Double Double Barrel Ale
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Beer Geek Stats:
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- Style:
- Barleywine - English
Ranked #10 - ABV:
- 12%
- Score:
- 96
Ranked #722 - Avg:
- 4.32 | pDev: 8.8%
- Reviews:
- 347
- Ratings:
- From:
- Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Avail:
- Rotating/Seasonal
- Wants
- 257
- Gots
- 854
SCORE
96
World-Class
96
World-Class
Notes:
Reviews: 347
| Ratings: 1,991
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Reviews by mhksuccess:
mhksuccess from California
4.21/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
had last night at a tasting thanks to YOITSARCH for bringing
it pour a nice color very little head
this bottle was 2012 version so had a year of age on it which did it wonderfully
the heat mellow out a bit and the flavors definitely came out
think maybe another year and this would be ripe wish he had another bottle for next year lol
anyway it is drinking really nice and still has a hint of heat but overall
this is a great bottle
Aug 18, 2013
4.21/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
had last night at a tasting thanks to YOITSARCH for bringing
it pour a nice color very little head
this bottle was 2012 version so had a year of age on it which did it wonderfully
the heat mellow out a bit and the flavors definitely came out
think maybe another year and this would be ripe wish he had another bottle for next year lol
anyway it is drinking really nice and still has a hint of heat but overall
this is a great bottle
Aug 18, 2013
More User Reviews:
pestalinc from California
4.66/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Twice as good as the DBA.
Dec 30, 2014
4.66/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Twice as good as the DBA.
Dec 30, 2014
DaverCS from Arizona
4.67/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
2014 vintage at barrelworks
Aroma: toffee, Malt sweetness like malt syrup.
Really balanced! Toffee rum soaked dark fruits, Malts, a bit of tobacco
It gets a 94/100.
May 01, 2016
4.67/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
2014 vintage at barrelworks
Aroma: toffee, Malt sweetness like malt syrup.
Really balanced! Toffee rum soaked dark fruits, Malts, a bit of tobacco
It gets a 94/100.
May 01, 2016
TruePerception from California
4.4/5 rDev +1.9%
Firestone's Double DBA, barrel-aged imperial special bitter. 12% ABV.
A: Nice smoky haze upon opening. A little less than a finger of lopsided head. Seems to be no lacing. Clear, slightly-orange red, with tiny grey sediment suspended throughout. Golden yellow in the dimple, with more suspended sediment. (4.5)
S: Deep, fruity molasses. Malty. Some bourbon and oakiness, but it's lighter than Firestone's other BA offerings. Lightly browned cereal grain (a la, whole grain Cheerios). I'm having trouble nailing down the fruit smell I'm getting. Something along the lines of fig or tamarind. Toffee. (4.5)
T/MF: Flavor is darker, and with more caramel notes, than the basic DBA. Rich fruity toffee. Dried cherry, plum. More of that malted cereal grain. Slight char note on the back end of all those caramel and toffee notes. Booziness is well masked. Slightly soft mouthfeel. Slight, bittersweet chocolate note. Very slight grassiness, but it very well hidden underneath the other flavors. (4.5/4.25)
Overall: Decent amount of sweetness along with the flavors makes this more of a dessert beer, to me. Quite glad I was able to try this before it was gone!(4.5)
Poured from a 22 oz. bottle, into a Belgian tulip glass.
Aug 20, 2014
4.4/5 rDev +1.9%
Firestone's Double DBA, barrel-aged imperial special bitter. 12% ABV.
A: Nice smoky haze upon opening. A little less than a finger of lopsided head. Seems to be no lacing. Clear, slightly-orange red, with tiny grey sediment suspended throughout. Golden yellow in the dimple, with more suspended sediment. (4.5)
S: Deep, fruity molasses. Malty. Some bourbon and oakiness, but it's lighter than Firestone's other BA offerings. Lightly browned cereal grain (a la, whole grain Cheerios). I'm having trouble nailing down the fruit smell I'm getting. Something along the lines of fig or tamarind. Toffee. (4.5)
T/MF: Flavor is darker, and with more caramel notes, than the basic DBA. Rich fruity toffee. Dried cherry, plum. More of that malted cereal grain. Slight char note on the back end of all those caramel and toffee notes. Booziness is well masked. Slightly soft mouthfeel. Slight, bittersweet chocolate note. Very slight grassiness, but it very well hidden underneath the other flavors. (4.5/4.25)
Overall: Decent amount of sweetness along with the flavors makes this more of a dessert beer, to me. Quite glad I was able to try this before it was gone!(4.5)
Poured from a 22 oz. bottle, into a Belgian tulip glass.
Aug 20, 2014
jzeilinger from Pennsylvania
4.22/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A - Pours a hazy dark ruby red color with thin lacing, minimal carbonation, and very viscous looking.
S - Bourbon, toasted caramel, toffee, vanilla, and oak.
T - Lots of toasted toffee, vanilla, caramel, oak, and bourbon from start to finish. Alcohol effervescence is prominent along with alcohol warming, light citrus bitterness at the very end and lingering alcohol warmth.
M - Thick, full body, sticky, carbonation is silky smooth.
O - Very boozy and complex.
Jan 04, 2015
4.22/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A - Pours a hazy dark ruby red color with thin lacing, minimal carbonation, and very viscous looking.
S - Bourbon, toasted caramel, toffee, vanilla, and oak.
T - Lots of toasted toffee, vanilla, caramel, oak, and bourbon from start to finish. Alcohol effervescence is prominent along with alcohol warming, light citrus bitterness at the very end and lingering alcohol warmth.
M - Thick, full body, sticky, carbonation is silky smooth.
O - Very boozy and complex.
Jan 04, 2015
Rutager from Canada (BC)
4.15/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Thanks to my mother and father in law for this most excellent Christmas gift.
Appearance. Pours a deep, hazy burnt orange with almost a finger of off-white head.
Smell. Rich oak and vanilla, bourbon and sweet caramel malts, some brown sugar and a bit of woody spice.
Taste. Caramel, vanilla, barrel wood and bourbon with a little chocolate and coconut.
Mouthfeel. Medium-full body with medium-low carbonation and some nice smooth boozy warmth.
Overall. A nice big but smooth sipper that actually goes down quite easy.
Apr 10, 2013
4.15/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Thanks to my mother and father in law for this most excellent Christmas gift.
Appearance. Pours a deep, hazy burnt orange with almost a finger of off-white head.
Smell. Rich oak and vanilla, bourbon and sweet caramel malts, some brown sugar and a bit of woody spice.
Taste. Caramel, vanilla, barrel wood and bourbon with a little chocolate and coconut.
Mouthfeel. Medium-full body with medium-low carbonation and some nice smooth boozy warmth.
Overall. A nice big but smooth sipper that actually goes down quite easy.
Apr 10, 2013
bpasquini from California
4.68/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
A: dark ruby in color, similar to sucaba, a little more carbonation leaving a small half finger head
S: similar to sucaba and parabola, very sweet smelling, vanilla and bourbon predominately, some tart fruit also
T: slight bourbon presence, vanilla, and a little caramelized sugar, tasted a little coconut, and very little earthy hops as well, can tell they aged this in the same barrels as sucaba and parabola, very good flavor to it, would say it is sweeter than parabola, gets a little boozy as it warms
M: feels thick but smooth, almost identical to sucaba, very easy to drink considering %12 ABV
O: very good beer, recommend trying if you can find it, Sucaba and Parabola are better but this still compares to them, a little cheaper than sucaba and parabola, but still very good
May 13, 2013
4.68/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
A: dark ruby in color, similar to sucaba, a little more carbonation leaving a small half finger head
S: similar to sucaba and parabola, very sweet smelling, vanilla and bourbon predominately, some tart fruit also
T: slight bourbon presence, vanilla, and a little caramelized sugar, tasted a little coconut, and very little earthy hops as well, can tell they aged this in the same barrels as sucaba and parabola, very good flavor to it, would say it is sweeter than parabola, gets a little boozy as it warms
M: feels thick but smooth, almost identical to sucaba, very easy to drink considering %12 ABV
O: very good beer, recommend trying if you can find it, Sucaba and Parabola are better but this still compares to them, a little cheaper than sucaba and parabola, but still very good
May 13, 2013
ryanflc from New Jersey
4.05/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Aug 10, 2015
4.05/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Aug 10, 2015
bcrossan from North Carolina
4.38/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
2012 vintage. Has aged well. Nice simple BW. Not too heavy and easy drinking
Sep 28, 2013
4.38/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
2012 vintage. Has aged well. Nice simple BW. Not too heavy and easy drinking
Sep 28, 2013
davey101 from Connecticut
4.25/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2012 vintage, No. 001. 22 oz bomber into a Founders 15th anny glass.
A - Pours a dark red body that is somewhat clear save for a great deal of floaties in the last pour. Really not much of a head to speak of. An initial fingers worth of tan foam fades away quickly to some thin edging. Minimal lacing.
S - The aroma reminds me a lot of Founders Boltcutter. Just a lightly hopped barrel aged barleywine/DIPA hybrid sort of thing. Rich caramel, toffee, biscuits and figs go right into some quasi-grapefruit/piney hops. Vanilla, oak, and brown sugar briefly on the end before it all gets consumed by a wall of ethanol.
T - The taste is very similar to the nose. Toffee and caramel central with some faded hops and a really nice barrel presence of butterscotch, oak, and vanilla. The alcohol is very noticeable but in a somewhat masochistic fashion. It impedes drinkability but half way into the beer I find myself enjoying its smooth burn. The finish really is fantastic. Mouth feel is a bit thin with low carbonation which suits the beer well enough.
O - I did not expect the beer to feel this massive. The booze is incredibly noticeable. Like a barrel aged old ale with a huge fruit presence but not as heavy. I wasn't totally sold initially but I really warmed up to it. Its very unique against the masses of BA barley wines out on the market. BA Imperial Bitter...go figure!
Jun 10, 2013
4.25/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2012 vintage, No. 001. 22 oz bomber into a Founders 15th anny glass.
A - Pours a dark red body that is somewhat clear save for a great deal of floaties in the last pour. Really not much of a head to speak of. An initial fingers worth of tan foam fades away quickly to some thin edging. Minimal lacing.
S - The aroma reminds me a lot of Founders Boltcutter. Just a lightly hopped barrel aged barleywine/DIPA hybrid sort of thing. Rich caramel, toffee, biscuits and figs go right into some quasi-grapefruit/piney hops. Vanilla, oak, and brown sugar briefly on the end before it all gets consumed by a wall of ethanol.
T - The taste is very similar to the nose. Toffee and caramel central with some faded hops and a really nice barrel presence of butterscotch, oak, and vanilla. The alcohol is very noticeable but in a somewhat masochistic fashion. It impedes drinkability but half way into the beer I find myself enjoying its smooth burn. The finish really is fantastic. Mouth feel is a bit thin with low carbonation which suits the beer well enough.
O - I did not expect the beer to feel this massive. The booze is incredibly noticeable. Like a barrel aged old ale with a huge fruit presence but not as heavy. I wasn't totally sold initially but I really warmed up to it. Its very unique against the masses of BA barley wines out on the market. BA Imperial Bitter...go figure!
Jun 10, 2013
Double Double Barrel Ale from Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
96 out of
100 with
1991 ratings
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