Double Bastard Ale
Arrogant Consortia

Double Bastard AleDouble Bastard Ale
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From:
Arrogant Consortia
 
California, United States
Style:
American Strong Ale
Ranked #30
ABV:
11%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,762
Avg:
4.26 | pDev: 10.8%
Reviews:
2,146
Ratings:
6,821
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 08, 2023
Added:
Jul 27, 2001
Wants:
  528
Gots:
  1,420
First release: November 1998
Originally brewed to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Arrogant Bastard Ale, Double Bastard Ale debuted in November 1998 as an amped-up version of that already aggressive beer. A huge malt bill and an unreasonable amount of hops make this ale one that will be appreciated by only a few, and that’s just fine with us. We didn’t brew this dark amber monster to please anyone other than ourselves.
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Ratings by bobhits:
Photo of bobhits
Reviewed by bobhits from Kentucky

4.53/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a mid dark red hinting on some orange and yellow touches. Bubbles hang to the double bastard glass with a tall nice half finger head (poured into a double bastard glass which doesn't hold much so this is GOOD amounts of head). Not any lacing other than the white fuzz hanging to the sides of the glass. There are some big alcohol legs here and well given the bastardliness of this one (10.5%) the lack of head retention is almost a given.

There is a nice citrus grapefruit opening where the hops really shine through. The back is the sweet caramel and sugary fruit malt back. Not a huge nose and alcohol comes through some, but I like what's here. This isn't "double" the bastard if you will.

First impression, the hops do not lead the flavor which is odd. The first taste is intense sweetness from caramel, toffee, and fruits. This wonderful sweetness is followed by a bite from the hops and then it goes back to sweetness before finishing with intense bitter and citrus hops. The alcohol has the final say here...this one is hot just accept it with the name! I've always felt like double bastard didn't feel "double" but I think my issue is really more with the malt here is stronger than the hops. This years beer is imo more balanced towards the malt than in the past, but fresh I normally just have it on tap. Anyway, the beer is malt forward with an insane amount of hops that still just barely are able to take over for a brief time. There's a good bit of spice and heat here to really clean up the sweetness.

A beer this big is hard to really qualify on mouth feel. It is HOT. It is BIG. It isn't well carbonated. It is what you'd expect for the "style" and the brewer though.

There are a lot of reasons to dislike this beer. It is too bitter, too hot, too sweet, and I say you're just not worthy! Yes, as a beer critic this beer has some very real flaws. It could be better, but damn it, I love the bastardly ways of Stone. This beer is for this beer lover a complete joy from start to finish. This isn't for the beer drinker who wants balance, subtly, drink ability, or anything like those. This was made for the guys who want a beer to beat them over the head, have more flavors than they can dream of, and that can do it for a VERY reasonable price!

So I just bought a 2011 bottle of this, it's now 2017.

I wanted to make a few notes, this is a 6 year old beer at over 10%, and it has the carbonation of a new beer. The hops are still well on display. The age has perhaps added a bit of a muted aged malt flavor (hard to explain it, but "wet dog" or "wet hair" is kinda the way I think of it, but in far more desirable way. Horrible example. Anyway the malt and hops here work really well. I can still tell I'm drinking a high alcohol beer. It's really amazing how little the beer has changed with 6 years of age. A part of me is upset that I can't give more notes of change, but another part of me is amazing at how well a 6 year old beer has held up. There are a LOT of floaters in here for you visual people....I like them but I could see complaints. It's pushing into the quad world in terms of floaters.
Nov 12, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.09 by twostarhotel from New York

Dec 08, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Nyoder

Nov 26, 2023
 
Rated: 2.7 by RamonaBeer from California

Jan 03, 2023
Photo of griffinwelsh
Rated by griffinwelsh from Texas

4.31/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Strong biting ale. Light copper color. Thin smooth consistency. A better big brother to the regular arrogant B*@tard ale.
May 04, 2022
Photo of tekstr1der
Reviewed by tekstr1der from New Hampshire

3.85/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This stuff is rugged. Not my favorite style, but apparently a good representation of it. Just too much hop bite and burn for me to truly enjoy. Definitely a fun time trying it out though!
Mar 16, 2022
Photo of chum_husk
Reviewed by chum_husk from Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
this is a good one. taste like a big hoppy loaf of raisin bread, in the best way. big and beautiful and surprisingly clean. I could drink this one all night, until I pass out
Dec 09, 2021
 
Rated: 5 by Resistance88 from California

Sep 27, 2021
Photo of Rug
Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts

4.21/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2016 vintage

Here we go, beer number 666. And a 101oz bottle at that. I paid over $100 for this but I think it’s gonna be worth it splitting this thing with my boy. Let’s unlock the mini padlock and pop this baby open!

Pours murky reddish brown with 2 fingers of tan head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves decent lacing

This has definitely lost its' intense hoppiness over time, but this honestly smells great now, like a lightly hoppy barleywine. I'm picking up on aromas of sweet brown sugar, molasses, toasted pecan, earthy hops, caramel, golden raisin, and light toast

Where it was charmingly old in aroma, this is a bit too old and faded in taste. It's not necessarily bad but it's showing significant age. On the front end of the sip I'm tasting earthy hops, fusel alcohol, caramel malt, and light fig. The swallow brings notes of brown sugar, toasted pecan, brown bread, and nutty malt

A medium full body pairs with very mild carbonation, resulting in a smooth yet slightly hot beer. Finishes mostly dry with a mild earthy bitterness

It's not the best beer in the world, but I'm still happy to have gotten this big bottle. I'll have to see how I feel after finishing the big ass bottle
May 15, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by BeerRay from Rhode Island

Mar 19, 2021
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.75/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
650 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 11%. Hazy reddish brown colour, moderate off-white head. Strong aroma of American hops, piney notes, also caramelized orange marmalade, some alcohol. Very hoppy flavour, medium sweet, caramel and alcohol. Bitter finish, hints of solvent.Warming mouthfeel. There’s plenty of hops in this one (surprise, surprise), but this is probably not where you go when you look for balance.
Mar 19, 2021
 
Rated: 4.29 by smi69 from New York

Mar 19, 2021
 
Rated: 4.29 by KingforaDay from New Jersey

Feb 16, 2021
 
Rated: 4.75 by mrmsmith from District of Columbia

Feb 10, 2021
 
Rated: 3.85 by CisPiece88 from Nebraska

Jan 03, 2021
 
Rated: 4.68 by jxl from North Carolina

Oct 30, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by Velivolus1 from Vermont

Jul 19, 2020
 
Rated: 3.35 by Justincredble from Pennsylvania

Jun 04, 2020
 
Rated: 5 by doctorgary from New York

Mar 04, 2020
 
Rated: 4.23 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona

Feb 21, 2020
Double Bastard Ale from Arrogant Consortia
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 6821 ratings