Double Bastard Ale

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

Pours a murky brown in color. There was a small amount of head on the pour, but it is completely gone before I can find my seat. Smell is huge malt and a good amount of hops. Everything seems to be amped up a bit. Taste is a bit more hops than I was expecting and a whole bunch of spiciness that caught me off guard. Very enjoyable, but nothing to mess around with. Good amount of caramel malts and to a lesser amount some toffee. This is a good beer fresh. I’ve had an older bottle that was amazingly good, but fresh, this stands up there with the rest of them. Good beer.

Beer is Hazy Amber with thin tan/white head. Wonderful Hop aroma. Hops bitterness perfectly balances alchol and malt sweetness. It’s hard to believe that this is a 10.5 Percent beer. Hop Bitterness is initially very forward but subdues substantially as drinking progresses. Spicy piney dank hop bitterness. Flavors are sharp with a Sticky/full mouthfeel.

On tap @ Stone Release Party at Oldsmar Tap House. This stuff is a liquid that attempts to live up to its name. Beer pours hazy orange-copper with a wicked white head. Aroma is syrupy sweet with hop notes composing a symphony, both sweet and sour. There is awesomeness, sweetness, grapefruit, and malt. Finish is crazy. Smooth, yet pow-er-full.

Poured from bomber, awesome reddish orange color pour with a off white head that dissipates quickly with not much lacing on glass. Smell is wonderful hops,fruit,pine. Flavors found are hops,caramel malt,fruity sweetness,earthy plants,herbs and a perfect bitterness that sticks on the back of the tongue. Abv is hidden so well as beer is so smooth and very drinkable.

On tap at the Brasserie V here in Madtown. Holy smokes this beer was too good to be true! Poured a SICK cloudy orangeish copper colour with a thick sticky white head that seems to be temporarily out of control. Aroma is wonderful- so hoppy you want to punch yourself in the face. Pine,pine and more pine- fresh hops, and lots of grapefruit notes. Spicey on the palate, chewy dank herbs and earth. black licorice and soft oak as well. Overall an amazing beer for a hophead.

22oz Bomber. Pours a beautiful reddish amber with a nice 2 finger off white fluffy foamy head. Not much lacing for me, otherwise I probably would have given it a 5/5 on the appearance, really a beautiful beer. Aromas of hops, pine resin, pineapple and/or grapefruit, and some caramel malt. Flavor delivers a dominating hop profile, with some fruit, and a nice malty back bone. I really didnt catch much heat from the alcohol. This beer went down fast and smooth.

Very delicious beer. This beer had a big everything. I really liked it! Wish I had been a bit more sober when I was writing down my notes. The beer was caramel red. Had a nice red look to it like Terrapin’s Big Hoppy Monster. Nice tight head that stayed around for awhile .The head was not fully white either, which I loved. The head a nice off-white color to it. The beer was very aromatic. Loved the dominating hop aroma. The beer had a nice range of aromas. I loved the sugar aroma. The beer smelled very sweet, and really hoppy. Of course, the hops dominated. I smelled grapefruit and pine hops flavors. The aroma was extremely pleasing. The beer was very good as well. It had a nice and smooth palate. The beer was very sweet and hoppy. The alcohol was well hidden, and I loved the ABV. I also was tasting grapfruit and pine in the flavor as well. This beer was pretty good. I like other imperial/double IPAs but I must say this is one of the best out there, just not my favorite. I would definitely try again.

Tap @ Blind Tiger. Pours a hazy reddish brown with a fluffy off-white head. Aroma is heavy hops with citrus and light fruit notes. Flavor is the same, with light fruit dissolving into heavy hops with an ever-so-slight alcohol burn. I agree the balance on this beer is much better than others in the style. Another excellent beer from Stone.