Double Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

beerinator

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance- Dark amber, with a cloudy light khaki head.

Aroma- Incredible aroma, caramel notes. Hop presence boldly noticed.

Taste- Balanced bitterness. Never harsh/ or always harsh... Lingering bitterness with competing sweetness. Barleywineish. One of the most balanced great tasting beers ever!

Notes- Drink this beer 'after' the others that you're trying. Very few can keep up.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2003 11:07:31 | More by beerinator

beerguy101

California

4.58/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

2001 version Deep ruby color. Medium head. Aroma is malty with a hint of brown sugar and fruit. WOW!! This is one %#)$ of a big beer. A FULL Bodied Strong Ale. Big and Bold. This beer's malts and hops reach out and grab you places you may not want to be grabbed. ( it could be VERY painful) Flavor is full and complex. Brown sugar, molasses, hop spiciness, grapefruit and .. are all here, and assault your taste buds. This is one kick-ass beer. Not for the timid. Taste is thick, somewhat chewy and a little high alcohol oily. Mouthfeel is full, round and expansive. Finish is clean and surprisingly smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter and warming. The 10% alcohol gets to you after a bit, nice and warming. AMAZING beer, not for everyone, most will "NOT BE WORTHY".

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2003 01:23:27 | More by beerguy101

UnionMade

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Talk about over the top. I think this beer is the definition of the term.

The beer pours a deep mahogany color. Bloody red when put up to light. Menacing. A thick topping of frothy head appears from it's depths, reminding me of the foam that forms on the lips of a maddened attack dog hungry for flesh.
Aroma is heady and decadent. An onslaught upon the olfactory glands. Monstrous malt, pale with a healthy dose of crystal malt goodness. Estery fruit, with notes of black cherry, fig and apple. Some toffee. Plenty of hops, without question. What else would you expect from Stone? Alcohol is certainly present, and this beer is ready to punch your teeth out.
Flavor is incredibly malty, with tons of esters, black cherry, fig, currant, and apple. A slight peach flavor, in a brown around the edges way. Light toffee. Hops are massive of course, coming through the middle and finishing the sip. Plenty of citrus, as well as herbal qualities. A slight tang when coupled with the alcohol in the finish. Gigantic body, mild carbonation. Sort of chewy and way too sweet, particularly when the beer gets to room temperature.
It's a pretty good beer, but so completely over the top that I doubt I'll ever buy it again. The beer is just way too intense, especially at first. The flavors are well-wrought, but sort of ham-fisted, in the way that it's trying so hard to assault you with everything in it's arsenal. A kick you in the teeth, spit on your face, then get up and give me twenty kind of beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2003 07:43:58 | More by UnionMade

cokes

Wisconsin

4.83/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Flames shoot forth from the fiery crimson pool of magma. Tan smoke fills the area overhead, but clears after several moments.

Charred aromas emanate outward. Crackling, sticky pine, engulfed apricots, charred pinapples, blackened caramel and seared brandy-drenched woodchips.

This is not a blisteringly hot inferno, but rather a creeping, encompassing torch. It wiggles its way into the oral cavity and ignites explosively.

It consumes all of the sweet kindling left unattended. Brown sugar scorches. Pineapples dance and sizzle on the grill. Plums shrivel and burn. Toffee melts and bonds with the teeth. Cotton Candy wilts and liquefies. Oranges turn brown, then black, then ashen gray. Mangoes do the same. So do limes. Raisins are reduced to a pile of dusty, glowing orange powder. A fruit-laden smoke fills the mouth.

The blaze rages and moves further back on the tongue. Roasty and toasty yet, but the conflagration has reached the hops. Citrus and tropical fruits leave their jellied resin behind. Pine trees are combusted, leaving behind a messy residue of clinging sap. The woody bark is fuel for a tempest that is rapidly gaining strength.

The wall of fire reaches the entrance to the esophagus and detonates in a fantastic alcoholic blast. The ensuing push floods the throat and mouth with a sticking Port shrapnel, as everything else is incinerated. The Port gains heat and becomes cognac. The cognac gains heats and becomes pure ethanol.

The blood is heated by this thick, but airy, semi-adhesive burst of fire. The warmed blood travels to the brain, where it first ignites the pleasure center. The face reflects the increased temperature and becomes red and the mouth draws up in to a smile. Affect is heightened. Flights of imagination and verbosity are common. Next, the sensory-motor complex is set ablaze. The eyes burn red, mirroring the status of the interior. Sirens reverbrate and hum within the ears. Balmy impulses are sent via the nerves to the outmost extremities. The whole body has been consumed. The brow emits sweat beads in an attempt to cool, but it is too late. The "old brain", source of the body's basic functioning, is overcome. The enflamed person becomes increasing sleepy and disorientated. Verbals cease, except for the basest formation of language, exemplified by mutterings such as: "This is fucking awesome, man", and "Holy shit!"

The eyes close.

The ears ring louder.

The smile continues.

The fire ventures onward and outward from the limp body.

(2002 Release, courtesy of feloniousmonk.)

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2003 08:47:37 | More by cokes

bigbelcher

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

like many of Stone beers this is a beer that is much better off if you give it time to age. I did a vertical comparison of the last 2 years and the older one is much better since the flavors have had time to meld and come together better. Another of Stones famous limited releases so get it if you can and put it away for a year or two.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2003 09:28:35 | More by bigbelcher

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Appearance: beautiful bright crimson coloring, with a big, solid, creamy head standing on top.
Aroma: rich, fruity, and burnt. Feels like a turbo-charged Young's Old Nick , it does! Fruit+liquorX 100! Spicy, sweet, and strong!
But, to drink! Mellow, on the tongue and tastebuds, at first, but soon sizzling with hops, flavor & booze, sweet boooze!
Boom! Bam! Biff, bang, Pow!!! There is no relief, nor should one seek any, from this hoppy, malty onslaught!!!
DAMN! I can't think of a tastier ale with this much strength, anywhere! The Double Bastard has seriously laid me to waste! Rich and delicious, and full and fruity and strong and BOOM!, SCHMANG! SCHWOOP!!! (As you see, I've had to invent new sound effects for the occasion)
I've been wallopped but good!, and I like it!
Damn, I like every little wicked thing this beer does to me!
It's a MONSTER!!! There's no relief, no respite, no nothing, just the full-on fruity, hoppy explosion that is this BastardX2!!!
How does it compare to my favorite, Bell's Third Coast Old Ale?
No, I'm not in the mood, or inclination. We'll just judge it on it's own and say that was one hell of a trombone solo!
Strong, sweet, burnt, but still, somehow delicious, that's the thing!

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2003 02:14:12 | More by feloniousmonk

Boto

Connecticut

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

2002 bottle: Well here it is, another highly anticipated bottle from Stone. The beer pours a slightly reddish color. The head has a little bit of a cascade to it. The head is fairly thick, and lingers awhile. Very complex nose: it's hard to distinguish the individual aromas. What is suprisingly not jumping out at me are the aroma of hops. I've come to expect that in a stone brew. The taste is very rich. A huge maly sweetness that I'm sure is balanced by a large amount of hops that are just well hidden. The alcohol is also hidden. I like this more than the Arrogant One. It is even surpassing the 03 Vertical epic to be my favorite Stone!

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2003 12:59:40 | More by Boto

jcalabre

California

4.83/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Last sampled 16 November 2002.
2002 Vintage: beautiful red color, almost a fruity nose, malt up front, hoppy finish, beautifully balanced. A masterpiece. According to my friends at Stone, the recipe hasn't changed, just the bottling method. Whatever. 2002 is far superior.

2001 Vintage: If you like bitter, this is the beer. It's a bit too bitter for me. However, surprisingly, it finishes rather smoothly. Definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2003 07:11:47 | More by jcalabre

aaronh

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2002 Release.

Pours a captivating red-copper color with amber highlights. It is topped by a modest tan head that fades rather quickly, but leaves a thin film of foam atop the beer. The aroma is actually rather balanced, with a noticeable hop prescence and a wonderfully sweet and fruity malt aroma. Actually, the sweetness may dominate the aroma. The taste is delicious. Malty sweet, chewy flavors of roasted malt, caramel, malted milkshakes, and all kinds of fruit. A nice, mellow bitterness finishes off the palate very well, preparing the way for the next drink. An ever so slight alcohol note is detectable one drink, but not the next. ABV is expertly hidden. The mouthfeel is super-creamy, and must be experienced to believe. This is about as thin as Dom Delouise, and smoother than Billy Dee Williams. Drinkability is just too good, regardless of the ABV. Good thing this is a big bottle, or I'd be in tears about now. This is a beer to experience. Thanks to avylover for the trade. Who knows when I would have found this around here. Once again, Stone Brewing blows my mind.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2003 16:08:08 | More by aaronh

beerluvr

New Jersey

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

2002 version. Pours with a fine creamy medium tan hued head over clear, gently carbonated light reddish/amber liquid. The nose has earthy, toffeeish/malty notes abounding. Hops are in the background...but there for sure. The taste is a front-burner mix, dancing twixt a powerful maltiness and an in your face but not a palate blinding hop bitterness. Yeasty fruitiness seems to bridge the two flavor elements nicely. Alcohol taste takes a back seat to the interplay of malt and hops, it's not very noticable/felt at all. Finishes with a hint of dark fruit, all brawny & ballsy...one bad boy Barleywine.

Thanks Gusler!

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2003 21:48:00 | More by beerluvr

francisweizen

Australia

4.53/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

*Update*

The 2002 is currently tasting like the 2001 did last year. It has a darker, murkier, reddish-brown colour and a smaller head with less retention. This 2002 version which has been aged for about a year and a half is definately more barley wine in style than the 2003 IMO. The mouthfeel is chewier and creamier than the 2003 and the drinkability may be a notch better as well. If I were to rate the 2002 it would probably get a 4.8 or a 4.9.
Cheers!

2003: This years DB is a light red colour with a lovely, light beige creamy head. The aromas are all heavy roasted malts, citrus hops (cascades?), alcohol, and more. The taste is super rich and enveloping. I can taste various types of hops, nice heavy malts, a bit of booze, and some more undistinguishable flavors, all in a very perfect harmony. This has to be the most "balanced" version of DB to hit the shelves yet. Truly a wonderful brew that has a great creamy mouthfeel and the ultimate drinkability for a "strong ale"

CLASSIC

2002: This is an excellent beer that pours a super clear dark reddish colour with a nice, fluffy, white head. This beer has aromas of alcohol, malts, hops, and other things. The taste is very alcoholic, very malty, very hoppy, very everything. The mouthfeel is slick and SUPER creamy and smooth and the drinkability is great for such a strong brew. This beer will certainly knock your socks off with its 10%abv and super intense flavors. This was very good, but to this BA it did not live up to the greatness of regular AB. This was just TOO big, and too alcoholic. It did not have the wonderful citrus-y flavors of the AB and the hops were a little less pronounced.
Still, A classic!
Cheers!
-F

Thanks to Hyuga for the sample...beer mail me will ya!

2001: Sample provided to me by EyeChartBrew. It has a darker, murkier, reddish-brown colour and a smaller head with less retention. The aromas are more pronounced, alcoholic and less hoppy. This 2001 version which has been aged for about a year and a half is definately more barley wine in style than the 2002 IMO. The flavors meld together nicely and make a very nice sipping brew. The mouthfeel is chewier and creamier than the 2002 and the drinkability may be a notch better as well. Actually the 2001 reminded me more of a Thomas Hardys Ale than a Stone brewing product. If I were to rate the 2001 now it would probably get a 4.8 or a 4.9.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2003 04:44:19 | More by francisweizen

dmarch

Pennsylvania

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

This is one of those beers that I could just feel is going to be good even before opening it. Pours a dark ruby color and has a well retained head. Aroma is big on malt and big on hops. I think it's safe to say this is a big beer. Initial tast is of butterscotch before the hops and alcohol kick in. This is certaintly among my top beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2003 17:27:18 | More by dmarch

cretemixer

Indiana

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

Gusler warned me to watch out for that Double Bastard. Am I worthy?
Pours a clear, deep chestnut in color with a thick, creamy, tan head that slowly settles to a thin layer and leaves a solid lace.
A spicy aroma jumps out at first, malty with hints of nutmeg, dark fruits and grain alcohol.
Taste is of alcohol, raisins, smoky malts. Much dryer than I expected. It sweetens up a little mid-glass just in time for the hop bitterness to make its presence known. Hints of pepper on the mouth-numbing finish. Big body, Big alcohol, Big malts, Big hops, It's just B.I.G. BIG!
Smooth & oily mouthfeel and on the lower end of carbonation. Drinkability is very high. I'd love another one, but I know better...that and I only got one from Gusler on trade. That man is wise beyond his years & beers. Thanks Joe, you really hooked me up with this one!

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2003 19:09:18 | More by cretemixer

MJR

Missouri

4.45/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

2002 Release.

I was lucky enough to get a few bombers of this and was waiting for a special occasion to drink and review it. I suppose an ordinary Tuesday night after work is special enough...

Appearance: Pours a stunningly clear red with hints of orange. A light tan head starts out two fingers deep and holds it's size fairly well. Nice lacing on the side of the glass.

Smell: Aggressive aroma with lots of raw, pungent hops. Grapefruit, pine, the usual suspects here... Hidden underneath the hops is a hefty backbone of sweet malt that comes across as fruity and caramelly. Nice whiff of alcohol too.

Taste: Starts off by balancing the huge malt bill and massive hop flavor and bitterness. After the initial shock begins to wear off, the flavors start to come into focus: roasted and burnt malt, grapefruit, charred fruit, pine, caramel, and spicy alcohol. Very rich and BIG tasting! Finishes with a huge rush of warming alcohol. It would get a 5, but the heavy alcohol flavor prevents that. I know it's 10%abv, but there are other beers with more alcohol that's more well hidden...

Mouthfeel: Rather thick and syrupy with a dry mouthfeel from the high alcohol. This is a big one...

Drinkability: Not unlike the effect their Ruination IPA has, my mouth is getting a bit numb as I work my way through the bomber. Simply put, this is one big-ass brew and it takes guts to drink it! Despite it's strength and numbing effect, I could get used to this...

Wow...so this is the bigger, meaner brother of Arrogant Bastard Ale!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2003 21:58:47 | More by MJR

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

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

Appearance: A clear deep ruby red color is topped off by a smooth tan colored head that quickly dissolves to a sheet on the surface of the beer.
Smell: Fruity(mostly cherry), caramel malts and alcohol dominate the aroma.
Taste: Very full bodied, thick and chewy mouthfeel. Flavors of cherry and caramel malt seem to dominate, however a well balanced bitterness is mixed in before an alcohol taste finishes off the sip. Reminds me of other barleywines like Old Horizontal or Bigfoot, but this beer seems to be much better balanced.
Drinkability: I found this beer to be about average drinkability. The mild alcohol taste prevented me from taking large sips, but I couldn't stop my hand from automatically pouring another sip in after I swallowed.

Overall this is a good full flavored beer. Lots of complex flavors and another winner by Stone.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2003 15:41:37 | More by WanderingFool

BigHead

Arizona

4.63/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was blessed by my girlfriend with the huge bottle of the Double Bastard Ale. Opened on New Year's Eve, my brother and I drank the majority of this potent brew. The alcohol level is definitely evident in the aroma and taste, and after a couple of pints, I was quite numb. The amber color is perfect and the pour is easy, no concerns of spilling the head over. Even with the higher alcohol percentage, the drinkability is easy and smooth, with some definite hop and slight kick in the ass with the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2003 19:36:41 | More by BigHead

avylover

Virginia

4.85/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

ruby golden color with a syrupy look to it. This beer looks like it means business, even before you pop the top. Tried arrogant bastard so this could only be better right? RIGHT!! .Smell is malty caramel with a hint of alcohol...nice. Once this beer hits the tongue thats when the hops hit you. This is a great blend of HUGE sweet maltiness and HUGE bitter/citrous hops. I could find something new in the taste every sip and the high ABV is a great bonus.Great mouthfeel, with a nice taste lingering after every sip, coating the mouth with malt and sizzling my tongue with hops!!, and if I had a steel liver drinkability would be a 5, so a 4.5 is fair. One of the best of any style. top notch beer hands down. Whenever you see this beer....BUY IT.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2003 14:22:37 | More by avylover

JISurfer

South Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is one wicked brew! I don't usually favor the barley wines, but this one rips! It's got a very beautiful Dark red color, almost of blood, but darker. The head was pretty thick at first, but died down to a laceing. The head was a creamy white color. I thought that the taste had a little bit of a bite to it at first, but mellowed out after a while. It had a nice fruitt flavor, probably of the citrus origin, mixed with some caramel or lite chocolate. The aftertaste was kind of peppery, but not too bad. Being a bastard myself, I must say that this is one bastard of a beer, a double bastard that is. hehehe

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2003 20:50:23 | More by JISurfer

zerk

California

3.95/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy light amber, with a persistant off white head. Aroma is perfumy and sweet, with caramel, floral, citrus, and pine notes. Flavor is very sweet and malty, beginning with caramel, then becoming somewhat buttery, with a very aggressive dose of spicy, citrusy hop bitterness. The flavors balance pretty well, but this beer is just BIG. It's bold in every facet. The moutfeel is oily and thick, with moderate carbonation. A great beer, although for regular consumption, not quite as drinkable as its little brother. Big thanks go out to DavidBanner for this bottle!

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2003 15:00:45 | More by zerk

goz

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2002 : Pour is deep ruby, with a medium-tan, slightly orange tinges head, decent lacing. Aroma is of pine, citrus, some sweet and spice in there, and a grassiness. Starts of sweet and spicy, then does and about face in the middle as the hops come through and a warming alcohol shows up as it gets warmer. Mouthfeel is big and strong, with lots of complexity.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2003 09:22:58 | More by goz

CharlesRiver

Connecticut

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

I have been waiting to try this for weeks. I had managed to buy a bottle and not touch it for two weeks. This Saturday night I broke down and I am glad that I did. Amber in color with almost no head even after an aggresive pour. The first thing that I noticed was how smooth this beer was. Hops, malt, blaaaaa, complex, overwelming, and delicious! Let this one warm up a bit in the glass, the flavors really come out then. A bit like a barley wine but even better. Very warming as it goes down. When my 22oz. bottle was gone I could have cried. I must get more!

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2003 19:36:24 | More by CharlesRiver

beernut7

Massachusetts

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

This beast pours into a deep amber color and a creamy off-white head. The aroma alone could knock you over, screaming of a major hop addition and a bold malt presence. The initial taste is like eating a lit cherry bomb. The gigantic malt sweetness couples with an otherworldly offensive bitterness on top of a smooth thick body. This brew definitely has an arrogant personality. This ale could take my place in a bar fight. I'd just sit back and let it kick everyone else's ass. I treid tasting a couple beers after this one and my taste buds were completely shot...useless to me for the rest of the evening. So drink up, but drink last.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2003 15:48:01 | More by beernut7

IPAlot

New York

4.45/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I really felt quite violated after tasting this beer. As soon as my nose crossed the rim of the glass, the aroma impaled my head with its pungent decadence, and lodged there like some mind-controlling parasite from another star system, where it's planet's native atmosphere is a boiling cauldron of scrumptiously malty gaseous organic compounds. I had to give a 5 for smell because I could not see, with my limited insight, room for improvement. This heady rush reminded me of Old Wooly Barleywine from Big Time Brewery in Seattle (Excellent beer check it out limited distribution and availability). This beer is all about the malts up front. The thick, sweet flavors coat your mouth. I gave a 4 in mouthfeel because I can see this beer gaining another dimension with some nitro creaminess to balance the malts. Only after you have accepted the Double Bastard into your mouth do the hops make their presence known, which I feel is generally in a supporting role, though they successfully add to the complexity of this beer's sequence. Paying close attention reveals that the flavor profile is very well preserved. The aftertaste is a masterpiece, you can just sit there and continue tasting your last mouthful for several minutes. Like the best foods, this beer stays in your mouth long after its physical substance has passed to your nether-regions. All the while the aroma smolders in your nostrils with a potency that makes you wonder if your lungs are receiving enough oxygen to maintain vital metabolic processes. I had a Chimay Trippel (tap) immediately after this beer, and it's subtlety was dashed against the lingering presence of the Bastard. Have to remember next time to drink a palate cleanser before dropping 12 bucks on a Trappist ale. It was like coming back to your nice girlfriend after a tawdry encounter with an experienced older woman, and you don't feel guilty that you're bored with your girlfriend because it was worth every second. A landmark addition to strong american ales.

IPAlot

ps I had this bar at Mahar's in Albany (check the beerfly review this place is unreal). They had a raffle going for a *magnum* of 5th anniversary Arrogant Bastard. The bottle had a cork (obviously) and a big 5 on it, but I didn't look close, I just bought a ticket and offered praise, worship, and eternal servitude to any god who would bless me with a winning ticket.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2003 08:33:45 | More by IPAlot

aracauna

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep reddish brown with a nice darker than off-white head which is nice and foamy and lingering. The aroma is nicely caramelly malty with a slight hop bite. The flavor is big, rich, earthy malts and a long bitter finish. This is definitely a sipping beer as it's very hard to drink fast. When it nears room temperature, it starts to get a little too sweet and thick, but served just below cellar temp and this is an excellent beer. The mouthfeel is whipped, airy liquid cream.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2003 23:33:54 | More by aracauna

scottum

Vermont

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

This may just be the best damn beer this side of...


...anywhere.

Sooooo gooooooood!!!!!!


This beer is of special character. It is good and it knows it. A bit of a strong smoked fruity bite to it mellowing into a nice hearty roll down your throat smile. Pours dark brown with an offwhite head. It feels so good sliding down to the belly. Mmmmmm mmmmmmmm.

I think I'll buy one of those 3 liter bottles for a special occurance.

Any thoughts on how this beer will be given some time to rest? If only I could find some more!!!!!!

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2003 05:57:13 | More by scottum