Double Bastard Ale

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Escondido, California USA

2005 bottle at the Bistro on the first day of Winter Storm 09. This is the first time I’ve had an aged bottle of this one and the years have served it well. The fresh bottles that I have had were harshly hoppy and bitter. I am just as big of a hop head as any of us, but it really masks the complexity of the beer. This aged bottle is more like a great barleywine. Pours a cloudy reddish orange with a thin white head. Lots of caramel and dark dried fruits in the aroma, although some floral hops are still there even after all this time. Flavor is alot of buttery caramel or toffee, a bit earthy and piney hops. Still quite bitter but definitely not harsh. Full bodied and sticky with medium carbonation.

Bottle. Pours a murky copper color with a thin off white head. Smells of malt and bitte hoppyness. It tastes similar to how it smells and is well balanced.

Roasted malt and hops aromas. Reddish brown colors. Rich malt flavors with an equally rich bitter hoppiness. Creamy palate with good bitter duration.

Very powerful. Lots of sweet malt flavor, balanced with an extreme amount of bitter hop flavor. Not a floral/herbal taste, but just straight bitter. Strong malts remind me of a barley wine. No shortage of flavor in this beer. Delicious and strong. Only complaint is the bitterness is perhaps a bit too overpowering.

Sampled during MN Gathering II in Maplewood, MN. We tried a side by side comparison between 2004 vintage (MilkmanDan) and a 2008 vintage (Badgerben). Both poured a hazy reddish amber brew with the 2008 had a decent off-white head and the 2004 quickly dissipates to a film top. The 2004 had a sweet raisin and caramel aroma while the 2008 had more hops with caramel. I liked the 2004 vintage which was quite smooth and even had a powdered caramel flavor that was easy drinking. The 2008 had its extra hop character. The 2004 finish hid the alcohol while the 2008 had a slight alcohol bite to it. Since I liked the 2004 vintage the most, my rating reflects off the aged version.

Comlex but rough with a completely unhidden grainy alcohol burn. Sticky stale bread and leather.

22 oz bottle
This has been cellaring for about a year now. Of the 2006 vintage it was a bit of a letdown. Going big for the sake of going big is not always a good idea. It could have been this particular year or maybe it is better fresh but the overall impression was only redeemable because of the price paid.

Aroma / Appearance - A delicate one finger head rested above a creamy opaque maple colored body. Malty and dense it reminded me of caramel apples, chocolate truffles, and wood residue. Overall it was not unlike bread pudding.

Flavor / Palate - Caramel bites attack the throat as the alcohol is evident from the start. A delayed bitterness slowly unfolds on the back of the tongue. An oaky finish wraps up a reasonable experience but nothing that you do not find in other big beers. Balanced but a little stale it might have slid over the past year.

Date: 12/2/2008 Source:Capital Ale House - Downtown Citrus and floral hop aroma with lots of caramel. Clear amber golden with frothy white head. Moderate spicy hop bitterness, grassy citrus hop flavor. Caramelized malt backbone. Finish is slightly sweet and quite bitter. Alcohol warming is quite evident.