Double Barrel Ale (DBA)
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
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- From:
- Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Pale Ale - English
Ranked #50 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 83
Ranked #25,012 - Avg:
- 3.67 | pDev: 11.44%
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Tuesday at 12:15 PM
- Added:
- Aug 24, 2002
- Wants:
- 108
- Gots:
- 507
SCORE
83
Good
83
Good
Notes:
DBA—a.k.a. Double Barrel Ale—is the trailblazing flagship beer that started it all for us back in 1996. Partially fermented in our patented Firestone Union oak-‐barrel brewing system, DBA quickly took the Central Coast by storm and set the pace for future beers to come. Today, DBA is regarded as a California classic, and stands as an iconic tribute to traditional cask-‐fermented English ales. Pale malts create a smooth middle with ribbons of caramel, English toffee and toasted oak.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
3.82 by Coronaeus from Canada (ON) on Tuesday at 12:15 PM
4 by szmnnl99 from Michigan on Apr 14, 2022
4.34/5 rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by DVMin98 from North Carolina
2013 bomber opened with friends. Carmel color. Murk as it gets to the bottom. Carmel and malts on nose. Flavor is the same. No oxidation! Some sweetness. Medium mouth feel. Aged gracefully.
Apr 05, 2022
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by DVMin98 from North Carolina
2013 bomber opened with friends. Carmel color. Murk as it gets to the bottom. Carmel and malts on nose. Flavor is the same. No oxidation! Some sweetness. Medium mouth feel. Aged gracefully.
Apr 05, 2022
3.36 by HanktheTank94 on Jan 21, 2022
4.26/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by evanwoertz from California
really solid english pale. nutty and wooden. bitter but not harsh, almost buttery even.
Nov 22, 2021
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by evanwoertz from California
really solid english pale. nutty and wooden. bitter but not harsh, almost buttery even.
Nov 22, 2021
3.5 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota on Nov 21, 2021
3.9/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by TheBricenator from Oregon
Look: A beautiful copper-red on the pour and sporting a silky-looking off-white head that lids up, leaving nice lacing behind
Aroma: Freshly baked bread, caramel, light earthy notes, raw bread dough, and some fruity esters as well
Taste: Caramel, bready malt, and earthiness combine forces to start it off and soon after, fruity esters start trickling in – Red Delicious apple & some quince. Dough and bread maintain their hold and the earthy hops keep it all in balance until the finish
Mouthfeel: Full, very smooth throughout, medium-high carbonation, and a soft and smooth finish
Overall: I’m digging this. I haven’t had this beer in several years and didn’t respect or understand its lure when I first had it many years ago as my palate was still very much a work in progress but now, this is definitely a winner. A great take on a British Pale Ale and checks all the right boxes for me; caramel, fruity esters, and rich malt. Yes please, I’ll take more
Nov 20, 2021
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by TheBricenator from Oregon
Look: A beautiful copper-red on the pour and sporting a silky-looking off-white head that lids up, leaving nice lacing behind
Aroma: Freshly baked bread, caramel, light earthy notes, raw bread dough, and some fruity esters as well
Taste: Caramel, bready malt, and earthiness combine forces to start it off and soon after, fruity esters start trickling in – Red Delicious apple & some quince. Dough and bread maintain their hold and the earthy hops keep it all in balance until the finish
Mouthfeel: Full, very smooth throughout, medium-high carbonation, and a soft and smooth finish
Overall: I’m digging this. I haven’t had this beer in several years and didn’t respect or understand its lure when I first had it many years ago as my palate was still very much a work in progress but now, this is definitely a winner. A great take on a British Pale Ale and checks all the right boxes for me; caramel, fruity esters, and rich malt. Yes please, I’ll take more
Nov 20, 2021
3.44 by uncleotis from Illinois on Sep 14, 2021
4.09 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona on Aug 14, 2021
3.6 by Jcal2023 from Pennsylvania on Jul 30, 2021
3.53/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
by VoxRationis from New York
Served from a tap into a conical pint glass at Pappy McGregor's in Paso Robles, California.
A: Pours a crystal clear, copper color with a less one finger, white head, low retention, and limited lacing.
S: Aromas of grasses, caramel, and pepper.
T: Semidry. Flavors of caramel and toffee a bit overpowered by strong bitterness.
M: Light to medium bodied with low effervescence.
O: Definitely like the English Pale Ale. Thought this would be interesting. It really wasn't at all.
Jul 25, 2021
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
by VoxRationis from New York
Served from a tap into a conical pint glass at Pappy McGregor's in Paso Robles, California.
A: Pours a crystal clear, copper color with a less one finger, white head, low retention, and limited lacing.
S: Aromas of grasses, caramel, and pepper.
T: Semidry. Flavors of caramel and toffee a bit overpowered by strong bitterness.
M: Light to medium bodied with low effervescence.
O: Definitely like the English Pale Ale. Thought this would be interesting. It really wasn't at all.
Jul 25, 2021
3.74 by Connybumbum from Colorado on Jun 17, 2021
3.79/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
by highdesertdrinker from Arizona
I had this last about 7-8 years ago and have scarcely seen it since then but this is fairly fresh whereas the others I tried weren’t. It pours copper gold with a little head that vanishes fast. The smell is biscuity malt with some herbal hop. The taste is toasted malt, molasses, sugar, and a slight bitterness from the hops and some subtle fruity flavors. Nothing striking or bold here but nothing offensive as it’s an easy drinker esp if you’re hop averse, cheers!
May 31, 2021
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
by highdesertdrinker from Arizona
I had this last about 7-8 years ago and have scarcely seen it since then but this is fairly fresh whereas the others I tried weren’t. It pours copper gold with a little head that vanishes fast. The smell is biscuity malt with some herbal hop. The taste is toasted malt, molasses, sugar, and a slight bitterness from the hops and some subtle fruity flavors. Nothing striking or bold here but nothing offensive as it’s an easy drinker esp if you’re hop averse, cheers!
May 31, 2021
3.83 by Dentist666 from Russian Federation on Apr 30, 2021
3.94 by robertfyffe from California on Feb 13, 2021
3.55 by drewmuni from California on Jan 24, 2021
3.52 by desint from Belgium on Dec 15, 2020
4/5 rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by davidward from Florida
An absolutely flagship pale ale for Firestone and one of the smoothest of the kind out there.
Oct 18, 2020
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by davidward from Florida
An absolutely flagship pale ale for Firestone and one of the smoothest of the kind out there.
Oct 18, 2020
4.07 by Jsalz21 from New Jersey on Jul 17, 2020
3.5 by TallGuyCM from California on Jun 15, 2020
3.69 by ryanf2192 from District of Columbia on Jun 09, 2020
4 by BrinkingDeer from California on May 23, 2020
3.5 by RiceOwls27 from Texas on May 13, 2020
3.87/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by joaopmgoncalves from Portugal
Poured to a BrewDog tulip.
A: The body is brown to amber with a beige head that shows no signs of retention as barrel aged beers would.
S: The aroma is quite interesting because it has a bit of fruity and herbal tones of the English Pale Ale topped with a hint of nice yeasty activity, almost resembling a belgian abbey beer. Very interesting indeed.
T: The taste is nothing remarkable as it looks like a aged pale ale, a style you wouldn't want to age at all, with more sugary contents, malty, with caramel and going towards a finish that has virtually no hoppiness. That's not bad - it's good to find this experiment as you can see where aging an EPA can get you but this defeats the purpose of the style itself.
M: Body is medium. Carbonation is very low. Alcohol is unnoticeable.
O: It's not the best beer from Firestone but it's an interesting experiment, specially on the aroma.
Mar 31, 2020
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by joaopmgoncalves from Portugal
Poured to a BrewDog tulip.
A: The body is brown to amber with a beige head that shows no signs of retention as barrel aged beers would.
S: The aroma is quite interesting because it has a bit of fruity and herbal tones of the English Pale Ale topped with a hint of nice yeasty activity, almost resembling a belgian abbey beer. Very interesting indeed.
T: The taste is nothing remarkable as it looks like a aged pale ale, a style you wouldn't want to age at all, with more sugary contents, malty, with caramel and going towards a finish that has virtually no hoppiness. That's not bad - it's good to find this experiment as you can see where aging an EPA can get you but this defeats the purpose of the style itself.
M: Body is medium. Carbonation is very low. Alcohol is unnoticeable.
O: It's not the best beer from Firestone but it's an interesting experiment, specially on the aroma.
Mar 31, 2020
3.93/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by bret27 from California
Caramel amber look. Minimal head.
Has a really well balanced biscuity taste and mouthfeel. Decent to light hop character. Understably a flagship ale for the average beer drinker. Reminded me a lot of fat tire ale and Sam Adams Boston lager.
A California classic.
Oct 05, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by bret27 from California
Caramel amber look. Minimal head.
Has a really well balanced biscuity taste and mouthfeel. Decent to light hop character. Understably a flagship ale for the average beer drinker. Reminded me a lot of fat tire ale and Sam Adams Boston lager.
A California classic.
Oct 05, 2019
3.67 by JMills52 from Pennsylvania on Sep 12, 2019
3.19 by Manthon from Pennsylvania on Aug 28, 2019
3.44 by Noah_Aimar from Oregon on Jun 29, 2019
3.75 by bdlusa from Texas on Jun 25, 2019
2.4 by dcall384 from Indiana on Jun 11, 2019
2.98/5 rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington
L: Red side of amber with a half-finger white head, quickly fading to a ring on the glass with some lacing.
S: Roasted malt mostly with floral and some citrus notes. Weak overall.
T: Slightly herbal malty fare. One note.
M: A bit weighty for a pale.
O: A balanced but boring ale, likely more loved in its day.
Jun 06, 2019
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington
L: Red side of amber with a half-finger white head, quickly fading to a ring on the glass with some lacing.
S: Roasted malt mostly with floral and some citrus notes. Weak overall.
T: Slightly herbal malty fare. One note.
M: A bit weighty for a pale.
O: A balanced but boring ale, likely more loved in its day.
Jun 06, 2019
3.5 by Kolb from Montana on Apr 24, 2019
3.75 by Chinaskifan1 from Pennsylvania on Mar 16, 2019
3.92/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
by GuyFawkes from Illinois
Bottled 11/24/14; drank 1/1/15 @ the Yarchives.
See-through orange/ruby hue.
Frothy off-white head; frothy tree-rung lace.
Caramel, corn & acorn nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Acorn, mild caramel & corn flavors up front; mild brown sugar & oak finish.
A nice session ale with darker notes; enjoyable.
Mar 06, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
by GuyFawkes from Illinois
Bottled 11/24/14; drank 1/1/15 @ the Yarchives.
See-through orange/ruby hue.
Frothy off-white head; frothy tree-rung lace.
Caramel, corn & acorn nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Acorn, mild caramel & corn flavors up front; mild brown sugar & oak finish.
A nice session ale with darker notes; enjoyable.
Mar 06, 2019
3.97/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by stephens101 from Oklahoma
Looking for something smooth and mild at the moment so here goes.
A light amber brew with clarity.
Aroma of green apple, tea leaf, and a hint of caramel.
Tastes of green apple and pear with grain and pine in the finish.
Light in body and smooth and crisp.
Just what I was looking for. Not the best beer ever, but the perfect beer for the moment.
Feb 24, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by stephens101 from Oklahoma
Looking for something smooth and mild at the moment so here goes.
A light amber brew with clarity.
Aroma of green apple, tea leaf, and a hint of caramel.
Tastes of green apple and pear with grain and pine in the finish.
Light in body and smooth and crisp.
Just what I was looking for. Not the best beer ever, but the perfect beer for the moment.
Feb 24, 2019
3.36 by icemanls4 from Switzerland on Feb 08, 2019
3.37 by click2exit from California on Feb 08, 2019
3.75 by brittanylicious from Indiana on Feb 01, 2019
3.75 by heysuz from Indiana on Feb 01, 2019
4 by huckPDX from Oregon on Jan 25, 2019
Double Barrel Ale (DBA) from Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
83 out of
100 with
2864 ratings