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Double Barrel Ale (DBA)
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- From:
- Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- English Pale Ale
Ranked #51 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 83
Ranked #24,851 - Avg:
- 3.67 | pDev: 11.44%
- Reviews:
- 809
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 22, 2023
- Added:
- Aug 24, 2002
- Wants:
- 109
- Gots:
- 508
SCORE
83
Good
83
Good
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.
Reviewed by laketang from Arizona
3.74/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours out a lovely copper tone.
Nice malty notes of caramelized sugar.
A good mildly sweet beer, and there is some hop notes as well.
I also taste some toffee too.
Chewy medium feel with good carbonation.
I can see what they are going for with this ale.
Jul 21, 2023Nice malty notes of caramelized sugar.
A good mildly sweet beer, and there is some hop notes as well.
I also taste some toffee too.
Chewy medium feel with good carbonation.
I can see what they are going for with this ale.
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York
3.94/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Light amber with a 1" light tan head, which fades to a wisp.
Aroma is caramel, malty.
Taste is caramel, malty, light toffee, oaky.
Medium body, moderate carbonation. Semidry finish.
Another nice beer from Firestone Walker.
Sep 05, 2022Aroma is caramel, malty.
Taste is caramel, malty, light toffee, oaky.
Medium body, moderate carbonation. Semidry finish.
Another nice beer from Firestone Walker.
Reviewed by DVMin98 from North Carolina
3.79/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
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
Rated by evanwoertz from California
4.26/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.26/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
really solid english pale. nutty and wooden. bitter but not harsh, almost buttery even.
Nov 22, 2021
Reviewed by TheBricenator from Oregon
3.9/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.9/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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, 2021Aroma: 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
Reviewed by VoxRationis from New York
3.53/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
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, 2021A: 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.
Double Barrel Ale (DBA) from Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
83 out of
100 with
2872 ratings
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