Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

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

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!

12-oz bottle Marcello’s Lafayette, LA - aroma: bread, nutty (malt), maybe citrus (hop), oak,; flavor: sweet, salty, earthy, bready (malt), biiter, citrus (hop), oak; appearance: clear brown, tan head, lot of laces; mouthfeel: medium bodied, moderate carbonation, dry finish; overall: a hard beer to describe but smooth, not harsh (high alcohol), complex beer of malts, and hops with oak aging and smoothing it as well as adding to the complexity .

(Draught) Poured deep dark brown and cloudy with medium sized and lightly tan coloured head. Aroma was of oak and malts, Palate was dry and medium bodied with quite low carbonation. Tasted of malts, oak, wood, bitterness, ash and malts. Finished woody and bitter.

Complexion is that of muddy rainwater. Scent is akin to potpourri. A nice bite with a deep chocolate aftertaste. Tons of hops and plumes of smokiness make this a hearty meal of a beer. The ale has the feel of bark and barley, twisted with a dollop of spice. A good dessert ale.

Bottle. This is a very dark beer, and it has a bitter taste. Overall a good choice for one of my first trips into craft beers.

12oz. bottlle from VBM. Another beer I put off trying for no reason but then changed my mind on a whim. Pours a deep, hazy ruby body that shows very little carbonation. Big off white head with some decent lacing. Aroma is hops, cherry, caramel, alcohol, wood and smoky notes. I hate to use such a f description but the flavor is very similar to the aroma. Hoppy bitter finish. Malts and some sweet cloying aspects. More creamy than normal AB. Alcohol is present throughout but not too overpowering. Easy drinking, good beer.