Arrogant Bastard Ale

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

I had my first Arrogant Bastard at the San Diego Marriott Marina outdoor bar. Sure, it burns, but it’s a good burn. Can’t wait to try Double Bastard! Strong aroma of tea. I’m not worthy.

The aroma is all about strong floral and fruity hops. The beer is dark red and left a thin lace on the glass. Herbal flavor with lots of hop bitterness. Heavy and full bodied.

(sampled draught at Stockholm Beer Festival) Clear reddish brown with a rich stable tan head. Wonderful fruity aroma of plums, cherries, figs and chocolate with a earthy undertone. Thick sweet flavour of cherries, caramel and yellow fruit. Creamy and solid mouthfeel. Dry grapefruity hops in the long aftertaste. Brilliant stuff!!!

Bottle. Apple-cherry malt and hops aroma. Dark amber color with small head. Sweet bread flavor initially with hints of orange and coriander with a strong bitter hops finish. A strong hoppy beer.

Bottle. If you’re a hophead, this is the one. It’s not over the top as some beers can be and tries to find some balance with the malt, but its the hops that’ll keep you coming back. This is one of a few beers I miss while living in the UK. Rich dark reddish brown/amber color with a big off-white head. Rich flavor and body. Caramel backing. Grapefruit and tar

Pours a clear drak brown color with ruby highlights and a medium offwhite head. Very appealing and seductive aroma of crème brulée, caramel and hops. Excellent flavor of crème brulée, roasted malt, hops and caramel with a bitter finish. The body is medium and the texture creamy. I remember drinking this a couple years ago but didn’t remember it to be that good.

I was not as impressed with this as I was with its Oak Aged Brother. Aroma is nearly completely malt with citrus hops also coming on later to dominating that category. There is also a tad bit of something tangy and maybe some cinnamon. The pour yeilds a huge frothy head covering a clear amber/red body. The head lasts fully and retains a big soapy character. The lacing is spotty, literally leaving dots all over my glass. The taste is much maltier than even the aroma portrays. The muthfeel is watery with extremely soft carbonation. As I said before, I personally think that the Oak Aged counterpart is far superior. Re-rate on tap, beautiful ale, nice hop and malt balance in the taste. Great fruity hoppy aroma...decent alcohol warming. Great looking beer with plenty of lacing... Syrupy mouthfeel. Great!

3rd LCRBM. Aroma has the pine and grapefruit hops. Bit earthy as well. Clear, amber coloured with an off-white head. Taste bitter with loads of hoptaste. It has pine, grapefruits, flowers. But let’s stop naming all these things or I just might dethrone him from his humble position. It is just a really nice, balanced beer.