Double Dog Double Pale Ale - Flying Dog Brewery

russwbeck

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Amber pour with a small white head, very nice lacing and retention.

S: Surprisingly the smell is a bit malty. However, a bit hit of citrus hops come to the rescue. Still no where near as hoppy as I expected.

T: The taste sadly follows the smell. Extremely malty with only hints of hops. Full of caramel and a bit of booze.

MF: Very dry aftertaste. Light body. Carbonated well.

O: Was a bit disappointed in this. Wanted more hops to go with the high ABV. The malt bomb hurt the drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 03:48:21 | More by russwbeck

HBomb81

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

DDPA from FDB is the stand out in this class. It delivers the punch promised, but also has a complex flavor and character that keeps you interested for as long as you can take it. Clearly a go to brew!

The color is dark, almost porter-like. The smell is a bit hoppy, but also has a very sweet aroma. No avoiding the strong intent here, but the flavor allows this to refresh, while delivering. Two is a good limit to set, but make sure to treat yourself to either jump start the evening...or finish it strong.

Gotta be in the tool box!

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 01:47:34 | More by HBomb81

BurpingtonDC

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Beautiful deep amber/copper color with a to finger head that dissipated quickly and left considerable lacing.

S - Mostly boozy, malt, and a bit 'o pine

T - Butterscotch, hoppy pine, Grapefruit. Hop blast on the front and back end. Lingers on the tongue, but not oppressively so. A bit on the barleywine tip. Others may find this DIPA unimpressive, but I like it!

M - Great mouth on this DIPA. Great carbonation level, Body is excellent. Very well balanced and light for an 11.5 DIPA.

O - Overall I liked it very much. The 11.5% ABV is up there, but only a little boozy for that high of an ABV. The memory of the flavor left me wanting more. Tasty Flying Dog!

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 00:28:26 | More by BurpingtonDC

maximum12

Minnesota

3.08/5  rDev -22%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Picked up in a mixed six-pack for my wife recently, & she decided to split it with me, after a few days off of drinking post Darkness Day. We're too old to drink that much, that frequently. Uncle!

Pour is glinting, filtered orange, bit 'o red. Smell is light, caramel malts, grapefruit, but not much of either. There's more hot alcohol in the nose than I've sniffed up in a long, long time.

Double Dog licks into barleywine territory; perhaps the ingredients needed to ramp this up to 63% ABV just naturally shove it in that direction. Alcohol is hot & heady & not integral to the plot. Huge pale malts flip the hops on their backs & sit on them; grapefruit juice drips out, but little else escapes. Alcohol, hops, big malts. Barleywine, with a livelier shot of carbonation.

Whatever you call it, this is a hot beer with a simple set of DNA. Not bad, just routine, without the depth to make it interesting. Decent enough.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 02:46:04 | More by maximum12

mrfrancis

Kentucky

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a copper-tinged amber with a thick white head. Looks rather imposing in the glass.

S: Notes of pine and spruce dominate the nose. As the beer warms, hints of caramel and cream become detectable.

T: Opens bitter and hoppy with notes of pine, spruce, grapefruit, lemon, and bitter orange before flavors of caramel, cream, and biscuits emerge. The finish is astringent and a bit boozy with robust notes of caramel and citrus underscored by fiery alcohol.

M: Full-bodied, sticky, and thick. Somewhat resinous. Neither dry nor drinkable, but far from bad.

O: Even by double IPA standards, Double Dog is not the most drinkable ale in the world. It lacks subtlety and makes no effort to hide its extremely high alcohol content. That being said, it still displays all of the classic traits of this style. In the end, I would recommend it to fans of the style, but feel that newbies should avoid it at all costs.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 13:09:12 | More by mrfrancis

HugePlume

Washington

3.68/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- A caramel tinged copper, with a flat tan head. Not much for lacing but the head retention is superb. Just looking at this thing I knew i was in for it!

S- Its weakest characteristic, its mostly just booze with a little bit of piney hops. No idea how old this is, date code is indescernable so not sure if when fresh there was more hop bouquet.

T- This thing packs a punch, its got an initial sweet malt that builds into a medicinal syrupy flavor that is then overcome by a wave of bitterness. Finishes with a heavy breath of alcohol. Very strong, but palatable. Blasted through the heat of my spicy taco dinner instantly where a mere mortal IPA or pale needs a sip or two to break through.

M- Thick, coating, but with a good fizz. Good body for a beer of this intensity.

O- Intense, don't feed this to someone who isn't a beer enthusiast. High ABV and not very bashful about it, but it doesn't take it too far either.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 01:55:00 | More by HugePlume

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

BIG UPS to my BA in crime andrenaline for sending this across the country for me
A - barely hazy amber, solid thumb of tan head retained very well, lots of random lace strings down the glass
S - earthy, pine, and citrus with lots of sweet dark candy
T - pine and earthy hops with a big caramel backbone, and some definite booziness rising through the finish
M - a sticky start gives way to big hop bitterness with some alcohol heat
O - a big big beer, a hop bomb with enough sweet maltiness to back it up, the alcohol is there but the flavours are so strong that it blends in well, definitely for beer geeks only

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 02:36:18 | More by joemcgrath27

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.9/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to Huhzubendah for this 12-ounce bottle. Served in a Mikasa tulip.

Pours a tawny-amber color with a clear body and a three-finger head. Good retention of the off-white head with plenty of lacing on the way down.

The nose brings some citrus and tropical notes, which are layered atop a malty base of bread crust and caramel. Very fruity and sweet in general. The flavor starts with a strong bitterness beating out the background sweetness. There is some citrus rind and a faint tropical character, but the majority of the flavor is sweetness contrasted against the 85 IBU bitterness. Some booze in the background.

Overall, this is a bit of a muddled mess. Not terribly impressive and the booze grows as it warms. Medium body that is too chewy. Too boozy, even for the 11.5% ABV. Not terribly impressed.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 15:55:27 | More by Thorpe429

barleyroad

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance is amber, sits nice in the glass. A nice hoppy smell. The feel on the mouth is hoppy and nice. This beer lays good in the mouth. Taste is great for a double pale ale. Overall the barley road says this is a must for the fridge. Great with southern style BQ. NICE!

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 00:29:23 | More by barleyroad

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.58/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer is orange with a finger of off white head that leaves some decent lacing on the glass. The aroma is of heavy alcohol, malt, pine, and hops. Smells strong. To quote Joe Jackson: "the flavor is that of a wet dog after an early spring rainstorm. The finish is long, hard and turgid." Fairly sweet with a lot of alcohol and hops, the finish brings warming alcohol with some hop bitterness. The flavor is decent, but not what usually comes to mind when considering the DIPA style. Intense and bold with a formidable malt bill, this is reminiscent of an American strong ale or barleywine in many regards. Overall, a powerful, full flavored brew that will intoxicate you quickly if you're not careful.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 00:58:15 | More by Huhzubendah

ClaremontBrew

California

3.38/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Nice orange color. Dense creamy white head (nitro). Fairly cloudy.

S - Sweet malty smell, but aroma dominated by citrusy hops.

T - Very boozy. Substantial malt sweetness, but ends surprisingly dry. Significant hop bitterness. This is a surprisingly complex beer. There's a lot going on in the flavor. Lots of whiskey or bourbon flavors coming through but also a lot of hop bitterness. A sipper for sure.

M - Very substantial mouthfeel. Syrupy, creamy, dense. But not cloying. Ends clean, but feels like a lot in your mouth at first.

O - Very interesting, surprisingly complex beer, but the heavy mouthfeel and overly boozy flavor is a little off-putting. Would probably not order again.

Served in a tulip glass from a nitro tap at Eureka Burger - Claremont, CA.

Serving type: nitro-tap

09-29-2011 16:43:57 | More by ClaremontBrew

shanblur

Indiana

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

Purchased locally in Evansville, IN. Poured from 12 oz bottle into a tulip. Fresh by November 22, 2011.

A - Clear amber hue with a minimal head which leaves sparse lacing.

S - Hops dominate over sweet malt aromas.

T - A definite balance of piney hops and sweet malt flavors.

M - Medium body with a light carbonation.

Nothing too complex here, but a nice balance between malts and hops.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 22:11:49 | More by shanblur

bramsdell

Massachusetts

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

Poured from bottle to pint glass.

A: Deep golden with a full, white head. It's certainly a nice beer to look at. Excellent lacing and retention. It just sticks to the side of the glass, refusing to fall.

S: Not as hoppy as expected. A very hoppy aroma, but also a balancing sweetness. Some citrus notes, but this beer smells sweeter than hoppy.

T: Sweet and bitter. There are several distinct flavors that hit the tongue at once, more or less. The bitter of the hops is first. It coats the tongue and fills the nostrils. Then there is the sweetness. I have to say, the first couple of sips, I was a little overwhelmed by the sweetness. There are some hints of citrus, but the taste is really just "sweet." The sweetness should offset the bitterness, but it ends up being the prominent flavor. Luckily, either I became more acclimated to the flavor or it actually mellowed as the beer went on. Either way, the sweetness became more subdued and all is well. The lasting flavor is a crisp hoppiness with hints of pine.

M: Feels great. Thick but not terribly boozy. Very pleasant.

O: A very solid beer. It's aggressive, sure, but it's a double IPA and it's 11.5%. If it isn't aggressive, you've probably had too many.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 01:06:25 | More by bramsdell

remhaze

California

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

flying dog on nitro. it was great. loved it.

A - Looks great. caramel brownish-red swirling. warmness coming off the cup.

S - A strong, potent aroma consisting of sweet, caramel malt

T - a mouthful of thick heavy foam at first, and caramel flavor hint to it.

M - mmmm... the thick foam makes it all worth it.

Overall its a good beer to have when it's on nitro-tap. It's not as interesting and fun if you were to drink it off from bottle.

Serving type: nitro-tap

09-09-2011 03:14:38 | More by remhaze

chodinheaven

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Decent clarity, golden orange hue with a big off-white head on top after a somewhat aggressive pour. Great retention, great lacing. The smell is of sweet booze, barley malts and floral and grapefruity hops. Not as aromatic as I would like it to be.

No doubt in the bittering hops department. At 85 IBUs and 11.5% ABV it really packs a punch in both areas, possibly the booze throwing it a little out of whack and cancelling out some of the complexities. Citrusy and good on the front and the mixture of malting and loads of hops give it a biscuity and bitter taste and feel in the back. Intense with these two flavors, added with a big boozy overtone that is for all intents and purposes well-hidden in the flavor, until it reaches the back of the palate where it is immediately identified in the mouthfeel and finish. Definitely not your normal "pale ale", drinking more like an imperial IPA, and a boozy one at that. Its not bad, just a little too boozy. Definitely worth the buy and try though for all you hopheads.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 04:27:09 | More by chodinheaven

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer ours a copper amber color with an off white head btw smell is piney spicey hops with a definite alcohol prince and a malt like sweetness. The flavor follows suit with quite the alcohol burn. The mouhfeel is thicker than it should be with lower carbonation. This beer itself over all isn't bad and would do well with some age but this does not seem very much like an ipa

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 21:35:15 | More by rowingbrewer

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

2.65/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

This beer puzzles me. I think as an American barleywine this would be better in my review of it most likely.

Has a pretty nitro look and lots of great spotted lacing on the glass, super smooth dark orange hue. Smell isn't totally present and has a little soap overtone to it and A little bit of unitergrsted raw hop. The taste has a huge toffee sweet malt note and some lingering dry bitterness. Caramel sweet and fruity almost. A little sickly and over alcohol-ed in a way that gets sickly on the palate quick. Has a marshmallow to it too. Wired and bizarre, seems like it's an iced pale ale or something, surely does not seem brewed to be a dipa.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-27-2011 01:55:48 | More by Dreadnaught33

isthatbeer

District of Columbia

4.03/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into tulip shaped glass.

A: Brownish, red color. 1 finger of tightly packed head which leaves a thin lacing down the side of the glass.

S: Rich, malty caramel with grapefruit pushing through.

T: Starts off with malty sweetness but that is quickly knocked back by the hops. Its got this bitter grapefruit rind finish that just keeps going. I would never guess this is 11.5% abv.

M: Medium body with nice carbonation. Finish is kind of chalky.

Fairly interesting brew but I think one is enough for me. Not into the bitter, chalky finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 01:47:55 | More by isthatbeer

schoolboy

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hmmm. I know I've had this before. I never forget a great scent. This one barks for all it's worth. A great dog with a serious bite.

This is my favorite style, with a perfect howl. A gorgeous lace fills my glass, and a hoppy warmness comes with it.

This is the double to pick (along with Double Trouble and some others) when you want perfect double satisfaction.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 18:05:00 | More by schoolboy

ryantho00

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a full orange umber auburn color with nice lacing carbonation and a thin film head throughout the brew.

This has a subtle smell of slight citrus, hops and some toasty sweetness.

Hops start this off, but aren't obliterating like some Stone brews or other DIPAs but nicely balanced with a deep malt sweetness that has some caramel, plum, slight hints of dark fruits, alcohol. There is a small toasty flavor throughout that is most likely the maltiness and alcohol blend. Despite tasting the alcohol, its not totally overpowering and is well blended together with the hops and malt, with some undertone of dark fruits, and a little citrus.

Its a full mouthfeel with a medium aftertaste that's quite pleasant.

Nicely done, would prefer it slightly more hoppy, but that's why its a imperial 'pale' ale!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 00:23:48 | More by ryantho00

ehammond1

California

2.33/5  rDev -41%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

On Tap (Nitro)

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

A beautiful auburn and brown with a thin, airy, light brown cap. Incredible sheets and rings of lacing down the glass.

A strong, potent aroma consisting of sweet, caramel malt and pungent grapefruit and orange. Some alcohol heat as well, as can be expected at this ABV.

Though the beer looks incredible, and smells good as well, I can't stand the way it tastes. It's remarkably bitter and incredibly harsh with alcohol. The powerful alcohol and chemical taste is strong from sip to swallow. There's some bready and caramel sweetness hidden underneath, but very few enjoyable flavors are present. It's listed as a DIPA, though this beer seems to have far more in common with a barleywine. That being said, this doesn't make for a good barleywine, either. This is my fourth time having this beer, and my third different serving type, and I've never finished my serving whether it be from bottle, tap, or nitro.

Medium bodied with smooth, nitro-style carbonation throughout, though incredibly harsh with alcohol. Tough to swallow.

Not for me.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-17-2011 16:31:54 | More by ehammond1

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smells strongly of sugars and grapefruity hops, with a noticeable current of toasted grains. In some ways, the extra hops, with the rosewater-like scent than can come with extra helpings in the brew, make this smell almost candy-like.

On the tongue, the extra hops are immediately apparent, coming across in bitter grapefruit waves that prove especially strong in the aftertaste. However, the extra malts are just as strong, providing a rich, malty background with notes of molasses, raisins, caramels, deeply toasted grains, and hints of port. So strong were the port and molasses flavors, in fact, that I had to check the bottle again to make sure I was reviewing the correct entry; for a "pale ale" (even a double one), this is far closer to a cross between a medium to high-strength IPA and a really flavorful nut brown ale.

Overall, I think the brew is marvelous, and loved the way the flavors slid across my tongue. It's definitely not what I was expecting, but in this case that proved a good thing.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 03:25:13 | More by jondeelee

beagle75

Iowa

2.05/5  rDev -48.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Clear, dark amber color with over one finger of diminishing off-white foam head. Heavy lacing remains on the glass.

S: Very estery initially, suggesting mixed fruit including some prominent dark citrus. The presence of carbon dioxide vapors become heavy as the early fruit loses its edge, while grain complexity never really shows up save for a weak and monotone thread that suggests sweetness. No alcohol is detected.

T: Begins very sweet, with an intense combination of caramel and vinous fruit. Thick crystal malt and cherry fruit emerges as it warms. Early flavors yield to even more intense spicy acidity, resetting the palate in an unfavorable way. Astringency and volatile alcohol develop in the middle, repellant and medicinal. Bitterness starts off bracing in the finish, becoming oppressive as it lingers in relentless fashion. Aside from the bitter there is little in the way of distinctive hop flavor.

M: Medium viscosity, acidity burns aggressively on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: Hardly a DIPA, this is more of a clumsy and challenging strong ale that is best viewed and passed over from a distance. While it has distinctive qualities, they are not the kinds that fans of pale ales generally go in search of. Consider drinking six ounces and moving on.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2011 00:38:53 | More by beagle75

dannydetox

California

2.88/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I found this beer to be a bit of a let down, but maybe my expectations were set higher than they should have been. I did not detect much hopping in the nose; sweeter malt qualities dominated. That trend continued as I tasted the brew with a noticeable boozy heat as I swallowed. Some dryness on the finish, but mostly alcohol. I have consumed other high alcohol beers that are better balanced than this one (Shipwreck double IPA, Curieux, even Old Guardian).

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2011 00:08:09 | More by dannydetox

DrinkThemAll

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass...

A-Pours a nice copper orange or amber with little to no head and being off white with minimal lacing...

S-Very aggressive on the malts but very sweet, some lemon zest and some nice floral notes. very subtle on any flavor past the malts...has a piney and bitter smell as well...

T-Very sweet malts up front, has a nice floral and slight grapefruit mid with an alcohol finish...more than one of these at a time could get messy...taste more like a barley wine in my opinion. still quite tasty...very different but i like..sweet Hawaiian bread maybe...:)

M-Medium body, carbonation is high, very alcoholic and malty, has a strong warm finish...definitely can taste and feel the alcohol here...very strong beer

O-This one caught me of guard...very alcoholic and on the malty side, but i really like the taste and its characters...very sweet almost a barley wine sort of...a 4 pack on these are out of the question, one at a time...would drink again from time to time...

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 08:23:19 | More by DrinkThemAll