Double Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

cretemixer

Indiana

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
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 +3.2%
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 -0.7%
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 +7.4%
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 +12.5%
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 +12.1%
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 -8.4%
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 -4.9%
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 +10.9%
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 -7.2%
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 +3.2%
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 -10%
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%
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

jtw5877

Ohio

4.83/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I have never opened a beer with as much anticipation as this one. It has been mocking me waiting for me to grab it and succomb to its goodness. It pours a deep dense amber with a nice white head, I would swear this is a Barleywine. Complex maltiness with the signature Arrogant Bastard hop flavors. This is an excellent beer. Without a doubt one of my favorites. A hearty thanks goes out to Xlperro who turned me on to this stuff.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2003 18:18:28 | More by jtw5877

sinistersteve

Oregon

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

This is one mother of a beer. I think the lable should have a skull with crossbones to inform the consumer of what to expect. This beer has a full onslaught of malt and hops that will even take the most professional of beer drinkers down to their knees. This beer is not for the timid and even the worthy of his Arrogant brother may be no match for this beer. Although, I did have fun photographing the unworthys 'bitter beer face' upon drinking this stuff.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2003 21:19:15 | More by sinistersteve

Bierman9

New Hampshire

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

29FEB04 - Am just about to finish another of these....damn...this Bier is so fucking good! Damn!!!

31DEC02 - Another winner from Stone! I had a small sip of this at Bukowski's when Greg Koch visited last Summer, but hadn't seen any until just a few days ago at my local bier store. A most pleasant, and welcome, surprize! DB pours a verrry attractive, clear, copper-chestnut color. Head begins as a rich, creamy layer, but recedes to a fine, thin coating atop the bier. It leaves a decent bit of lacework in the glass, too! Nose was quite strong, reminding me initially of some good barleywines. Loads of malty sweetness mingle with the big hop notes. Quite aromatic! The body of DB is well over medium, closing in on full; and it has a lovely, smooth feel on the tongue...almost chewy. DB kicks off with a big whack of strong, sweet malt, with some caramel poking it's nose in there. Hops come into play in a big way, with loads of citrusy notes and, as VENOM points out, a piney sort of flavor. Seems to be a bit more malty than the Arrogant Bastard. This bier is a big-time player, and it warms your innards nicely! I love it!! Zum Wohl!!

overall: 4.7
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | mouthfeel: 4.5 | drinkability: 4.5

452

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2002 06:06:27 | More by Bierman9

Wildman

Ohio

4.93/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beer poured a dark reddish amber color and formed a nice light tan foamy head that looked like a float subsiding and left circular lace. Some carbonation is present. An aroma of malt, caramel, spices with a hint of the alcohol present. A flavor of malt, caramel with a touch of chocolate. The finish is sweet with a slight astrigent element to it. Another fine beer from Stone and another thank you to the Ohio lawmakers for letting get this.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2002 17:34:15 | More by Wildman

DarthMalt

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

What a Bastard!

Beautiful dark-red amber. STANKIN' hop whiff along with smokin' hot, candy-apple esters, and an alcohol nose of a double+ bock.

I was expecting an arrogant, hop kick in the arse, but it seems the original gravity really shunts those lupulin glands down to size (chalk one up for the maltsters!). There's definitely a seasonal, barlywine-like appeal in here, but not as earthy.

Everything really peaks in the midtaste--hops sing their swan song, malt pervades every tastebud, and alcohol shoots flammable gases out your nose.

Finish is bitter, numbing, and gritty, like many a big beer. After a beer such as this, no other beers should be reviewed.

[This beer could be purchased solely for the diatribe on the back of the bottle]

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2002 17:09:16 | More by DarthMalt

Dogbrick

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Tasted at the Barrelhouse Brewing Company Microbrew Fest on November 9. This beer is knock-your-socks-off strong. Who is worthy indeed? Lively, complex and fervent flavors throughout. A great dessert beer and another winner from Stone.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2002 07:37:23 | More by Dogbrick

jreitman

California

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

An absolutely amazing brew. A friend said it best when he said "Holy S^&$" upon his first sip. The beer is full of grapefruit and other cirtus aromas topped off with some caramel and sweetness that binds everything together. Dark red in color and nearly opaque with a nice bit of white head. The beer fills your mouth with flavors and has complexity off the charts but still comes off as somewhat delicate. Grapefruit, caramel, and a bit of pine jostle for dominance in the mouth and are followed by a nice dry and bitter finish. Definitely not a beer you want to drink quickly or you will a.) miss out on a lot of flavor and b.) be knocked on your ass from the alcohol. Suprisingly good at room temperature (had left a 3rd of the bottle sitting out) where the hops mellow out but the flavors are all still there. Truly amazing.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2002 12:16:37 | More by jreitman

Myk

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22 OZ. of 2002 double bastard.

simply bliss. wow.

the appearance is brilliant. bright, clear ruby red color. thick, full, off white head that sticks to the sides of the glass.

the aroma is heavy with malt, carmel, and alcohol, slight earthy and citrus scent.

taste... AHHHHH. so complex. from the first sip, i was in love. it was well balanced, full bodied and coated my mouth and trout with yummy goodness. for being such a large beer ( 10% ABV) it is hard to imagine that thie baby could be so smooth in mouthfeel. full of syrupy/chocolate malt. alcohol and perfect flavor hops. pretty earthy and little bit of a piney taste. i cant quite pick out the exact citrus, since i dont eat many citric foods, but it is kinda deep, and low.

the finish.. DRY, malt and alcohol. this beer is so warming its like a a hundred degree day with no air conditioning. it warms with every sip. watch out because this will creep up on you.
simply amazing.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2002 21:45:24 | More by Myk

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

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

2001 batch. 22 oz bottle. Pours a clear, very deep ruby-tinted russet brown with a densely creamy light tan head that holds extremely well and leaves some nice lace. Exceptional. The aroma offers bold notes of pineapple, soft grapefruit and berries as well as some grassy, earthy and piney hops - all of which reside above a candyish and lightly caramel tinged maltiness. The body is full with a very fine, median carbonation that's creamy and just slightly syrupy in the mouth.The flavor starts quite sweet, reveals its deep fruitiness and then some very rich caramel maltiness along with some clear alcohol. A solid bitterness balances well against the rich malt - solid, but not overly bitter. The finish is surprisingly clean and dry for such a sweet and malty beer. I was really surprised by this beer. Firstly, at how different it was from the Arrogant Bastard; secondly, at how directly the fruitiness found in their flagship pale ale was carried over; and thirdly, at how good it was! This is a really exceptional beer that may smooth a bit with some age on it; although I don't think the alcohol will cool much further.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2002 21:34:15 | More by NeroFiddled

hyuga

North Carolina

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

2002 release. Well, here I go! After so much anticipation and excitement, I finally have a glass of 200% pure bastard in front of me. Alright, enough talk, I'm eager to dig in. Invitingly evil (or is that evilly inviting?) deep crimson color. A two-finger tan head sits on top. Stays well at first, then disappears. Huge, and I mean MASSIVE aroma. And on top of that, very complex. Citrus jumps out at you first, then raisin and plum. Just a touch of alcohol. Malt is deep inside, but definitely present. On the palate... ever hear the term "flavor rush"? I think it's associated with some brand of potato chips. Well, that's not "flavor rush". Double Bastard is "flavor rush"! My taste buds didn't know what hit them! So many complex flavors hit the different parts of your tongue. I'll try to describe them. Malt and hop sections are both at maximum capacity here! Malt is caramel and a bit peat-like, extremely chewy, thick, and tongue-coating. Hops are aggressive pine and citrus, a bit leafy and floral on the edges as well. Raisin, plum, and berries have a big presence too. With the hops, this creates kind of a plum or berry skin bittersweetness, which is a very unique thing. It even stays on in the aftertaste. Alcohol presence, although noticeable, is minimal for a brew of this size. Grainy malt is noticeable as well, mostly in the aftertaste. You could almost call this a barleywine, but that wouldn't do its strength justice! I must say, this is beer heaven! I can't even put it into words. All I have to say is I'm getting as much more as I possibly can when I go back to the store tomorrow!

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2002 23:23:32 | More by hyuga

Mark

California

4/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

This bad boy poured a very deep amber, slightly tan head settled down to a thin persistent layer. Lacework was erratic but good. The aroma was very inviting, and the taste was hoppy and very powerful, with a noticible alcohol presence. I tasted notes of grapefruit on some sips and more malt on others. a very big complex beer that is very well made and has exceptional mouthfeel. Very full bodied and rounded. I will say though that I don't enjoy getting hammered on one bottle. I guess for me 10% is just a bit too much. I'm not ashamed to admit this, but I will say it's a fine brew nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2002 19:45:27 | More by Mark

Brent

Kentucky

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

Poured a beautiful amber-brown and the cold aroma was vodka soaked Hershey's kisses (if there could be such a thing). First glass was too cold, and the burnt sugar and molasses flavors were held back.

Once the beer warmed the flavors emerged, but the alcohol also blossomed and seemed to run roughshod over the palate, so that it was difficult to pick out the various flavor elements. I kept trying to get past the alcohol flavor to discover the rest of what this beer was hiding, but the 10% abv held me back from getting very deep into the flavors.

A massive barley wine-like ale, and a good choice for those who want a strong ale that will kick you in the teeth. I'll hang back and settle for arrogance.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2002 07:17:58 | More by Brent