Double Bastard Ale

Double Bastard Ale

2011 Release

American Strong Ale

Stone Brewing Co.

IBU's: "Classified" (100+?)

Alcohol: 10.5%

"Ye shall know the Bastard,

and the Bastard shall set you free."

It's crazy to think, but 101 reviews ago I reviewed the original Arrogant Bastard Ale, a perfectly balanced hoppy and malty, strong amber ale.  The original Arrogant Bastard maintains itself as one of my all-time favorite beers and I've probably gone through more bottles of it than any other single beer.  Stone Brewing make several variations on the Arrogant Bastard, with the oaked version being one of my favs, as well.  But, the big daddy of them all is this one, the Double Bastard.

Now, any reader of the beers reviews on this blog knows that I have a love for Stone Brewing Company out of California.  And even though I've only formally reviewed a handful of their beers, I've sampled over a dozen different brews and haven't had a bad tasting one from them yet.

So here we have the Double Bastard, a 10.5% ABV beast of a beer.  It pours a slightly darker amber than the standard Arrogant Bastard.  It has strong aromas of malty caramel, figs, and a massive amount of hops on par with a good India Pale Ale.  You take a sip and get thick, sweet toffee malts, dark raisins, pine, a touch of the high-proof alcohol, and a pleasantly long-lasting bitter hop finish that rivals just about any IPA out there.

This is everything I love about the original Arrogant Bastard Ale stepped up a couple notches.  It has pretty much the same flavor profile, but everything is stronger here.  Stronger malt, stronger hops, stronger alcohol.

This. beer. is. badass.

Drink This: if you want a malty, hoppy, beast of a sipping beer.  If you enjoy the standard Arrogant Bastard or like hoppy beers, give this is a try.  This is easily Stone's best beer and in my top 5 favorite beers, perhaps even top 3, of all-time...

Don't Drink This: if you are not worthy.         

 

Arrogant Bastard Ale

ARROGANT BASTARD ALE

Stone Brewing Company

American Strong Ale

IBU's: Classified

7.2% Alcohol

Well, what can you say? Arrogant Bastard Ale is badass.  Sure, there's an awesome gargoyle on the bottle and it's 7.2% alcohol, but really, seriously this is god damn delicious beer.  This is how beer can and should taste.  It is essentially a moderately higher-alcohol, hoppy amber ale.  It doesn't try to be overly dark for the sake of being dark, or even overly hoppy just to be hoppy.  It is perfectly balanced in all respects.  Surely some people are going to piss and moan and say it is too hoppy, well those people probably drink the big name watery beer with no hops whatsoever.  Well, screw them.  Most people I have given this beer to have loved it; a few, not so much.  

Here's the writing on the back of the bottle:

This is an aggressive beer. You probably won't like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory---maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it's made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beer will give you more sex appeal.  Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make a beer taste better.  Perhaps you are mouthing your words as you read this.

Like it says, this is an aggressive beer, especially by most people's standards.  Certainly I have had many darker beers, many hoppier beers, and many higher strength beers, yet somehow this one strikes the perfect balance.  The fact that I have gone through several cases of this stuff over the past couple years is proof enough of how amazing it is.  This is exactly why is the first beer being reviewed on Bob's Brew and Liquor Reviews.  I can think of no better way.  I love this stuff...

Drink This: if you like full-flavored, hoppy glasses of deliciousness.

Don't Drink This: if you dislike hops and enjoy watery piss beer, if you like sugary girly drinks, or if you are a pansy.