Double Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

Dave1999

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a rich dark red with a foamy white head which last a while considering the abv.

The smell is sweet malts and citrus hops.

The taste is bitter and hoppy. The citrus hops are really in full force here. You can't taste the alcohol at all. As you let the beer warm up up a sweet malty back bone becomes apparent.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and syrupy low carbonation.

Overall a pretty good beer extremely hoppy and bitter.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 21:23:02 | More by Dave1999

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

My share of a three liter bottle. It was poured into my petite Duvel tulip.

Double Bastard pours a clear blood red, with some amber highlights. Two fingers or so of khaki colored foam tops the beer. Head retention is very good, and good sized chunks of lacing dot the glass. The nose features aromas of caramel, booze, pine, and a bit of grapefruit peel. The balance between all those moving parts is wonderful though. The flavor profile leads off with a healthy swirl of caramel, before an aggressive bitterness and a gentle warming alcohol presence set in. The potent hop finish has plenty of pine, and just a bit of grapefruit peel. The body is somewhat sturdy and the carbonation is lively enough to elevate the hops, very solid mouthfeel overall . There's not much more to say about Double Bastard, it's one of the OGs as far as American Strong Ales go, and a great one.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 03:25:03 | More by axeman9182

Resuin

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a Chimay Chalice.

Appearance: Pours a deep-cherry/dark-brown color and leaves behind nearly no head, maybe a half finger.

Smell: Figs and malts along with caramel and hops. Surprisingly light scent overall.

Taste: Hops, caramel, malts and alcohol. It is actually pretty well balanced but the alcohol definitely comes through in a big way. A sipper, but a pleasant sipper.

Mouth-feel: Not overly thick, but definitely has a syrupy quality to it. Not a whole lot of carbonation detected, but some which is nice.

Overall: A satisfying brew. This is a good beer, and a bomber is definitely one to share, as it kicks pretty hard. The combination of the hops and the alcohol and complexity make this a very interesting beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 01:48:06 | More by Resuin

Ivegotmule

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2012 Stone Double Bastard. 22oz into a pint glass. 6.99$ at Total Wine.

A. 4. Deep hazy golden red color. Perfect thick lingering head with lacing stuck all to the glass. Nice.

S. 4.5. Strong. So much alcohol coming through it covers up the hops I was expecting. Sort of smells like apple juice to me.

T. 5. Amazing. Pretty much the ideal for me. Strong and hoppy. Really like barley wine I keep thinking.

M. 5. Wonderful heavy body. I can feel the warming alcohol in my stomach too. Perfect.

O. 4.5. I'm saving my overall 5 for a game over type beer. That being said, if this was a year round release, I'm not sure I would buy anything else. It is one of Stone's best beers and they are my favorite brewery. I can't find anything I don't like. It is strong and hoppy and amazing especially for the price tag. If you can handle huge beers, buy 2! Drink responsibly!

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 22:14:32 | More by Ivegotmule

PrimScrewhead

Rhode Island

4.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Dear Lord I love this beer!

Serving : Bottle into Nonick

Appearance: Beautiful warm amber. No head, beer sticks to the sides.

Smell: Hops, sugar and alcohol.

Taste: Oh, boozey sweetness, how I love thee. Nice hoppy booze up front, mellows out in the middle to sweet and comes back around to a nice sharp finish.

Mouthfeel: More body than an Italian super model. Think Barleywine.

Overall: If you're looking for the best American Strong Ale on the market. Look no further.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 20:39:33 | More by PrimScrewhead

JMad

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I drank this from a tulip glass.

It pours a cloudy reddish brown with a thin filmy off white head. Smells like a caramel candy with a hint of maple and fruity hop aroma. It tastes great, the abv is very well hidden, I would never guess this was 11.2%. The taste is really sweet with caramel and a slight woody flavor followed by juicy piney hops and a nice warmth. It is pretty thick but not bad for the abv, carbonation is low but good for the style and again it has a warming and dry finish. I really didn't think this would be as good as it was but I am very satisfied by this bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 06:38:35 | More by JMad

depechemode1983

Texas

4.55/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Medium brown in color but turns dark ruby red when held to the light. The head is thick and froth with excellent retention. Lacing is moderate.

S - Pine resin, orange peel, pineapple some malty sweetness. Alcohol is slightly noticeable.

T - The taste is very well balanced. Tons of bitterness and tons of sweetness. Maple, pine, citrus.

M - Creamy and smooth as hell. Carbonation is just right.

O - Not too complex but damn tasty. The balance on this beer is superb. Top notch brew. I would buy this over a Dead Guy bomber for the same price any day. Just sayin.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 21:02:17 | More by depechemode1983

CA_Infidel2o9

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

Poured from a bomber to a sam adams cup

A- deep copper, 2" cloud like khaki head

S- mango, papaya, orange, vanilla, caramel, funky hops, alcohol

T- mango, orange, vanilla, caramel, grapefruit bitterness, alcohol

M- creamy, average carbonation, alcohol heat

O- someone recently said, if the 4 bastards were the last beers on earth, i would be happy. I then released i feel the exact same way. These brews are basically perfect and i would have no problem drinking them everyday. This one is probably my 2nd favorite of the bunch. This year, stone upped the adv's from 10.5% to 11.2%, and sadly it shows. Other then that, i can't think of anything negative to say about it.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 02:43:31 | More by CA_Infidel2o9

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.53/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22oz bottle into a snifter, 2009 vintage

A: Pours a clear, but dark amber color with a finger of very dense white head. Head retention is superb, maybe the best I've seen in any beer.

S: Raisins and prunes dominate this aroma. In the background, I get a bit of caramel. I also get a bit of dark cherry and licorice to add to the complexity.

T: Wow - so smooth. Toffee sweetness is now upfront with a perfect amount of hop bitterness to keep the beer from ever becoming too sweet. Dark fruits are still there, I get a nice amount of raisins that go well with the toffee. Brandy soaked cherries help round out the flavor. There is no hint of booze.

M: Thick mouthfeel with extremely creamy carbonation.

O: This beer is phenomenal. There is so much complexity in the flavor, this beer has developed into something truly remarkable. It is also nicely balanced, I think I've hit a sweet spot in age.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 02:23:15 | More by coreyfmcdonald

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.53/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Consumed 12/9/12

Note: After this beer, I will have reviewed 100/100 of the Beers of Fame. 2012 goal complete. It's good to have such productive goals.

Appearance: Somewhere between moderate amber and deep copper - pours with a foamy, off-white head - fades to a little cap, leaves some nice streaks and spotty lacing

Smell: Cooked, lightly burnt caramel - roasted grains, with a load of herbal elements and some grass - earthy hops - some sweetness, with sweet caramel, toffee, and a touch of molasses - some dark fruits - overall, a bit too earthy and overcooked for my taste

Taste: Cooked, roasted grains - caramelized grains, cooked caramel, and some roasty notes - cooked, dried out dark fruits - hoppy, in a very earthy, herbal, and leafy way - some citrus as well - moderate, earthy bitterness - some concentrated citrus rind as well

Mouthfeel: On the heavy side of medium, adequate carbonation, lightly oily, with a lingering bitterness

Overall: An accurate name, but not necessarily ideal

Double (Arrogant) Bastard sounds like a good idea, right? Unfortunately, it's not ideal. This beer doubles the earthy, leafy, herbal dirtiness that I do not particularly care for in Arrogant Bastard. I had this about 4 years ago, and I wasn't a big fan. My current assessment is about the same. But maybe it improves with some aging.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 03:13:35 | More by angrybabboon

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to angrybabboon for splitting the bottle. 2012 vintage.

Appearance: Deep dark brown amber. Ruddy. A tiny collar. White, loose and bubbly. Pours with minimal carbonation. A little heavier than expected on the pour.

Smell: Roasted, slightly toasted, deeply caramelized malts. Seriously cooked and overcaramelized a touch. Some nice mild citrus hopping. Pine needles. Grapefruit and some fleshy orange. Some earthy undertones coupled with a nice floral element. Big biscuity malt presence. Undercooked dough.

Taste: Odd earthy undertone to some sweet biscuity malts. Caramel malt sweetness. Some overcooked and deeply caramelized malts. Grapefruit flesh coupled with some pine needles. Lingering bitterness maintains an even keel. Big malty backbone. Chewy malt sweetness. Some backing alcohol. Almost tropical at times, something akin to pineapple. Some roasted and mildly toasted malts. Sharp bit of aspirin bitterness on the finish as it warms. So much aspirin.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Carbonation is moderate. Some clinging bitterness with a nice dryness on the finish.

Overall: Double the Bastard, Double the Fun. Double your pleasure with Double Bastard. (Except not)

A slightly larger version of it's younger brother. Maltier than it should be. Lacks some of the overall roasted profile is lacking. Hops seem a little off as well. Something less than stellar from Stone, and that hurts.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 03:05:05 | More by Goblinmunkey7

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.35/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased at Mink's on Delk Rd. in the ATL. 2011 vintage bottle.

-Appearance 3.5: Poured out a murky-looking brown goo with lots of errata floating around in it. Medium sized head that stuck around for a few minutes before becoming swirls on the top.

-Smell 4.5: Wow! Thick, malty bouquet with roasted grains and caramel notes. Lots of hops present, but none of it the familiar grapefruit. I also pick up butterscotch, pineapple, thick orange marmalade...very complex bouquet on this brew.

-Taste 4.5: The hop assault begins in the front! Lovely alkaline flavors seeping all around fade into a slightly sweet, smooth, big malty kick in the middle. Finish is also slightly sweet, with lots more of the hops and malt. Everything is so wonderfully balanced. Finish is hoppy and lasts for several minutes. I feel like I could ignite a match with my breath after a sip of this beer.

-Mouthfeel 3.5: Carbo level is pleasing to the palate and accentuates this beer.

-Overall 4.5: Excellent beer. I mean...EXCELLENT BEER! Amazing melange of hops and barley malt and just hits the bullseye and then some with what makes a beer a beer. Totally AMERICAN in style and taste. I can think of no parallel to this beer. Not to imply that it is the best beer ever, just that it is unique (to me, anyway). Regardless, I heartily recommend it and you'd be out of your tree to pass it up...if you are lucky enough to find it.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 04:22:24 | More by BeerDocT

herman77

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2011 edition. 10.5%

A: Dark amber with a khaki colored head that fades fairly quick to a collar. No lacing.

S: Rich carmel and toffee dominate. A bit of pine hops, but not nearly as prominent as the hops.

T: Nice toffee and carmel maltiness. Bready. Hops are still around for sure, more near the finish. Pine hops. They still have a decent amount of bite too.Just a tad bit of alcohol on the backend.

M: Fuller body. Thick. Didn't remember this was that thick. Nice and smooth feeling. Moderate to lower carbonation.

O: Decent drinkability for the abv. I had the 2011 fresh and I liked it. This is good too, but I think it's kind of in a weird stage where the hops haven't dropped off that much, and the malt isn't doing anything much different yet. Think this would need to be aged another 6 months to a year to really start to shine.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 01:18:35 | More by herman77

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours an almost clear amber-red with a finger of frothy off-white head. Fades at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of grapefruit, pine, grassy, and floral hops with some caramel malts and some booze.

T - Starts off with a mix of grapefruit, citrus, and orange hops with some bitterness and some sweet caramel malts. Through the middle, some pine, grassy and floral hops come through with some caramelized malts. The finish is mix of grapefruit, pine, grassy, and floral hops with some caramel malts and some booze.

M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry, bitter, and warming finish.

D - Very drinkable. Big and bold, but very smooth and balanced at the same time.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 08:00:08 | More by ngeunit1

bmwats

Louisiana

4.3/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 650 ml bottle into my Arrogant Bastard pint glass.

A: Dark amber hue. Pours about a 2 finger, frothy, white head. Head craters slowly, unevenly, and unpredictably; leaving dry sticky residue in its wake. Thick, dry, persistent beer ring lacing. Kind of like tree rings....you can measure the drinking experience.

S: Hearty malt, butterscotch, caramel, parchment, a little honey, and a little orange citrus.

T: Sweet, nutty, roasted malt. Bittersweet hop character characterized by a little licorice, with butterscotch. A little bit of a root beer liqueur sort of thing going on.

M: Thick, syrupy, and hearty. Bittersweet start, and a lingering dry bitter finish. But no so much so to be off-putting. Well-balanced. Earthy tone.

D: You might be able to sip this one down....you probably should, but it's really, really good...which might create a conundrum for you.

Atmosphere is great. Great head (and I do like great head), lots o' residue, and the characteristic great Stone lacing. Nose is a great combination of candied malt, and a little fruit....all distinct. Thick and syrupy body, characterized by a very earthy feel, some sweet tones, some bitter tones. Well-balanced. Overall, this is a great quaff.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 06:33:09 | More by bmwats

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

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

2012 bottling. Poured into a Lost Abbey Teku. It pours a slightly hazy, reddish-amber color with a nice head that has some good retention considering the high ABV and lacing that practically coats the entire inside of the glass. This beer has a fabulous nose. It smells like over-ripe peaches, oranges, and pineapples mixed with rum-soaked cherries. I also pick up notes of marmalade and toast. Yummy!

The beer has a full body and a slick, velvety feel. When they call this a ``strong ale'', they aren't kidding. Sticky, syrupy flavors of sweet malt and toast greet you up front. The sweetness is very well-balanced with a nice mix of bitter, resiny hops and an alcohol warmth that nibbles at you from mid-palate on down. I'm getting flavors of biscuity maltiness, fruity esters providing hints of orange marmalade and cherries, and a bit of diacetyl. Lots of obnoxious booziness on the finish, but I don't mind. In this beer, you just know it's intentional.

This is an excellent beer, but it's definitely not something I would want to drink more than once per year. It's super-strong, but for my palate it doesn't have the complexity of Lukcy Basartd or the drinkability of Oak-Aged Arrogant Bastard. Still, I'm awfully glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 22:48:48 | More by deadonhisfeet

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma I found to be quite malty with brown sugar, I couldn't pick up really any hop notes as per other reviews.
The apperance is a ruby copper amber. Pours with a dense head though a bit small but then it also has good retention fading only a long lived surface stay. Plenty of lacing.
Drink is bitter through out with warming alcohol. Some cararmel malts and some sutle floral tasting hops. Course tasting and a smewhat clean aftertaste.
I think this beer is good nd barely worthy of another. I've had four bastards so far and the original is the best... buy far. But thats just me.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 11:47:38 | More by micromaniac129

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.48/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This Bastard pours a dark amber color with a long lasting, bubbly, off-white head. As standard with most Stone’s beers the scent is quite hoppy. The taste is smooth, oaky, and amazingly complex. It finishes with an oaky, hoppy after taste. This is a delicious, full bodied brew that is well worthy of its rating. Probably the closest I've had to a perfect beer yet.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 05:18:02 | More by Lemke10

sprucetip

Alaska

4.18/5  rDev -3%
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

acevenom

Louisiana

4.63/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a large brandy snifter. Pours dark, clear copper with a thick, light tan colored head. There appear to be a moderate amount of tiny bubbles rising within the beer. The head retreats slowly. I pick up aromas of caramel malt and brown bread with citrus type hop aromas. It smells sweet and and a little piney. More of those resinous hop notes come through in the flavor than they did in the nose. The flavor is juicy and malty sweet up front. The piney hop flavors really hammer in the back end and linger in the mouth, giving some nice back end bitterness. I get those caramel notes with that brown bread. Stone tends to do these hoppy beers rather well and like the other Bastards, this beer does not disappoint. The beer is full bodied with a sticky mouthfeel. The beer finishes somewhat dry. This is an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 00:43:01 | More by acevenom

bnes09

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Light ruby color and transparent. Big head for the style recedes pretty quickly but maintains a solid layer of foam over the liquid. Lacing sticks in lines and blotches on the glass.

Complex malty aroma with burnt molasses, caramel, dates and hints of tropical fruits. Tough to tell if the tropical, citric aromas are coming from the malt or the hops. Aggressive pine aroma as well. Smells like an American barleywine or malt forward DIPA like 90 minute IPA.

Some of the fruit flavors come through with mild dates but is overpowered by lemon rind, raw radishes, dish detergent and ultra tart and bitter grapefruit. Caramel is there but weak. Hops are intense and linger into the aftertaste with an odd tartness that overwhelms the palate and only intensifies in the first twenty seconds after each sip. One thing I can say is that I can't taste any alcohol although alcohol flavor may be more pleasant.

Full-bodied and somewhat sticky. Good carbonation though short-lived. Finish is super dry with a rough texture.

I love arrogant bastard but they went overboard on this one. There's no balance. It would be different if the hops actually tasted good. Am I alone in thinking that grapefruit and soap do not taste good? Not sure what they were thinking. Has a few things going for it that prevent me from pouring it down the drain. Won't be rechallenging this one. It has complexity but without balance you're left with a mediocre beer at best.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 08:08:18 | More by bnes09

One2Remeber

Florida

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
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

webmanspidey

Michigan

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

Poured from a bomber into a large snifter, this is a medium to dark caramel color with a light head. The smell really drifts in a balance between some sweet syrup or molasses and a floral bitterness. The taste is also complex and balanced with lots of sweet and bitter flavors mixing together. Alcohol is definitely noticeable, keeping this a heavy slow sipper.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 04:44:04 | More by webmanspidey

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

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

Poured from 22oz bottle into Globe glass.

A. Pours 2+ fingers of head. Thick lacing. Really good retention. Color is a dark amber brown.

S. Quite a bit of hop aroma, and a big blend of malty goodness. Caramel malt mixed with some piney hops. Brown sugar, molasess, raisins, and spice come out more as it warm. Gives the beer a sweet spicy aroma reminsescent of a cookie. Really like the smell on this.

T. Has hop bitterness up front, followed by caramelt malt sweetness. Surprised by the amount of bitterness in this one. Spices come out on the back of the tongue, hard to pin down individual flavors. I have difficulty getting passed all of the bitterness.

M. Full bodied. Medium carbonation.

O. Wish the taste followed the aroma more closely. I prefer Strong Ales or Barleywines with more sweetness than this. Not sure if some of that bitterness will fade over time or not. Right now it seems to be a beer contradicting itself.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 22:42:33 | More by siradmiralnelson

Trooper

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

Once again an amazing Double Bastard from Stone Brewing. Hits right away with big molasses flavors and bitter bite. We paired it first with grain crackers, this brought out the dry biscuit flavors, then we paired it with sharp cheddar. This eliminated all bitter flavors and smoothed out the florals, then we had unshelled salted nuts, after this the brew was sweet, bold and flavorful.
All the things I love in a brew, big hops, big malt body, great head, amazing.
Just saying I will have four or five of these stashed for trading.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 07:52:30 | More by Trooper