Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A great experience, a 3 litre bottle shared with many fans. Beautiful dark colour, pour. Excellently hopped,moderated by choice malts, oak bits give flavour. Bitter and wine-like finish and aftertaste. Pine and some grapefruit in nose. Carmel and grapefruit in mid-sip. Medium-full mouthfeel. A bit too oaky from the oak chips, that was less so on-tap two years later when tried at Solena Beach Pizza Port.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2004 15:59:03 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.83/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Oaked Arrogant Bastard is a stupendous shade of sunset coral when viewed with bright sunshine behind the glass. Fat slices of tangerine orange can be seen at the edges and are a perfect color complement to the rest of the beer. The thickly creamy head (that is somewhere between pale caramel, pastel orange and golden beige) manages to slather the glass with butter-like streamers of lace. This is a gorgeous ale.

The nose is equally as good and reminds me of a caramel malty IPA, or even a DIPA, that contains boatloads of pungent, citric zesty, spruce-like hops... which is pretty much what Arrogant Bastard is. I don't remember this much fruitiness in the standard AB, but it has been a while since I treated myself to a bomber. Strangely enough, I can't really appreciate the oakiness in the nose.

My palate must have undergone a few changes (development, I hope) since my last Stone AB because the beer isn't the crazed bitter bomb that my memory tells me it was. Actually, it's more delicous than I remember. Whether that has anything to do with the oak chips is hard to say. I was almost ready to say that I can't appreciate oak on the palate either when... hot damn... there is it, making a big splash on the finish.

The beginning and middle portions of each mouthful are dominated by huge flavors of caramel, white grapefruit pith, bitter orange and pine sap. There's nothing better than Chinook unleashed. Rarely have I tasted a more aggressive ale that is so well-behaved in the mouth. Immediately after the swallow is where the caramelized sugar and oak make their move and turn a great beer into a phenomenal one.

I didn't think it was possible, but warming brings about an even greater intensity. Anyone who thinks this beer or its un-oaked brother is overrated is completely off his or her rocker. This is big beer that was brewed with bourbon-loving hopheads in mind. Since that describes me perfectly, it's no surprise that I'm in awe of what Stone has done.

How could the body/mouthfeel be anything less than fantastic? It's as firm as polished granite and is equally as smooth. It also possesses a luscious creaminess that promotes gulping rather than sipping. I find that I'm drinking waaay too fast, as much for how the beer feels as for how it tastes. Well, maybe not.

I'd have to drink Arrogant Bastard Ale and Oaked AB side by side to determine how much they actually differ. My guess is that the oak chips definitely add something of value. I did a little jig when I found out that Stone decided to release this beer in user-friendly 12 oz. bottles. I'm doing an even more enthusiastic jig now that I've had it. Smashing stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2007 15:36:57 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a rich brown amber color with a huge cream colored head that stayed for a while. Smell was very sweet of caramel with an almost a bourbon or whiskey smell to it. The taste was very intresting. Very crisp with a slight touch of alcohol. Sweet caramel malts and a bit of a wooden hop back. This is a very complex beer, I don't think I could begin to explain the taste and do it justice. Very very good, only wish I could get more of it around here!

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2007 02:35:31 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark red in color with a thin layer of white foam and amazing lacing.

S: Tons of caramel, oak/vanilla, slight citrus.

T: Very distinct oak flavor, malty sweetness, smoke, and of course the signature Arrogant Bastard bitterness on the finish.

M: Great body, very little carbonation.

D: Much more drinkable than "regular" Bastard and much more complex and interesting (in my opinion).

Serving type: growler

08-11-2009 02:23:01 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark, nutty brown with a creamy off-white head. Nice lacing. The oak comes through in a fairly big way atop what is easily recognized as none other than Arrogant Bastard. Lots of hops and a strong malty finish before the lingering bitterness kicks in. Mouthfeel is nice and creamy, with the oak creating a nice complexity.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2010 03:08:02 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

$2.50 12oz. single from Green's (Buford locale) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a deep, dark amber body with a medium-sized, off-white head.

Smell: A joining of sweet-smelling maltiness, primarily caramel with a smattering of dark brown sugar and rich hoppiness coming across as notes of plump grapefruits, perfume, and wood. Oh, and don't forget about the vanilla.

Taste: Toasty malts with a dark caramel sweetness and taste of brown sugar. Slight cherry fruitiness in the distant background. A drop or two of vanilla extract. Hoppy citrus and wood flavor, and that very same bit of fresh, hand-picked mint I get from the original. Moderate hop bitterness combines with a lightly astringent oaken component and both last through and beyond the dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Just as delightful as the non-oaked Arrogant Bastard, though I never felt the oak treatment gave it all too much of a unique distinction, except, unfortunately, in its price tag.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2008 06:04:14 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy dark amber color with a modest head that drops to a film and dots the chalice with lace

Smell: Rich caramel aroma mixed with grapefruit hops; a touch of pith and pine and a hint of vanilla

Taste: Right off the bat, the grapefruit hops assualt the tastebuds but are immediately joined by caramel, vanilla, cinnamon and oak; by mid-palate and after the swallow, the hoppy flavors become even more pronounced and blast into the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation; a bit thinner than I would have expected

Drinkability: It is far easier to drink than one would expect for all of its arrogance

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2007 00:44:21 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.05/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Growler fill from Stone Brewing Co.

Pours a very dark crimson-brown with a small foamy 1/4 inch head that settles to a small cap. Small streaks and dots of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of hops, sweet malt, and some oak wood aromas. There is also an earthy, herby aroma I am getting as well. Taste is of some toasted malt, herbal hops, and a woody earth-like flavor that tones down the overall hop flavors. A mild hop bitterness lingers on the palate after each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a smooth but slightly flat mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer where the oak gives Arrogant Bastard's hop overload a bit of a toning down.

Serving type: growler

09-28-2011 04:22:58 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of Beerandblues2: Poured a dark brown color ale with a nice medium brown foamy head with good retention. Aroma of citrus hops with some nice caramel malt. Taste is sweeter then expected with lots of caramel malt and a medium bitter finish with some citrusy hops. Body is definitely above average with some medium carbonation. I thought the oak presence was quite subtle and overall this is more reminiscent to a barleywine then an American Strong Ale but enjoyable nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2007 16:05:17 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Never thought I would see this one in 12oz. bottles. Has the same Arogant Bastard characteristics that makes me so glad that I got into craft beers. As expected, the oak barrels impart a complex woody, nutty, musty, and raw character. It also rounds out the harsh hop and fusal characters of 'regular' Arogant Bastard. The beer comes across much smoother, more delicate, and more compex. Almost a creamy flavor and texture (cotton candy). From the bottle, it seems that the oak flavors, aromas, and nuances are more previlant than the times having it from the growler. I'll sure have more of these in the upcomming months.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2006 19:42:27 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A huge Huge thanks to fellow Buffalo area BA Orfeu for leaving some of this and a few other gems on my porch tonight!Poured into a brandy snifter a deep amber infused with some tawny brown a big fluffy almond colored head atop leaving multiple sheets of lace as it settled into a soapy-like top.The only let down of this beer in my mind was the nose seemed a bit unasumming some faint vanilla and caramel and hints of orange peel.Oh man the flavors are definently Not unassuming where to begin here caramel sweetness and woody tones at first sip the vanilla from the oak becomes prevelant a big drying spicey hoppiness really hits and hits hard just making it oh so drinkable and balanced.As the beer warms the alcohol heat comes thru more but not outta hand,oh so beautiful a beer I just loved it.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2006 02:05:14 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This will be a fairly straightforward and simple, hedonistic review as I've already reviewed the straight Arrogant Bastard and so much has already been said about this beer.

Basically, I feel that the Bastard is already a full-throttle beer and the oak-aging is wasted on it. Sure, the oak is present (and it's drying, woody character does help to tone down and smooth the beast a bit), but does it really help to improve the character of the beer? I'd say not. It's different, but it's not better. And there's just too much going on to really enjoy the character of the wood (although it is oak-chips, right?). Good, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2005 01:54:37 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a tumbler.

You are not oaked worthy! Still, it pours a semi-murky garnet topped by a finger of dirty ecru foam. The nose comprises the standard fare of pine and grapefruit, along with a decent blast of flowers, a solid contingent of caramel, and a small amount of, you guessed it, oak in the background. The taste followed very similarly, with the oak playing a nice supporting role to the other aforementioned elements. Nothing overbearing, which is refreshing in these days of o'erblown wood-aging nonsense. The body is a solid medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a sorta dry finish. Overall, a very nice brew, though I'm not sure I would necessarily take it over the normal Bastard on a regular basis.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 04:12:37 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear crimson coloring, edging on darker maroonish, but a full, lush, creamy-toned head, leaving lace. I like it.

Aroma: cherries, whiskey, vanilla, berries, cognac, luscious and lovely. Wide open, deep, complex, mature, and heavenly.

Taste: vanilla jumps up first, smothers the palate with the flavor of that sweet bean, fruit flavors join in as well, but vanilla maintains it's dominance. Yums.

Medium mouthfeel, body, smooth, tasty, ...almost too smooth. But so delicious. If, maybe, too much vanilla. I like other things that arise from the flavors of various oak barrels.
Wait. Oak chips? Oak...chips? No barrells? Hmmm...
Tasty, delicious, ...I like it, but not as much as the Original A.B. So, sue me.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2006 07:44:13 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.13/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a ruby red color with a thick frothy offwhite head that lasts. The aroma is great. It has a smooth and mellowing scent that boasts of pale, crystal, and roasted malts along with a generous amount of hops and a mild oak aroma. The taste is good. It has an aggressive wood flavor up front as well as in the finish. It blends well with the bold malt and hop profile. The hop bitterness lends itself well to the oak flavor. The mouthfeel is good also. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a wonderful version of an already great beer. I prefer the original, but this one is a good drinker as well.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2007 20:31:11 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pretty much side by side with the regular arrogant bastard.

Poured from a bottle without a date into a becher. Beer is brown and hazy forms a thin off white head of medium bubbles that leaves some lacing on the glass. Carbonation is moderate.

Aroma is strong, lots of malts, nice hop character and a slight tinge of alcohol. This one has some woodsy, oak aroma to it, still smells good.

Still medium bodied and lots of carbonation. The flavor of the oak is there as well but the hops seem off in this one. The bitterness isn't matched with the original and I don't like it as much.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2010 03:23:13 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark reddish-amber color with a tan head. The aroma is pine and orange hops along with some oaked notes. I also detect some alcohol in the aroma. The flavor is a great mix of caramel malt and orange citrus. The oak then comes in, with the addition of some vanilla notes. Low to medium bitterness. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

A very good beer. The oak aging has really toned down the bitterness from the regular, non-oaked version.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 04:26:56 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.45/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A - Poured out a clear, burgundy color with a three-finger, fluffy, tan head of foam. The head was long lasting and left tons of patchy intricate lace.

S - Good aroma. Citrusy hops with floral notes. Sweet caramel with a touch of boozy alcohol.

T - Orange and other citrus flavors come through with a mild bitterness. Lots of sweet caramel and light roasted malt flavors provide a good backbone. Then to top it all off there are oak, bourbon and vanilla flavors.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied beer with a slight alcohol heat.

D - This was a really great tasting beer. It is so good in so many ways. It is nice to try a 'hyped" beer that really delivers.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2010 13:55:57 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.13/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is slightly hazy amber in color. It poured with a two finger high beige head that died down but consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface. The dissipating head also left lacy patterns running along the edges of the glass. A light amount of carbonation is visible.
S: There are moderate aromas of pine resin hops in the nose along with some hints of oak.
T: Flavors of roasted malts and accompanied by a moderate amount of bitterness; there are notes of oak in the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied and crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
D: The beer is relatively easy to drink because the alcohol is well hidden from the taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 14:45:58 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

20th review - woohoo! Now I can post new brews on this site. Picked up a sixer in Madison on the way back from Darkness Day.

A - Attractive mahogany color with one fingers of tan foam that dissipates slowly into an attractive big-bubbled lace. A small amount of carbonation is visible.

S - Toffee and malt, oak, hops and citrus. I wish more ales were this rich in the olfactory arena. Unsurprisingly it smells like Arrogant Bastard but with a bit of oak...

T - Starts sweet, ends bitter. The oak is pretty understated - likely because it's just oak chips and not barrel-aging. Keeps all the positive elements of AB - malty caramel front palette morphing into a hoppy bitter IPA at the end. The wood really comes out at the beginning but is quickly overwhelmed by hops.

M - Resinous - smooth, but a little more watery than I like. The carbonation is pretty unobtrusive. Nothing too special here.

D - I can see why they come in sixers. The 7.2% doesn't really make an appearance, although I can't drank too many woody beers in an evening (as the recent FOBAB proved).

A nice variation on Arrogant Bastard - as much as I like roadtrippin' to Discount liquors...please Stone, come to Illinois!

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2008 01:53:44 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.22/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours with a frothy, amber-tan colored head that is a bit on the thin side. The beer is a hazy orange-amber color when held up to the light, otherwise it is a straight up amber color. The aroma is herbal and citrusy with notes of tangerine, orange, perhaps a bit of mint, lemon basil. The oak is really not all that noticeable in the nose at this point. There is some woodiness up front and it seems to be interacting in interesting ways with the hops, creating aromatics that I can't quite put my finger on, but they are definitely not in the regular Arrogant Bastard.

The taste has a nice full mouth-feel to it an the hops are still quite raw and aggressive. Underneath this though is the oak; most notable as a tannic and astringent note in the finish. The beer is perhaps a bit too cold right now, but the flavors I can taste are orange, grapefruit, a sort of raw grassy herbal note, sweet caramel malt (which accentuates the citrus notes), menthol in the finish, and even a bit of tobacco.

The beer is quite tasty, but the oak is fairly subtle at this point. In the end this is a good thing, because if the oak was heavy handed it would really clash with the fresh, vibrant hoppiness that is characteristic of this beer. When paired with some Mexican food the Oak character really starts to become noticeable; it becomes much more woody with a pronounced buttery-oak type note in both the aroma and taste. But it still does not dominate the overall hoppy quality of this beer. This is a solid beer all around, and one which I enjoyed trying.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2005 21:49:29 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.78/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep reddish brown color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is a nice mix of floral hops, caramelized malts and some citrus.

T: The taste is very well-balanced with flavors of caramel & citrus sweetness and a strong hops presence, which seems slightly toned down compared to the regular Arrogant Bastard. There's a nice hearty malt backbone. The after-taste is slightly hoppy and slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smoother than the original Arrogant Bastard, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Very tasty, goes down quite easily, not too filling, nice kick, I always have high expectations for Stone beers and they have yet to disappoint me, with this beer I was very interested to see what difference the oak aging would make on an already great beer. It seems to me that it took a little bit of the harshness out and made an excellent beer even better.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2008 02:47:41 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This poured much like their normal Arrogant Bastard ale with a caramel like brownish orange color and thick white head on top. The lacing does it's job pretty well and sticks to the glass nicely. The smell of the beer is still pretty hoppy, it still smells like Bastard. The addition of oak had a minimal amount of strength in my opinion. The oak shows up slightly on the nose and in the taste but doesn't really curve my thoughts of the beer in either direction. The mouthfeel is nice, it's slick and smooth feeling. Overall I found it to be pretty good and would probably drink it again if I could.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 05:36:38 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.78/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured ruby red with a pillowy 2 fingers deep tan colored head. Great head retention & pretty good lacing

S: Rich biscuitty malt, then herbal & citrus hops move in. Smokeyness as it warms

T: Caramel, oakyness & dryness up front. Vanilla follows, along with herbal & citrus hops. Hints of cherry follow with some alcohol warming. Finishes dry, with hints of cherry & grapefruitty hops, that some how works

MF: Medium bodied, low carbonation & pretty good balance. Great smooth body

Drinks pretty easy, this is very tasty brew & somewhat complex, not sure I think this rates $16 a sixer though
(about $4-5 over priced IMO), a great, if overpriced beer from a brewery that usually is a pretty good value for the quality delivered

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2006 06:47:34 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

3.95/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Beachwood BBQ, in Seal Beach, CA,

A: Pours a dark murky brown, with a tan head, about 1-finger thick, leaves good lacing as the beer is drunk.

S: The weaker point of the beer for me, I wasn't getting much smell, though some good malts and woodiness came through in what I did smell.

T: Smooth, much smoother than the regular Arrogant Bastard for me, similar flavours though, a lot of malt, with some peat and smoke, presumably from the oak aging, with some woody, piney hops to balnce it out.

M: Smooth, as I stated before, robust, but mellow as compared to the original.

D: A very good beer, a change-up on the original Arrogant Bastard, but I like both styles very much.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2007 22:15:59 | More by Halcyondays