the anchor, this version blends in a delicious, honey-kissed malt flavor that balances the hops perfectly. There are still many woody flavors like AB but everything just feels smoother. A faint, wheat malt and hefeweizen yeast flavor also lurk in the background. This is one very fine beer.

The mouthfeel of this beer presents good carbonation mixed with a creamy feel. It is also quite buttery likening to a solid English Ale.

Drinkabilty is excellent. I expected this to be more aggressive than AB but it turned out to be much smoother. This beer is just dangerously drinkable for the 10% ABV.

Serving type: growler

01-23-2007 00:39:59 | More by Budlum

BlindPig

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2006
A- Light cloudy deep amber body. Thick tan head that has good head retention and leaves itself on the side of the glass.
S- Big in your face smell. Some alcohol, dark fruits, citrus hops, and some caramel notes all in it. Maybe some grassy and piney hops too.
T- Big alcohol taste and bit of warming to it. Fruits ranging from plums to some grapefruit all come out. Is more of the grapefruit rind taste than the fruit itself. Nice big bitterness all the way through. Big malt body too. the caramel flavor seems to find its way through all these huge flavors. The aftertaste is made up of the fruits and lingering strong citrus bitterness. Also has the grassy and piney hops in there as well (as well as the taste). That makes for the dry bitterness and finish.
M- Full body with low carbonation.
D- It is very good. I think I preferred the 2005 (I tried it in 06 so I'm not sure if it's due to it being a year old or they are made in different places). It is a sipper. The alcohol just finds it way through a lot on this than the 05.

Serving type: growler

11-05-2006 20:12:26 | More by BlindPig

stella77artois

New York

4.69/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.75

One of my new favorite beers! Bottled 10/22/12, consumed 05/24/13.

A - Hard to beat. The beer just "looked" good. A reddish-brown, almost mahogany.

S - Among the best smelling beers I've experienced. Hops, lots of malt, and lot's of fruit. Always figured reviewers were being pretentious when they described the aroma, but that's not the case. Noted pineapple, melon, and even some mint. Smelled absolutely delicious.

T - Delicious. Lot's going on. Perfect blend of hops and malt, and all those aforementioned fruits without being sweet. Juicy would be a good way to describe the beer. And suprisingly, very difficult to tell how high the ABV % is. Simply delicious. Said deliciousness stays with aftertaste. Fruity-ness even more prevelant in aftertaste.

F - The only aspect of the beer I'm not crazy about. Certainly not bad, but kind of dry and thick.

O - Disappointed in myself for not trying this sooner. Absolutely love it. Wonderful sipping beer that's potent, powerful and delicious. Will definitely put hair on your chest!

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 21:06:32 | More by stella77artois

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Maroon to copper to mahogany and shades of purple this is an exceptionally striking color. The head built quickly in a rush of bubbles to a crescendo of thick foam and exceptional lacing.

So many things going on in aroma but slightly weak. Prune, sweet dates, raisin and dried fruit meld with a molasses or sorghum scent. Quite diverse, and very well presented.

Strong raisin flavors hit but are vanquished with an alcohol brashness. Some prune comes towards the end but it too loses out to a harsh tinny metallic taste and feel. I do get a hop flavor and some sweetness as I delve further in. Maybe some pine and a hint of malt. It's getting better, the more I drink but overall it seems Stone has lost me again. So many of their ales finish with tinny alcohol, for me, and it disappoints me every time.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 22:19:28 | More by KYGunner

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.63/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a cloudy red/brown/orange with less than half a finger of beige head. The foam settles quickly leaving a tiny ring along the edges of the glass. Nice lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is malt, citrus, mild pine, spice, and alcohol.

T: The beer starts off sweet and malty with a good bit of spicy bite. The hops come on in the middle and ease up the spice while adding some citrus. From middle to the finish this beer is boozy and spicy. The alcohol is completely evident and detracts a bit from the flavors of the beer itself.

M: Full bodied beer. It's malty and sticky to start. The spice and alcohol take hold in the middle making it bitter and drying. Lingering booze and spice.

O: Really not my favorite at all. It's way too boozy. I understand that it is supposed to be over the top at 11.2%, but the abv makes this difficult to drink. I'd much rather be drinking a BA barleywine at this alcohol level.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 18:19:14 | More by trxxpaxxs

MisSigsFan

California

4.65/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Bottle aged 10/22/12. Pours a cloudy orange/red with a finger thick white head. Smell is much sweeter than the original Bastard. A lot of citrus and booze coming through with some malt. Taste follows the nose, but with more maltiness. Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied. Very smooth and has that signature Arrogant Bastard sting to it. The bitterness really lingers here. Overall, this is an absolutely insane ale. If you thought the original Bastard was good, this is a whole new beast.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 01:35:50 | More by MisSigsFan

brewskifan55

Mississippi

4.36/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter.

A: Opaque amber with a tan half-finger head that turns to tiny bubbles. Nice lacing.

S: Malts, grainy.

T: Really comes on like a barleywine. Nice malt/hop bite. Bready malts, alcohol heat. Sweet. Chewy finish.

M: Medium to high with great carbonation.

O: Strong, bold, kickass. Terrific with a slice of swiss cheese.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 20:09:37 | More by brewskifan55

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2011 650ml bomber poured into tulip 29/4/13 cheers Rutager for sending the bottle

A clear red shade of amber with a few bubbles streaming up the side of the glass, a short lived two finger foam leaves just a few polka dots of lace

S burnt brown sugar and caramels are strong, slightly nutty, with just a little booze, some candied fruit but I can't quite pick it out, has some liqueur aspect I can't really place and a little bourbon

T a little pine I didn't smell and some citric hops, seeing how this from 2011 I can only imagine what a palate wrecker this would've been fresh, the caramels are still strong but the bourbons gone, I know this isn't BB aged but I could smell it

M a little syrupy with low carbonation, a little sticky on the lips with a little grit on the gums, pine and rind on the finish with just a little heat

O I think I may have caught this one in between being a fresh hop bomb and well aged barley wine, pretty solid stuff but a rare situation where I want a young or old bottle to compare to this one in the middle

went down smooth for a big beer, I think this one could fit into a few styles depending on its age, well worth trying and I'll look for both fresh and aged bottles in the future

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 06:11:55 | More by wordemupg