Double Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

StoutCream

Virginia

4.68/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Did the devil just piss in my mason jar? Because that's what I drink out of. Quart size when it comes to bombers. This one is half head half beer, and I know what I'm doing when I pour. Can't mind that much good head, but stay away from the Herp. Dark, cloudy amber (like, the darkest amber you've ever seen) looks thick and rusty straight on, but tilted in the light reminds me of a redheaded woman: stubborn and wild at the same time. Can you handle this? If you haven't had a red head, I wouldn't recommend it. Then again, enough of these will lower your inhibitions enough to actually pursue that cute redhead at the bar. Also not recommended. Both require proper supervision.

As the foam dissipates it smells like a Hawaiian Tropic store. Coconut pineapple (oddly enough I just ate a pineapple this morning that tasted like coconut) that slowly changes into malt, super-sugary malt with some green-y hops at the whiff.

Now to the piss, uh, beer . . .
SOOO Heady! Drunk in one sip, no lie. Just let that first swig linger in your mouth for a while before you swallow and I bet you will feel something - something in the back of your mind that says, "Did I just feel that in my brain?" The answer is maybe. I was already 22oz deep before I cracked this one, so that one sip might have taken me over some sort of threshold that I wasn't expecting. Whisked is more like it. So damned malty sweet, yet balanced off the back of my tongue with bitterness.

There is still an island of head on top teasing my nose with each sip.

The flavors are difficult to pin down, not that I don't recognize them, but they are whizzing around each other so fast that I can't tell where one ends and another begins. Cop-out, you say? Think Heisenberg. You can't tell where it is or how fast it's going at the same time and, trust me, all that alcohol puts the flavors in the fast lane to Digestion Land. Burnt sugar and ginger. Cinnamon toast and over-fried garlic. All while chewing on a piece of pine (which is toxic, don't do that) and a handful of grass (the lawn kind, hippie).

This beer has it's place . . . Hell.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 06:17:34 | More by StoutCream

HoppyHomo

New Jersey

3.33/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up at the local shoprite which has recently opened up a liquor department. Not sure how long this has been sitting on the shelf:

It has a nice smooth red copper appearance with a non-heady pour. I was expecting this to be a way too strong IPA, but its not and i was pleasantly surprised. Sometimes the high alcohol content makes me feel like I'm drinking vodka and not a beer. But i felt this was just right. And while this may not be the best IPA I've had this year, month or week; its certainly not that bad.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 03:33:46 | More by HoppyHomo

Petcha

Minnesota

4.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: Opaque brownish red

S: Malty dark fruit, some citrus and booze,

T: Pretty brilliant balance of sweet fruit, fig-like beginning with a surprisingly citrusy backbone. Very complex flavors that are well balanced that hide and ABV well.

M: Thick but finished pretty clean

O: Love this beer. Balanced complexity is executed very well. My favorite strong ale yet. My wife and a non beer snob friend both did double takes when trying this with me. Let's just say that we were all a bit sad when this bottle was empty.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 06:01:29 | More by Petcha

sagito327

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Honestly, without question the best beer I've ever tasted, and I can find not a single flaw. Bought a pint sized bottle from Marty's liquors on Harvard ave. Pours a brown color with a beautiful white head that retains throughout. Lacing is perfect. Smells of fruit, pineapple maybe? Taste is perfection at its most perfectionist. Fruit, hops, and others which my palate cannot pick out. The entire palate tingles. I could drink these all day, or until I passed out.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2005 05:08:23 | More by sagito327

therealnod

Arizona

4.5/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is my third go at Double Bastard. 22oz Bomber into an Arrogant Bastard mug (without bias).

A: Stellar...beautiful red. Thick foamy head that makes you wait...damnit.

S: Dark fruit with aromatic hops. The aroma will not prepare you for what is ahead.

T: Dark cherry blast of sweet malt that is immediately offset by hops...and then the battle begins. This is how Stone does beer; Malt. Hops. Malt.Hops.Malt. Hops...big long bitter finish that ends with the perfect marriage of malt and hops that results in this signature Stone aftertaste that reminds me of cotton candy: It's in virtually all their brews. I don't kmow how they manage to do it so consistently across so many styles. It's just so damn delicious. This is a world class brew.

D: For me, very high, I can drink anyone under the table, so the alcohol doesn't even factor.

Notes: This is liquid ecstasy...man, I could really die for this.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2008 00:39:41 | More by therealnod

Phade42

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Let's see if I can write this review before I finish the bottle.

Been eying it in stores for awhile and finally decided to pick one up, along with Stone's 09.09.09 Vertical Epic (after having last year's)... anyway back to the Double Bastard.

Poured to go with a steak and gratin potatoes that I had just made.

A - Pours a deep copper red with a fluffy pale tan head that sat about a half inch over the beer but dissipated pretty quickyl. Like a blazing fireplace, looks warm and inviting.

S - Smells sweet, toasty. The 10.5% ABV definitely hits your nose but not so much that it's offensive. a bit of pine hops and fruity notes.

T - A little harsh up front, with bitter hops pushing through. Finishes sweet. Delicious caramel malts on the after tastes.

M - Heavy, almost cough-syrup consistency with light carbonation. Not offensive, but not what I would call pleasant.

D - I gave drinkability an Average score because I'd probably turn down a second serving without some water or a beer with a less powerful taste/mouthfeel in between. Definitely not a session beer (alcohol content notwithstanding), but not a struggle to get through a glass.

This bottle will definitely go in my collection and I may get another one down the line to age properly in a cellar.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2010 02:53:14 | More by Phade42

ezperkins2

California

4.18/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Stone Double Bastard – 2007
Poured from a bomber into a tulip (09/14/11)

A: A beautiful mahogany with traces of golden orange when held to a light. A standard pour garnished a decent ¼ inch off white almost light brown head that stuck around for a short while. Decent lacing

S: I believe the age on this bottle has hurt the nose a bit. Without the hop presence there are a lot of subtle smells but nothing over powering. Malts come first followed by sweet dark fruits. I even picked up a very subtle cola like aroma.

T: If the age hurt the nose it was more than made up for once it was tasted. It definitely still has that very distinct bastard malt character but the subtle nuances of the other flavors are fantastic. The first taste mirrors the nose with a very sweet raison/fig taste but there is still a bitter finish. The citrusy piney flavors are gone but the bitterness still shows up in the finish. There is still a bit of booze but is welcome to help cut the sweetness.

M: Thick and oily with a great lingering taste. This one stays with you for a while. Once the bomber was gone I tasted it for while. Carbonation was spot on and even gave a nice pop upon opening.

O: Fresh Double Bastard is good but I feel the years have been very kind to this brew. I have a few more 07’s and 08’s left in the cellar and will treasure them. Saying this is a big beer is an understatement. Most barley wines do not have the complex power this brew packs. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys aging beer to grab a handful of double bastards and stash them away for years to come.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 05:02:22 | More by ezperkins2

MountainBeagle

California

3.55/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2011 release from a 22 bottle, a few weeks old. 10.5 percent 100+ ibu

First Thoughts: Damn this beer is sweet, has it always been like this? However, it has some special b or peat malts that are really good.

The Good: Hop monster of a beer with slight smokiness and arrogance. The taste is of hoppy whiskey but in a good way.

The Bad: Malt monster of a beer, it's too sweet for my liking. 2010 was better.

The Bottom Line: Ye shall know the bastard and the bastard shall set you free! A good beer but you better be ready for it. I'd put in the strong ale/barley wine category.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 05:01:42 | More by MountainBeagle

sespourteille

Maine

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

Wow, what can i say. Since i was a kid, this bottle made me want what it contained. Now that I've had a few years to establish how i really feel about its contents, I can easily say it is one of my favorites. One of Stone Brewery's best, this is a must have if your a fan of Ales. Strong yet surprisingly smooth, it keeps you entertained between its exquisite taste and all the time put into the bottle. I found myself taking a haul every couple of seconds while reading and admiring the bottle for about 5 minuets and before i knew it, it was gone. So a must try but be sure to buy a couple because it goes fast!

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 02:21:05 | More by sespourteille

BarleyWineRox

Colorado

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

Pours a lovely ruby garnet color into my Duvel tulip, with an off-white cap of foam which settles down quickly, no surprise there. Smells of caramelly raisins and bread. Reminds me of Belgian quads on the nose. Need to let it warm a bit. More sweet candied fruits coming out as it warms. Can't wait anymore, need to dive in. Wow! Luscious bursting fruit with a nice hoppy bite on the ending. Very noticeable booziness with a creamy mouth feel. The more I sip the more I am loving it! Another home run from Stone. (off in the distance a Greek chorus is chanting Barleywine, over and over)

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 08:33:51 | More by BarleyWineRox

samriggins

Nebraska

4.35/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz bought at Anderson's in Toledo, OH. Bottle says 2007 Release.

Is it bad that I was able to drink this in 30 minutes?

Deep mahogony/reddish in color.

Smells of pine and citrus hops with plenty of malt in there too.

Big, big flavor in this beer. Even though the hops are huge(which I love) the malt is there to keep them in check. Great sweetness to back up the bitter hops. I was eating some well aged white cheddar cheese and it really brought out a nutty flavor in the beer. I started getting some of the alcohol towards the end of the beer.

As big as this beer is it is very easy to drink. If I could buy it at home in Nebraska I would be drinking it often.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 05:26:53 | More by samriggins

seancake

Belgium

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

First, let me state straight off the bat that I am new to this whole "beer aficionado" thing -- I don't have the vocabulary, the knowledge of such things as phenols and such. That said, I opened this beer and was struck by how assertive it smelled. Double Bastard, indeed. It is a doubly arrogant bastard -- with reason.

With reason, my friends. This brew makes no attempt, like many sneaky Belgians (which I must proclaim I love right now), to mask alcohol flavors -- this is up-front, right out there, proclaiming its strength. It is strong malt, strong hops, strong everywhere and every way. It is in every sense a strong ale. It is an arrogant bastard, doubly so.

As it warms, it only intensifies and improves. This is a beer for which angels weep. It will put you on your ass if you aren't careful. Very drinkable, for all its high abv, but if you decide to session it, you may well wind up on youtube, under the heading 'drunkest guy ever'. You've been warned.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2009 21:26:41 | More by seancake

burner

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

i just cracked a 22 oz. bottle with my wife. this american strong ale SMACKS YOU RIGHT IN THE MOUTH !! don't drink it alone.

the appearance is what you would expect. when poured there was very little head,just some lacing finished off with a bright amber color. a little on the cloudy side.

aroma is simply amazing. fruity,piny,slight pineapple. the aroma translates right into the taste. strong hop flavor.sweet and smooth up front.fruit and malt in the middle, almost biscuity. piny resinous hop bitterness smacks the back of the tounge. beautiful!

mouthfeel is not thick and not thin, a little resinous, but still well balanced. putting all these descriptions together this ale is very drinkable, well balanced, very alchoholic at 10.5 %, but outstanding. it will make you arrogant. after drinking one, there's no turning back.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2010 00:45:17 | More by burner

McKibben25

Vermont

4.03/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I respect this beer, appreciate this beer, and love everything about it with the exception of its drinkability. This is a beer that I would want a small serving of in a snifter and thats it. Too overpowering and harsh to drink alot of. Don't get me wrong, the flavors are amazing and it is very wonderful to throw back, but in very small doses. This is a rare breed of bare that I love to enjoy, but few and far between.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2010 22:54:33 | More by McKibben25

Metallix6403

California

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

Poured from the trusty 3 liter Double Bastard growler! Tapped in December 2009. Poured into a pint glass (multiple times).

Appearance - Screams bitchin' beer! Dark and rich amber / copper body with three fingers of a strong tan head. Retains very well.

Smell - A double punch of thick and intense malts and hops. I usually smell some tropical fruits whenever I break open the growler or the bombers.

Taste - Fantastic fruity and sweet flavors. Sugars, caramel, and a hint of butterscotch pairs well with citrus and other fruits. Finishes with a great touch of hops. Beefy yet so delicious! Yeah I said delicious, so what? You wanna fight about it????

Feel - A thick, smooth, full bodied monster. The alcohol is warming even on a cold on a cold pour. Carbonation is delicate and feels like it is cleaning the palate for the next drink.

Drinkability - Amazingly easy to finish multiple pours. A 3L growler goes quick with two or three people. Alcohol is noticeable yet with the taste and experience, it just doesn't matter.

Final Thoughts - This IS my brew of choice when it is in season. On tap, growlers, or bottles, I haven't had a bad experience with DB. As my brother said, "This beer is rocking my fucking world!"

Serving type: growler

04-23-2010 01:07:51 | More by Metallix6403

harperman69

Tennessee

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

2008 Vintage 22 oz bottle poured into a St Bernardus tulip

Poured a hazy Mahogany color, just a beautiful beer with 2 fingers head. Great retention with plenty of lacing in the glass.

Nose of piney hops and caramel malts.

Taste was an explosion of hops and malty sticky sweetness, every sip better than the one before it. A very complex beer to wrap your tongue around. Mouthfeel was on the heavy side due to the stickiness but rather enjoyable.

Overall, one of the best beers I've ever enjoyed. Can feel this one after only one 22 oz bottle due to the conent, but I wanted much more. Very dangerous beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2010 16:49:19 | More by harperman69

claireoakhammer

New York

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

my mouth is collapsing into a singularity

my head is going to implode

i feel like a mummy whose mouth has been packed with hops instead of linen

hops, hops, hops

amazing beer, very bitter with some malty flavors coming through behind overwhelming hoppy bitterness and alcoholy burn

very good, nice carbonation and mouthfeel

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2010 23:05:59 | More by claireoakhammer

bierkoning

California

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

22oz bomber (what's with 22oz btw?)

A - Dark amber, honey colored. A little cloudy and brownish. 1.5 fingers of nice cream colored head

S - Delicious (i've never been good at picking out scents) though i can smell some of the alcohol.

T - Very good! Smooth caramel, some lemon? Hops that bite back. a little alcohol on the back end, probably from the 11.2% ABV

M - smooth, consistent carbonation, tight and delightful.

D - Decent. Don't get me wrong, fantastic beer, but with the high ABV this is definitely not a session beer and the hops are so strong they decimate your palate.

Very true to it's style, with is very important in my book.

Pair with a strong cheese for a wonderful night! It went especially well with my hard aged Asiago!

Proost!

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 05:52:30 | More by bierkoning

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

chuchoteur

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sheer malt goodness in a 22 ounce bottle, served in my Duvel tulip. Poured a pretty mahogany brown with a one-finger head that collapsed quickly to a layer of foam atop the beer. I was able to see through the beer with some backlighting. Smelled of citrus (orange -- curacao?), malt, sugar... smelled SWEET. Slight alcohol scent. Tasted sweet, malty, toffee-ish, a touch of chocolate. Bready. Notable but not overpowering bitterness. Balanced. Malty finish followed up by pleasant bitter aftertaste. A slight hint of something -- cherries? -- in the aftertaste, too. Mouthfeel was like liquid bread, encouraged me to savor this brew in a manner befitting its ABV. Drinkability was good for ABV. Alcohol not as overpowering and beer not as bitter as I'd expected.

All in all, a beer I can now say I love. Unfortunately, it's pretty tough to get in Seattle this year (the distributor only got 25% what they got last year!) so I won't be drinking much. In fact, I was only able to order one 3-liter bottle for my store, no 22's!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2005 03:11:03 | More by chuchoteur

DRjester

Michigan

3.65/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this as a 22oz bomber, poured into a handled pint-size mug. I took it from the refrigerator and let it warm just a bit on the counter (perhaps 10 minutes) before drinking, and then drank it over the course of about an hour.

Appearance: This is for me the strongest point of the beer; it poured cleanly, settling into a nice amber center ranging to bright red-orange on the sides, with nice highlights from the light. It had slightly more than a finger of frothy head, and kept decent lacing. Overall a very appetizing brew.

Smell: The first scent is of sweet fruit, like pineapple, followed by a toffee-like malt smell. As I inhaled a few more times, I was able to detect a subtle but firm presence of floral, earthy hop aromas, as well as a hint of alcohol. So far, so good; at this point I was pretty excited to taste this beer.

Taste: Unfortunately, this is where the beer went a little awry for me. The first taste is fairly sweet, almost like caramel, followed almost immediately by a fairly decent shot of hoppy bitterness. The background is a light but solid bready malt flavor with just a bare hint of tartness. However, the finish had a fairly strong note of grainy alcohol that soured the overall impression for me. While the beer was still somewhat chilly this aspect wasn't too pronounced, but as the brew warmed the alcohol taste grew to the point where it was almost overwhelming by the end of the beer.

Mouthfeel: The beer was full and smooth, with a good amount of carbonation but not too much. However, the relative sweetness of the malt made it come across as syrupy at times.

Drinkability: Definitely a sipper because of the high abv, this beer is enjoyable, but I would probably stick to just one. I understand that Strong Ales are going to have a fairly strong alcohol note, but I don't think the Double Bastard does a good enough job of handling that, especially as it warms. I'll put it this way; by the end, the alcohol notes came across less like a good scotch, and more like a shot of cheap whiskey.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2009 18:56:53 | More by DRjester

mikedepue

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +2.1%
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

sudsellier

Florida

4.08/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

As soon as I saw this one in the cooler (for the first time ever in our small-ish market) I grabbed one without hesitation. I've been such an ardent fan of Stone and the Arrogant Bastard that there was no way I was going to bed tonight without knowing...

A: Poured out a nice light mahogany (in my Stone "Fizzy Yellow Beer is for Wussies" pintglass... knew I scored it for a reason!) with about a half-inch head of creamy, meringue-colored lattice... mostly small, dense bubbles with some larger forming around the outsides. Even coloration all throughout.

S: When you go to that favorite fancy restaurant of yours... you know the one... you always get the creme brulee even though you think to yourself, "A real DUDE doesn't order Creme Brulee! Eff it... I'm getting the CREME BRULEE!" The caramalized sugar on top of your favorite sissy-girl dessert... that's the smell here but with a noticible hop spiciness. That'll begin to put the hair back on your chest. You big nancy...

T: More toasty caramel with a nice, brassy hop tang. Slight touches of vanilla, oak, just-barely-burnt apple... ok, ok... I've got a wicked sinus infection right now... my palate's off a tad. Not noticing any alcohol heat despite the 10.5% abv. Rich, dark hop flavors with enough sweet malt backbone to cut through the bitters and leave a perfectly-balanced brew. Think of Stone's Ruination with a suntan.

M: Strong-enough malt presence gives this one a nice, rich texture. Carbonation is even throughout without one thinking they've got Pepsi in their mug fizzing away.

D: Yes. Someone who knows me please buy me more for Christmas. And while they're at it....

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2009 04:33:37 | More by sudsellier

ButterScotch

Pennsylvania

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

2010 release from a bottle, bought while on a trip to California. A very fine brew. To me, the balance between hopiness/maltiness/alcohol was extremely good. Do not drink quickly...savor it. On my next trip to California I will definitely buy again. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 22:59:21 | More by ButterScotch

Brewfanatic55

New Hampshire

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

Got this 22oz bomber from a fellow beer lover and good friend for Christmas this year. From the 2010 batch. This was certainly worth holding onto for exactly a month.

The pour revealed a near perfect deep, dark, burnt cedar tone. The appearance is almost so intense that I'm intimidated haha. Pushing on..

The odor is slightly pine-like, huuuge citrus. A little toasty aroma is in the background as well.

Damn is this smooth or what? Pretty rich alcohol taste, followed by a nice bittersweet finish.

Drinkability wise, I cannot get passed how delicious this is. I can't say much else. Enough said...

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2011 23:11:50 | More by Brewfanatic55