Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

UPDATED: DEC 5, 2006 Bottle from Paul (blankboy) Thanks. Looks identical to AB upon pouring. Smell is hints of wood and hops. Taste is brutal and hoppy - this is definatley a fresh sample - with some notes of vanilla and oak that arent in the regular version. Not a bad beer, but I believe it begs the question: why tamper with something as good as Arrogant bastard?

updated. this gave me a pretty bad headache after finishing the glass. not pleasing at all to me. i was expecting much better..

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.

UPDATED: DEC 2, 2006 Wow, had this a long time ago at El Gaucho’s party. I didn’y go back for more as I wasn’t all that impressed. Clear amber brew with some oaken,vanilla tones. I prefer the non BA version as the flavor was more complex I think. It was a treat. The rich malts semed to be overwhelmed now. Re-rate.6 pack from Kahns. Better flavor and I am much more impressed.

Pours dark ruby w/ dim tan head. Wood and cherry in nose. Fruit and oak flavor.

(bottle). Pours a cloudy, dark copper color. Medium size tan head. Average malt and hop aroma with wood. Slick texture. Avg duration. Moderate carbonation. Light astringent finish, with light bitterness.

The ber pours a dark brown maber, pretty clear. The head is a very light tan, rising about four fingers and has great retention and lacing. The aroma is medium in strength with lots of oak to start and a strong alcohol finish, not very appealing or balanced. The taste sadly loses all the oak that was in the nose. It is replaced by the harsh bitter alcohol that is straight from the regular arrogant bastard. Its just boring here. The feel is heavy, but a lasting alcohol bitter finish. Overall, not a big AB fan, the oak doesn’t improve it.

Aroma is citrus hops and biscuit malt. Oak is present. Appearance is plum brown clear with tiny white tan foam. Taste is malt forward with massive bitterness. Bitterness lingers and mingles with light oak, berry. Little hops aroma present or noticeable. Complex. Palate is almost heavy. Bitterness and oak almost overpower malt. Overall this is a nice barleywine. Could benefit from aging, but still better than most I try of this style.

Bottle pours slightly cloudy dark brown with off-white head and great lacing. Aroma pine hops, oak and caramel. Taste pine. citrus, caramel, oak. Palate thick and well carbonated. Finish long and bitter with pine hops. Didn’t notice much alcohol. Clearly this appeals to a lot of people which is great. To me it’s just another brewer putting a bunch of hops in an average beer and saying it’s something special.

Poured a hazy amber with a frothy off white head. Aroma of sweet phenolic roast malt. Medium, creamy mouthfeel, flavour of the roast malt, quite sweet with a bitter finish.

Decent off-white head with good pacing. Light flavor and body with a slightly metallic finish. Flavor less pronounced as it warms.