Lukcy Basartd Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

mdwalsh

Iowa

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A nice, lacy head on a big red body.

Aroma is great an hoppy. with a nice malty boozy-ness but not harsh.

Taste is a little harsher, too acrid with the hops.

The mouthfeel is awesome, perfect carbonation.

Overall, a worthwhile beer, something I will try again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 17:22:27 | More by mdwalsh

smcnulty1981

Rhode Island

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: ruby red color with a khaki colored head a good ammount of laceing and some alcohol legs

S: lots of juicy citrus fruit and resin on the nose with no alcohol at all

T: great citrus flavor up front hits with a little of pucketing on the sides of the mith with some malt flavor on the backed no alcohol Tate at all when drinking

M: medium bodied mouthful very easy to drink doesn't drink like an 8.5 % beer

O: extremely great experience with this beer what really enhances it is if you smell the beer and sip it at the same time you can really emerce yourself in this beer

Serving type: on-tap

01-06-2013 21:28:25 | More by smcnulty1981

searsclone

Arizona

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

poured into a DFH flared pint glass. reviewed about 3 weeks before the enjoy by date

Pours a clear red, caramel color with a huge tan creamy and rocky head.

Smell is sweet chocolate, piney and earth. Really clean.

Taste is excellent balance of sweet caramel, toasty dark chocolate and clean hop finish

mouth is smooth, velvety, creamy. Prickly carbonation, medium mouth feel with a great dry finish. Perfect.

overall, crazy smooth and really easy to drink. If you get a chance, this is a must try!

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 19:54:15 | More by searsclone

rangerred

Tennessee

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

Poured into a snifter out of a 22oz bomber.

Pours a clear ruby red with just a thin wispy head. Even with the lack of a substantial head there is very nice lacing throughout.

Aroma of piny hops mixed with burnt caramel. Some maple syrup along with a healthy dose of oak. Burnt toast and rye bread round out the aroma. Really a heavy, roasty, caramely, complex aroma that is extremely inviting.

The flavors continue the themes found in the aroma but on a much more intense scale. Tons of oak and pine with a healthy dose of caramel thrown in. Some burnt character and a spicyness that is reminiscent of rye. Fairly intense bitterness throughout balanced my sweetness. Mouthfeel is slick with a good amount of stickyness in the finish.

Overall, this is my favorite of the Bastard line. Really so much going on here and I really love the oak character. Perfectly blended and really one to savor.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 02:41:00 | More by rangerred

Raven3464

Japan

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

Appearance: It pours a clear, bright red to dark copper body with a one finger head. Sticky lacing makes the beer look extra sexy.

Smell: Pineapple, citrus, and pine trees come to mind at first. Sweet malt notes, a smell I will call the Stone Bastard "twang" and a woody oak aroma are also noticed.

Taste: Sweet malts and grapefruit blend into a huge hop punch. An "oaky" flavor similar to that found in Oaked Arrogant Bastard can be found but it is not quite as prominent. A slight alcohol burn lingers in the aftertaste together with the hops.

Mouth feel: It is medium bodied with just enough carbonation to wash down the sticky hops.

Overall: Stone seems to be rehashing old ideas but, with brews like this, who could complain? I think I prefer the original Bastards, especially the Oaked, to this hybrid but it can still be considered a successful experiment. I hope to have this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 14:32:50 | More by Raven3464

rundocrun

Iowa

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Body is a lovely ruby red color. 1 finger of white foam forms and dissipates quickly. Some lacing on the glass.

S - Lots of lemongrass and herbal-scented hops. Just a hint of zesty tangerine and candied orange. Rich caramely malts play nicely in the background.

T - Sweet caramel and orange up front. Some mild woody character--no doubt from the cut of Oaked AB that went into this. Earthy and lemony hops play through the middle and finish. Some tannic character as well as some dark caramel malts and bitter citrus peel flavors make up the majority of the finish.

M - Medium body. Understated but good carbonation. Finish is quite clean and semi-dry.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 02:41:42 | More by rundocrun

MadScientist

New York

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

A: A medium-dark copper with good clarity. The persistent head forms a good stand of rocky light tan bubbles that leave a sticky lacing on the side of the glass.

S: A heady, strong bouquet of tropical and citrus hops aromas with pineapple and lemon being the dominate notes with supporting mango and orange. There is a bit of an herbaceous, grassy note from dry hopping. The malt adds a moderately-light, clean sweet note.

T: Aggressive hops bitterness dominates with an equally supportive malt bill that brings a light caramel, a bit of dry grain and clean sweetness. There is a good amount of hops flavor with the pineapple and lemon still take the lead with a bit more pine than in the nose followed by some orange. The balance is very bitter but the malt sweetness is still very apparent. The alcohol bring a light sweetness towards the off-dry finish with a lingering citrus peel-like bitterness.

M: A lightly creamy, slightly more than medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. There is light alcohol warmth and a slight tingle on the palate.

O: Lucky Bastard indeed, at least for any self described hopheads! This beer is an outstanding, huge West Coast tropical/citrus hop bomb.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 01:49:40 | More by MadScientist

hardy008

Minnesota

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

clear copper color with a two finger tan head with good retention and lacing. The aroma has caramel malt, oak, brown sugar, and citrus hops.

The taste is a very nice combination of sweetness and bitterness with toasted caramel malt, brown sugar, oak, citrus, and pine. Nothing subtle about the taste of this beer, which is probably why I love it so much.

Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation. Has a bit of a sticky feel, and a bittersweet aftertaste. Very nicely made.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 03:11:39 | More by hardy008

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

Hopprof

Georgia

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ordered this little number from Shipmates in Cerritos. This beer is a rare find and a real jewel in the Stone Brewing "cannon". Has a chocolate/caramel smell. Sweetness up front, bitterness at the finish. Head forms into pristine rings inside the tulip glass through progression. This is definitely my favourite offering from Stone.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2012 04:16:39 | More by Hopprof

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