Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

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

This beer pours a thick creamy head on top of a deep orange-brown glass of beer (sorry, I drank it out of a shaker).Malt and sweet, floral hops are the dramatic opening for the nose and are the flavors that dominate the first trip through the mouth. It seems like the oak character is what is combining with the hops to create the unusual floral character that drives this beer. I like it just fine and would come back for seconds.

Poured a 12oz/355ml bottle into a small snifter. Reddish-brown hazy body with a nice light golden creamy head. Not much carbonation visible. The aroma is marvellous, with so much going on (citrus hops, caramel maltiness, some cherry and raisin notes, some vanilla oakiness)! The taste is very intense and complex. You get a strong hop bite (with a very juicy grapefruit profile), followed by some nice sweet caramel and vanilla maltiness. There is also some pepercorn-like spiciness. The finish is a bit dry, bitter and oaky at the same time.

12oz bottle from Cloverleaf in Royal Oak. Pours murky amber with small tannish head. Aroma is sweet caramel malt, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, and some citrus hops. Flavor is vanilla, toffee, caramel, citrus, little smoke, some oak and good amount of bitter hops. Starts sweet and finishes bitter. Liked regular Arrogant Bastard quite a bit more but this is still solid. I just like hops more than sweet.

Poured from tap. A dark red/brown color. Slightly hazy. Smelled of malt. Not the same level of hops as the regular Stone Arrogant. Good beer. Recommended.

Poured from bottle into Nonic Imperial Pint. Mostly clear burnt red with small head but some lacing. Maybe a little clearer than the regular Bastard, but less head. Semi-sweet malt aroma with some pine. Maybe a touch of oak. Less hop smell than the regular Bastard. Pretty malt driven with some pine and citrus hop counterbalance. Somewhat bitter at the end with a light oak touch. Very smooth and slightly warming. Pretty low carbonation. Maybe a little easier to drink than the regular Bastard, but mostly because it seems toned down and smoothed out. I prefer the regular Arrogant Bastard.

From growler picked up at brewery – thanks Tomes! Pours ruby red-brown with a small head. Aroma is a bunch of fresh piney and grapefruit hops, a bit of vanilla in there as well. I must say, this beer is capable of tasting FAR better fresh than with age. It manages to gracefully balance oaky-vanilla flavors with fresh hop bite. The finish remains arrogantly bitter, a bit ashy, but in a way that plays effectively off of the sweet flavors in the mid-palate. Nice.

Pours red brown with a cream head and plenty of lace. Aromas of roasted oak, toasted malts, earthiness, and vanilla. The smokiness lingers in the taste, with a slight bitter finish.

Bottle, shared with Parksy. Hazy burnt orange amber with a gold-tinted, long-lasting head. Initially sweet caramel malt and hops fill the nose, but with time the soft vanilla and oak aromas become much more apparent. Sweet toffee malt flavours with distinct vanilla tones, smooth and velvety with a robust hoppy finish. A beer that has enough character to stand up to oak aging. Another excellent Stone brew!