Arrogant Bastard Ale

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

Solid deep brown chestnut in color, magnificent head of yellow cream thats tight, spongy froth about a half inch high and fades some to leave a solid ring and very sticky, super finely stitched lacing. Smell is deep roasted malts, some dark fruit of raisin and fig and a solid backing of earthy hops lending citrus and pine. Taste is rich, earthy, full of sweet dark roasted maltyness and solid earthy hops. One incredibly balanced "bastard" of on ale. Feel is full bodied creamyness, a bit buttery in front with a solid hop grab texture and excellent lingering piney bittered dryness into the finish. Everything about this beer states attitude and quality, hence its arrogance. I just love the bottle, the gargoyle is super cool, and the powerful, gutsy statement on the back is a true mark of a rebellious warrior in the war of brewing.

ahh the bastard, soo good but had soo long ago. love the amusing tales on the back and the beer lives up to it

22oz bottle. Brown. Bone head. Earthy and piney hop aroma, with some earth maltiness underneath. Malty caramel with lots of bitter, piney hops. A hint of citrus, and a rough bitter finish that sticks. Medium body that is pretty drinkable. I like the maltiness, but there is a weird roughness to the hops in the finish that I’m not too keen on. A nice beer, except for this one hang-up. (3.6) Rerate: 22oz bottle. Deep red color with a lasting beige head. Earthy caramel, tea, pine, and grapefruit in the aroma. The flavor has some soil, caramel and damp tea leaves, with bitter and piney hops in the finish. The caramel almost overtakes the bitterness of the hops, but falls short in the end. Pretty nice for a big, hoppy red ale, but not as clean and drinkable as when I first had it.

Realized I never have rated this, so football Sunday is the perfect time. Pours a cloudy dark brown with a thick off white head. Big earthy hops and a caramel like malt aroma. Taste is bitter earthy citrus hops, very forward, with a big malt body and hints of caramel. Leaves a bitter hop finish and many destroyed taste buds, giter dun!

Mahogany color, thinner tan head. Citrus and piney hops in the nose with hints of malt underneath it all. Flavor was initially malty with massive grapefruit/spruce hop bitterness in the finish. Nice body, long bitter aftertaste. Solid brew, much better than the Double Bastard.

Pours a dark amber color w/ a medium sized, semi creamy froth. Decent head retention that reduces to a few spattered islands and a full ring of lace. Aromas of citrus rind hops and caramel malts. Full nectar w/ creamy residual effers. Thid brew is very hoppy w/ a perfectly balanced use of mildly sweet malts. Big citrus rind overtones. Not a complex brew flavor wise but exmpliphying an American Strong Ale style very well. This is thee American Strong Ale, California style. The finish is long and enduring w/ ample citrus rind bittering and a lasting malt sweetness.

Dark cherrywood red color with a small tan head and lasting lace throughout the session. Very nice, big aroma of citrus fruit - ie/oranges. The body is very hoppy (almost one-sidedly so) with big citrus notes and a touch of alcohol. Also a substantial amount of malt, but not enough for this amount of hops. Fairly nice, but a touch unbalannced.

Dark amber w/ finger of tan foam. Fresh, floral, leafy citrus nose. Firm & full bodied. An aggressively bitter beer w/ an excellent malt background. Extremely well-balanced & eminently quaffable.