Double Dog Double Pale Ale - Flying Dog Brewery

Johnnyfacelift

New York

3.95/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is an interesting beer "style" since you would think that a double pale ale would actually be an IPA, but I now understand the subtle differences between the two. They literally double the exact recipe (I'm guessing) of the pale ale which makes the beer a bigger beer but does not accentuate the hops either in the aroma or in the taste of the beer. It's balanced and leans toward the side of sweet specialty malt with a bit of roast character. There's a bit of haze to the beer and is a light amber color. Not a huge head but enough to lace the glass on the way down. The aroma is balanced between malt backbone, hops and alcohol... which is not overpowering. The beer is rich but not thick and syrupy, again quite balanced. Overall this is a great sipper that even the entry level beer lover can appreciate.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 01:03:26 | More by Johnnyfacelift

quasar77

California

5/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer, is remarkable!! At 11.5% ABV, it has an incredible taste.
At that alcohol %, one would think it would taste a lot like a barley wine. Well, that couldn't be farther from the truth. I highly recommend this beer. :o) This DBPA, in fact, EVERYTHING I've tasted from Flying Dog, has been REMARKABLE!! Looking forward to trying their better than 9% Porter!!!

P.S. BEER ADVOCATE, IS THE B E S T beer review site, on the Net!!

Thanks, BA!!!! :o)

Sully

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 23:00:10 | More by quasar77

colforbin73

California

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

whoa... this isn't just a double. it is a double double. they poured in tons of extra malt and hops for this. IBU has to be 100. this is a full-on assault. -- i think the comparison to DFH90 below is worthy. if you want a thick, heavy, ultra bitter IIPA, then look no further.

pours a dark orange/amber with thin white head, leaves a little lacing.

the smell is good and rich with maple and pine overtones. the taste follows suit: very full oily ale with a dominating hop presence. leaves a slick down your tongue and throat -- slight burn, more than slight really -- it drinks like a HALF WHISKEY.

this is a serious beer. proceed with caution.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 02:53:39 | More by colforbin73

SiriusBock

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: light amber/dark straw color slight head, clung to the glass
S: was not as hoppy as I expected. First pour was of sweets, as he glass warmed up, all I could smell was grain, like a steeping kettle of mid-color grain
T: malty start, bitter finish. I was expecting more of a hop bite, or at least a distinctive hop to punch me in the face but not so much. The high alcohol content was masked. No hot tones for me, only a grain bomb.
M: smooth, but not cloying. Perfect balance of carbonation.

Overall, I enjoyed this beer l. You can't have many of them without hiring the floor, but I think it is a god competitor for DFH 90 minute

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 01:10:29 | More by SiriusBock

tdm168

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - orangish amber; quarter of an inch of foamy, white, dense head; great retention

S - bread, sweet, birthday cake, grapefruit

T - bready malt, citrus, floral, grapefruit, birthday cake, sugary sweetness, mild hop bitterness in the finish, strong alcohol warmth

M - very warm, smooth, medium to full bodied, well carbonated

This beer has great flavor even if a bit boozy. It has all the malty, hoppy characteristics of a solid, impressive DIPA. If you like strong, potent, full flavored DIPAs, you have to try this.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 03:52:07 | More by tdm168

DARIVA

Netherlands

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Nice bright orange beer with a small head.

S: The smell of lime and citrus.

T: The taste of delicious beer, bitter and a slight taste of grapefruit.

M: Good carbonation and a good ratio.

O: Delicious long finish, nice body and quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 11:19:19 | More by DARIVA

TheGrunt

Finland

4.23/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Almost copper coulour, clear.

Smell is really fruity with light hops.

Light foam after pouring.

Taste: Medium carbonation, though foam came lightly after pouring. Even though smell has not that much hops in it, it has hops in the taste. And quite strong i must say. Fruits come along with the hop nicely and give nice aftertaste. Alcohol bitterness is also present, which is no surprise considering the percentage. It is no way too aggressive and bad, like it is with some cheap strong lagers, but instead it gives nice kick to the taste.

Overall I really like this strong Ale. Bottle sticker is a bit tasteless and I expected something worse, but this has really great flavors in it. Truly a magnificent beer, one of the best in its class I've tasted.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 17:06:09 | More by TheGrunt

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -19%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served on nitro-tap @ Kloby’s Smokehouse (Laurel, MD) on 4/14/12. Served in a tulip glass.

Pours a clear copper after everything settles, topped with a rigid finger of smooth and creamy white head. This pretty much stays this way during the duration of the glass, just drenching the sides with thick sticky lacing. Grapefruit, spice, and pine are quite bold here in the nose, being tempered a bit my light tropical fruit notes, a touch of dankness, and some sweet malt across the back. The high alcohol really adds some intensity to this but is at least more restrained than it is in the taste.

Speaking of which, the taste here is STRONG, with bitter grapefruit, pine, and an assertive spiciness cutting across the tongue and lingering HARD in the finish. Lighter tropical fruit, herbal tones, and malty flavors of caramel and bread do their best but are barely keeping the hops in control. The mouthfeel is fuller bodied and while I appreciate the smooth creaminess of the carbonation from the nitro-pour, the high alcohol just brings too much of a heady warm bite to this that amplifies all of that already aggressive hop character.

I haven’t had this in a while and after revisiting, I remembered why. Just too much damn alcohol gives this a boozy and overly fierce nature that I just can’t find enjoyable. Cut this down to around 8% or so and this would be really decent. Not even the nitro could save this one.

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-18-2012 19:17:26 | More by Kegatron

SuperSpy

Georgia

4.13/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear and copper with a good sized sticky head. A really good looking beer.

The hops are citrusy and floral, and there is a lot of great hop aroma. Grapefruit, lemon pith and early spring wild flowers.

The flavor is spicy, floral, earthy, boozy and the beer is thick. There is a good malt base and tons of hoppy flavors from beginning to end. Nice and warm alcohol as it goes down the throat and a nice balance of dry bitter hops and sweet malt in the aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 23:27:55 | More by SuperSpy

metter98

New York

3.7/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is relatively clear copper in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a frothy and dense beige head that has good retention properties and consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface and some lacing running down the sides of the glass..
S: There are moderately strong aromas of citrus hops in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of citrusy hops with notes of caramel malts; alcohol is also quite noticeable in the finish. There’s only a moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a bit crisp on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. There is some warming from the alcohol in the finish.
O: This beer seems to be more like a hybrid between a double IPA and a barleywine. It’s rather drinkable (except for the alcoholic taste and burn in the finish) but is really something that needs to be sipped.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 23:01:21 | More by metter98

C20Percent

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

*Review taken from notes*

A: Amber red with a dirty white head.

S: Hoppy. Fruity. Floral. Boozy.

T: Strong fruity flavor. Heavy -- boozy. A cutting taste; a bit spicy. Flavor getting better as beer warms.

M: Light-medium body.

O: This is quite a boozy beer. Definitely something to sip. But, a flavor that gets better as time goes on. Very drinkable for such a high abv.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 20:36:32 | More by C20Percent

exodus1369

California

3.95/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Red-Brown color, not much of a head but pours nice. Hops for sure, very strong hop taste but masks the 11% alcohol really well till the end. A pinch sweet over all very good, is a bit thick but still not bad at all. Just watch out this will bit back.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 16:47:40 | More by exodus1369

Arborescence

Finland

3.85/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Amber/yellow, slight haze. Pours a nice but modest head, not very thick.

Aroma: Alcohol and malt, contrasted by an elaborate mix of hoppy aromas.

Taste: You sip a beer like this expecting quite a kick, and that’s what you get. The malt takes over then, but only for a moment, before the hoppy characteristics appear. That doesn’t last long either though, because the aftertaste is a mixture of warming malt liquor and pure alcohol. Fairly tasty, but a bit strong!

Mouthfeel: Strong alcohol, sharp on the tongue.

Overall: This is one of the ‘Canis Major’ special edition, extra strong beers. The Double Dog is a good beer, but the alcohol is too much for me. I feel like the delicate mixture of hops would have much more to give if you could actually taste it; now the alcohol and strong maltyness are a bit overwhelming. Still, it’s tricky to pull of beers with this kind of ABV, and this is certainly not one of the worst attempts, it’s an enjoyable beer that will not leave you cold during the winter months.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 02:06:53 | More by Arborescence

Supadup21

New York

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A -- dark orange/caramel

S -- fairly hoppy scent to it, definitely can smell the abv! All flying dog have the same smell to them....which I really enjoy

T -- it looks like a xxipa, but isn't a hop bomb, fairly smooth. Booze comes through on the back end.

O -- Not a session beer, but def a nice treat. Unique, as I haven't come across too many imperial pale ales. Another solid brew flying dog... I wish they made it year round.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 00:49:42 | More by Supadup21

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Sam Smith pint glass.

A: Pours a brilliantly clear reddish copper color with a 1.5 finger eggshell color head. The head is really impressive for the ABV, with surprising retention and lacing.

S: Strong combination of citric and piny hops, but not quite as big as I was expecting. There's also a little alcohol, as well.

T: The taste is a mixture of caramel/toffee malty sweetness, massively bitter hop notes, and some booze. The flavors come all at once, rather than in layers, and ultimately, the hops win out in the end. Still, it's not completely imbalanced...just mostly imbalanced. Do I like it? In small doses, yes, yes I do. It's an impressively big beer, to be sure, but it's a bit bloated in its structure and a little too boozy on the back end.

M: A little syrupy and thick, but given its ABV, that's not really a surprise. It also brings the most out of both the resiny pine finish and the warming alcohol sensation on the back end. In fact, it might even be more of a palate wrecker than Stone Ruination IPA.

O: Piece by piece, it's only 'solidly good', but altogether, it just works somehow. I'd definitely get this stuff again...but not anytime soon. To me, this is a hell of an experience that should only be enjoyed once every few months.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 21:37:51 | More by ThisWangsChung

JednoPivoProsim

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 fl.-oz. bottle. Purchased at the brewery gift shop. Best before day 157 of 2012 (June 6). Stop number four on my day-long tour of Flying Dog ales (Golden, Classic Pale, India Pale, and now Double Pale).

Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a very thick off-white head.

Smell: I can definitely smell the alcohol in this meaty 11.5% ABV beast. Metallic hop aroma. Almost smells of, dare I say, wet dog.

Taste: Biscuity, grainy, earthy, caramel, molasses...sensory overload. Almost too many flavors at once. Not as hoppy as I would have imagined (label lists 85 IBUs). Balanced with a fair amount of malt. Can definitely taste the alcohol. This one is bordering on barleywine territory in my opinion.

Mouthfeel: Appropriately full-bodied and heavy. Almost syrupy. A sipper for sure.

Overall: A very good DIPA. Less hoppy than most. As I stated earlier, this could be packaged as a barleywine and I would not know the difference.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 20:41:22 | More by JednoPivoProsim

XanderCruz

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Copper colored with a little lacing on top
S: Citrus notes from the hops
T: Amazing, its starts hoppy but has a nice malt profile to finish almost sweet, and for 11.5abv very little booze taste
M: Smooth, crisp, very palatable

Overall: Not my favorite dipa but one of my top 5
It has a good balance and two beers and I'm good for the night
Cheers

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2012 23:06:52 | More by XanderCruz

Treebs

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had a bottle of this during dinner at Big Bowl in Schaumburg. Very excited to see about 10 legitimate craft options on available. Served in a pint glass.

A: Pours a clear solid amber with an off-white one finger head. The body is nicely carbonated with a ton of bubbles and the head has very nice retention. Leaves some great sticky webbing down the entire glass.

S: Light citrus fruits, some pineapple with some malt and pine on the backend.

T: There is some mild citrus rind with a little malt, but there isn't much life to the taste. The only thing attacking my palate is the noticable alcohol on the backend. There is slight bitter resin flavor as well, but nothing really lingers.

M: Medium bodied and with a sticky mouthfeel and some lively carb. The lingering alcohol flavor knocks it down a peg.

O: Very imbalanced in the taste with it being mostly a booze bomb. It still had some decent flavors, but it just never came together.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 01:09:41 | More by Treebs

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.3/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear and bright amber with an off white head. Big sticky sweet malt nose with sugared tropical fruits. Very silky mouth feel with a big big hop finish. Caramel sweetness up front . Big silky and creamy mouthfeel with a slightly juicy presence. The hops provide a piney and dried out grapefruit taste.

Bitterness is high, very high but works well to counter the sugary and fruit sweetness that also is present in the beer. Not a trace of the high abv except for on the breath.

Big malt backbone with a huge hop presence. Flavors are layered well and go together pretty well. Dangerously smooth. Not one of my favorites but very impressive. Would get again.

This beer grabs your tongue by the balls and let's you know what's up. By the end of the bottle you're definitely taught a lesson. How 85 ibu's tastes like 200a ibu's with such a big malt character is beyond me.

Did I already mention extremely bitter? Some good bitterness, some bad.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 23:53:43 | More by jtierney89

BuxMontBeerLover

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Purchased a 4pk at Outlet Liquors in Rehoboth Beach, DE over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

4pk - $8.99

Enjoyed in a DFH Signature Glass

A - Pours a deep golden, orange color. Semi-translucent. A one to one and a half finger cream colored head on the intial pour that fades to a light skim after a few minutes. Nice sheets of sticky lacing on the sides of the glass.

S - A very malty, caramel-like aroma. Not getting much hoppiness or citrus smell.

T - A really aggressive beer. Very malty, very sweet on the initial sip. The end of the sip is where you get the bitterness of the hops. Not a whole lot of the citrus-like/grapefruit flavor that I normally associate with an IPA. A beer that you can really taste and feel the ABV.

M - A very thick consistancy. A syrupy sweetness coats your mouth after each sip.

O - A decent beer. This is a beer you need to savor and don't even think you'll be pounding these back. Not for those that like an intense citrus flavor to their DIPA's. This beer is all malt and very sweet. I enjoyed it despite it being a bit different than what I'm used to.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 23:48:37 | More by BuxMontBeerLover

D11

Texas

3.55/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

from bottle into tulip

A- pours a very rich amber copper (but not cloudy or hazy) with a two finger caramel colored head that lasts.

S- malty with some caramel. the hops come through somewhat, and alcohol.

T- malt with hops followed by some caramel; with the alcohol reminding you its in there towards the end of the 'drink'.

M- had a good mouthfeel. not too thin and carbonated nice.

O- this was a good beer. it could be better though with lower alc. the characteristics of this beer are nice, and would come through more if the alcohol didnt dominate. it is worth trying though.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 06:09:00 | More by D11

Criscoh88

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - A beautiful misty red amber. Looks great. But lacking in head. Pitiful lacing.

Smell - Heavenly. Sweet floral hops with a hint of what i believe to be orange. A slight alcohol scent but nothing overpowering. I love it and cant stop sniffing.

Taste - Not as harsh as i thought something with the name double IPA would be. Starts with a mellow tangy flavor followed by a sudden bite of hoppy goodness. The bite does not last for long and flavor dies out into a sweet liqueur type sensation. The taste of alcohol sticks in the throat.

Feel - A nice amount of carbonation. Warms your mouth. A slight syrupness to it, but nothing too bad. A heavy beer.

Overall - The color is beautiful and the scent is better then the finest of perfumes. I am disappointed in the lack of head, a beer this wonderful in color needs a frothy head on top to complete the package. The taste is wonderful keeping in mind that this is a double IPA. Yes, its going to be heavy and yes, its going to taste of alcohol. I found it easy to drink, i possibly drank it too fast. As usual Flying Dog does not disappoint, I will get this again.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 03:37:08 | More by Criscoh88

ChugginOil

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a transparent copper/orange with a hefty amount of off-white head. Tons of bulky, web-like lacing all over the place.

Then nose is malty and boozy. Not much here to speak of as far as hops but this brew smells potent as hell.

The taste is also malt forward and has very little hop to it. However, there is a subtle bitterness underneath the sweet malt. The malt bill is caramel-like and sweet with a nice amount of booze in the finish to remind me that this beer is gonna get me tipsy.

The mouthfeel has ample carbonation and has a pretty creamy finish. Not bad and holds a good aftertaste.

Overall, this isnt a bad brew by any means but it is a bit too boozy and I believe some time on it wouldnt do much harm considering that there werent too many hops to begin with.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 06:29:25 | More by ChugginOil

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark caramel colour, thumb of off-white head, solid retention and some nice sticky lacing.

S - Sweet caramel and soapy citrus hops, ABV sweetness detectable on the nose.

T - Caramel subdues the bitterness, with an ABV punch that brings both heat and sweetness. Surprisingly mild on the hop front with the malts muddling with the flavour.

M - The ABV brings with it some heat that burns going down and lingers, but the carbonation level is nice.

O - A bold DIPA with a decent flavour profile, but the ABV adds a bit of heat which took away from the experience. Too bad it wasn't a bit more concealed, but nonetheless a worthy ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 13:25:51 | More by andrenaline

Arithmeticus

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Poured room temp in flared glass.

A: slightly reddish copper color; clear; decent head, but dissipates quickly (raw bubbles); decent carb bubbles
S: very intense caramel, malt; alcohol melds with hops
T: hugely intense pale ale; very hoppy, very concentrated flavor; very bitter, not sweet (malts almost invisible, they're so overwhelmed by the high booze and intense hops)

You're gonna love or hate this beer. Have someone nearby to give it to in case the latter is the case. The former is true of me, so I rate this highly.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 04:03:24 | More by Arithmeticus