Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

TheSupremeAJ

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +17%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12oz bottle poured into standard pint

A- Pours a very nice dark amber with a large creamy white head. Has a slight haziness and suspended yeast particles. Very genuine, and although the the cleanest, most perfect beer, it has imperfections which make it perfect.

S- Very malty, smooth, almost with great cologne-like qualities. I could probably get away with wearing this stuff as cologne!

T- Very nice smooth caramel malts. Strong hop backbone and leveraged hop aroma. The oak chips add a considerable luxury class to an already excellent beer.

M- Good carbonation and a very nice bite from the hops. This beer does not feel thin or underwhelming one bit. The hop resins leave a nice feeling and the alcohol is warming.

D- This is too damn good and I could drink this a long time and be a happy man. I think it may make me a little too arrogant with the 7.2%, however I don't think this beer would be as good if they didn't make it the way it is. They don't call it the Arrogant Bastard for nothing.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2010 03:41:15 | More by TheSupremeAJ

palliko

California

4.97/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The local rep for Stone is named Marty Saylor, and when he mentioned Stone had a keg of Oaked AB on tap at Kinfolk's in Manitou Springs, nearby, I was there!! Not sure I would ever have paid $70 for the mega-bottle it comes in had I not tasted it first, but now I am a believer! I met Marty there, and savored this beer (which no one would consider a session beer all day long. OMG.)

Appearance is a red-brown with ivory foam and lace that sticks around. Aroma contained a matrix of flowers, oak, grapefruit hops and spices. Initial taste possessed an awesome blend of massive hops, sweet malt, citrus, mint, mouthfeel is milkshake-creamy, perfect carbonation, balsam and is followed by a ingeniously crafted smoooth middle in which the oaking is present, and the finish is a crescendo that screams: MORE MORE MORE!

p.s. My friends at Stone in Escondido, CA have started making Oaked Arrogant available in six-packs!! Yay!! The price is about double for other beer, but then, the flavor is about double too...

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2006 23:44:12 | More by palliko

ruinationation

Arizona

4.97/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A good looking pour. A little less dark than orig AB to me, dark ruby with a thick one finger head that sticks around.

Smells like pure goodness. Perfect balance between hops and malt with a bit of vanilla.

Hops hit good and hard with carmal and pine following. The vanilla comes through, guess thats what I'm associating the oak with.

Feels like this should be around all year. But if that was the case how often would I have an AB and would I really appreciate the oak?

Going to try my hardest to age a few but one, two, three, or four of these when needed is recomended. Keep in mind these are baby 12oz. Drinkability depends on how many you invested in.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2007 01:19:04 | More by ruinationation

malty

Michigan

4.97/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a fresh 12 oz. long neck into the new Sam Adams curvy scientifically thoughtful glass.

The color is a ruddy glowing amber-rosewood with a fine 1/2" head.
Sheets on almost undisturbed lace all the way down the glass.

Smells just like a freshly bit into caramel apple; Vanilla dominates while the hops bring to the rear a somewhat spicy tropical fruit element. A few brisk swirls of my fancy glass evokes concord grape jelly scents smattered with brown sugar & molasses.

Wow, all the deeply sweet & malty scents took a shotgun seat position as the dry & rindy hops grabbed the wheel as soon as this glorious liquid hit my tongue. The oak chip maturation really shines on the standard Arrogant Bastard I've grown so fond of. The hops and the oak chips create a perfect dryness & bitterness for the sweet (and slightly toasty) malts to rest upon. All of the scents I described translate perfectly into the flavors, all with a bombastic bitter hop attack straight out of the gate. There's even a tiny hint of sourness at the finish, (although it could just be the unique bitter/dryness from the oak chips) which I'm really digging.

Mouthfeel is medium-to-full bodied with a perfect amount of ultra fine carbonation to keep all the flavors frolicking. A deeply flavorful and dry finish.

Drinkability is through the roof. This really works well for me. The sweet & thick malts linger underneath the potent hop ensemble all entwined with the vanilla dry oakey spotlight - blows my socks off. I'd skip dinner and just drink a few more of these!

Overall a stunningly bold and perfectly balanced ale. It's like The Avengers, The Invaders, The Fantastic Four and the Super Friends all got together and created this beer. If I were to compare this beer to a band, it'd definitely be Led Zeppelin. Full force, multi-dimensional, grimy and graceful! A perfect beer for me!

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2007 00:47:52 | More by malty

ncbeermonger

North Carolina

4.97/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

mmm that's good beer!

pours very well into my trusty sam adams beer glass. The smell is outstanding! Buttery, smooth smell, hints of citrus, and floral hops. Head is almost a non entity.

The taste is outstanding, why can't all beer taste like this? Tastes smooth, hops are there, and the oak comes through like a champ! I prefer this one over the non oaked.

The mouthfeel is amazing, much lighter than the beer looks, super smooth.

This beer is one of the most drinkable beers ever brewed ANYWHERE. This beer is amazing, and no you are not worthy!

NC BEERMONGER LOVES THIS BEER!

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2008 07:43:44 | More by ncbeermonger

Stockfan42

Massachusetts

4.97/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer easily tops the unoaked. The first thing I'll usually do is take a good smell of it. The oak and hops make a very sweet smell.

The foam head was very creamy leaving you with a very malty flavor in your mouth. The very dark body could give off a dark amber red tint. If held to a light you"ll see what I mean.

After taking a sip I get that oak and hoppy taste I had smelt before followed by a fruity kick, maybe grapes or something sour. Also the oak wood chips help to leave a pretty good after taste.

This beer goes down incredibly smooth. A bit pricey around these parts but worth a try, will not disappoint

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2009 08:15:45 | More by Stockfan42

erikwibaeus

Sweden

4.97/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I must say that i have noting to complain about when it comes to the beer itself. This is an excellent ale in my taste. Better then this you cant find. The mouthfeel and the taste is really outstanding compared to the nice "non-oaked" version. The darkness is not overwhelming for my taste and the smell is just outstanding.

Even the label looks good! http://www.arrogantbastard.com/oaked/images/OAKEDpic.jpg

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2010 15:37:34 | More by erikwibaeus

mattgreger

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Beer of the Night - Stone Brewing Company - Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale - American Strong Ale - 7.20% ABV

Picked this bottle up in Capones Bottle Shop In East Norriton.

The pour on this brew was very nice. As you look at the colors, it is a dark brown, a bit of reddish streaks throughout. It had a great, light tan head that had a little bit of retention that last just a few minutes. This brew left a great lacing as it slide down the sides of snifter that I had poured it into.

The aroma on this brew is also very nice. It has a great smokey, wood aroma that comes out in the front of this brew. It quickly feeds into a great aroma of floral hops, which comes with some sugars and just a touch of alcohol bourbon. As the brew sits and warms, the Oak is present more then ever, and is a great addition to the already good Arrogant Bastard. It finishes with some more of the nice bourbon notes and the hops, that comes off nice and citrussy.

This is a great tasting brew. Its super complex and gets better as the brew warms in the glass. The flavors follow the aromas pretty well. There are some great notes of chocolate, toffee/coffee, bourbon, and a great smokey, oak flavor. It has a great hop bitterness as well. They aren't overkill though, because the oaked process mellowed them out and gives this brew an almost stout likeness. The warming of the brew gives life to the name sake of the it, but putting forward, the bourbon, oak, and smokey flavors. Its a great brew.

The mouthful on this brew is very good. It has that alcohol tingle, the hoppy bitterness. This is a great medium bodied brew that gives you everything you look for in the style. Its smooth and packs a punch that gives you a run for the money, but leaves you wanting more.

Its kind of funny, you look at the bottle on this brew, and the label says "Your Not Worthy." Its very true. This brew is a great representation of the style. I have had the original Arrogant Bastard, which is also an amazing brew. This brew steps it down, but not in a bad way. It gives it a more reserved, almost elegant version of teh brew. It still hop strong and a great brew. I can't wait to get my hands on another bottle of this brew. Until you have tried other respresentions of this sytle, your truely Not Worthy to have this brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 21:02:54 | More by mattgreger

Cresant

Kentucky

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured this 12 oz. undated brown bottle into a Samuel Smith tulip glass. Three fingers of khaki colored head capped the dark cola/reddish brown body. The head did dwindle to a thin creamy cap which hung over the rich clear body. Thick lacing hung on the sides of the glass. Beautiful.

Smell was fabulous. Resinous, bitting floral and citrus hops. A faint brown sugar smell appeared. Later a woody aroma and hints of alcohol appeared. It was a challenge to let it warm further due to the extreme drinkability.

Taste was of resinous, bitter hop oils. Clean and refreshing. A malty undercarriage mixed well with the robust hoppiness. Taste reflected the aromas well. Complex woodiness. This one finished with a long citrus linger. This one exceeded my expectations.

Mouthfeel was medium bodied with medium carbonation. Smooth mouth and a zesty swallow. Fine.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2006 15:44:41 | More by Cresant

PhiloPsych

California

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer is really fantastic! It is smoother, cleaner, and more drinkable--just a tad less harsh--than the regular Arrogant Bastard. The color is great, the head is beautiful, too. Seriously the best beer I have ever had. For my taste, this beer is perfect!! I look forward to making this my annual Thanksgiving treat.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2006 00:26:24 | More by PhiloPsych

chriskozma

New York

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow, this is good. I bought a 6 pack of this after already trying regular AB many times. I was blown away. Everything I liked about AB plus piney and vanilla notes that made me never want to stop drinking this stuff. The mouthfeel and especially drinkability are off the charts for me. Beautiful dark amber color, too. If oak-aging worked this well for every beer, the world would be a better place.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2008 01:17:03 | More by chriskozma

gazongas

Texas

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Overall, one of my favorite beers. Stone Brewery is one of my favorites for pushing the envelope and challenging the accepted ideas of what beer should/could be. I won't go into great depth about this brew other than to say that from the moment i cracked my first to the moment i stumbled to bed, it was a glorious experience. This is a truly beautiful beer to look at. The transparent, red brick color and the fluffy white head made me salivate like a bell at dinnertime and the hoppy, woody smell completely lives up to the bravado on the back of the bottle. If anything, the taste only takes the appearance and smell to another level. I can't say enough good things about this beer. Everytime i drink it, I find something else to love about it. Maybe I'm an arrogant bastard, maybe this is a great beer. Either way, i will never hesitate to recommend it and will always enjoy it. Nasdrovia!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2008 06:41:55 | More by gazongas

Beernoisseur

Utah

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I am not the kind of guy to react emotionally, and give a beer fives across the board just because I had an awesome experience with it. This beer is just that good.

A - Absolutely gorgeous on the pour (from a 12 ounce bottle into a pilsner) three finger head.

S - Wonderful. A little spiciness, with vanilla and and subtle berries and citrus. Deep and earthy, Organic- for lack of a better word. Sublime.

T - Dear Lord. This is easily one of the best tasting beers I've ever had. I love hops, and there are certainly plenty of them in this brew. Unbelievably complex, but not in the least bit overwhelming. Perfectly balanced for my palate. A malt foundation serves as a platform upon which a hoppy tower of unbelievable majesty is constructed. There's oak characters- vanilla, spices, loam. There's hop structures- bitterness, tang, grapefruit. Just plain great.

M - Medium to thick in body, and prefect carbonation.

D - I could happily drink this beer every day for the rest of my life.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2009 01:05:43 | More by Beernoisseur

Jenkster4

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured a nice dark rusty red color with about 2 fingers of head on the topside. This is a very nice looking brew.

Nose: First whiff I get a big hop presence. Then when it warms up some you get more of the earthy malts. Also get that oak smell back there.

Taste: It's a perfect mixture of bitter and sweetness. Good balance of the hop bite and sweet caramel malt notes. It's bitter enough and smooth enough to make you want another.

Mouth: Medium body brew. It coats your mouth with flavor but it's not syrupy.

Overall: This is a very nice brew. Good for anytime of the year. Something that I see myself picking up quite frequently.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 18:44:29 | More by Jenkster4

samwello

Florida

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This ale is in a category by itself. The brewers choice of hops, nutty flavored barley malt, makes for a very robust, complicated, tongue teasing, "ale". After taste of the hops in this beer would be a good thing...but....it disappears a bit too quickly. No problem...take another awesome sip. Loved it!

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 23:35:58 | More by samwello

Hachiman

Japan

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pour a dark amber but appears a cioudy walnut brown in the glass. 1/8 inch tan head that doesn't last long, but beautiful, persistent lacing.

Smells of fresh bread, medium roasted malt and herbs. A very pleasant, complex, assertive odor.

Tastes medium sweet from malt and a small amount of vanillin, then a bit of alcoholic bite, and a savory herbal taste.

The mouthfeel really elevates this beer. It's a full, rather heavy mouthful with adequate carbonation, and a fine, drying finish from the tannins in the oak chips that meshes perfectly with the hops.

Overall, a very pleasant, elegant strong ale. When one considers where they could have easily gone wrong (too much vanillin, citrusy hops), it's even more impressive. It pairs with food as a trippel would.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 22:58:08 | More by Hachiman

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

One of the best beers out there - Stone brews are often palate wreckers but this beer is a palate reset - especially after hoppy IPAs. Few beers can make that claim and it has something to do with the balance of hops and malt in this beer. The oaking brings a sweeter flavor to the normal AB - slightly more caramel comes through. Sweet pour; sweet head; sweet aroma. Amazing beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 00:47:57 | More by Oakenator