Double Dog Double Pale Ale - Flying Dog Brewery

Reaper16

Alabama

2.85/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz. bottle served into a pint glass

Pours a darker-than-expected sort of fulvous color. It's very clear; no hop haze at all. Two fingers of buttermilk colored head form, and what a creamy head it is. Medium-sized bubbles, thick clumps of lacing. Good looking beer.

I can tell right off the bat that this beer isn't the freshest. So take my review with that particular caveat. The sweet malt absolutely dominates the nose on this bottle. Sugary sweet caramel malt supersedes any other aroma. There are some hops here, and they show with a bit of cherry and a fair amount of resin. There's also a rusty sort of coppery aroma, like someone dumped a couple of pennies into my glass. No depth of aroma, even considering its age.

This beer actually fares better with respect to its flavor, but only because it approximates an American Barleywine at this point. Let me be clear: a Double Dog at this age is a terrible double IPA. But Flying Dog's website says that the Canis Major beers, Double Dog included, can age several years, so I feel fine reviewing this. Again, this is pretty much a barleywine at this point. An average, serviceable barleywine at that. Caramel malt for days, some sugary sweet malt undertones underneath the caramel too. A bit of sweetness as well from the alcohol. It isn't harsh in terms of heat, but there's plenty of sherry-like booziness. Some toasty breadcrust flavors on the finish to round out the alcohol. This isn't an especially good barleywine, but it isn't a bad one, either.

The mouthfeel on this beer is big and thick and, Jesus, if this were a fresh IIPA then I would haaate how thick it is. It's size is complimentary for the flavors that it displays at the age that I'm drinking it at, but overall it isn't anything special. Overall, I'm going to score it a 3.0 because it isn't a terrible barleywine like thing. It doesn't taste like it'd be a very good fresh IIPA, but that is admittedly conjecture. So there you have it: as far as old IIPAs go, it could get a whole lot worse than this.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 04:28:34 | More by Reaper16

MarkJBurch

New York

4/5  rDev +1.3%

05-18-2013 05:02:45 | More by MarkJBurch

mkirkland80

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

05-18-2013 02:26:56 | More by mkirkland80

dan027

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.3%

05-17-2013 02:38:46 | More by dan027

CanisMajor

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

05-16-2013 21:23:59 | More by CanisMajor

Bustersuess

New York

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

05-14-2013 18:36:59 | More by Bustersuess

drummermattie02

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

05-14-2013 18:11:43 | More by drummermattie02

nstroup

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

05-13-2013 07:57:09 | More by nstroup

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a snifter.

A: Slightly hazy golden copper color with one-finger, foamy, creamy, off-white head that lasted a couple minutes and left a nice film. Fantastic lacing.

S: Caramel malt. Pine and citrus.

T: Moderate sweetness and moderate bitterness. Caramel malt, pine and citrus, like the nose. Alchohol was mostly unnoticable which was surprising.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation. Crisp and slightly dry.

O: A good imperial IPA. High ABV, but you couldn't tell from drinking it.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 00:52:29 | More by SolipsismalCat

Bill235

Ohio

4/5  rDev +1.3%

05-11-2013 00:18:56 | More by Bill235

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

05-10-2013 19:23:47 | More by twenty5

Lukass

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

05-09-2013 00:59:39 | More by Lukass

deadliest

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

05-07-2013 01:37:02 | More by deadliest

Daktah

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

05-06-2013 19:55:54 | More by Daktah

ChrisMon02

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

05-01-2013 16:52:34 | More by ChrisMon02

Navalartichoke

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

05-01-2013 16:39:14 | More by Navalartichoke

2beerdogs

California

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

05-01-2013 05:57:22 | More by 2beerdogs

SoCalBeerIdiot

California

4/5  rDev +1.3%

04-30-2013 22:35:44 | More by SoCalBeerIdiot

Agrzy

Maryland

4/5  rDev +1.3%

04-21-2013 00:57:14 | More by Agrzy

PhantasIPA

Delaware

4.8/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

The color of this beer is dark gold. It poured from the bottle with a solid and heavy 1/2 inch head and left a heavy lacing against the glass. A moderate amount of carbonation can be seen in the beer.

Smells like very strong caramel sweetness followed by the pungent, heavy alcoholic scent. The barley and hope scent is mixed and the weakest of elements in the overall scent of the beer.

Taste is outstanding! Just like the smell, the sweetness is upfront (caramel, hint of darker brown sugar) followed by the alcohol, then the spices, barley and balancing hops of the beer.

The mouthfeel is very good as well. It is a strong beer so you are going to have the heavy alcoholic taste on your tongue, but the sweetness and the barley linger as well, creating a full flavored after-taste. Carbonation is not a factor as it is very subtle.

Overall this beer is fantastic. Strong and balanced, flavorful and unique.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 18:21:58 | More by PhantasIPA

adamcthomp

Spain

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

04-13-2013 23:07:35 | More by adamcthomp

Gschaf

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -17.7%

04-10-2013 22:02:13 | More by Gschaf

HerbScott

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

04-09-2013 02:07:50 | More by HerbScott

gnikola

Serbia

4/5  rDev +1.3%

04-08-2013 07:25:05 | More by gnikola

bdtva

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

04-07-2013 16:08:23 | More by bdtva