 Brigadier (908), Chagrin Falls, Ohio, USA
Mar 25, 2008
On tap at Ray’s Place
There were several interesting choices but I eventually settled on this since I knew I would have some time to kill. It turned out to be pretty good though despite the relatively high rating I probably won’t ever pick up a six pack. At some point I need to try regular Arrogant Bastard to see how the two compare - this was not nearly as oaky as I was expected. Did they just use chips instead of a barrel?
Aroma / Appearance - The pint came out a nice caramel color with a one finger creamy frosting decorating the top. This continued to stick to the sides throughout. At the end I was left with several strata indicating various sips. The nose was aggressively hoppy (at least more than I was expecting). There was no oak to speak of and only a minimal malt presence. This was close to an imperial IPA.
Flavor / Palate - The aggressive hoppiness was strong enough to mask everything else for almost half the pint until I was able to adjust. Only then did I detect the slightest hint of oakiness. I was expecting more when it did show up. The finish dried out the throat then continued to linger. Even thirty minutes later I was able to taste the bitterness in the back of my throat. Overall a fairly enjoyable beer but one I don’t think I’ll be trying again any time soon.
probstk (700), Nepean, Ontario, Canada
Oct 15, 2008 12 fl oz bottle from BOTW (Rochester), served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass. SE05/08.
App.: Clear deep ruby-copper with a decent, rocky, light tan head.
Aroma: Lots of gooey caramel, molasses, brown sugar; some bread crust, some grapefruit hops,(not much!), light fruit and a touch of wood.
Palate: Medium body, fairly sparse carbonation, reasonably smooth.
Flav.: Still lots of the sweet sticky malts, a bit more pine, green, peppery hops, a bit of wood; lightly sweet with good bitterness, more wood on the aftertaste with burnt sugar.
Not sure if the wood adds much for me. Would need a back-to-back tasting.
Gachupines (246), USA
Oct 15, 2008 Appearance is dark amber/brown with an off white head. Aroma is mainly hops. Taste is hoppy and aggressive like the normal Arrogant Bastard, but the oak flavor balances it out a little more. Overall, a good take on the standard AB which I would definitely buy again. If you like AB this puts an interesting spin on it.
kennydiaz (75), staten island, New York, USA
Oct 12, 2008 IT TASTE VERY BITTER ALMOST LIKE A GRAPEFRUIT. I HAVE HAD ALMOST ALL OF THE STONE COMPANY’S BEERS BUT THIS WAS HIGHLY DISAPPOINTING.
timsilvia32 (255), from Michigan now in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Oct 12, 2008 Rusty red/brown pour, cream like colored head. Smells a little bit like a sweet fruitcake. Taste mixes sweet malty biscuit with some citrus and pine. The bitterness is balanced out with the oakiness. Medium bodied with some good stickiness. I thought this was much better than the regular Arrogant, and worthy of the hype.
yesyouam (369), Fairport, New York, USA
Oct 11, 2008 Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale is a very clear copper ale with a fluffy, yellowish sand-colored head that leaves outstanding lacing. It has a deep, dusty, sweet and spicy aroma. There are notes of brown sugar, pine, orange peel and old barrels. It is smooth and slick; medium bodied with a light, dry finish. It is a rich and well-balanced flavor-- slightly sweet and bitter with notes of candied orange peel, pine needles, rye bread and, of course, plenty of oak that rolls in to finish the flavor. Wow. This is well worth the outrageous price!
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