Double Bastard Ale

Pours a murky orange brown – not the prettiest looking pour. Smells of citrusy/floral hops. First sip is much less hoppy than the aroma indicated. Very smooth and sweet with a welcomed bitterness to finish. Slight honey taste could be the beginning of some oxidation as this bottle has been in my cellar for about six months. This puppy is very drinkable as the 10% ABV is hidden.

Maybe the best beer I’ve had. A step beyond the regular bastard which is already a classic.

’07 bomber. I would call this a Barley Wine... pours a deep red with very little head which quickly dissipates. strong aroma filled with a touch of alcohol, dark fruits and sweet sugar. huge hop profile, especially on the finish, but is well hidden by the dominating malts. as soon as it hits your tongue, you can feel the huge body character behind this beer. very full and round.... filled with dynamic qualities of a world class beer. sweet and spicy on the front, very soft on the sides and thick and malty on the top with caramel, citrus, candi sugar, dark fruits and a touch of oak. Wonderful strong, sticky hop filled finish that sticks with you.... sticky and sweet.

Pours a dark brownish ruby with a moderate sized tan head. Aroma of grapefruit, tofee, toast, butter, pine-soaked caramel candies. Big malty taste hides the hops a bit. Sweet caramel dominates with brown sugar, grapefruit, and a very Stone-esque earthy hop flavor. Finishes with buttery hops and toasty aftertaste. Thick and full-feeling, pretty nice stuff.

Smells a lot like oaked bastard, caramel sweetness and strong hops. Flavor is much sweeter than regular, almost sticky sweet with big bitter hops on top, almost doesn’t pull it off, but somehow, it works. There’s not much here we haven’t seen before, though this is well made if not well formulated. With this current brewing trend of "More is better", sometimes, more is just more. Good, but not great.

Dark red, maybe a bit brown in color, fitted with an off-white colored head behind some sticky lacing. Fruity smell as well as a smell I can only describe as rotten pine. Taste was good and hoppy, certainly a nice malt base here too. I do have to say some of the bitterness had some harshness to it; harshness does not equal badass. Heavier side of medium bodied and a medium amount of carbonation. Overall, good beer for sure, but I can’t help but think a different hop choice could make this so much better. Don’t take the above comment the wrong way, it’s just my opinion and Stone does a damn fine job as it is. Would buy again.

2004 bottle courtesy the thebeercellar. Thanks Matt! Drinking this with my buddy Charles and celebrating the 4th in WInston-Salem. This has aged very nicely. None of the hot alcohol flavors that you can usually taste in fresh arrogant bastard or double bastard. Still a lot of carbonation and a lasting yellow white head amidst a deep red amber body. Nose has some brown sugar, strong caramel malts, hints of piney hops still kicking around. Flavor is really yummy. Nice caramel, brown sugar, woody flavors with a bit of bittnerness in the finish. Alcohol is very well hidden. It’s been a while since I had this and I was very pleased with this nicely aged bottle. Thanks for hooking it up, Matt!

2006 Keg on draught at Stone Bistro. Pours with a slightly murky brown body with a small, tight, off-white head that leaves great lacing. Aroma is complex, with currants, raisins, and light oxidation. Tastes is amazing, very rich and spicey with a really long duration, and a nice alcohol bite at the finish. A little bit of sherry and other oxidized notes. Lively bubbles.