Lukcy Basartd Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

morimech

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Enjoy by Jan 31, 2013

Pours a clear, copper color with just over one finger of head that had good retention. The head settles to a thin cap. Moderate amount of lacing is left down the glass.

Interesting aroma just like all the Stone Bastards. Pine and citrus hops in the forefront with a deep malt notes of caramel and bread.

Hop flavors lead the assualt on the tastebuds. Citrus, pine, and herbs are all there. Bitterness is moderate to high but there is enough malt sweetness to make the beer palatable. Nice caramel/toffee notes. Just the faintest hint of oak. Booze comes in the finish with flavor and warmth.

Solid body and wonderfully carbonated. One of the better Stone beers in this area. Great big beer texture that is smooth and gentle despite the alcohol in the finish.

A very good Bastard. A blend that worked in this case.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 19:48:43 | More by morimech

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-orange brown in color with a modest tan head and some lacing

S-roasted malt, caramel, oak, hints of pine and citrus

T-roasted malt, pine, caramel, earthy, oaky, slight citrus and some bitter hop presence, a bit of alcohol bite

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth and silky feeling

O-nice combination of the Bastards with great elements of each blended well into an enjoyable beer to savor

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 19:00:19 | More by MDDMD

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Deep, clear ruby red with a light brown, frothy, pillowy head that builds well and fades slowly leaving behind good lace and great retention. Nice when held up to light.

S: Huge burst of sweet, roasted malt, caramelized sugar, maple sugar, wood, earth, and a bit of booze. Give it a swirl to build the head again and some really complex aromas come out. Maple syrup, bourbon, dark, dried fruits...as the beer warms, some strange metallic aromas come out and it smells too sweet. I'm not gonna knock it too much because it's been in my glass for nearly two hours.

T: The flavors are very complex, as well. Heavily roasted, almost smoked or charred malt stand out with hints of booze and wood. The booze is very complementary with the malt character. In my opinion, the blend works out really well. I'm a big fan of this.

M: Surprisingly not-so-heavy body with a clean, flavorful finish. Fairly cloying at room temperature with plenty of time to breathe. But that's just the heavy roasted malt tiring out the palate I'm sure.

O: Awesome concept with equally awesome execution. To me, the Oaked Bastard really shows itself. Fantastic stuff!

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 05:50:30 | More by Gatch

sevenarts

New York

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Amber/dark orange with a modest tan head and some lacing.

S: Piney hops dominate but are balanced by sweet caramel, some woody aromas and a good amount of booze.

T/M: Sweet malty caramel up front, followed by pine and citrus from the hops, some spiciness, wood, and booze and warmth on the back end. Very creamy, which helps it go down easy despite the alcoholic bite and pine bitterness.

O: This is a blend of Stone's other "Bastard" beers (original, oak-aged, double) and it tastes like a hybrid, with an interesting blend of flavors. Not as good as the other Bastards, but still an interesting beer that packs quite a punch.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 00:14:08 | More by sevenarts

Celtics76

Rhode Island

4.23/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

My wife is in Brooklyn tonight for a DMB concert, so time to wrap some gifts and give this beer a shot. It's been in my fridge a few weeks.

I poured this beast into a Caesar's Palace bomber glass - nice presentation - a good inch and a half of foamy head which reduces quite gradually. Clear amber in color with some rising bubbles. Smells of malts and alcohol.

Has a sugary sweet malt flavor followed by a bitter, piney hop finish. I'm also noticing some caramel notes and a mild alcohol burn. This is heavy duty stuff. A meal in itself. I just had some dragon sushi rolls, was planning on cooking up some steak tips but now I'm having second thoughts.

This is another flavorful/complex offering from Stone. A definite slow sipper. I recommend having it before or after a light dinner. As for me, I'll probably still have the steak tips. "I eat too much..too much!!" --DMB

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 23:00:05 | More by Celtics76

plaid75

New York

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a deep amber hue with a two finger frothy off white head. There was very good retention and sticky lacing.

The smell featured burnt caramel, earthy malts and a balmy piney hop.

The taste consisted of a coarse earthy caramel, burnt candy sugar and full, yet reserved piney hop.

The mouthfeel was full with a residual hop spice.

Overall a tasty and complex strong ale. Nice concoction.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 02:03:27 | More by plaid75

lordofstarside

Nevada

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bomber to snifter, this batch is best by 1/31/13

Pours a dark brown ruby with a finger of creamed mocha foam. Retention is pretty average, but a bit expected. Pretty good lacing

Aroma is pretty interesting, hops standing out the most followed with some caramel and toffee malts. Some oak is in there along with a trace of alcohol. Hints of chocolate and tobacco. Not as pungent as I hoped

Taste of strong hops, caramel, oak, alcohol, and some sweet malts. All of the flavors balance each other quite well, which honestly leaves the beer tasting a little bland. Overall it's still pretty strong though

Feel is full bodied, mild carbonation, good bitterness, and goes down smooth. Creamy with a dry finish, very drinkable

Overall this beer is pretty good. It's probably the most inferior of all the bastards, but it's a bastard none the less and still better than a lot of strong ales out there. If my regular store has any left I'll buy some more, in any case I'm glad I got to try it

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 01:28:46 | More by lordofstarside

sirdrinkwell

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-ruby/amber tones after being poured into my pint glass, with mildly bubbling head and modest lacing. as a point of reference, in my ambient light it showed slightly lighter than the original Bastard brew but none the less attractive.

S-nice malts, some caramel character, and signature citrus-pine hoppiness meets the nose.

T-no major departure from the original as I taste, and I have no real qualms with that. the taste is slightly sweeter, with a pronounced albeit mild caramel presence. the hops are still there but the kick actually seems a bit more modest and the overall flavor itself strikes me as more muted in spite of the slightly higher ABV.

M-very evenly balanced brew. not heavy at all, mildly carbonated, and with a sticky but pleasant feel and a smooth aftertaste.

O-this brew is certainly not looking to set itself apart from its Bastard brethren in any major way, and with the great product that Stone has in that line I don't really see why that wheel needs much reinventing anyway. There is enough here to let me know that I am drinking something other than the Oaked, Double, or original Bastard, and as an adoptee in my own life I am more than happy to welcome another illegitimate brother to the table.

salud!

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 02:59:03 | More by sirdrinkwell

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I feel this this release is significantly better than the first time I had it. Maybe the blend is different this batch. Who knows.

Really nice hoppy spice character going on. Minimal citrus tones with a fair amount of pine. Great balance, even though it's pretty powerful and robust. I like this beer a lot. And it's probably one of the coolest bottle designs I have see from Stone so far.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 00:04:28 | More by RblWthACoz

BRadStudios

Texas

3.83/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pint glass

A: medium body, small tight head

S: piny, hoppy, thick malts, citrus sharpness

T: smooth, piny hops bitter kick, big flavor

M: medium weight, carbonated smooth glide, hoppy, piny bitter, bright

O: If you like the others this is a good hoppy bitter kick with the same family taste.

one bottle consumed :-)

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 04:30:36 | More by BRadStudios

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From: Friar Tuck's, Savoy, IL
Date: "Enjoy by January 31, 2013" stamped on bottle
Glass: Tulip

I was generally interested to try this, as I've enjoyed Stone's hop profile lately. The beer, however, is not as satisfying as hoped, consisting of a fairly generic grapefruit-meets-pine hop mixture atop a caramel-like malt sweetness that is too nondescript and one-dimensional to be particularly enjoyable. The obvious ethanol content and its imposition on the senses further dilutes the flavors and aromas, leading to a strong ale that is alright, above average, but nothing amazing. While clearly of the "Arrogant Bastard" lineage, this blend of the beers will probably be a one-time try for me.

Pours a 2cm head of off-white to light tan foam with above average retention; it also leaves above average lacing along the sides of the glass as it descends. Body is a dark amber brown color, with light bringing out dark copperish hues. Carbonation is readily visible through the transparent body, active and plentiful.

Aroma of pine and grapefruit-like hops atop a fairly generic, caramel-like sweet, malt body, with spicy ethanol wafting about in the background.

Tasting opens with caramel-like malt sweetness that quickly transitions to a mid-palate with a fairly balanced blend of pine and grapefruit-like hop flavor, hop bitterness, and caramel malt sweetness. As with aroma, though, maltiness does not change with time or across the palate, generally tasting one-dimensional. Back of palate picks up plenty of spicy ethanol, a bit too strong and obvious for an 8.5% beer, blending with the malt to create a slightly cumin-like taste. Back of palate also features substantial hop bitterness with a pine-like edge. Lingering aftertaste of pine and grapefruit-like pine bitterness intertwined with ethanol.

Body is medium in weight. Carbonation is medium to highly intense at first, coming across as quite prickly, but gradually generating a foamed beer across the palate that moves easily and steadily. Ethanol burn felt on the tongue and back of throat; heat felt in the nostrils. Not well-hidden, makes the beer less enjoyable. Closes dryly, with some stickiness across the palate.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 04:06:18 | More by falloutsnow

DrewV

New York

4.23/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another Bastard winner here, bold and in your face. Between the heavy, viscous malts and the sticky, earthy hops, it leaves little room for the 8+% ABV. In traditional Bastard style, everything in this brew is over the top and flawlessly executed. However, at $8 for a bomber, there really is no reason to choose this beer over Stone's Double Bastard, which is over 11% ABV for the same price and virtually the same flavor profile, just amped up a bit.

Overall this is a solid "A" rated brew, but in comparison with Stone's other offerings, I'd have to drop it to an "A-" based on value alone.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 00:32:48 | More by DrewV

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Standard pour into my favorite goblet produces a 1" head that reminds me of a vanilla milkshake. And it just sits there, taking several minutes to recede. When it does, it leaves behind the thickest, most persistent lacing I have encountered. The beer itself falls somewhere between amber and orange. This is a pretty glass.

How does it smell? Well, it's a bit of a malt bomb, which I did not expect, for some reason. Tropical fruits dominate the hop profile. There's something vegetal in there, too.

My nose did not lie. This is one malty beer. There is a significant finishing bitterness, but the malts and sweetness cut across the hops completely. In a blind tasting, I would have called this a barleywine. It even has the creaminess to match the head.

Except...

This is one bitter beer. The kick at the end is hard to ignore. It looks great, smells and tastes pretty good. But the finishing bitterness just feels like piling on. It's a disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 06:33:36 | More by DaveAnderson

Greywulfken

New York

4.23/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: medium amber body with beige head of a finger's width

S: chewy malts and piney hops

T: very typical of the Bastard line - rich malt base, caramels and chew, hoppy citrus and pine

M: medium weight, chewy, slick, moderate carbonation, nice aftertaste

O: the best part of this beer is that it is clearly the same lineage as the Double, Arrogant and Oaked Bastard ales. But it doesn't do much to distinguish itself. It sits firmly between the Arrogant and Double Bastards. Of course a great beer, but not mind-blowinig if you're familiar with the line.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 03:10:57 | More by Greywulfken

tdm168

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to jtd1969 for sharing this one.

A - dark brownish amber with a large, brownish, off white head that's foamy and dense with solid retention

S - malty with some chocolate notes; piny hop aromas

T - hoppy, piny, bitter, earthy, some chocolate malt, woody; very full flavored

M - medium to full bodied, warm, well carbonated

This is a decent beer. It has great balance and overall flavor. The maltinesss was a bit much for me, but there was an intense hop character that improved the drinkability for me. In the end, I prefer the original Arrogant Bastard to them all, but I would never turn this down.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 00:37:10 | More by tdm168

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a medium to darker brown with a bit of amber mixed in. Sweet head - close to two fingers on an 8 oz pour - cream colored. Mouthfeel is excellent with good carbonation up front and a fizzing on the end that accentuates the bitterness. Smell has some hops but not overpowering - piney - with sweet malts. Taste is incredible for fans of the AB series - bitter, sweet, a bit of the oak'd I love and overall an extremely enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 00:32:25 | More by Oakenator

mactrail

California

3.58/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

An attractive golden oak color in the really big Duvel tulip. Very nice sudsy foam and it does have a nice mouthfeel, just a little oily.

Malty and melting with caramel. Quite a lovely sunshiney flavor. Then the Hop Bastards come in and stomp over everything enthusiastically. But there is some pleasant fruity flavor, dried apricot and green plum, all very tart and sharp. The oak adds a nice undertone without being wood in your face. I think other brewers ought to consider blending their over-barrelled brews with other stuff.

Maybe this is a case where the sum is greater than the parts. I am not a big AB fan and even less of the Double AB (I call it Ignorant MF). So this is a step up for me, even though the endless candied grapefruit pith got old about 10 years ago. From the 22 oz bottle for six bucks from the Ibis Market in San Diego.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 06:39:37 | More by mactrail

DocJitsu

California

3.8/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice looking clear amber with a fat, soapy, tan head. Head retention is better than average with some spiderwebbing around the edge of the glass. Toffee, grass, orange peel, and sweet lemon on the nose. The mouthfeel is wet, smooth, full, but lacking carbonation sting. There's a less offensive hop presence in this concoction than is normal for Stone. In fact, it might even be described as drinkable. I note a lot of pine and a little orange. There's some balance. But, I'm not sure with what. The finish, however, delivers that familiar Stone hop hot sensation and bitterness. Not horrible, but I've been duped by Stone, once again. I really want to try one that knocks my socks off.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 06:06:29 | More by DocJitsu

kylehay2004

Florida

3.9/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: two finger thick off white head with good retention with an aggressive poor on a fairly clear deep copper body.

S: aroma is excellent and very enticing with floral, grapefruit and orange citrus, toasted malts and caramel. actually a nicely balanced hop and malt profile here.

T: opens almosty like a barleywine with malts and candy sugar mocing to earthy and pine hops which is unexpected for the aroma. then it finishes a bit sharp and boozy with more caramel malts and pine.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: this one isnt bad, just a lot of unexpected f.avors. definitly malt forward, still a good beer,

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 02:11:25 | More by kylehay2004

bengore

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a dark reddish amber with a large amount of head that sticks around for a while.

S: Orange zest with other interesting spicy fruits. You can certainly smell hints of the oak aged ale in here as well. Very complex and inviting.

T: Initially follows the nose with a fruity taste which subsides quickly into a slight bitterness. You can taste the oak aged arrogant bastard which is outstanding.

M: Heavy and foamy, very smooth.

O: Overall a very interesting and delicious beer. A lot more complex than arrogant bastard alone, and the oak really stands out on this one. Definitely worth picking up a bomber or two!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 01:26:23 | More by bengore

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep ruby red that just looks beautiful. It is topped with a thick beige head that does not disappear and laces the glass all over. This is what everyone wants in the look of their beer.

Sweet fruitiness(peach and orange with some tropical pineapple and tangerine type aromas) pours out everywhere from the snifter. I was wondering how prominent the different bastards would be and the oak is easily identifiable. Caramel malt and some piney hop are there as well. This might sound weird but I get a little pumpkin towards the end of the bottle when it warms up. I dig.

Oh yeah….bitter hoppiness and the great hop flavor takes hold at first leading into a huge caramal malt sweetness pop in the middle and end. A little butterscotch and oaky vanilla is there as well. The only bad thing about the taste is that ridiculously amazing fruity nose doesn't totally translate.

Drys out the mouth. Medium bodied. Active carbonation but it is not too much. When you get to the end of the bomber and swirled it around a bit and killed some carb it gets so smooth.

Ok. WOW is all I can say. I didn't know the whole story behind this beer when I bought it. I enjoy Stone and knew it was limited so I grabbed it. It is worth every cent you spend on it. Beers like this make me realize how awesome craft beer is. I love it.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 20:47:45 | More by MattSweatshirt

divineaudio

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

bomber into a tulip glass.

a - pours a deep, transparent copper color and gave me a dense, rocky, two finger, beige head. foam takes its time calming but eventually settles to a thin cap and leaves thick chunks of lacing in the glass.

s - grassy and floral hops, faint grapefruit citrus, toffee.

t - big toffee malt character followed up with big hop character. on the sweeter side but has ample hop bitterness to balance that out. i'm picking up notes of grapefruit, wintergreen or something else mildly minty, and a little wood on the back end. bitterness comes in the form of a pine resin beatdown to the middle and back of the tongue that hurts for a while but in a good way. alcohol content is barely noticeable (in the taste at least).

m - full bodied with the right amount of carbonation. finer co2 profile. very slick from the hop oils but also very smooth. very slight alcohol warming.

o - solid in every way and quite enjoyable. in fact, i think i prefer this over any of the individual beers that go into it. worth seeking out imo.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 00:51:10 | More by divineaudio

SHODriver

California

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: poured into a sinfter to a sinister looking deep red with a finger and a half of off white head that retains well
S: smells of pine and citrus hops with a bit of caramel and slight spice and fruity alcohol
T: softer than the smell let on. more oaky and woody with some slightly toasted malt and caramel with some earthy and piney hops. a bit of grapefruit comes in as well but it's very soft and refined. a nice sweetness to it and some very refined hop flavor. swallow is a huge wave of oily hop goodness that lingers for some time and slowly fades to show some residual sweetness
M: medium to full that is fairly smooth with adequate carbonation. kinda drying but also kinda juicy
O: this is a great version of an old favorite. It has great flavors and complexity, a killer nose, and it drinks very smooth. Another hit from Stone and I'm glad it came back around.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 04:34:03 | More by SHODriver

JohnnyMc

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A special blend of 3 different Bastard Ales!!

Pours out a very deep amber/ruby color with about 3 fingers of off-white head.

The aroma has a good amount of piney, earthy and citrusy hops along with caramel malt notes, hints of vanilla and oak notes.

The taste also has a lot of hop flavor; piney, earthy and citrus notes. The middle has a good deal of caramel malt sweetness and that is followed by a decent amount of oak flavor and vanilla as well. Finishes very crisp, clean and dry.

The body is medium and the mouthfeel is creamy. Can't smell or taste any alcohol.

This is a great addition to the Bastard line, but not the greatest in my opinion. Definitely try it if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 00:26:59 | More by JohnnyMc

bbkd3b

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First go-round with this beer. I've pretty much enjoyed any beer in the Bastard family, so why not, eh?

LOOK: Burnt Sienna beauty, with a foamy, tan head. Thin, but pleasant looking. Thin head has good retention once it's down to a certain point. Some lacing on the sticks to the edges of the glass, but not too much.

SCENT: Nice hop character with a LOT of spice. Grapefruit with a sweet hint of brown sugar. This reminds me of the Oaked Arrogant Bastard, in a way. Really did a number on this and it's great. VERY good scent.

TASTE/MOUTHFEEL: Wow... tons of citrus notes here! Grapefruit comes on to the tongue as smooth as can be. The sweetness and bitter hops blend remarkably well, and in ways you don't normally come across. Very Stone-esque in that regard. Touch of alcohol on the finish leaves the tongue burning. Not bad at all.

OVERALL/NOTES: Just your standard Bastard ale. While it isn't the Double Bastard Ale, that's probably an unfair comparison. Regardless, this is a really great beer and definitely worth picking up. I'll have to grab another bottle on my next trip to the store and take better notes as these are a bit half-hazard.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 06:48:41 | More by bbkd3b