I have no fancy introductory comments to this one. It’s strong. It’s rich. It’s hoppy. It’s doubly bastardish. Here’s my notes:

Double Bastard
Stone Brewing Co., San Diego, California
Style: American Strong Ale
Serving Style: 22 oz bottle.

Aroma: Brown sugar and spice. Caramel. Cooling. Grapefruit rind and citrus melding with pine resin.

Appearance: Low, off-white to ivory head that dropped quickly, sustaining only a foamy ring around the edge. Dark amber and clear.

Flavor: Sweet brown-sugar and caramel. Bitterness is high, but so is the malt sweetness. The two nearly balance, with bitterness having only the slightest upper-hand. Citrusy grapefruit and orange peel hops with a faint background of pine tree. Very subtle raisiny, dark-fruit and chocolate flavors. Alcohol is verging on boozy, but stops just short of it.

Mouthfeel: Full body. Moderately-low carbonation. Slightly astringent.

Overall Impression: Certainly a tasty beer, but a one-glass beer for me. On the second glass it started to seem a bit one-note and overbearing. It’s a nice after-dinner beer for a cold Minnesota fall (or winter) night.  It’s good to drink now, but the slight booziness and forward bitterness will fade with some age, meaning it should be great to drink next fall or the one after that.