Double Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

jt31914

Michigan

4.72/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

'06 batch On-Tap at Hopcat

A: Dark amber/brown with a small amount of head; not very carbonated.

S: Faint hops and barley sweetness in the smell. Very nice.

T: Barley and slight bitterness in the taste; almost barleywine flavors.

Very good and shockingly drinkable for 10 percent alcohol. Very smooth and worth having.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2010 06:49:52 | More by jt31914

Kelp

New Hampshire

4.05/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Got this out on tap into a goblet.
Deep caramel color with a slight head and little lacing.

Unfortunately I was a bit stuffed up to get a real good smell of it. I got hops, a malty caramel, and a sweet smell to it.

Hops in the front followed by a malty taste and finished by the sweetness on my tongue. A bit of alcohol can be detected throughout the taste.

This thing is thick, almost chewy. Still somehow smooth in my mouth.

I could have enjoyed at least one more of these if I hadn't been driving. Better safe than sorry.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2010 04:53:03 | More by Kelp

jwillcourt

Texas

4.2/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap into a half-pint goblet.

A - Hazy, deep caramel color. Looks like a glass of butterscotch due to color and murkiness. Tight, finger-sized, white head. Decent retention and lacing.

S - Strong hop aroma. Sweet caramel and toffee are also strong. Slight pineapple smell.

T - Assertive, sweet, caramel malt form a good backbone. Pine hops dominate and linger. Alcohol comes through the taste and feel. There is a grape/wine flavor that adds fruitiness and astringency.

M - Thick, creamy in the mouth, and buttery on the lips.

D - Strong flavor but also boozy. It is tasty, so I want another, but strong, and I wouldn't want any more than that.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2010 20:50:36 | More by jwillcourt

BTPete

New York

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

On tap at Mahar's, Albany, NY.

Poured to mug, notes directly from phone.

Stone Double Bastard 09

Tap to mug

A: clear with amber red hues. Very little head if any. Lacing on cup.

S: sweet with a hoppy charcter.

T: sweet and malty,bitter hops at the end. Robust flavor, intense in a way.

M: coarse in my mouth. Full bodied.

D: strong and bitter, my stomach is a little off so I'm struggling with this one. It is enjoyable though.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2010 16:21:05 | More by BTPete

cdizinno

South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Deep reddish-copper color with off-white head. Sticky and retains well.

S: Malty sweetness and mild alcohol aromas. Complex scents that are thick.

T&M: Thick and smooth. Full-bodied, rich, robust, sugary/syrupy/sticky (carbonation seems suspended in the liquor) and extremely sweet. Complex flavors are all over but caramel is up front. Deep penetrating alcohol, like wine, but not overpowering. Finish goes slightly dry with semi-sweetened chocolate notes.

Nice sipper but too heavy and sweet for me on a regular, enjoyable basis.

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2010 18:18:56 | More by cdizinno

Vonerichs

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Amber color with a light tan head, little lacing. It did have a slightly flat appearance.

The nose is caramel, honey, and bready malts with an earthy hop finish.

The taste is a wonderfully sweet caramel cut by some earthy hops. This is as close to drinking straight caramel as it gets. The aftertaste is a quaint vanilla. The alcohol was not detectable and the finish is more sweet than bitter, which is quite different from the bottled version.

The mouthfeel is the other major difference from the bottle. On tap it is incredibly smooth and silky.

This is definitely an after dinner sipper that goes down best slowly while savoring every sip. Glad I got to try this on tap because it's very different that what I remember the bottle being.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2009 21:59:09 | More by Vonerichs

inspektor

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
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

Vengeance526

Louisiana

4.08/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark reddish copper amber color with about a half finger tan head that dies down fairly quickly and leaves a little lacing.

Strong aroma of floral hops and caramel upfront, with a noticeable amount of alcohol lingering in the back.

Taste again reveals some flroal flavors, a little citrus, a strong caramel presence and some pine towards the end. Nice hop presence but not overwhelmingly so. Alcohol soaked fruits can be detected almost all around but again it is not so harsh as to limit drinkability.

Thick and chewy mouthfeel, light to medium carbonation. Solid all around and probably just as good as Arrogant Bastard, but I'm not sure I have a preference among the two. Obviously this one is a little more powerful so I wouldn't typically overindulge on it, but its hard to argue with DB otherwise.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2009 02:08:01 | More by Vengeance526

Blitzstyle

Florida

4.47/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Dunedin House of Beer. Poured into a chalice, pours a really dark cloudy brown, with minimal head and moderate laceing.

Honey, sweet citrus , lots of caramell some breadyness, hops gallore and some alcohol notes.

Smooth caramell right when it hits your tounge then bamm hop attack. Really bitter beautiful! A really sweet malt tries to sneak in but the hops bash it down.

Creamy and it will pucker you up a bit. It is really complex brew will hit this up again and find more and more about it!!

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2009 02:53:57 | More by Blitzstyle

DNICE555

Connecticut

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

On tap at the Sierra Grill in Northampton. Zapps and Mikey Larse couldn't handle this one so I took it on. Offered in a full pint size or half. I didn't want this to be the only beer I could have, so I opted for the half. Got some nice flavor out of this one. Hops, cherry, and only a slight warming from the alcohol. A very well balanced big beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2009 21:22:49 | More by DNICE555

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a semi murky red with half finger head that doesnt retain too well and leaves no lacing, could be the bar glasses. Smell is surprisingly weak in strength, just some hops and malts. Taste makes me remeber the last time I had this fresh. The best possible balance of piney hops, malts, sweets and alcohol bite. Mouthfeel is also nice, medium-heavy with creaminess and good appropriate carbonation. Nice amount of alcohol warming. Drinkability is good. The hop and alcohol will kill this one after a while, Double Bastard is great.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2009 06:10:27 | More by cbutova

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Capone's a few weeks ago, found this review in my pocket.

A- DB came to me with a rusty ruby and some dark red blotches. Looks like it has a nice build just from looking at it. A dark tan head swirls up creating a creamy layer for some time which fades, but leaves nice lace patches.

S- This smells strong, I believe this was from a 2009 keg and it shows. Big amounts of hop bitterness and the same goes for malt sweetness. I cant help but to whiff out some alcohol. Some pine with caramel, toffee and dark fruits with apple slices. A lot going on here, but not the most balanced.

T- And so it begins, Im blasted by some alcohol burn and some bittering hops with pine and grapefruit punches. The malt is large and sweet but are not quite winning the battle just yet. The finish consists of some fruit along with some earthy hop taste on the tounge.

M- A little rough around the edges at this young state, but for what it's worth, this is a strong beer and right now it's showing off it's guns. The heat and alc need to calm down. Above medium bodied with ample crisp carb.

D- Cant do much with this one with the high ABV. This has the potential to go down or uphill depending on what a few years will do to it. Right now this is good beer, but my score will be revised when I revisit a cellared bottle or tap offering, Im hoping it goes up.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2009 23:59:48 | More by onix1agr

augustgarage

California

3.63/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Blue Palms Brewhouse in Hollywood. Served in a generic wide-mouth tulip.

Gorgeous cardinal body with red-orange highlights and superb clarity. A rocky finger of foam condenses rather than recedes, eventually reducing to a heavy merengue with excellent retention and lacing.

Hop forward aromatics colliding with malt suggests a barleywine at first. Orange peel, pine, followed by a pervasive and lasting ammonia scent. Cat box? Hmm...

Pine, cherry, orange peel, clove on the palate. There are also a variety of flavors I usually associate with Belgian yeast, which is a nice surprise.

Slick, medium-bodied feel with good carbonation.

Overall, not as intense as regular Arrogant Bastard for some reason. Not bad, except for the potent ammonia scent - I'll give this one another chance in the future, but I really don't think this is a bad keg...

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2009 06:41:38 | More by augustgarage

mjl21

California

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

On tap at the Ginger Man in Fort Worth. Paid $6.75 for a pint. Unsure of abv.

A-Pours a dark brown with lots of reddish hue. It has a two finger tan head that has some awesome staying power. There is some nice lacing left in between sips.

S-Starts out with a lot of apple aroma. Citrus hops and pine also jump out. There is also some sweetness to this one.

T-The apple that was so strong in the nose is also very upfront in the mouth. Sweet malt, brown sugar, citrus, banana, raw pine, and some roast malt all are evident. There is a little bit of booze as it goes down. It ends with a nice bitterness.

M-Thicker bodied with a smooth carbonation level.

D-It tastes big. A great beer full of flavor and complexity.

I had never had this on tap and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was the perfect cold weather beer. Well worth seeking it out.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2009 17:58:53 | More by mjl21

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Draught poured into a pint glass at Shady McGrady's in Harrisburg

A-dark amber color, hazy in clarity, light khaki head

S-sweet caramel malt nose with a piney hop resign note

T-big and bold with all its flavors, caramel malt in there, pine resign flavors, some citrus and bitter hops towards the finish

M-slightly syrupy, smooth and full body with a nice warming from the alcohol

D-so much flavor that I love to drink it. As long as it has big flavor I give it 2 thumbs up. Can't drink a lot bc I'd black out...again. I would drink it until I woke up not knowing I stopped!

***
Trying a 2004 Bottle, today's date is 3/27/2010. Probably past its prime but lets see what happens.

A-pours a hazy ruby red colored beer with hues of orange shining through. the head is a light tan, almost just off white. no retention but a good lace is left on the glass

S-the nose is still pretty big and comes through with big time sweet malts. tons of caramel and brown sugar. Some dark fruits, raisin and prunes, with notes of rum.

T-hmmm, the booze is actually still slightly present but much more mellow and doesn't bring any of the heat. very sweet, big time caramel, pine, lots of carmalized brown sugar. The back has some dark fruits, prunes and raisins, notes of rum. A touch of chocolate and toffee. There is still a hop presence in the back bringing a light citric taste and touch of bitterness.

M-so syrupy, this is thick and coats the mouth. the carbonation is extremely low but still present after all these years. smooth on the palate.

Notes-put it up next to an 09 and there is virtually no difference. I think the malt may have added some very faint notes of chocolate; but honestly I don't think I could pick out which was which.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2009 01:22:50 | More by cpetrone84

biophiliadude

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tap to a brandy snifter.

A: dark brown, very cloudy. red in the light.

S: Bitter flowers.

T: hops and hops and hops!!! caramel and cherrys

M: tickles, becomes smooth.

D: A hop-heads dream. bitter and floral and layers of sweetness in between sips. A well made beer that I would have again when the hop bug bites! Recommend!

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2009 06:48:10 | More by biophiliadude

mikedepue

Pennsylvania

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

on-tap served in pint glass

A - Amber color with little off white head

S - Carmel malts and hops, a slight fruitiness i cant put my finger on (rasberry?)

T - Slight fruit tones at the start then you typical malt and hops, theres almost too much for my rookie palat to comprehend.

M - light carbonation

D - Only knock on this beer would be the SLIGHT alcohol taste. At 10+% it is however hidden very well.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2009 23:34:16 | More by mikedepue

drabmuh

Maryland

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

Stone is celebrating 10 years of the Double Bastard and I was fortunate enough to have the current vintage (2009) on draft at a local beer bar. Much appreciated treat for myself.

Beer was clear and brown. Formed a thin white head (slightly yellowish bubbles) and has low carbonation. Lacing is high, its an attractive beer.

The aroma is primarily hops and malt. There is some detectable alcohol in the nose, but its not solvent-like at all.

Beer is surprisingly smooth, really high bitterness at the back of the mouth, a little (less than I expected) sweetness at the front. Sweetness in the front is primarily malt based syrup flavor. Its good. There is some alcohol in the midpalate but its not bad and is well balanced by the high hop bitterness in the back. Drinkability is fine, not high, couldn't pound this beer, Mouthfeel is good, nice connectivity throughout the beer, good body, not thin or too thick. Beer gets a little dry after a few drinks but that's OK. A really nice beer.

Whenever I drink a beer like this I wonder how it will age. This is one of those strong ales that I bet would get sweeter with time as the hops fell back and the alcohol warmness mellowed.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2009 18:04:40 | More by drabmuh

ThreeWiseMen

California

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

Had this on-tap several times this past week at Spike's in SLO ("Most Arrogant Bar in the Country" week). Review written Friday night.

Served in a Delirium Tremens snifter.

Appearance: A number of autumn colors (orange, red, brown, etc.) make up the color of the body. Not a whole lot of clarity; very murky. A bubbly, frothy, off-white head sits on top for the entire session and produces some fantastic lacing. Looks like a beast - scary even.

Smell: Molasses, piney hops, and alcohol. Butter and soft spices peak through as well. Pretty malty on the whole with a strong alcoholic presence.

Taste: Butter, toffee, molasses, piney hops, and alcohol. Very bitter and hot. Rough, but equally delicious. Awesome!

Mouthfeel: Dry and warm but very creamy. Alcohol/hops give the beer a peppery kick, but the carbonation adds a beautiful velvety character. Heavy, a touch syrupy.

Drinkability: True to it's name, this beer is extremely arrogant. The bitterness and alcohol are upfront and unapologetic. To quote Terrell Owens, "Don't hate me, cause you love me."

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2009 23:46:34 | More by ThreeWiseMen

BevMoAndrew

California

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

Tasted the 2005 Double Bastard at Stone Brewing Co. in standard pint glass.

Shows a medium mahogany with a creamy, off-white froth and good lacing. On the nose are louds of cherry sucrets followed by chocoalte, orange, grapefruit, pinapple, passion fruit, sugar cane, toffee, caramel, honey, & a touch of fresh espresso. On the palate are all the characteristics from the nose with a definite, but smooth hop bitterness, sweet red fruit, and great carbonation/mouthfeel. Overall, an awesome beer that is sweet and smooth. Aged to perfection.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2009 17:57:18 | More by BevMoAndrew

soupyman10

District of Columbia

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

Grabbed this cause it was a monstrously better deal than just about everything else on the BS menu. A huge beer, as expected. Looks perfect - two finger tan head with a ton of lacing over a deep red almost maroon brew. Aroma and taste are mostly big drying hops, a lot of pine and maybe some oak flavor in there. Some huge raisins. Alcohol presence, no question, which hurts the score just a touch. Body is splits creamy and syrupy nicely. Coats the mouth, no question. Overall, I loved it, although I'm not sure if I could have more than one in a sitting.

Brickskeller/$7/Pint

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2009 21:27:43 | More by soupyman10

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.2/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Prime 16 into a snifter.

A: Deep, hazy ruby-brown body with half a finger of delicate pinkish foam that shows amazing retention and lots of lace - a nice full pour that still retains head? Yes please!

S: Toffee sweetness, fruity alcohol, and some floral and grapefruit hops. Warm, rich, and complex, if just a bit understated.

T: Big and in my face, with huge sweet malts going toe to toe with assertive hops and a finish that isn't shy about the booze. This is the 'roided up version of a beer that's already pretty extreme, and I like it.

M: Pretty thick with lots of smooth carbonation. Very nice.

D: As much as I'm enjoying it, I'm not planning on ordering another. Definitely a sipper.

Notes: Not a beer for the faint of heart, but I can't imagine anyone who loves beer not loving this one. Tons of hops, tons of malt, tons of alcohol, tons of flavor. Great stuff.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2009 03:34:38 | More by woosterbill

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

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

Served on-tap at Prime 16 in New Haven, Conn.

A: Poured a deep, ruby amber color with a thick, creamy ring of white foam which left some good lace to the very end.

S: Smells robust and fruity, with hints of vanilla, pine and a floral bouquet.

T: Ooo, very rich and complex. A hot, semisweet alcoholic berry flavor comes in first, followed by a creamy rush of rich, sweet roasted caramel malts. This is then blended with the spicy taste of cloves and herbal hops while washing down smooth and malty with a notable citrus hop accompaniment.

M: Mouthfeel is full bodied and smooth as hell, yet remarkably quaffable.

D: At 10.5% ABV, this is a sipper as a pre-or-post meal drink. I'm sure it would pair well with BBQ or some non cream based sauces and marinades, but it's so rich and complex, I'd almost always rather have it on its own. A must try for a fan of the Arrogant Bastard.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2009 22:20:03 | More by Gambrinus1184

KALIKGOLD

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -8.1%
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

TommyW

Massachusetts

4.68/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- Deep, red mahogany with a thick, tan head that sticks around for a while.

S- You can really smell the caramel malt backbone with some citrusy and piney hops there as well as some notes of alcohol.

T- There is a big malt flavor with notes of slightly toasted bread and caramel malts. The hops really dance around nicely leaving some citrus and pine notes. The alcohol isn't very noticeable, but it does warm you up pretty quickly.

M- Very smooth right off the bat due to a nice carbonation level. Has a full, almost syrupy feel.

D- Really an amazing beer. It's definitely a sipper due to the abv, but it's soo damn good you just wanna drink more.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2009 19:42:27 | More by TommyW