Arrogant Bastard Ale

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

It's been over a year since I originally rated this - 2 new observations: 1. I now notice a very sweet thick malt in the taste and palate. 2. My best friend Gina wants to have the top 3rd cut off so that she can use the bottle as a vase for flowers - would that be sacreligious, twisted and bent? or would it be a great new industry to get into? - the Beer Bottle/Flower Vase Industry? original rating: Extreme beer should be a new category for beers that challenge you. The first time I tried this, I hated it. (maybe because I was on a porter kick, not prepared for this Bastard's hop content?). So, every week at the beer store it kept taunting me from the shelf. Fine. bought 2 more bottles. Damn it - this is one of my faves. I like the initial bite of the hops followed by the full mouthfeel, finally you have to swallow, crisp, warming finish, how can it be so balanced in the end when it tries to hop you to death at the begining. THis is not for beginners - you need a full appreciation of the beer tasting spectrum before you are truly 'worthy' of this beer. I've actually warned a couple of friends away from this - when they are ready, I will buy them one and maybe walk them thru the experience like a shaman......can't say anymore about it.

Draught @ Brouwer’s Cafe pours dark amber, very red, medium off-white head, light carbonation, with attractive lacing.   Malty nose, somewhat strong phenols.   Sweet malty goodness up front, strong, with a slight hop twang.   I used to think this beer was overly hopped, but not anymore.   Clean finish, smooth, warming... and big on the palate.   Body and mouthfeel are very enjoyable.   Some actual citrus on the finish, along with a big dose of malts with that underlying hop background.   Tasty!

Hazy amber,lasting tan head.Citrus hop nose.Good malt backbone explodes into a citrus hop finish

<P>I really wish I could have liked this beer, not because of it’s marketing (which is pretty damn cool) but because it is a great beer in almost every aspect. It had a beautiful dark red hue that is unusual for a beer not flavored with a berry. There was a complete lack of head, but I may have been overly careful after an experience with a bottle of Guinness earlier in the weekend. The aroma was nicely hopped and hinted of a complex flavor. The flavor itself was complex and very Belgian-like with hints of fruitiness and other hard to identify flavors. The problem came in the overwhelming bittereness. It was just too strong and ended up overwhelming all of the other flavors in the beer. This however may change, (originally all beer tasted this way to me, and I may have still been recovering my taste for beer after a small hangover from late in the previous week) so I may have to come back and rerate this beer later. <P>rerate 8-29-02: It’s only been a few months since my original rating and already the ’overwhelming bitterness’ has changed to easily palateable bitterness. Nice creamy foam pitted head this time. Too dark to be called off-white. Body is reddish brown, nice but not exceptional. Aroma is some sweet malt and a slightly pine-liek hop bite. Flavor bites first, a little interesting maltiness in the middle and some fruitiness (I could have sworn it was peach there a couple of times, but it became more vague after that) It ends with a fairly short, bitter finish.

Pours with an opaque deep amber brown/mohagony body topped by a very thick creamy head that overflowed the glass. A good amount of lace was left behind. Somewhat sour, yet sweet and fruity (similar to mango)aroma with good malty notes. Sweet and fruity (melon) malt flavor with a slight touch of alcohol. The finish is smokey with coffee notes. Full bodied and slightly dry with a touch of warmth.

Rerate: 22 ounce bottle from Wine Warehouse in Charlottesville, VA. Pours a slightly hazy dark red color with a medium head. Decent head retention and lacing. Big fresh citrus hop aroma with faint toffeeish notes. Taste is bitter citrus, resin and leafy hop notes. Toffee and nutty notes are also in the taste. FUll bodied. 7/4/8/4/16/3.9

Bottle. Very faint, malty aroma. Took a sip or two to get used to. Very strong, very hoppy, with a nice smooth, creamy finish. Nice. 6/4/8/4/17/3.9

Bottle: Poured a deep opaque brown colored beer with a medium head with standard retention. Aroma is very powerful and consist mostly of what I think to be hops, a sweet and bitter type of hops though. Taste is quite unique for me (I think this is my first foray into the strong American Ale type) and consist mostly of some strong bitter hops and underline by some very subtle sweetness. Wow, this is like being hit on the head with a brick – plainly lots of malt and hops are included in here. The alcohol is a subtle but complement very well.

careful with this beer. it will catch you off guard. The beer pors almost red but has a bite that will throw you off. It is a heavy beer with a taste that is equal to the match. A tough beer this is a beer for the experts. Black Diamond beer run for this beer. Prost!!!