Monday, January 21, 2008

Stone Brewing: Double Bastard '06 vs. '07

First off, both were excellent and I had a hard time in blind taste testing telling the difference between the two even though differences were larger and more apparent than I expected.

The 06 was noticeably darker in color and smelled more orangey than the 07. Head was about the same between the two. Taste was quite different, the 06 being much fuller and sweeter tasting with hints of raisins vs the 07 which had a more citrusy/hoppy taste with a lighter texture. The 06 also left a heavier lacing on the glass when swirled. Being surrounded by snow when I drank these two the 06 was the drink to relax in front of the fire with and the 07 was the drink to share with good friends after a snowball fight.

Overall, the 06 was the winner for me - aging toned down the sharp notes the Double Bastard typically has and gave it a port like desert beverage texture.

No comments: