Arrogant Bastard Ale

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Escondido, California USA

(11/3/08) Draught sample at the brewpub in Escondido. Lovely deep red-ruby color. Aroma of hops, some pine, citrus notes and some malt. Balanced flavor with a good amount of sweet caramelly, a bit bready, malt and rather big bitter hoppiness. Medium to full-bodied. Tasty but doesn’t shine.

Realized I never have rated this, so football Sunday is the perfect time. Pours a cloudy dark brown with a thick off white head. Big earthy hops and a caramel like malt aroma. Taste is bitter earthy citrus hops, very forward, with a big malt body and hints of caramel. Leaves a bitter hop finish and many destroyed taste buds, giter dun!

Hoppy and aggressive, but very nice. Dark with little to no head. Nice aroma. Taste of malts and caramel and a bit of pine.

Vitals: From: 22oz Bomber, To: 20oz Stem Glass (Harvey Porter or Celebrator style) Filled to Brim, Temp: 50F, Place: Backyard. Burgandy, burnished-red, with underlying brown tones and hint of green between head and liquid. Tannish head with further hints of green. Aroma of strong, bitter orange hops, fresh loose tobacco, carmelized fruit. First impression on back of tongue is pits of dark fruit (especially cherries) and unsmoked tobacco, pithy with ruby-red grapefruit and whole flower hops, carmelized fruit in the background. The lingering taste is reminiscent of chewing on a hop flower after it has boiled in the wort. Full-bodied, yet very quaffable, texture of a full-flavored, organic Natural American Spirit cigarette. Arrogant Bastard Ale is an American Strong Ale that sets the standard for the species. It takes all aspects of a an American session ale to the extreme, thus balancing itself by its characturized extremities. A favorite that is always welcomed by this reviewer.

Poured a cloudy amber with no head and light carbonation. The aroma was an interesting caramelly, malty aroma with some background hops. At first this beer has a nice malty sweetness to it with a hearty background hoppiness. As the beer warms the hops mellow out and the beer becomes more dominantly sweet. The beer is definately big, but the alcohol is hidden fairly well, and waits until the end to come out in the flavor. A pretty nice big beer, it was enjoyable.

Pours a deep amber/reddish-brown with off white head. Highly aromatic, strong with tons of flavor, definitely a hop bitterness to it, but balanced with the malt and grains. An “in your face” beer. Medium body, pleasant, slightly sweet finish/aftertaste, with a little alcohol warming.

Pours a very cloudy nut brown with thick tan head. Aroma is malt and caramel nut with forest/pine notes. Flavor is fairly hoppy with caramel undertones to lessen the pine/hop bite. Malts present. Body is creamy with medium carbonation.

This is a extrodarie beer. Pours a dark amber/red. Not much of a head and leaves a small trace of lacing. Scents of hops and malt in a sweet surrounding. Medium body with a great sweet taste with a little hop bite at the end. I really like this brew.