Intense coffee characteristics abound from both the dark malts and the espresso, while rich caramel-like and vanilla notes from the bourbon barrel aging adds layers of complexity, a touch of sweetness and a vibrant dark fruit finish. Since this is an unusual take on our traditional imperial Russian stout, “Mikhail” pays homage to Mikhail Bulgakov, whose novel The Master and Margarita is considered the foremost of Soviet satires.

This beer was created by our team at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido. With new innovations coming out of our pilot systems constantly, they’re tasked with keeping track of a lot. When given the opportunity to brew a beer for our annual Stone Sour Fest, the result was something a little out of the ordinary. This imperial Berliner Weisse style ale is brewed with peach puree and a yeast strain called Concerto which is more common in wine than in beer. In conjunction with our house yeast, it adds a layer of earthy, fruity complexity that elevates things to pure pucker perfection.

Due to compliance laws, this beer is only available for shipping in California.

The base beer is the recipe of 2014 Stone Homebrew Competition winner Chris Banker, an intensely flavorful milk stout brewed with cocoa, coffee and spices to mimic the flavors of Mexican hot chocolate.

At first we were super bummed when a bunch of barrels of barrel-aged Xocoveza inexplicably soured. Then we tasted it. Turns out that the souring microflora transported our Bordeaux/tequila barrel-aged mocha stout to crazy new depths. Unmistakable, tart cherry-like flavors marry beautifully with the oak, red wine, peppery spice and agave notes from the barrels and the chocolate, coffee and spice elements of the base beer. We invite you to explore the irrationally delicious result of a barrel-aged beer gone loco.

Due to compliance laws, this beer is only available for shipping in California.

Warning: Double Bastard Ale is not to be wasted on the tentative or weak. Only the Worthy are invited, and then only at your own risk. If you have even a modicum of hesitation, DO NOT buy this bottle. Instead, leave it for a Worthy soul who has already matriculated to the sublime ecstasy of what those in the know refer to as "Liquid Arrogance."

This is one lacerative muther of an ale. It is unequivocally certain that your feeble palate is grossly inadequate and thus undeserving of this liquid glory...and those around you would have little desire to listen to your resultant whimpering. Instead, you slack-jawed gaping gobemouche, slink away to that pedestrian product that lures agog the great unwashed with the shiny happy imagery of its silly broadcast propaganda. You know, the one that offers no challenge, yet works very, very hard to imbue the foolhardy with the absurd notion that they are exercising "independent" thought, or attempts to convey the perception it is in some way "authentic" or "original." It’s that one that makes you feel safe and delectates you into basking in the warm, fuzzy, and befuddled glow of your own nescience. Why so many allow themselves to be led by the nose lacks plausible explanation. Perhaps you have been so lulled by the siren song of ignorance that you don’t even notice your white-knuckle grip on it. You feel bold and unique, but alas are nothing but sheep, willingly being herded to and fro. If you think you are being piqued in this text, it is nothing when compared to the insults we are all asked to swallow streaming forth from our televisions and computers. Truth be told, you are being coddled into believing you are special or unique by ethically challenged “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” marketers who layer (upon layer) imagined attributes specifically engineered to lead you by the nose. Should you decide to abdicate your ability to make decisions for yourself, then you are perhaps deserving of the pabulum they serve. Double Bastard Ale calls out the garrulous caitiffs who perpetrate the aforementioned atrocities and demands retribution for their outrageously conniving, intentionally misleading, blatantly masturbatory and fallacious ad campaigns. We demand the unmitigated, transparent truth. We demand forthright honesty. We want justice! Call ‘em out and line ‘em up against the wall...NOW.

Due to compliance laws, this beer is only available for shipping in California.

In 2013, Stone co-founder, Greg Koch, invited two respected fans of craft beer, brewing and all things Stone to develop an intense, inventive beer capable of not only delivering immense flavor, but also serving as a fitting, singular celebration of über-level enthusiasm. Self-proclaimed geeks in a number of arenas, the duo of thespian and renaissance man Wil Wheaton and Fark.com online news guru Drew Curtis proved up to the challenge, calling on their personal backgrounds to devise an imperial stout brewed with flaked rye, wheat and pecans that was partially aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels. Shortly after being released, this creation—dubbed “w00tstout” in honor of w00tstock, Wil’s annual tribute festival to cross-genre geekdom—became an instant cult classic. So, despite the fact that Greg spent the first half of 2014 on an international walkabout-style sabbatical, Wil and Drew were invited back to Stone to put a new spin on this threesome-borne beauty. All they needed was a third conspirator, and for that, they called on friend and fellow geek, Aisha Tyler. An actress, talk show host, comedian and author with a flair for individuality, she brought an entire new dimension to the brew day, just as the stone-ground chocolate the trio added to the original w00tstout recipe added delicious depth to the beer. Also brought in to put a personalized stamp on this year’s edition of w00tstout was famed comic artist Dave Gibbons.

Like the classic version, this Odd Year edition was brewed in the authentic, historical style, but with the addition of espresso beans, producing roasty bitterness and deep, rich coffee flavors.

CELLAR NOTES 
Even after nearly a year in the barrel, intense coffee flavors abound from both dark malts and espresso, while rich caramel and vanilla flavors from the bourbon-infused oak add layers of complexity, a touch of sweetness and a vibrant dark fruit finish. Since this is an odd take on our traditional imperial Russian stout, Mikhail’s Odd pays homage to Mikhail Bulgakov, whose novel The Master and Margarita is considered the foremost of Soviet satires.