Arrogant Bastard Ale

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

Bottle, Sept 2006. I actually didn’t hate or love this beer. Color was a nice amber/brown/orange color. Aroma was hoppy, but not overly strong. Finish was very bitter, up front was fruity/creamy, nice and smooth. I’m not a hophead, but after a while the hops were not overpowering. Would drink again, but not in love with it.

12/14/2006: I haven’t had one of these for quite some time and I still haven’t rated it yet, so I figured it was about time to. I am going to taste this next to the Oaked Arrogant Bastard so that I can compare...

Arrogant Bastard Ale is a deep reddish-copper color. It has a very large, fluffy, and creamy tan head that has a nice lacing effect on the glass. The aroma has a sweet maltiness and some fruity hoppiness that hints at what’s to come. This beer has a wonderfully balanced flavor of sweet caramel malt and fruit/citrus/pine hop bitterness. The finish is also balanced between a moderate sweetness and orangy hop bitterness. The bitterness of this beer is "aggressive", but quite well controlled. There is no alcohol in the aroma or flavor; it’s completely hidden. The mouth feel is a bit thicker than average, quite creamy, and very smooth. 22 oz bottle from Joseph’s Beverage Center. Rating: 8 4 8 4 17 = 4.1

I gotta hand it to Stone... All their beers are great, but it’s amazing that such a well made beer with an elevated alcohol content like Arrogant is so widely available and so reasonably priced!
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Double Dry Hopped Cask Conditioned Arrogant Bastard Ale

I managed to get a 0.3 L glass of this special beer at "The Most Arrogant Bar (Pub) in America 2006-2007" event at Boston’s Bistro & Pub (Dayton, Ohio) on 2/22/2007. This was supposed the the first firkin of Stone Double Dry Hopped Cask Conditioned Arrogant Bastard Ale ever made. It was double dry hopped with Centennial hops...

When first pumped into the glass, the Double Dry Hopped Cask Conditioned Arrogant Bastard is nearly all head. Eventually it falls out to reveal a mostly clear amber colored beer. There is still a substaintial creamy beige head that lasts the entire time. The head also some ring pattern lacing on the glass. The aroma reminds me of sweet clementines with a bit of bitter orange zest. The flavor was fairly dry and reserved. The usual huge maltiness and obscene hoppiness of the regular Arrogant Bastard was replaced by a smooth, moderately dry and bitter flavor with a bit of earthiness. Lighter mouthfeel than the original as well (medium to medium-full overall). The palate was soft, smooth, and creamy. Quite good, but why mess with the original?! I feel privileged to have been able to try this rare beer... Rating: 8 4 7 4 16 = 3.9.

Beautiful reddish/brown color. Pretty aggressive end and quite bitter. Dry and malty flavor. I truely love the philosophy about this beer.

Bottle. A mahogany red color with a beige head. A red fruit aroma with a dark, rich, grainy, caramel, vineous flavor. A real treat.

Draught at Stockholm Beer Festival 2006. Deep red color with creamy head. Extreme flowery, citrysy and piney american hop aroma. Sweet aroma. Strong, good flowery and citrusy hop flavor along with toffee and caramel. Strong bitterness. Bitter and fruity finish with toffee notes. Very good hop aroma and flavor, a bit too surypy.

Dark crimson coloration, thick'n'rich'n'cloudy, under a perfunctory whitish head. Aroma: a big hit of juicy fruit, deep, dark ones, grapes and berries and cherries and more, a rich elixir..definitely got the barleywine thing going on, zesty, spicy, loaded with flavor...'bout time I taste, eh? Big, chewy, grabbiness on the palate, full and thick, powerful, and omnipresent, digs in and in, climbs and clambers about the senses, not trying to dominate, but doing it anyway, through virtue of the fullness of flavor...zing, zing, zing, again, I sing, this is deliciousness pressed into service and doing double-time, brothers,...Lordy, it's loveliness, indeed, thick and full on the palate, wow, rich and tasty, sets the senses a'spin, leaves the soul reeling...mine is, I luxuriate in the pleasures of this brew, and they are aplenty! I'm drooling of the day I can visit San Diego and try it fresh on-tap, maybe other versions, the Oak-Aged, as well? As it is, this is a supreme brew, a just king, who wisely judges the imbibers from his throne...if thou art not worthy, tarry not 'round these vessels, seek a softer, sadder brew for you..let only those who can claim worthiness hoist a chalice of this finest ale! Got to be one of America's best barleywines, bar none!!! I could rant on some more, for the bottle is not yet finished, but let it be known, that this ale has powers over me, bewitches and bewilders, and all in the best sense, for I leave the normal earthly realm to visit sublimer planes, all courtesy of this San Diego-bourne bottle! Good Lordy-Lou! I am sent, in the most sensational way, lifted, aloft, delivered, dropped beyond the heavens into a metaphysical stratosphere beyond human reckoning... Yes, I proclaim it "good"....and will merely melt and luxuriate at the rest of the consumption of this rare delicacy...I envy you Cali types who can snort this back with the ease of an ordinary day....

Deep, ruby red color, decent head. Aroma was filled with fruity esters, some roast, and rubbing alcohol jumped out. Beautiful mouthfeel, very smooth. Malts add weight here, some roasted flavors, a bit of passion fruit, and a clear flavor of ethanol. I found the alcohol to be very up front in this beer, not necessarily a bad thing. Bitter on the finish, but not at all overly bitter. Would be very interested in trying the Double.

Pours an amber/mahogany color with orange tints. Very robust yellow/orage then changing to tan head. Aroma is hoppy with a fruity scent. Chocolate in the nose as well as some mild yeastly banana smells. Flavor is a hoppy bitter turning into some mild to moderate chocolate notes in the finish. Perhaps some yeast in the start. re-rate--more malts in the nose, maybe hints of chocolate in there. Increased aroma to 7 and OA to 15 from 6 and 14 respectively. More enjoyable than Ruination.