Stone Double Bastard Ale

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

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

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Been waiting a long time to try this beer and it was well worth it. Pours a slightly murky and thick deep amber color creating a creamy and dense off-white head. Head retention was a bit weak with only some spotty foam and little lacing. Just fantastic complex aromas of balanced malt and hop contributions with notes of dark roasted caramels, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, citrus rinds and spice. Palate was perfect; big, full, round and smooth. Very fine carbonation bubbles keep the beer velvety slick. Flavor is just immense and rich with a nice balance struck with the sweet malts and hoppy bitterness. Flavors start out with notes of sweet dark brown sugar, raisin, caramel and toffee. Gradually slides into a medium - bitter hop contribution with crisp, fresh notes of grapefruit, orange and pine. Alcohol is fairly muscular but not hot or intrusive. Just a FANTASTIC brew in all aspects.

Pours a deep red with a thin off white head. Aromas of yeast, caramel, and dark fruits. Taste is hop dominated with some berries and caramel sweetness coming through in there. Soft carbonation and an alcohol burn pretty much the whole way down. I’ve aged this one for almost a year so it seems a bit more mellow than the last one I’ve tried. This beer is almost like a meal in itself and is not for the faint of heart; this is a big boy’s beer.

Dark reddish amber with an off white ring around the top of the glass. Pronounced caramel and hazelnut nose. Medium bodied with a slightly sweet caramel note in entry, but quickly overcome by biting hops. 2011 bottle. Should let this integrate a bit longer.

Big thanks to zathrus13 for this 2006 vintage as an extra! Bomber to oversized tulip. Looks good; thick, brown, and hazy. Smells great! Reminds me of BB4D. Tastes very nice; time has served it well. This is incredibly enjoyable.

Bottle 653ml, 2010 release. A clear amber rubis beer with medium head. Nose is on aromatic hops and red fruits. Aroma is very hopy on exotic fruits and resin very sweet, toasted malt, toffee, relative hight bitterness, alcohol is burning, mint notes, blackcurrant, light coconut. A very intense beer but on my point of view too hopy to really appreciate the body, color is wonderful.

Pours a thick and rich amber colour, slightly hazy with a creamy tan head. Aroma is of caramel, butterscotch, pine, slight citrus hop scents and a little toasted malt. Taste is sweet and syrupy up front with a strong but not overbearing bitterness through to the finish. Full bodied, average carbonation, and a thick and creamy mouth feel. An amazing beer, this one is one of the best out their in my opinion.

Pouring this beer i noticed a slight sweet aroma followed by hoppy smell. The color is a dark red almost a brown. the first taste was very sweet and malty has a medium body. The bitterness comes in at the end of the taste. Not an ipa for me, the maltiness is too much for this guy.

Bottle 2011 .... Hazy reddish dark amber pour thin ring of off white head had hardly any carbonation when I opened it ..... aroma of chewy caramel hops, dark fruits, earthy and faded citrusy hops ..... taste is more on the side of a red ipa/strong ale with chewy caramel malts, faded citrusy hops, dark fruits and earthy hops ..... has a nice bitter bite to it ... mouthfeel is oily .... finish is bitter

2011 bottle. It has a darker amber color and a small tan head. The aroma is malty, with some fig and chocolate notes and a bit of spice. The flavor has some chocolate and hops up front with a malty, sweet aftertaste and great mouthfeel. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Initial aroma like boozy banana bread. Lots of caramel and fruit undertones. Not as good as last years release but still one of the best from stone.

Strangely sweet for an American strong ale. Dark fruits, raisins, even a bit of grapefruit. Delicious. Alcohol pungency. Pours cloudy amber with a beige head.