Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

arfenhouse

California

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: Amber color with big white head. Good lacing and retention.

S: Getting caramel, toffee, with some bread for the malts. Equally strong pine and grapefruit. One difference from the regular AB is a bit of vanilla scent near the beginning.

T: Very similar to regular AB; Sweet toasted bread, and caramel. Hops come in strong with lots of citrus (grapefruit, orange) and some pine. Hop character is a little smaller compared to the regular AB. Finishes with a long oaky aftertaste which reminds me of the smoked characteristic in a good whiskey.

M: A bit thick with medium-high carbonation. Fits the style and overall aggressiveness of the beer.

O: Good beer that is very much like the original AB. A small difference in the nose and a mellowing of the bitterness in the taste. To make up for the less bitterness there is a good oaky flavor that adds to the complexity of the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2013 23:40:16 | More by arfenhouse

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a Sprecher snifter glass

Appearance- Blood red in color with 1 finger of tan head that dissipates to a sheet that covers the beers surface. Leaves a good amount of sticky lacing.

Smell- I get lots of sweet tropical fruit, that similar to an IPA. Also, getting a vanilla and a little pine.

Taste- Up front you get a lot of hops flavors including some citrus and earthy ones. Then this is followed with a nice long oaky/woody finish. Quite enjoyable actually.

Mouthfeel- Pretty much what I would consider a medium body which to me is perfect for the style.

Overall- Very enjoyable mellow beer. My only gripe would be that the flavor profile could have used a little more sweetness to counter act the oaky and earthy notes.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 21:21:45 | More by BrownAleMale

spoony

Colorado

4.23/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes dated December 28, 2012.

From a 12 oz bottle into a globe glass.

A-An agressive pour produced almost two fingers of pillowy, tan head. The head was slow to fade and left a lot of lace on the glass. The brew was dark brown with ruby highlights and mostly clear.

S-Smell was an assertive aroma of piny, resinous hops, some toasty oak, molasses sweetness and tan malts.

T-Taste was also dominated by piny, resinous hops. Behind the hops are flavors of sweet bourbon and oak, and a touch of chocolate from the wood.

M-The brew is medium to heavy in body with low carbonation and a slightly oily feel.

O-Nice to review a true classic and one of the beers that got me into beer nearly a decade ago. It is a close call between this Bastard and the standard, non-oaked version. Both are great beers, but I think the oak imparts some additional character that pushes this version over the top.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 18:32:54 | More by spoony

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.88/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This Cocky Ale presented itself quite beautifully. A Reddish hue mix with copper, there was a stout presentable head and loads of carbonation.

The aroma was casual but noticeable. Hints of hoppy pine with a bit of malt, very pleasant but not as strong as I hoped.

The taste is interesting...the pine notes of the hops are evident but I caught a touch of caramel near the end. There's a malt presence but its fleeting and it finishes with the metallic taste of the hops. The metallic taste lingers for too long and lends to a lower impression in mouthfeel.

In all...enjoyable!

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 21:50:47 | More by KYGunner

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-beautiful copper color with a nice light tan head and good lacing

S-citrus, pine, caramel malt, oaky nuances, slight floral

T-malt, caramel, pine, citrus, nice oak presence, solid bitter hop finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth and slightly silky mouthfeel, alcohol well-disguised

O-a solid strong ale with a nice oak presence a nice complement to the regular version

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 22:18:39 | More by MDDMD

KingSlayer

Mexico

4.6/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: poured a semitranslucid brown caramel color full bodied fluid, good carbonation, formed 2 and a half fingers of light beige dense head, good retention, good lacing.

S: wonderful striking aroma of a delicate balance between malts and floral and bitter pine hops, little metalic undertone.

T: malty when first sipped, progresses to an aftertaste predominating a bitter palate that reminds those bitter resiny pine hops oils mentioned before, a little metalic as well.

M: somewhere from mid to full body, well carbonated.

O: loved it, will have again, a little bit strong alcohol wise, so keep that in mind while sessioning.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 05:55:03 | More by KingSlayer

erickehoe

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance: Deep amber color with ¼ inch cream head. Head appears to have viscosity of whipped cream. No real lacing to speak of.

Smell: Caramelly, molasses-like. Bananas and rum. Oaky.

Taste: Surprisingly balanced, based on the smell and oak-aging. Not too sweet. Starts with gentle, bubbly carbonation followed by a creamy, rich mouthfeel. Hop bitterness comes through fairly strong for the style. Definitely tasting the oak and maltiness as it finishes, and a warm heat exudes from the alcohol.

Overall: Pleasing aromas and a very well-balanced beer. A little thinner than I imagined, but other than that it is high-quality.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 19:23:10 | More by erickehoe

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle was poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: This beer poured a dismal head that quickly reduced to a thin layer. It is a copper crimson color with good clarity and only a small amount of slow moving bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: Caramel and toasted Malts ,Citrus, and other fruity notes.

Taste: Citrus, oak, vanilla, bitterness, caramel, chocolate, and bready notes.

Mouthfeel: Subltely smooth, low to medium carbonation, medium bodied, and easy to drink.

Overall: A nice offering by Stone. For some reason, this hop bomb is a bit much.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 07:41:51 | More by Flounder57

ubenumber2

Arkansas

4.68/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into a pint glass , Nice 2 finger head that had a slight brownish color , nice lacing and the smell was wonderful and complex to me , picked up on some earthy smells that were very appealing.

Full bodied ale , a very nice mouthful with just the right amount of carbonation

The taste is wonderful , a nice blend of malt , hops and earthy flavors with not one over powering the other , one of the best Ive ever had

I love this beer , I am going to try and find a clone recipe and see how close I can get , but until then I will be keeping a 4 pack in the fridge in short intervals

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 20:59:33 | More by ubenumber2

lordofstarside

Nevada

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Enjoy by 1/15/13 date

Pours a rich mahogany with a finger and a half of head. Mild carbonation, good retention and lacing. So far so good. Aroma of hops, some citrus, oak, with some sweet caramel malts making a rigid backbone. Taste follows the nose well, strong up front hops with a tinge of citrus, smokey oak, caramel, some toffee, with sweet malts bringing them all together. Mouth is pretty good as well, strong bitterness, thick full body, with a sticky resin and dry finish. Very easy to drink. Overall a good idea that turned out to be a great one. I prefer this over the regular bastard any day

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 01:47:02 | More by lordofstarside

TheBigLebrewski

Michigan

4.68/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance is enjoyably as expected. Has a little bit of that extra translucence that comes with macro-production, but the deep amber coloring is gorgeous and the head and retention is perfect.

Smell also betrays some macro qualities, but it's an enjoyable scent to say the least.

The taste of this beer is fucking awesome. A wonderful amount of wood (though I'd take a touch more), and very well balanced to boot. An improvement of the Arrogant Bastard.

Could go for a bit more hoppy crispness in the mouthfeel, but it's damn solid none the less. Just a touch more mellow than desired, particularly for a 'wood-chipped' beer. This is, in my opinion, the only quality of the beer that is inferior to the original AB.

Overall, a wonderfully accessible, albeit entry-level wood-affected beer. There are, of course, many with a more genuine wood contribution. But in terms of a widely accessible high quality brew... I'll have another.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 09:09:33 | More by TheBigLebrewski

GoldHorde

Minnesota

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

Arrogant Bastard Ale hails from a category that I'm not...um..."skilled" in; certainly not an expert. I do not prefer brown or Belgian ales so I was actually surprised to find this complex a "flavor profile" from a category named American Strong Ale. Generally I do not like the schmaltzy aftertaste of standard ales (English, Belgian and Brown) preferring instead those of the highly hopped IPA category. This beer has harnessed my curiosity to explore the ale experiments a bit more. Very nice beer - copper tone with a limited head but a strident aftertaste of hop. I wouldn't refuse this beer - even at an IPA Beer Bust.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 04:42:44 | More by GoldHorde

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this on 2012-12-01 in Lancaster, PA at The Fridge

A - Light mahogany / copper color with a short, off-white head with goodlacing.

S - Floral hops, citrus, pine, touch of sweet malt and wood. Not very strong but there were food odors present.

T - Burnt sugar, roasted grain, citrus, pine, toffee, nutty. The hop bitterness is more muted than in the regular AB but the woody oak character more than makes up for it.

M - Medium-heavy body and light-medium carbonation. Substantial. Resinous.

O - Very enjoybable. The oak aging really enhanced the character of this brew and raisted the rating quite a bit for me. Good stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2012 11:26:11 | More by Tucquan

templar316

Pennsylvania

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

Poured into Duval tulip/\Really suprised at how much the mouthfeel has softened on this one! Not much of a fan of the Stone palate wrecker hop blast style although I can recognize it as good beer... This is really nice. 2008 bottle that's been chillin' in my cellar makes me wish I'd saved a couple more. Deep Amber, great head after 4 years in the bottle. Piney citrus hops are still readily apparent on the nose but the flavor really shines! A smooth operator flavor; quick piney blast, smooth creamy bitterness and soft tea. With an oak finish and smooth, smooth hoperator finish I could drink this all night!

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 03:27:41 | More by templar316

portia99

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle from the first bottling of this (at least that made it to Massachusetts...by my rough calculations, this has been in the cellar from 2004) poured into an Old Guardian glass. Lets see how this has held up.

A - Bottle opens with a nice firm crack of carbonation. Pours a bit muddy and dirty and with a bit of a darker brown color. A finger cap of a tan foam lingers for a minute or so and leaves behind a thick and foamy collar around the edge of the glass.

S - Rich caramel up front, a touch of oak, molasses, hint of burnt sugar and faint vanilla. Not much left for any hops...after 8 years - not surprised. This give the impression of being a nice barleywine.

T - Somewhat mellow..and perhaps not quite as arrogant. This is very smooth. Woody oak is prominant on the first sip and lingers from start to finish. Layered heavily with various sweet and malty flavors - caramel, toffee, brown sugar. Surprisingly crisp hop bitterness as well. Vanilla and burnt sugar slightly reminiscient of creme brulee. Everything works very well together...there are no hard edges here...goes down super easy.

M - Very smooth, velvety, creamy. Body is medium. Carbonation is medium/low with a foaminess and creaminess about it. Gives a sweeter impression, but overall balance is excellent. Woody aspects and clean hop bitterness play off the sugary flavors quite well. Alcohol is not at all evident.

O - Having been an Arrogant Bastard fan from day 1, I recall being very excited when this oaked version hit store shelves. I also remember being shocked by the $18/6pk price but buying it anyway. Sadly, I recall not being at all impressed by this beer fresh, finding it quite harsh and not very enjoyable...hence a primary reason this has been sitting quietly in my cellar for 8 years. So, when I stumbled upon this bottle I figured it was as good a time as any to give it another try. What I find now is a truly excellent beer that has held up very well and improved greatly with age. The balance here is just about perfect and the flavors have mellowed a bit and blended together to create a beer that truly surprised me. Not sure I have the patience anymore to lay a beer down for 8 years (at least intentionally), but I am really hoping that I have another of these vintage bottles hiding in a dark corner of my cellar collection.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 01:16:03 | More by portia99

DrewV

New York

3.48/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Copper-amber with a 2-finger tan head. Oily lace trails down the glass as the head recedes.

S: Somewhat muted, but piney hops make their way to the front. Slight oaky smell, but nothing dramatic. A solid sweet malt base can be detected.

T: Like the original Arrogant Bastard, but slightly less powerful and with a noticeable trailing woodiness. The malt base is stronger than you might expect, almost lager-like. Pretty well balanced overall.

M: Quite thin. Much thinner than I expected from a "big" beer like this. Carbonation definitely needs to be higher.

O: Meh, it's good, but definitely nothing I would seek out again. I guess I was expecting something "bigger", but in fact I found the opposite. Hints of oak, no bourbon, faint vanilla, thin body, and a reserved flavor overall. Plus, it's expensive. All things considered, I'll look elsewhere for my next brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 18:37:14 | More by DrewV

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Amber in appearance with some ruby hightlights. A tall off white head sits on top. the head is slow to fade and leaves some lacing on the glass.
Aroma is wet oily hops up front and caramel malts. Oak aroma is real light amd sutle.
Taste is pretty good although I don't think I'll be a fan of this one.
Drinks with a good hop bite and a desent malt presence. The oak taste is quite apparent from first sip, but something is missing. I'm waiting for the bourbon bite but there is none.
The oak chips dry out the beer and make it quite bitter and puckering.
I think Arrogant Bastard is a good beer but the addition of the wood chips takes away alot of the taste and basically the character and personally of the beer.
Just good.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 11:47:48 | More by micromaniac129

joecast

Australia

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

At the Stone store on Pasadena.

Everything you expect from Arrogant Bastard with a soft oaky touch. Seems to moderate the hop character all around. Citrus aroma is knocked back letting the malt show a bit more, and some of the bitterness and hop flavor are replaced by a sweeter, malty woody character.

Interesting twist. Probably makes it more drinkable as the palate doesn't get wrecked so quickly. But then is it really still AB?

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2012 04:00:13 | More by joecast

Bubba569

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Serveing type: Bottle
Appearance: Redish Golden color, had about a 1/2" tan head that lasted throughout the whole drink, but not overly carbonated.
Smell: Had a outdoor woody smell with a hint of pine. Very pleasent beer smell!
Taste: Hits you with a tingling flavor of wood, leaves you with a strong aftertaste of pine. Smooth but bitter.
Mouthfeel: Pleasant, Smooth, Melt in your mouth goodness...aftertaste of Pine kind of like a Christmas Ale.
Overall I gave it a 4, would recommend it to a beer connoisseur but not for the untrained palate that wouldn't appreciate an Arrogant Bastard Ale!

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 20:12:46 | More by Bubba569

lamergod

Singapore

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Didn't really examine the beer. Was having dinner with it.

A: Nice dark brown with a slightly brownish- white, 1 finger thick head. With superb lacing, Probably even nicer than Duvel.

S: Didn't really examine the smell. But I could get a nice clean hop note.

T: Nice bitter, not too overpowering. Bitterness just about right. Nice hops note. Smooth on the palate.

M: Clean, no carbonation, smooth as a whistle. Very drinkable.

O: Fantastic go to beer for a night out. Not too heavy to down a few pints, but strong enough to taste great.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 04:42:41 | More by lamergod

nUgZ

North Carolina

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

12 ounce bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Poured a dark brown color with a 1 finger head. Nice lacing.

S: This beer smells amazing! It's a very complex mix of smells...just what I expect from a Bastard Ale. Sweet, but smokey. There are hops and malt along with the smell of the oak. Very inviting.

T: Just like the smell, the taste is very complex. Almost every sip reveals something new. Sweet, malty, and nutty. You can taste the hops as well as a mixture of fruity flavors and oak. At times I get the hint of coffee.

M: Medium bodied and nicely carbonated. Well done.

O: This is one hell of a beer. It just keeps opening up more and more. The longer you drink it, the more you discover. It's extremely complex and I would recommend it to any true beer lover.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 22:46:25 | More by nUgZ

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Colour is a dark brown with a bit of dark burnt caramel. Lacing is decent. Head is toffee tan in colour.
Nose has plenty of caramel, toffee, vanilla, some clean hop bitterness. Flavourful with a distinct oaky edge.
Taste has more of the same notes, nice toasted malt. Creamy and oaky, big body, with a hit of clean hop astringency. Finishes cleanily, creamy and flavourful.
Great stuff, oak aging suits it nicely.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 09:51:36 | More by mick303

McD0uche

California

4.23/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at Bluewater Grill in Tustin, CA on 10/20/2012.

A: Pours a dark rosy brown with a substantial head. Retention is average, with some noticeable lacing after the reduction.

S: Smokey, malts, oak, and a sweetness I can't quite pinpoint. A pretty excellent aroma overall.

T: Delicious. Starts out sweet and tangy, with malts and hops dominating. It finishes on the smokey, bitter side of things. A very complex taste. You can't just sip on this and ignore the flavor--it demands your attention.

M: A little rough on my palate. Not particularly thick, but the carbonation is a little too high.

O: This was a memorable beer. Though the mouthfeel wasn't quite where I wanted it to be, the smell and taste were outstanding and I'm sure I'll visit this one again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 20:24:55 | More by McD0uche

Theheroguy

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance : Deep Red yet translucent, white thick head

Smell: Very complex fruit and hops notes with some sweetness

Taste: Hops and mint up front with some malt in the back ground. Woody flavor at the end and in the after taste. Overall this tasted great but not amazing

The mouthfeel was suprisingly average for such an expensive beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 02:58:48 | More by Theheroguy

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a clear dark amber color with two fingers of dense white foam. Retention and lacing are both superb.

S: Malts balanced between bready and sweet caramel are the most dominate flavors. Close behind this I get significant citrus and pine hop aroma. Spicy and vanilla oak round out the aromas.

T: Interesting, lots of flavor packed in this for the ABV. The beer starts of with lots of bready malts with a bit of toffee sweetness. On the dry side for the style, but what characterizes this style anyways? I get lots of hop bitterness and piney hop flavor. Spicy wood flavor is there, but not overbearing. It mixes well with the bready malts and piney hops.

M: Medium to low thickness with average carbonation. This is an easy drinking beer and the mouthfeel works well for it, but it's not in your face like a lot of American Strong Ale mouthfeels.

O: This has the hops of an IPA and and a great malt profile with a strong bready and toffee flavor. Very strong flavors without intense bitterness, sweetness, or ABV. The sum of the parts is what creates the intensity. Oakiness adds an additional complexity. I really enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 00:20:48 | More by coreyfmcdonald