Double Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

ubenumber2

Arkansas

4.76/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from 22oz bottle into a glass , deep red color with smal 1 finger head and minimal lacing.

Smell is wonderful, very malty with the hops and the alcohol coming through after the malt , the smell just makes your mouth water

Very full bodied beer , a real mouthy beer that is nice and warming all the way down

This is a great tasting beer , the first thing I taste is the sweetness of the malts then the hops and alchohol come at the end blended together giving it a nice bitter and warming flavor that you can feel all the way down

Overall this is a really good beer for a cold winter night. I am going to buy a couple bottles to age and a couple bottles to drink next weekend.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 01:20:19 | More by ubenumber2

BeerDawgs

Georgia

4.7/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A 22oz bomber 2011 version

A - A deep copper amber red. Thick with lots of sediment. Creamy looking. Looks like a Bloody Mary!

S - Huge piny hop nose! Pineapple, Sweet brown sugar, etc. Amazing.

T - Amazing. Period. Like the nose, a nice smooth, well balanced blend of Malts and hops. Caramel, burnt brown sugar, and piny hops. Lots of grapefruit. High ABV is so well hidden its dangerous. Definitely keep it to a sipper. You can sip on this all night

M - Full bodied and well carbonated.

O - A+. The best of the trifecta that I have had from Stone, comparing the Arrogant Bastard and the Oaked Arrogant

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 02:29:00 | More by BeerDawgs

TheCondor

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Side poured with standard vigor from the bottle into a Beck's tall mug. Any beer with a name and packaging like this, from this brewery, is worthy of a buy.

Appearance- Pours a deep brown, murky color thatwould impress the snobbiest of beer geeks with a nice fluffy, one finger head that dissipates after several minutes. Excellent lacing, leaves tons of residue all down the glass. Fabulous presentation from what should be a strong beer.

Smell - I could smell the beer as I poured it. A very powerful piney, grapefruity hops odor is the dominant smell, coupled with a bit of malt and a little sweet spice in there, but nothing to really get worked up over. The lowest rated portion of the beer, in my opinion. The hops seem like the may overpower everything.

Taste - A strong malt presence up front quickly retreats to the power of the hops. Although this isn't any kind of IPA, the amount of hoppiness kind of makes you think it could be, but there isn't that fruitiness to it. A little caramel sweetness in the middle of the drink too. Pretty balanced, well done.

Mouthfeel - A little sticky, clings to the palate for a bit, but nothing uncomfortable. Finishes bitter, medium carbonation.

Overall - Unlike Arrogant Bastard, which I thought was spectacular, this beer is a little more pedestrian than that. Granted, it has a much higher ABV and a more aggressive hop profile, but I think that sacrifices the quality to a degree of the original Arrogant Bastard, which was incredible. This is a good beer and I would recommend it, but if it comes down to this or Arrogant, pass me the lower ABV version that is more balanced.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 02:26:02 | More by TheCondor

JamesShoemaker

New York

3.89/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into my snifter. Been meaning to try this one forever, but I finally found a price that fit the bill ($6.99).

A - much darker than expected. Not a lot of translucency, very dark brown. A little head on the forced poured, and the residual foam covers the top partially. Pretty beer.

S - meh, not much there, even with a deep whiff from the snifter. Smells a bit sour, maybe a little hoppy, but disappointingly lacking.

T - I'm not a huge fan of this taste, but I gave it a high-ish score because it does a good job taking you on a journey. DB starts strong and sweet, with little hints of caramel and sugar, and ends with a big bitter bomb from the hop notes. This is the kind of taste that could benefit from some age. It's not overly boozy, but it's definitely strong.

M - the bitterness clings to the cheeks, which is a little unpleasant. In fact, it's almost a little watery, lacking in substance. The alcohol is hidden well, however.

O - I haven't really had anything by Stone that I particularly enjoyed besides their RIS. I look forward to mixing a six comprised entirely of Stone standards.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 00:13:19 | More by JamesShoemaker

fireman10

4.61/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

i am not the biggest ale fan...until now. this ale is a wonderful blend of hoppy, bitter, and full body greatness...with a slight trace of an exotic spice from some small tribal community in southern Iran that i've never heard of. At first the inexperienced drinker may find this beer a bit vulgar, cocky and downright mean...but as the offensive posturing of this beer starts to mellow down and slides smoothly down your throat, you will find yourself begging for yet another fake beating. by the fourth gulp, you will be writing love notes.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 21:28:33 | More by fireman10

saburky

Ohio

3/5  rDev -30.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

(I had this one at room temperature)
Appearance - Dark amber in color similar to maple syrup. Moderately good lacing as it is consumed.
Smell - As with Arrogant Bastard ale and with a few other American ales I have tried, I immediately smell the hops. I can also smell a little malt.
Taste - I can most certainly taste the hops. No other flavors hit my palate.
Mouthfeel - Slightly carbonated and it's somewhat creamy.
Overall - I give this one a 3. Looks a little better than it tastes but then again, I'm not a big fan of hoppy American ales.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 16:06:24 | More by saburky

rjhildre

North Carolina

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

22 oz bomber poured into a belgian glass.

A- Burnt orange color with a massive 3 finger head that dissipates slowly but never really disappears. Moderate and erratic lacing resembling trees and spires. Pretty fun to watch.

S- Massive grapefruit and pine hoppiness and a thick, bready , raisiny maltiness that fills your nose.

T- Exactly like the smell. The thick maltiness hits the tongue while the pineyness of the hops hits the back of the throat.

M- Sticky and resiny, like a beer this big should be.

O- I'm not the biggest fan of Arrogant Bastard but this one really knocked by socks off. rides the thin line between barley wine and DIPA so well that it almost creates it's own style. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 04:56:37 | More by rjhildre

hctap00

4.34/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Orange-copper hue. Thick, creamy, tan head that never fully settles and clings to the side of the glass.

Aroma is not nearly as strong as I had anticipated, especially from one of the Bastard beers. Smells like a barleywine. Boozy, oak, vanilla. Pine hops, with some fruitiness and a lot of malt sweetness. But nothing too assertive.

Flavor is very intense from the start. Nothing subtle about it. I notice the piney hops first. Bitterness is a constant throughout. I also get some of the grapefruit I associate with West Coast IPAs. After the initial taste, it is an assault of intense flavors. Caramel. Brown sugar. A lot of booze. Just barely enough malt to balance the hops, barely. Finish is very bitter, mostly pine. Very warming as it goes down. The 11.2% is not disguised at all.

Nice mouthfeel. Very smooth. As intense as this beer is, it does not linger too long on the palate.

Overall, exactly what I wanted from this beer. I made the mistake of trying to kill a bomber by myself. Going to need some salty snacks to get me through it. Share this one and sip it. A very good beer, but just a bit too much to take in. A system overload. I think if it were dialed back just a hair, it would be more enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 05:26:42 | More by hctap00

Chadhowie

California

5/5  rDev +16%
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

JCaweinstein

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Ruby-brown with a one finger off white and creamy looking head. It's clear with a moderate amount of carbonation.
I'm picking up notes of caramel, dark fruit and alcohol as it warms. It has a very deep, rich smell about it that just pours out of the glass.
This flavor is thick with caramel malts along with a slight citrus hop flavor and as it warms the alcohol, which there is a lot of, starts to show through.
On the palate it's smooth and deep with malt flavors followed by citrusy hops. The alcohol heat rounds out the feel along with a nice malt aftertaste.
Double Bastard is a very strong, tasty beer great for a cold night. If this thing doesn't warm you up I don't know what will.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 20:55:06 | More by JCaweinstein

JG-90

New Jersey

3.86/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz into glass

A - Reddish-Brown color, modorate-minimal lacing, high floating sediment

S - Grapefruit, hops, malt, orange,

T - Grapefruit, hops, and malt. In my opinion, MUCH better than arrogant bastard, more overall flavor, pretty balanced but still hoppy.

M - Medium to Heavy body, moderate carbonation

O - After trying Arrogant Bastard, very impressed with Double Bastard. A much better overall beer without the aspirin aftertastse

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 03:37:43 | More by JG-90

danieelol

Australia

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

Thanks to the very generous joecast for this and the brilliant Double Bastard glass from which it was drunk from.

2012 Vintage. 11.2% Alcohol.

Pours a brilliant ruby-toffee with great head/lacing.

Smell is reticent at first. Get a lot of nutty notes which are kind of reminiscent of Samichlaus. Get some lightish hop notes behind that- pine. Yeast and faint tropical fruits.

Taste is a bit subdued also but highly resiny. Get lots and lots of hop and pine. Can be a little alcoholic at times but I feel the hop character hides most of it.

There's a lot of complexity here and this needs time to open up and be sipped on.

Hop resin really builds throughout until you appreciate just what a hoppy and bitter beast this beer is. Like Bigfoot with some intravenously-assisted muscle gains, it challenges even a hop-enthusiast like myself.

I think this one's lower on dry-hop character but really big on normal hop character. Its older but slighter brother had a similarly bitter outlook on life.

This is definitely a "sleeper" beer. Was a bit neutral towards it at first, but it really builds on you and is actually very subtle, which is especially impressive considering its hefty alcohol.

I haven't yet drunk my '12 Old Guardian but this is easily the most impressive Stone beer I've had to date. Thanks again to joecast.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 04:56:20 | More by danieelol

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -11.8%
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

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams signature pint. Reviewed from notes from a New Years Day get together.

Appearance: Pours a mixed amber/brown color with a solid tan head that lasted a short while and left a decent lacing.

Smell: Lots of malts and lots of spices. Maybe some cherry. A lot stronger from the bottle than the glass though.

Taste: Much the same. Very strong malt flavor with spice and a strong sweetness that picks up like cherry and honey. Seemed comparable to some extent to cherry bourbon I've had in the past. Still maintains a little bit much booze, but it's not bad.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a moderate amount of carbonation and a slightly syrupy feel going down.

This is something I enjoyed, but I don't think I'd have a problem never having it again. There is a lot going on here, but not enough to cover up the strength of alcohol flavor here.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 22:53:16 | More by ColdWaffles

EkimGram

New York

3.8/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: 22oz bottle poured into a snifter. Colour is a deep reddish-amber. 1/2-finger head fades to a thin film leaving a nice lacing. Faint amounts of visible carbonation are present.

Smell: Very powerful malts, sweet brown sugar, molasses, and alcohol aromas.

Taste: Strong, massively bitter with some sweeter aftertastes. Alcohol is a major contributor to the taste giving it a flavour similar to that of a brown liquor with an abrasive citric bite.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, moderately carbonated, finishes sticky with a silky feel.

Overall: As stated on the bottle, this brew is not for the faint of heart. The aromas are impressively powerful, as is the taste. A slow sipper if there ever was one.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 04:40:20 | More by EkimGram

williamjbauer

West Virginia

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

Bottled served in a Sam Adams glass

Appearance is a clear gold with a 1.5 finger khaki head with moderate retention expected with 12% alcohol

Smells of sweet malts, earthy hops, very bready, and big booze.

Tastes very sweet, honey and caramel malts with no hops to be found and overpowering alcohol.

Moderate carbonation, medium body, very warming etoh

I had high expectations and they really weren't met. Expected something else I guess, this is NOT arrogant bastard. Not even a cousin. I wish I could blind tasted this,not my fav stone brew but still quality.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:25:54 | More by williamjbauer

SometimesIfart

Michigan

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Pours clear copper with a three finger slightly off white head. Left decent lacing.

S - Heavily roasted malt, grapefruit, slight pineapple, dark fruits, smoke, caramel malt.

T - Toasted caramel malt, grapefruit, smokey, a bit of mango, roasted malt, dry hops, wonderful for 11.2%. Much tastier and a bit lighter than it's sibling Arrogant Bastard. Flavor profile is seriously beautiful and extremely complex.

M - Wonderfully creamy medium body with lightly stinging carbonation.

O - Overall, a perfect high ABV beer. Wonderful flavors. I'd loveee to age one of these.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 22:57:38 | More by SometimesIfart

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.13/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2012 vintage

A - pours a cloudy and ominous brownish red. It has a creepy reminiscence to blood. Small tannish head that quickly turns to just a ring around the rim.

S - the strong aromas assault the nose. Fusel alcohol and medicinal cherry are at the forefront. Notes of toffee and nuts show off the powerful malt character. Lots of resiny hop character round out the nose.

T - lots of sweetness on the front end. Caramel, toffee, and white sugar. The middle is full of biting bitter citrus peel and sweet cherry fruit. Finish is reminiscent of sugar coat grapefruit.

M - full bodied. Rather viscous and heavy on the palate even with the high and bubbly carbonation.

O - way too sweet and boozy for me at this point. I did tuck two other bottles away and hopefully my opinion of this ale will change as it changes with time.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 05:36:25 | More by Teleweizen2

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Stone Double Bastard Ale has a thick, creamy, tan head, some streaming bubbles, lots of lacing left on the glass, and a hazy, amber appearance. There are lots of fairly large chunks visible in the bottle. The aroma is of strong, medium roasted malts and oily, piney hops. Taste is of sweet malt and bitter, piney hops. There is a brown bread aspect to it, coming from the barley malt. Mouthfeel is medium and slick, and Stone Double Bastard Ale finishes semi-dry, strong, yet not alcohilic, and pretty-well drinkable. Overall, this is a sweet, bold, and delicious beer.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 18:39:30 | More by RonaldTheriot

Winston_Smith

Kentucky

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

2011 Vintage at the suggestion of the beer guy. (1 year old bomber)

Appearance: Pours a beautiful dark amber/brown. Thick, creamy off-white head. No light penetrates the center, and the edges make a glowing orangish-copper haze. Good, clingy lacing. There are some fine particulates suspended.

Smell: Tons of malt and spices. Aroma is very rich and full.

Taste: Whole lotta malt. Tastes strong, but not as boozy as I thought it would. LOTS of malt. Very little ho presence until the aftertaste, which has a piney, oily finish.

Mouthfeel: Carbonated well with a medium-full body.

Overall: She's a beast of a beer with an entertaining character. I'd love to have tried this year's back to back. It's good to try, and expensive (slightly) to drink. I doubt I could do more than one of these per sitting.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 22:47:29 | More by Winston_Smith

switzer

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 bottle bought today and drank today. I bought 6 more for my closet cellar. Damn I wish I would have added a little cellar room in my house. Closet cellaring isn't nearly as convenient or cool as a walk in room. This is the first time I have had the beer. Good stuff and I will pick up another drink it now bottle. It's a little boozey but not to the point that its not enjoyable. It smells sweet and the taste seems sweet until you get into it a bit. In reading the reviews I am looking forward to trying this in a year.

Enjoyed the lucky as well. Will definitely grab a couple more of those for now drinking.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 03:25:06 | More by switzer

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle dated October 19, 2012.

Beer pours a clear amber hue. Large off-white head. Good retention and lacing.

Nose contains a big sweet caramel malt scent, along with wood. Mixed with that is lots of pine resin and citrus. Really an example of strong malt and hops, with neither really dominant.

Taste is like the nose. Caramel malt, burnt toffee and wood. Lots of pine and citrus. Both malt and hop result in huge flavours. The alcohol is noticeable but not unpleasant. Quite bitter.

Full bodied, moderately carbonated. Oily.

Overall, very good. A big beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 23:07:23 | More by jrenihan

Jadjunk

Georgia

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

Many thanks to my brother for holding back on drinking those older vintages so we could have this awesome tasting!

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter. This formal review is on the 2012 release (fresh).

(Appearance) Reddish Sunset orange with clarity, billowing creamy tan head with good retention. Slight pulpy matter included, mild carbonation. 4

(Smell) Spicy cinnamon rye bread, heavy sweet caramel, medium balanced bitterness, faint to no alcohol in the nose. 4

(Taste) Slick sweet caramel with a medium bitterness, mild dark fruit. Alcohol is faint. 4

(Mouthfeel) Medium carbonation, slick but chewy. Alcohol presence is medium-low. Body is high. 4

(Overall) A lot more malty and rounded than Arrogant Bastard, with a more robust but balanced profile. As compared to older vintages, fresh is decent but this beer has lots of additional complexity and depth to reveal with a couple of years behind it. 4

---

Vintage Reviews:

2011 (1 year aged):
Creamy head still, albeit a creamier tan turned white. Good retention. Aroma highlights growing malt character but a still prevalent hoppy bitterness, creating a conflict with the direction of the beer. Flavor is indicative of a deepening caramel malt character with a bolder, more robust body and a clean, solid finish. Alcohol presence is medium, emergent somewhat by fading bitterness. Superior over the fresh batch although muddied somewhat, it needs more time to balance the flavors.

2010 (2 years aged):
Notably less clear appearance, copper with a thin paler head than the fresh vintage. Balanced aroma- although muted somewhat, there’s still significant hoppy character with less invasive bitterness. The caramel bread has developed mild fruity tones and the yeast has worked wonders on the complexity of this beer; hints of developing raisin and dates pair well with the caramel bread. The flavors are clean and mildly sweet, still moist, and the alcohol, while notable is largely concealed. I found this a well-rounded beer with two years of age on its belt; the flavors are more thoroughly developed. Highly recommended vintage.

2008 (4 years aged):
Murky muddy copper appearance, thin depleted head. Aroma is fuller; notably fruitier and smoother with bold caramel and traces of booze. Much fainter bitterness to taste and smoother malts with a slight touch of remaining grainy bread character persist and grow dominant. Dryness is growing on this vintage as many of the flavors have been lost to time. Alcohol presence is medium, a touch easier to discern than in more recent years. Mild oxidation doesn’t impart largely offsetting flavors but instead a lasting fruity, if not murky finish. I would argue that by 4 years of age, Double Bastard is past its prime.

Best Recommended Age: 2 Years

Stone Brewing Company's
Double Bastard Ale (2012, 2011, 2010 & 2008 Vertical Tasting)
4.0/5.0

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 03:47:26 | More by Jadjunk

beerdrifter

Germany

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

Clear copper-amber pour with a touch of crimson. Two finger off-white head with great retention and lacing. Complex malty, floral nose with hints of sticky pine resin, burnt sugar, apricot, grapefruit, yeasty bread, and subtle cinnamon and coriander. Taste follows suit and really opened up as it warmed with lots of bitter pine, brown sugar, booze, caramel, toffee, orange peel, grapefruit, grass, dark fruit, coriander, and just a touch of vanilla. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and slightly syrupy and oily with a great tangy bitter hoppiness with subtle warming on the finish. Another outstanding offering from Stone.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 02:56:30 | More by beerdrifter

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Into a pint glass:

A: rich dark red body with a two finger foamy white head which lasts a considerable while. Lots of hops are seen floating throughout the body.

S: sweet malts up front and in the beginning and as the beer warms more hops comes out.

T: follows the smell and becomes increasingly hoppy bitter and yet citrusy sweet, becoming very powerful.

M: medium to perhaps heavy, some slight lingering sharpness coming out slightly strong near the end of the beer.

O: what a complex beer and pleasing beer. I'm absolutely impressed and am glad I had it on Christmas. Merry Christmas!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 00:50:32 | More by kangarooAdam59