Stone Brewing Double Bastard - 3 ltr bottle @ $80 *POLL: should I buy?*

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: scott916
Much stronger, much higher alcohol percentage. I believe its about 10 or 11%.

Wow. It's hard to imagine what it'd taste like.

 

[scott916]

Very similar to AB, just deeper flavor and sweeter, much like a barleywine. More syrupy mouthfeel.

 

[nakedfrog]

Stupid Nebraska distributors and their lack of Stone products! I have to go all the way to Colorado.

 

[foghorn67]

Just get the regular ol' Arrogant Bastard and get over it.

 

[daveshel]

I had a bottle of their Vertical 80 a few weeks ago and thought it was worth every penny. The Double Bastard is a little stronger but not as hoppy since it isn't an IPA, and slightly cheaper. Enjoy.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I'm not a fan of Stone Brewing. They have a cute schtick with the high alcohol content. Apparently that appeals to some children that make the presumption that greater proof = greater taste and they sell a lot of beer based on that equation. I don't think their stuff is all that great, they're not a leader in any category. You can EASILY find dozens of IPAs and strong ales that blow away Stone Brewing offerings.

 

[AstroManLuca]

There are a lot of other, much cheaper beers that are also in the 99th percentile at RateBeer. I tried one not long ago, Bell's Two Hearted Ale. Tasted like pine needles. Not good at all. But apparently everyone else loves it.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Go for it!

 

[queenrobot]

Never had Double Bastard, but Arrogant Bastard tastes awful, so I voted NO.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
I'm not a fan of Stone Brewing. They have a cute schtick with the high alcohol content. Apparently that appeals to some children that make the presumption that greater proof = greater taste and they sell a lot of beer based on that equation. I don't think their stuff is all that great, they're not a leader in any category. You can EASILY find dozens of IPAs and strong ales that blow away Stone Brewing offerings.

I disagree. Arrogant Bastard is one of the better ales that you'll be able to find in most parts of the country. The Ruination IPA is a great example of an imperial IPA, with a strong flavor that is not completely overwhelmed with hoppy bitterness, nor overpowering alcohol. The Imperial Russian Stout is, bar none, the best beer brewed in North America (and I'm including AleSmith and Three Floyds in that assessment); it is so absolutely explosive in flavor, rich and thick like a good Imperial stout should be... I haven't had a single bad beer from Stone Brewing. I'm not saying they're the best brewer in the country, but come on now, they brew some very tasty beer.

 

[rocadelpunk]

Originally posted by: buck

Originally posted by: anxi80
i wonder if stone currently has it on tap at its brewery? oh well, guess ill find out in a few hours! :beer:

You just suck......:|

this

 

[rocadelpunk]

Originally posted by: zinfamous
Arrogant Bastard is so damn good....Double Bastard would have to be twice as good, no?

my corner market sells 22oz Arrogant for $3.79. Cheapest I can find in the area.

Stone also sells oak-casked Arrogant Bastard in 12-ox 6 packs for ~$13. Still haven't tried.

oaked is good, smoother than bastard, but not worth the price increase imo.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: scott916
Much stronger, much higher alcohol percentage. I believe its about 10 or 11%.

Wow. It's hard to imagine what it'd taste like.

It's hard to say. A lot of the high APV beers I've had are actually sweet. They use a boatload of malt to bring up the alcohol % and won't toss in extra hops to bring it back over to the bitter end of the taste spectrum. I've got a double amber working it's magic right now that should come out around 9% APV when we bottle in the middle of November. It took 12 liters of malt extract which is about 50% more than a typical brew that we do and makes for a very smooth, almost sweet drinking brew.

Stone on the other hand beats you over the head with hops in their Bastard ales and that takes away a lot of the alcohol bite too.

I'm more of a malty sweet beer kinda guy rather than mouth pucking amounts of hops.

FWIW, my 6 cases of 9% double amber cost around $150 to do.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
I'm not a fan of Stone Brewing. They have a cute schtick with the high alcohol content. Apparently that appeals to some children that make the presumption that greater proof = greater taste and they sell a lot of beer based on that equation. I don't think their stuff is all that great, they're not a leader in any category. You can EASILY find dozens of IPAs and strong ales that blow away Stone Brewing offerings.

QTF, I tried Arrogant Bastard one time and I didn't like it all, I couldn't finish the bottle. I think I choked down 4 or 5 swallows before I totally gave up and went back to Newcastle. I know Newcastle & A.B. are totally different types of brew. but A.B. was just weird, It's over very overpriced.

I consider it the Macintosh of beers, as it's so expensive and the people that love to drink it tend to act like elitist, just like Mac owners 🙂

 

[daveshel]

Originally posted by: vi edit


It's hard to say. A lot of the high APV beers I've had are actually sweet. They use a boatload of malt to bring up the alcohol % and won't toss in extra hops to bring it back over to the bitter end of the taste spectrum.

Exactly. I had some Lagunitas Sirius the other week that was just too sweet. Nimbus Monkeyshines was the same way.

 

[chuckywang]

Get some Budweiser and be done with it ... beer is beer.

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: Quasmo
It's a really good IPA, but I think you can get it cheaper than $9 a bottle. You're paying for the bottle.

it's NOT an IPA. Stone's IPA are either the IPA "regular" and the "Ruination"

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: chuckywang
Get some Budweiser and be done with it ... beer is beer.

Whatever.

That's like saying a McDonalds $.99 double cheeseburger is the same thing as a medium rare t-bone grilled to perfection. They're both just beef right?

 

[SirStev0]

i'd get it and split it with some peeps.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: scott916
Much stronger, much higher alcohol percentage. I believe its about 10 or 11%.

Wow. It's hard to imagine what it'd taste like.

It's hard to say. A lot of the high APV beers I've had are actually sweet. They use a boatload of malt to bring up the alcohol % and won't toss in extra hops to bring it back over to the bitter end of the taste spectrum. I've got a double amber working it's magic right now that should come out around 9% APV when we bottle in the middle of November. It took 12 liters of malt extract which is about 50% more than a typical brew that we do and makes for a very smooth, almost sweet drinking brew.

Stone on the other hand beats you over the head with hops in their Bastard ales and that takes away a lot of the alcohol bite too.

I'm more of a malty sweet beer kinda guy rather than mouth pucking amounts of hops.

FWIW, my 6 cases of 9% double amber cost around $150 to do.

Just HAD to wait until you moved before you started brewing, huh? 😛

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: buck
I have had it, it was pretty good, just not my type. If this were their Anniversary IPA I would buy it in a heartbeat.

their 11th Anni IPA is pretty good, much better than their Vertical Epic Belgium Ale [imo] crap.

 

[chuckywang]

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: chuckywang
Get some Budweiser and be done with it ... beer is beer.

Whatever.

That's like saying a McDonalds $.99 double cheeseburger is the same thing as a medium rare t-bone grilled to perfection. They're both just beef right?

I agree that there are distinctions in the taste of beer, but the distinctions are not broad enough to justify spending $9 per 12 oz when you can get others for less than $1 per bottle.

 

[rocadelpunk]

Originally posted by: QueBert

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
I'm not a fan of Stone Brewing. They have a cute schtick with the high alcohol content. Apparently that appeals to some children that make the presumption that greater proof = greater taste and they sell a lot of beer based on that equation. I don't think their stuff is all that great, they're not a leader in any category. You can EASILY find dozens of IPAs and strong ales that blow away Stone Brewing offerings.

QTF, I tried Arrogant Bastard one time and I didn't like it all, I couldn't finish the bottle. I think I choked down 4 or 5 swallows before I totally gave up and went back to Newcastle. I know Newcastle & A.B. are totally different types of brew. but A.B. was just weird, It's over very overpriced.

I consider it the Macintosh of beers, as it's so expensive and the people that love to drink it tend to act like elitist, just like Mac owners 🙂

Absolutely wrong.

You just haven't developed a taste for the style.

Newcastle is a brown ale which is a step above bud/miller/coors. It's not by much, but brown ales are the first *real* beers in one's journey to beer nirvana.

Try a imperial russian stout, you'll probably spit it out. I did the first time I had one several years ago (rasputin for those who are curious). It was so strong I tried to mix it in a milkshake and that didn't help. After drinking Guinness for about a year straight I tried one again just for the hell of it and discovered I now loved it. It tasted delicious and there were so many flavors.

Those crude oil like beers you see, that were once my bane, are now my staple. So please, don't be too hasty in judging any beer. But definitely expand your selection from just newcastle.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Originally posted by: chuckywang

Originally posted by: vi edit

Originally posted by: chuckywang
Get some Budweiser and be done with it ... beer is beer.

Whatever.

That's like saying a McDonalds $.99 double cheeseburger is the same thing as a medium rare t-bone grilled to perfection. They're both just beef right?

I agree that there are distinctions in the taste of beer, but the distinctions are not broad enough to justify spending $9 per 12 oz when you can get others for less than $1 per bottle.

That goes right back to saying you shouldn't plunk down 50 bucks for a steak when you can buy a cheap burger. They aren't the same thing. Just because both happen to be called beer does not mean that a comparison between an artisan microbrew and a macro lager is fair.

I buy blu-ray even though many people think DVD looks just as good. Why? Because I have enough money to justify spending it on the finer things that I enjoy. I like beer, but not flavorless macro bullshit like Bud and Coors, so why in fuck's name would I waste my money on it? Not everyone drinks beer to get drunk.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: rocadelpunk

Originally posted by: QueBert

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
I'm not a fan of Stone Brewing. They have a cute schtick with the high alcohol content. Apparently that appeals to some children that make the presumption that greater proof = greater taste and they sell a lot of beer based on that equation. I don't think their stuff is all that great, they're not a leader in any category. You can EASILY find dozens of IPAs and strong ales that blow away Stone Brewing offerings.

QTF, I tried Arrogant Bastard one time and I didn't like it all, I couldn't finish the bottle. I think I choked down 4 or 5 swallows before I totally gave up and went back to Newcastle. I know Newcastle & A.B. are totally different types of brew. but A.B. was just weird, It's over very overpriced.

I consider it the Macintosh of beers, as it's so expensive and the people that love to drink it tend to act like elitist, just like Mac owners 🙂

Absolutely wrong.

You just haven't developed a taste for the style.

Newcastle is a brown ale which is a step above bud/miller/coors. It's not by much, but brown ales are the first *real* beers in one's journey to beer nirvana.

Try a imperial russian stout, you'll probably spit it out. I did the first time I had one several years ago (rasputin for those who are curious). It was so strong I tried to mix it in a milkshake and that didn't help. After drinking Guinness for about a year straight I tried one again just for the hell of it and discovered I now loved it. It tasted delicious and there were so many flavors.

Those crude oil like beers you see, that were once my bane, are now my staple. So please, don't be too hasty in judging any beer. But definitely expand your selection from just newcastle.

Eh. Hops just aren't for everyone. It's not just an acquired taste thing, it's simply a matter of preference. I've brewed some chocolate stouts that leave Guinness tasting like roasted cardboard. But I like rich, heavy, flavor bursting stouts. I just really have no taste for over the top bitter hoppy brews. I can drink them, but I really have no desire to buy/brew them.