Brew Tasting the Thirty-Third

We've already had the Bastard, why not try the Double Bastard? Two must be better than one, I would hope.

1. Stone Brewing Co. Double Bastard Ale

Southampton Abbot 12

This is a personal review of mine. I found it sitting all alone in a fridge at BuyRite and I figured it'd be a nice taste to have for $10. Plus, how many quadruples have I disliked? That's right - none.

Pours a dark, amber color with a supple, creamy head. This is a very carbonated beer. It smelled very sweet with a mix of dark fruits (like dates and plums) and a nice mix of dark and light hops. There was also a dash of very smooth malts thrown into the batch. The taste started off very sweet, became mellow, and finished slightly bitter. Bits of dark fruits all over the place and a touch of sour notes at the very end. The texture was very bubbly, but smooth. The alcohol didn't burn but it definitely warmed the cockles of my heart.

Not a bad brew at all from this lowly Long Island company. It's not that far away, so I feel like I may have to try out a couple brews on tap at this place. I saw some other promising reviews of their other offerings on ratebeer, and this has interested me in the company. I may have to look into more.

Appearance - 4.1
Smell - 4
Taste - 3.9
Texture - 4.2
Overall - 4.05/5

Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout

Next up is the basic Oak Aged Yeti, which is currently at #30 on the top 50 list at ratebeer.com.

This brew looks very similar to its espresso cousin, only small difference is the color of the head is much more towards the brown side instead of caramel. The smell also very similar except not nearly as sweet - it includes notes of licorice, chocolate and oak. The taste is very heavy on the chocolate with slight notes of oak and vanilla. Even though this brew is aged in oak barrels it does not have as much of an oak flavor as I was expecting but it does add a lot more complexity when comparing it to the normal Yeti.

Very smooth and hides the alcohol just as well as the espresso version - I recommend this brew over it to anyone who is not a fan of coffee or wants to try something not quite as sweet. Otherwise I'd go with the espresso if you had to pick one, but why not have both?

Appearance - 4.2

Smell - 4.2

Taste - 4.3

Texture - 4.7

Overall - 4.35/5

Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout

Time for a double header of epic proportions. We're starting with the Espresso Oak Aged Yeti and then heading straight into the normal Oak Aged Yeti to compare.

This brew pours black with a coffee colored head that quickly fades into nothing like most other imperial stouts. There is very nice lacing and carbonation present as well. The smell is mostly of coffee, which is be expected, with slight hints of chocolate, vanilla, and barley. The first sip blew me away - the complexity of this beer is out of this world and includes notes of oak, chocolate, vanilla, and caramel. This version of the Yeti is a champ at hiding the alcohol flavor and warmth even though it comes in at 9.5%. One of the best tasting and best mouth feel I've ever had from a beer.

Appearance - 4.2

Smell - 4.1

Taste - 4.6

Texture - 4.6

Overall - 4.38/5

Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout

This, along with the Espresso Yeti, come from the same company and the same philosophy. It's basically the same basic recipe used in the baseline Yeti but brewed in Oak casks during the aging process.

Just like the Espresso, this beer pours out with the same characteristics. Black body, tan head, great lacing - standard fare. Nose of chocolate, coffee and sweetness and an woody, oak scent. Very familiar scent to those who have made friends with Jack Daniels. The taste was similar to the nose with a nice, hearty barley scent with a touch of hops and heavy malts. The taste was very smooth with no alcohol to speak of. But, this one had a weird aftertaste, even for coffee-lovers, compared to the Espresso. I wasn't able to put my finger on it so I'll keep it at "weird" but not "bad".

Overall, not a terrible brewski at all. But, I had the Espresso about an hour before this one, and that is one brew that is VERY hard to beat. Basically, if you have to choose between the two, get the Espresso. If this is the only one available, hit it like there's no tomorrow - you won't be disappointed.

App - 4.2
Smell - 4.3
Taste - 4.2
Text. - 4.5
Overall - 4.3/5