Double Bastard Ale

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

22 oz bottle, tulip glass. Bread, cookie, caramel, chocolate malt (H); spruce, citrus (grapefruit/lime) hops (M); light alcohol, raisin, plum, peach, red wine, toffee, brown sugar aromas. Large, creamy, light brown head is well lasting and leaves good lacing. Clear, dark, ruby body. Heavily sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter flavor becomes a heavily sweet, lightly acidic, heavily bitter finish of long duration. Full body, creamy texture, lively carbonation, slightly alcoholic. The bottom line is: excellent malt, wonderful body...acidity and alcohol are my only two complaints (and not big ones in this case).

Stinging hop aroma, some alcohol. Plummy brandyish sweetness in the aroma as well. Some stinging but very pleasant bitterness early, which fades into a carmelly cookie malt. I'm struck by the pleasantness of the bitterness, while it is stingingly bitter, it doesn't come off as bitter/coarse as something like old crustacean. The malt is so much more supple and firm than in the old guardian, which this vastly superior to. A touch of medicinal flavor hidden in the alcohol and hop laden flavor. I'm damn impressed, this exceeded my expectations. Thanks a ton MilkmanDan!

Wow it's great to be rating a +4 beer after a 2.5 month drought! Deep copper amber under a yellow beige smallish shortish lasting head. Super aromatic hops and fruity passion fruit and honey dew melon aroma. Medium full mellow velvety body. Big hoppy and sweet caramel and molasses malt flavours with hints of similar fruit to the aroma. Biting hop bitter finish.

22oz - Original rating 01/24/2005 6,3,8,4,17=3.8 - 2004 release - Mild aroma. What is there smells of plums and malt. Dark mahogany with a small tan head and slight lacing. Taste is where this beer takes off. Strong flavor of dark fruit and malt with some hoppiness for good measure. Lingering taste begs for more. Not my favorite Stone brew, but I’ll have it again after it ages.

RERATE 01/04/06 - 22oz - 2005 release - Aroma is a ton of carmel malt. Also toffee, raisin, and a big hop back. Pours deep brown with no head and decent lacing. Flavor is creamy carmel, toffee, raisin, and a strong hop back. It wasn’t until the beer approached room tempature that the hops in the aroma and flavor really stepped forward and slapped me in the face. Palate is sticky, tart, and sweet. Still a bit hot and I wonder how the 2004 in my cellar is holding up. A very tasty brew.

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.

It’s an amazing beer beer. My wife likes lagers, she thought it was too "hoppy". I like hops and I thought it was pretty good, but I wished there were a little more "hops". In retrospective, I think its a big beer with both plenty of hops and malt. I hope more comes this way. Cheers!

reddish-brown body with light tan head, minimal retention. Sweet aroma almost fruity with some spice. Full heavy hop flavor mixed with sweet maltand alcohol.

Bottle poured a dark brown/dark red amber with a thick heavy foamy head. What can you say about the aroma!! strong hoppy malty kickin ass!! Flavor is AWSOME strong on the hopps strong on the alcohol! I could feel it running through me as I drank and as it warmed up it got even better!! This is an awsome sippin beer for a cold night.