Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

A real weird one. Piney hops with sour, unripe nectarines, oak, mint and vanilla. The mouthfeel is all rasping raw wood, with vanilla flavour and vague salty and medicinal notes. Strangely obscene in some ways, but I really had no problem drinking it and would gladly do so again. I guess there’s just enough malt sweetness to balance the weird hop/wood mix. Still, I’ve gotta say I think it’s an awful concept.

YUCK! I tell ya-AB is one of my favorite if brews but the palate and aftertaste on this made me feel like I was licking beer off a 2x4....Back to the drawing board on this one...imho

Kinda weird but good fun. Flavours and style are all the shop; sweet fruits, then resin hops, then vanilla and pine, the latter presumably from the oak. Nose is relatively straightforward with fruit like character. Tails off a touch on the finish.

12oz bottle at Annie Bailey’s Irish Pub, Lnacaster, PA...right up there with my SAB rating, yet smoother. Excellent.

much better than the original. the brutal bitterness of the first is mellowed out by the smoothness of the oak. the tannins add a nice flavor to the brew too.

Bottle at the shack of piere’s disco dance-off party tasting. Alround rating: Strange to have these head to head yet they taste completly different, still big and bold, however it seems less bittering hop, lots of oak and age, intresting experiance.

Large 2005 bottle courtesy of kp, shared at Terrapin opening. This was a great beer. Appearance was dark amber. Aroma of some citrus and pine hops, acohol, and oak. Taste is also a little sweet. Caramel, vanilla, and an oak smoothness balance the hops nicely. Had plenty of sips off the bottle. Very nice overall. *** 12oz bottle (2006 or 7?). Much like last tasting, though less vanilla. Still plenty of hops, maybe a little more citrus this time - which makes sense if this is a younger bottle. Oak and caramel still present. Finish has very little bitterness or booze. *** On tap at Trappeze. Poured a deep gold, light brown, clear. Aroma of hops, caramel, oak. Taste is similar, with plenty of hop. Oak is not overpowering. Finish is bitter. Body is average.

Bottle at Magic dave6’s disco dance tasting. Cloudy chestnut with no head. Nose is slightly alcoholic, chocolate malt, some lactic tones. Mouth is sharp hoppy dry with some sweetness and plenty of oak. Finishes quite refreshing with some pine notes. Very good.