Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

On tap @ Thrash Zone, Yokohama, Japan! Wow. Deep dark ruby colour topped with tan bubbly head. Heavy on the nose with a fantastic aroma...redwood, cherry, anise...is that carrot? Taste does not dissapoint. Big, round flavours supremely balanced...cherries, oak, creamy cocao undertones (although not chocolaty), earl grey, whiskey,scotch,. Bitter in the finish and sticks around to keep yoiu in check for the next round. Superb stuff.

I trashed arrogant bastard in my review as a harsh, oily concoction so I am quite amazed how much I like this oaked version. The oak chips work wonders. This is now just slightly oily and harsh-- a pleasing distinction. Maybe the best smelling and most distinctive tasting oak job I’ve come across. ,

A large off-white head. Very creamy with excellent lacing. The overall appearance is quite intimidating, a murk dark brown/red. The aroma is great, a sweet hoppy mollasses with a light doughy scent. The palate on this beer took me off guard, I was expecting a kick your ass alcohol taste, but instead I got a medium body with very soft carbonation. The flavor was very sweet and the alcoholic finish didn’t last 2 days like the Ruination IPA did.

I’ve been waiting a long time to try this beer- finally! A solid brew all the way through. Pours a dark, semi clear reddish colour with a thin white creamy head. Aroma is nutty, oak, smoke and a bastard’s wild oats. Astringent mouthfeel, noticeably strong but well integrated hop character. Raisins, caramel, black licorice and wood flavors.

Bottle. Other posters have detailed the complexity of this beer better than I can. However, I didn’t find the flavor or palate as exciting as most. Pours a nice head that laced well, the oak flavor is immediately present with other flavors of caramel malts, a bit of smokiness and possibly a tad bit of citrus.

Pours a tantalizingly dark amber, with 2 fingers of creamy light tan head. Citrus is the first aroma to hit the nose followed by caramel malts. The flavor is complex, malty, sweet, smoky, somewhat bitter and delicious. The body has a nice creaminess to it and leaves a nice sticky coating on the lips. Very unique and satisfying beer, and contrary to the label I do like it, a lot.

The oak chips are really noticeable, even more so than I thought and definitely adds a different element to the beer, although AB itself is one damn fine beer. Hazy deep amber color with a nice tan head with lacing. Aroma is oak, vanilla, fruit (cherries?) and roasted malt and this part is more enjoyable than the original. I get the wood chips right away in the flavor with some smoky maltiness, a little sweet and tart with a dry hop finish. Seems perhaps a bit more mellow than the original AB which is probably the aging. I may prefer the standard AB, which is a little more in your face but they are both excellent and very well done.

Twelve-ounce bottle. Poured dark copper, with a nice tan head. Nose was citrusy, floral, caramel, smoke. Flavor was malt, oak, citrus, hop resin. Finish was bitter hops, light alcohol note. Mouthfeel slightly oily. Not really worh the upcharge for the oak chips.