Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

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

One of the beers I’ve been chasing and slightly disappointing. Woody finish either perfect or overpowering. Will have to have another to sort this out.

Deep red colour with a poor head, roasted malt aroma, nice hops malt and slight taste of the oak, the best beer from the USA I have had to date.

Maybe it’s the cold, but this has not impressed as other Stone brews have. Woody citrus nose that gets better with warmth. First impression is of earthy, grassy and somewhat boozy hops. Long bitter finish preceded by cask like flavours of rich malt. I enjoyed this brew despite it’s steep price.

Hazy reddish/copper with thin head. Rich malty aroma, alcoholic with hints of whiskey. Heavy hop flavor, full malt profile but the focus is the hops. Malt tempers the bitterness and the oak enhances the flavor. Full on the tongue. It’s flavorful but slightly muddled.

Pours red with a tan head. The aroma is fruity with grapefruit, cherries, grapes, and a hint of wood. The flavor is sweet and bitter with cherries dominating. Its actually a lot like cherry flavored cough syrup, with a hint of cherry vanilla coke. Sweet and spicy. There is some grainy malt flavor toward the finish, which is dry, woody, and bitter. This is an OK beer.

Purchased in six pack form from Woodman’s in Madison, WI, enjoyed on Thanksgiving day out of a plastic cup. I’m rating my 2nd bottle, after the first one (drank from the bottle), I was expecting a much lighter color considering the taste but its rather dark, amber color with a good head. Very warm aroma, great cold weather beer. One interesting taste I get from this is light apricot, but it could be an odd combination of the oak chips and the malt/hop balance. Man, this is some amazing stuff.

On tap at Prime 16 (Downtown New Haven, CT): Pours dark brown/orange/amber w/ a pillowy off-white head. Nose is dark fruit, berries, smoked oak wood, earthy/grassy, floral hops, brown sugar, sweet malts, vanilla, and spices. Overall the aroma is a pure, warm invitation to its flavors of soft cocoa, cascading oak wood textures, plum, fig, bitter hops (earthy), pine, smoke, sweet malts, and vanilla. Medium bodied, and hoppier than other "oaked" beers. Also not as much vanilla presence as other "oaked" beers. Unique. The alcohol is hidden well. Drinkability: Strong feel. Rebuy: Yes. #203 on 21112009, DG.

21/11/2009. 12oz bottle from RW&S. I’m not sure what they were trying to do here but it’s another Stone disappointment. Their brand and attitude seems to take a front seat, with drinkability usually in the back - in this case it is in the trunk! Too much oak with nothing else really getting a look in. It’s like a red wine with too much tannin... I struggled through hoping something would click but it never did. as big as this beer was it was no match for the stunning accompanying movie - Synecdoche New York.