Double Bastard Ale

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

Bottle. Muddy very dark brown beer with a reddish hew. The aroma is well hopped and the flavour very, very, very hopped and dry with a deeply malty and whisky/rum finish. Overall a good beer.

(22 oz. bottle (2008) from Rum Runner)...Pours dark reddish amber with one finger of lightly amberish biege head that recedes to a thin lasting layer. Aroma of sweaty hops and pine. Some traces of caramel and vanilla underneath. Mouthfeel smooth, lightly sticky. Flavor is just big over-the-top hops - sweat and pine resin with a little bit of malt that is really buried. Just like regular Bastard, except the hops are even bigger and harsher. Big bitter finish with lingering pine and sweat. I’m a Stone fan on most things but not these Bastards.

A vertical tasting of vintages 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2008. The 2003 and 2008 were sampled together, and the 2004 and 2006 were sampled the following evenings. Vintage 2008 bottled on on 9/12/08. Pours dark amber with a ruby hue. Clear body with a half inch head of off white. Some light rings of lacework after the short head fell, and a partial skim coat remained on the surface for the duration. Aromatics lead off with jammy malt, red and tropical fruits, and warming alcohol. Peaches, apricots and melons lead the way for shadows of red grapes, cherries, and bourbon-spiked honey. Sweetish and quite juicy. On the thick side of medium bodied. Sticky and chewy mouthfeel. A bit light on the carbonation. Sweet crystle malt, ripe fruit, fresh caramel, and a resinous bitterness start the palate. Warming alcohol steps forward as well as hints of caramel-candied apple, spruce dew, and candied figs. Finishes with a lingering warmth, sustaining bitterness, and drawn-out sweet fruit. A classic American strong ale that dances along the lines of a Barleywine. Next up, a mini vertical with an aged example. Vintage 2003: Pours cloudy, dark amber, with a half inch head of off white. A slow retreat revealed some spongy lacework and a few whisps on the placid surface. Aromatics are heavy on the malt, with lots of wet leather, rotting cedar, wet paper, and Sherry. Very earthy and oxidized. Hops are not to be found, and the nose rounds out with hints of cocoa, cardboard, and dried earth. Medium bodied, but very syrupy and chewy. A slick, tacky mouthfeel with subdued carbonation. Stale malt, wet and dusty boards, worn leather, and earth-dusted chipped toffee start the palate. Oxidized Sherry steps forward as well as a warming boozy note and tannic caramel. Finishes with a lingering dried earth note, dusty leather, stale malt, and old wood tinders. Not a fan of the five year old DB. Side by side with the 2008 freshie: Wow, I wouldn’t believe that they were the same beer unless I poured it myself. The freshie is cleaner, infinately hoppier all around, and much brighter. The peaches and apricots really shine though when sided with the oldster DB. Vintage 2004 Pours clear, dark amber with a two inch head of off white. Retention is moderate and theres some decent lacing after the fall. Aromatics lead off with ripe, red fruits, sweet malt, and alcohol. Significantly more boozy than the 2003 or 2008. Slightly vineous with hints of bourbon fusels, cherries, figs, and sherry. On the thick side of medium bodied. Slightly syrupy and plenty slick. Dark fruits, cherry-infused malt, and bourbon-spiked toffee start the palate. A mild throat burn quickly steps forward as well as a peppery warmth. Finishes with lingering alcohol, sweet malt, and fading red fruits. Hardly a trace of oxidation in the 2004, which makes it pretty amazing how quickly this beer goes off the deep end. Looks like four years in the cellar is the max for a Double Bastard. Vintage 2006 Pours murky dark amber, with a one inch head of off white. A partial skim coat remained on the surface for the duration, along with some spotty lacework. Aromatics lead off with dry, papery malt, caramel, toffee, earthy cedar, and a trace of cocoa. Warming alcohol follows through along with wet cardboard. On the thick side of medium bodied and chewy. A creamy and somewhat syrupy mouthfeel. Drying malt, caramel dust, and hints of cocoa, nougat, and wet boards start the palate. Dark fruits, warming alcohol, and an approachable biterness follow through. Finishes with lingering cardboard-infused malt, stale chocolate, and a drying bitterness. Concensus: The 2004 was remarkable and somehow far superior to the 2006. Zero oxidation and was clearer in the glass. I’d like to think that the perfect amount of time for DB in the cellar is four years if you use the 2004 as a benchmark. The 2006 disproves this though. Vintages in order of best to worst: 2008 2004 2006 2003 Note: All were stored in the cellar on thier sides for the duration, and the 2006 was very close to the 2003 in last place.

0.66 l bottle at Akkurat, Stockholm. Slightly hazy dark amber color with creamy head. Sweet, hoppy and fruity aroma with flowery and lemony hops, prunes and caramel. Strong bittersweet flavor with caramel as well as massive lemony and flowery hops. To my mind there is too much everything and the overload of hops make this a bit soapy. I prefer the original.

Bomber. Pours a clear dark amber with a 2 finger creamy beige head that leaves spotty lacing. The nose is caramel malt and floral hops. The taste is sweet toffee, caramel and ripe citrus with a lasting bitter pine finish. Medium creamy mouth feel. Good ASA.

Bottle from Jonpol at AJs. Pours a murky amber color, almost like a barley wine, with a creamy tan head. Smells and tastes of slightly overripe apples and citrus, with balanced amounts of yeast, malt, and hops. Finishes hot with alcohol and a trace of wood. Nice.

Doubling the bastard was a fantastic idea. Sweeter and thicker, the more subtle flavors of the bastard come out fully. Very interesting mouthful.

2007 Bottle, aged one year. Pours a dark murky reddish body with a loose off white, almost tan, head. Huge vineous alcohol scent with sweet sticky bready notes beyond what must have been a hop overload. Sensation is still hot on the pallate with lots of alcohol soak and dry puckering bitterness. It feels disorganized on my pallate like the malts are all boozed up and don’t know how to act. Flavors are deep and complex with citrusy hops, caramel malts, boozey vodka like alcohol notes, and some sweet woody malts. Still not sure what to make of this one, but I know not to mess with it.