Double Barrel Ale - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the beautiful farmer's market in Los Angeles. Pours a copper orange colour with a finger of white head. Some mild lacing, though it was served in a plastic cup, so maybe that could have impacted the lacing a bit. Very malty, with bread and some caramel. There were noticable hops in the aroma, but not much bitterness in the taste. I didn't get any oak or whatever from teh barrel. I actually didn't know this was classified as an English Pale Ale until I went to enter my review, and that makes sense given my description.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2010 22:05:01 | More by kwjd

FosterJM

California

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

63rd review on BA
On tap into pint glass @ Lucille's BBQ in Rancho Cuc, CA

App- a pretty amber with some lively carbonation and a tame 1/2 in head that was not inclined to stick around for long.

Smell- A bit of earthly english malt, a faint citrus. I'm decided that I didn't get a lot of smell off of this because of all the lingering food smells in the air. It was a pretty heavy BBQ and smoky smell in there.

Taste- It was a nice drink before dinner. I wasn't looking for anything to WOW me or an A+ beer so this fit the bill nicely. I picked up a lemony hoppiness. Maybe a bit of grassy, wheatiness.

Mouth- It was a bit bitter on the finish but it was a nice feeling. Low/med carb.

Drink- Would be a good intro beer to the style for a newbie but wasnt that bad from my memory of the 1st one as well.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2010 17:29:34 | More by FosterJM

merryjoulton

Arkansas

4.1/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Visiting southern California and had to try something local so I chose this at a little bar around the corner. Came out with a nice half inch head that lingered and laced pretty nicely. Deep red copper color. Smell was very malty and crisp. Taste full of barley and bready goodness. Mouthfeel is full and great drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2010 18:15:20 | More by merryjoulton

Pardishcreel

California

4.22/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

It is an amber brown beer that is lighter not at all a dark brown.

The smell is strong with grains and devices you a little because that taste is much sweeter then the smell.

The taste at first was grainy with lots of under flavors I cant quite figure out starts out kind of bitter but the barley sugar is right there to smooth it out. The finish is a barley sweet that sits nicely on the tongue.

The drinkability is low though because for some reason this beer is really heavy for its style of brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2010 04:43:54 | More by Pardishcreel

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Consumed at numerous venues across SoCal last week.

A: This beer pours a clear copper color with a one finger of pristine white bubbly head. Head retains nicely and leaves minor spider web lacing on the glass.

S: Nose is predominantly caramel malts, minor biscuits notes, and hints of oak.

T: Taste starts rather sweet with the caramel malts. A woody, oak biscuit flavor fills out the middle. The finish is a oak, piney hop flavoring.

M: Medium body, medium carbonation, crisp clean body.

D: Goes down easily, mild kick, not too filling, not an over the top beer but a solid offering to sit with for a while.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2010 13:53:26 | More by Jayli

californiakulak

California

4.08/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from my kegerator into a Firestone pint glass.

a. Dark copper, orange like color. Crystal clear with a small head. Head vanishes quickly.

s. Not much here. Sweett malt and faint hops.

t. Some vanilla, woody flavors. More malt than hops. Some toffee.

M. Light carbonation, medium bodied. Kind of watery.

d. Goes down quite easily. Could, and did, drink several pints per sitting.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2010 22:24:08 | More by californiakulak

brewerburgundy

California

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

16oz pour, pint glass, Drifters Grill and Marina, Lake Tulloch, CA.

Deep bronze with dirty head and it's a lacer.

Smells of soggy or stale biscuit malt, citric hops, and that wood.

Tastes of herbal and English hops, dough, and salty substantial crackers. A little lemon, lime, and grapefruit rind flavor and bitterness sneak in. A little oak with spice too. The malt seems to be more prevalent on-tap.

The mouthfeel seems to be less creamy and more fizzy on-tap too.

This is still one I like alot, but so far I like it more from the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2010 02:19:44 | More by brewerburgundy

theghost3

Louisiana

3.63/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear dark red/amber with almost no head. There's just a slight white ring, little lacing.

Smell is subtle; some caramel malts, wood, and faint pine hops. Taste is slightly bitter, there are flavors of brown sugar, oak, and toffee. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, not real carbonated.

This is a drinkable English Pale, althought it's not the most impressionable in terms of smell and flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2010 04:44:11 | More by theghost3

Chizoad

California

3.53/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Had alongside a lot of sushi. Came out in a pint glass, brown clear beer with only the thinnest head.

Picked up the slightest hint of hops on the nose, but mostly clean malt.

The beer tastes exactly as it smells, a smooth maltiness with the smallest turn of hops at the end. All in all, very enjoyable, but not complex in the least. Goes down smoothly, and could easily drink a few of these.

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2010 16:02:59 | More by Chizoad

HopJ

California

3.08/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap. Served very cold in a chilled mug so it took a awhile before I was really able to taste it. A nice beer but not a lot of intensity or complexity. Flavors blend well together but I was wanting a bit more. The carbonation is was high for my tastes. Wouldn't mind tasting again a some point but wont seek it out.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2010 16:50:33 | More by HopJ

2ndloveofmylife

California

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

I was in Pismo beach and wanted a beer to go with my BBQ. They had a local brewery's beer on tap, so I gave it a try. Wow, what a great choice I made that day. It yummy from the start and only got better as I drank it.

It's a perfect beer to compliment your BBQ meat. Strong enough not to be over powered, but not to strong to over power your food.

It's a nice amber color, not to much smell, taste is crisp with a sweet maltiness with just a little bitterness at then end. Not much going on in the mouth but definitely very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2010 04:29:42 | More by 2ndloveofmylife

TurdFurgison

Ohio

3.03/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap in Ventura CA. Clear copper color, almost no head. Pale ale or English pale ale, very unassertive representation from the style, very little hops, balanced. More malty sweetness than anything else, but really so balanced that no particular flavor jumps out. Toasted malts, maybe a little bread, that's it. Average mouthfeel, unremarkable in most ways.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2010 02:40:38 | More by TurdFurgison

jdense

Oregon

3.8/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Monarch Dunes Golf Course, Nipomo, Ca., poured into chilled ((:) shaker pint glass.

Amber brew, one finger head, medium slow dissipation with some lacing. Sweet malts dominate the nose, minimal hop presence. Very malty and sweet taste, where are the hops? Smooth mouthfeel and very drinkable. A nice Central California session ale. Not the most bold of Firestone Walker brews, but a nice substitute for hoppy IPAs. Worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

12-13-2009 14:21:39 | More by jdense

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Brown-orange with a nice white head and some good lacing.

S: Some malt with bits of caramel and toffee, followed by a slight hoppy aroma. The hops are mostly floral with a bit of citrus.

T: Some earthy malt to go with some sweetness, and some hops in the background. No one flavor dominates, but it melds together fairly well.

M: Well carbonated and light-to-medium bodied.

D: Quite drinkable, and a nice summer session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2009 15:15:25 | More by Thorpe429

nomomentwasted

Oregon

3.95/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at Harry's Plaza Cafe in a 12oz pour. I've seen this beer around a lot, and having it be the best thing on tap there, decided to finally give it a shot.

Appearance: Very pretty dark brown-orange hue with little white crown of head and good lacing. Seems to look carbonated appropriately.

Smell: Some malty goodness, with some sweet toffee notes and some pale malt, all accentuated by a slight spicy hoppiness. Nothing too grand, but has some aroma for a pale ale.

Taste:A little roasted pale malts come in first with some very light and pleasant sweetness, and some nice bodied and balanced pale malt and spiced hop body. A lot of a flavor for a pale ale. Straight-forward and easy to drink, with a flavor profile that is very similar throughout the drink and tastes just as good the first sip as the last.

Mouthfeel: Slightly thin for how good it tastes, and just a tad too tightly carbonated, but still leaves a nice aftertaste.

Drinkability: I was surprised how drinkable this was, I could've had quite a bit more and not flinched at the idea. Glass had to be paced, as I would've drank it much faster had I not made a conscious effor not to simply plow through it. Went excellently with my burnt ends Tri-Tip sandwich, which is also highly recommended if you're in the area. If you're looking for a nice session ale that goes great with some steak or a burger, and can be picked up by the case, DBA is a great little choice.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2009 16:27:45 | More by nomomentwasted

Sutardja

California

4.15/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I had this on tap at a sports bar before my dinner. The first thing I noticed about the beer was the subtle fruity aroma coming from it's translucent, amber body. The flavor combined a complementary balance of fruit and malty breadiness that was well balanced by the subtle hop character. The only problem was that these flavors weren't strong enough to keep the beer interesting to drink. Carbonation was medium, but suited the character of the beer. The careful balance of good flavors and the lack of any offensive flavors makes this beer extremely drinkable. I would definitely recommend it for a session beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2009 09:58:38 | More by Sutardja

RunDWP

California

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

Here is a solid pale ale from the folks down the road from me at Firestone Walker. I've had in both bottles and on tap. It's actually a little fizzy, but it pours a deep mahogany color, with a little lacing on the glass. Slight aroma of malt and a woody, smokey note. The taste is a straightforward combination of caramel malt with a oak note, and maybe a little smokey earthiness in there. It's more malty than hoppy, with a little grassy hop bitterness at the finish. Some heft in the mouthfeel, and while it looks fizzy, the carbonation level is A-OK. Really went well with my burger, and I expect this to pair well with a lot of foods.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2009 02:53:23 | More by RunDWP

JoeySchlitz

California

3.98/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Overall a great session beer with a Belgian quality to it - there is a slight floral aroma and flavor to it. Looks great with a dark amber color and good head retention. Smell is light, again with floral undertones and the taste follows. I could drink many of these if it were more my style of beer, but seems a bit light so pretty much 'one and done' for me. Now the 'Double' DBA... that's a whole different story.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2009 07:38:37 | More by JoeySchlitz

ThreeWiseMen

California

4.3/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Appearance: Clear, bright amber body with thin, creamy, white cap. Spotty lacing is left along the sides of the glass.

Smell: Caramel, melted butter, bready yeast, and oak. It's hard to explain, but the smell of DBA is just very unique and very enjoyable. Maybe I'm just a homer.

Taste: Similar to the smell, with warm buttery bread and caramel jumping out first and mildly hoppy finish. Oak can be found throughout.

Mouthfeel: Creamy with a crisp, clean finish. Carbonation produces a minor nip, and is pretty low for the style. Light-medium body.

Drinkability: My go-to amber (even though it's actually an English pale ale). The flavor is simple and delicious, and the body is light enough to allow you to drink as many as you'd like. I think FW really excels in this category with all of their beers.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2008 08:16:41 | More by ThreeWiseMen

apaltrineri

Oregon

4.03/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - A very coppery amber/orange color out of the tap, with a small off-white head and some lacing for the first half of the pint. Admirable.

S - Sweet earthy malt aroma, with yeasty sweetness finishing it off nicely. Hint of tart apples.

T - Mmm, this ale is balanced so well it is almost buttery! Not too much sweetness, balanced with hops that assert the ale's complex character. Not a standout, but very solid.

M - Smooth, buttery and the hint of carbonation make this one of the most pleasant red ales had in recent memory.

D - Could polish off these babies all night! Definitely worth the hike out to northern California to find this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2008 01:17:19 | More by apaltrineri

Mauerhan

California

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

ive had this brew quite a few times on-tap as well as out of a bottle. it never really fails to serve. decent pour with very short lived head. subtle scent. nice flavor. great baseball brew. pair this up with a couple slices of pizza or a burger and some dogs and you have a winning combo. nowhere near the top shelf but i know that i can always depend on dba to come through for me.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2008 17:57:50 | More by Mauerhan

SkeeterHawk

Texas

3.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sampled on tap at Roarmary's in Vegas. I believe that it was the manager that served me, and it was really nice that he knew quite a bit about the beer. I find out later that he is BJCP certified. Bonus!

Clear amber brown color. Some lacing but the head only lasts for the first minute or so.

A little of the wood, but it comes across as more like a scotch ale in the aroma than an Amber. Some evident sweetness also suggests a scotch ale. A bit more toasty notes noticeable as it warms.

The flavor is also mild with a clean malty profile. The wood is tame and again only reminds me of a scotch ale. Some sweetness to linger with only a mild floral contribution from the hops. As the beer warms a bit the wood is becomming more apparent.

This is a pretty good beer and I would drink it quite a bit if it were available in Texas. I don't think that it would do that great as an Amber in competition, but it drinks good.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2008 02:53:23 | More by SkeeterHawk

flexabull

California

3.9/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer pours a clear dark gold color, with a decent white head.

Aromas are quite mild, some bread, dough, and lightly roasted grainy malts.

Taste is nice, mild, but flavorful enough. Flavors are slightly sweet, caramel, grain, brewed tea, light oak, and a bit of spice. Finish has a slight pine hop bite.

Mouthfeel is good, well carbonated.

Drinkability is this beers strong suit. It's very sessionable. Flavorful, but not overpowering or heavy, a pleasant beer to drink. I had 2, and could have easily had a couple more.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2008 05:14:58 | More by flexabull

USCTrojanBrian

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Hitching Post (from the movie Sideways).

Brown, burgandy, red all colors present in the pour. At 5% this is incredibly drinkable. Sweet malts, subdued hops here, so not too bitey. Like certain other brewers, Firestone has a certain trademark taste across almost all its beers and this one carried the same delicious taste. They're almost a sweeter, creamier taste for the beers they make.

Anyway, this was delicious, but not quite spectacular.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2008 00:06:25 | More by USCTrojanBrian

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear but dark amber. Nice citric balance on the flavor. Kind of a pine aspect to it, but not a pine tar thing you get from a lot of IPAs. It's more like a fresh bud off a young pine deal. It's vibrant and fairly interesting. Feel is nice. Interesting bite to the carbonation. Overall a good drinker and a nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2008 04:39:15 | More by RblWthACoz