Arrogant Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

Kuaff

Alaska

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Ah, Arrogant Bastard. A very common craft beer, but a superb one. I poured this bomber into a snifter at cellar temperature.

The head on this bastard is a thick, two-finger, off white mass of foam which sticks around for quite a while. The color of the beer is a deep, dark transparent ruby. It looks like blood, but not quite as oqaque. Awesome.

It smells like pure hops and pine with a bit of caramel or honey-like sweetness.

The taste has a citric, hoppy tang, along with some sweet maltiness. Once the aftertaste kicks in, I get thorough bitterness. The bitterness shines through more than anything else as the "thesis statement" of this brew. However, there may be some other aspects in here that I can't quite identify (maybe some spices and nuttiness?). It's complex, and oh so satisfying.

This beer has a medium thickness, and a pretty lively carbonation. Feels real comfortable.

A damn solid ale available all over the place at a great price, and guaranteed not to dissapoint. It's easy to take something like this for granted, but its ultimate excellence cannot be denied.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 05:28:39 | More by Kuaff

dc87

Washington

4.39/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Looks good. Dark red, maroon colour. A little cloud. Head is just off-white. Nice lacing.

S - Very hoppy, just like an IPA. Floral and a little piney.

T - A really nice, big taste. A big caramel and bread malt taste up front. Quickly balances out perfectly with an equally big, piney hop flavour. Has a little spiciness to it. Aftertaste is boozey, bitter and citrusy. Overall a really great taste.

M - Also great. Pretty highly carbonated.

O - An exciting and very drinkable beer, with a lot of character. Very fun to drink. Will definitely have again.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 05:27:46 | More by dc87

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.84/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Arrogant seems to be the right word as this ale proudly displays a deep rusty hybrid of red and brown. The head is equally as strong with a thick creaminess and thick lacing.

The scent is not nearly as proud but light malt and hop aromas are definitely in the mix. Subtle tea leaves and floral earthy hops are also evident.

Almost Pale Ale like taste Arrogant Bastard presents an earthy, floral array of hop flavors. Not as much on the malty or grain side this Strong Ale is pronounced in its hop flavor. The tea leaves manifest themselves and then a piney metallic aftertaste takes hold.

Overall, it's strong in appearance and hop flavor but slightly weak in aroma and overall character. Very good but not great.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 21:50:04 | More by KYGunner

benfons

Belgium

3.88/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: seems brown but turns out to be dark orange, hazy, hardly any head

S: caramel, grapes, bread, hint of malts, really promising,

T: really bitter, some caramel and nuts, a bit bready but overall mainly bitter hops.

M: rather thin, dry finish, not a lot of carbonation

O: really promising nose, warming, But overall not a big fan, still have to find that American brew, which has a bit more balance.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 21:33:23 | More by benfons

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.09/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: Pours a deep translucent red/burgundy with one and a half fingers of khaki colored head. The foam takes a minute or two to settle, leaving a good helping of lacing on the glass as it drinks.

S: The nose is sweet malt, some tropical fruits, a touch of spice, and a good helping of pine.

T: It starts out initially sweet and malty with a caramel base. The hops begin to show up in the middle as the beers gets more tropical and spicy. I get pine hops, spice, and some booze in the finish. NOTE: I think this beer is a bit too cold right now. I should have let it warm up a bit before reviewing.

M: Medium bodied beer. It's sticky, a bit chewy, and coating. The spice and bitters linger on the palate well after the rest of the beer is gone.

O: Very good beer. One of the first craft beers that I remember trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 13:48:20 | More by trxxpaxxs

jageraholic

Massachusetts

4.95/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

In bottle....guess it's a Stone day. Served in an IRS tulip. Best buy date of June 2nd, so it could be fresher, but I believe Stone to know when their beer will shit out by.

Appearance: very amber. Inch head with aggressive pour (yeah, on purpose). Dissapates and leaves a thin white line of head above the amber beer. Swirls magnificently, looks like a beautiful ocean wave with the bubbles floating up to the top.

Aroma: some sweet biscuit malt, but mostly piney hops with a little grapefruit in the background. I know the grapefruit is more prominent fresh.

Taste: hops. Grapefruit and pine. Followed by some malty sweetness and a finish of piney bitterness with a little citrus in the background.

Mouthfeel: thick in the mouth without filling me up. Could go back to back with this bomber. Perfect carbonation. Smooth beer but has a prickly carbonation to unbalance it which seems perfect.

Overall: Hot damn! I am worthy you bastards! I absolutely love this beer. Perfect unbalance of hops and malt. Heavy but not too heavy, could drink this all day but this will ruin a palate far more than ruination. Read the back story, what a fantasic mistake! Parts of this beer arent perfect but as a whole this beer cant get any better. Perfection. Enthusiastic 5!!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 19:46:00 | More by jageraholic

MadCat

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Dark amber, with a light brown head. Head is about average, but dissipates somewhat quickly leaving its presence behind

Smell: Hops. Lots of hops. Piney resinous hops, along with some citrus and floral hops. There is nice malt character in the background

Taste: First thing you notice is the hoppy bitterness. It is a rather intense bitterness, but a delicious bitterness. There is some nice roasted malt flavor in there as well. Some nice citrus, pine, and floral flavors, along with caramel malt sweetness. A very good, and complex brew. Better on tap.

Mouthfeel: Some thickness to it, a good carbonation level, some bite, overall very good

Overall: An excellent brew. Better on tap than in the bottle. More drinkable. More malt sweetness to balance out the intense, but delicious hop flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 01:37:24 | More by MadCat

MarkQ617

Massachusetts

4.69/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

This is one of the best ways to get piss drunk. This is a tasty, bold ale that fills your mouth with hops and malt. Good lacing beautiful soft foam that lets you know the combination won't be too harsh. Enjoyed at Atlantic Beer Company in Boston. I'd heard a lot of hype about this beer, and it absolutely lived up to expectations.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 01:20:22 | More by MarkQ617

gr0g

New Jersey

4.11/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy, dark amber in color with a nice creamy head. Good head retention and some nice looking lacing. Hop notes are the primary components of the aroma but aren't as prominent as in an IPA -- some muted pine and grassy aromas come through.

On the other hand, the hops definitely show up in the flavor. Solid hop bitterness from start to finish, lingering for a bit afterwards. This is backed up by a solid caramel malt profile. Malt and hops do battle, with the hops winning out in the flavor profile. Mouthfeel just seems "right". Despite the 7.2% ABV strength, there's no boozy fuel note.

A strong, beefy ale with IPA-like flavor components, Arrogant Bastard slots nicely into the Stone lineup of aggressively hopped beers.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 19:18:10 | More by gr0g

lancecenter

Texas

3.73/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - Deep copper with about a centimeter of fluffy head that doesn't go away. Sticky lacing all over the glass.

S - A mix of hops, caramel, and something burnt.

T/M - This is simply an assault on the taste buds. It starts off with a slap of bitter hops followed by burnt hops. Moderately dry finish.

O - This beer is not for everyone. Hell, I'm not even sure if it's for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 04:48:32 | More by lancecenter

chinchill

South Carolina

2.68/5  rDev -36.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

I remember having this beer many years, before I started taking notes and entering reviews. I didn't like it then but was still surprised to find I don't like it now either. In general, I'm a big fan of Stone Brewing and my tastes have expanded to include many 'extreme' and big ales. This revisit started well enough, with an attractive red-amber ale topped by a small but durable tan head. The aroma was a slightly boozy mix of medium malt and herbal/earthy hops. The main impression made by the flavor is, unfortunately, the overly bitter aftertaste.

M: medium body and carbonation.

O: too challenging.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 00:09:36 | More by chinchill

roundthewaygirls

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

poured into a tulip glass.

A: dark, hazy. appears brown. ruby tint shines through when held up to the light. got a little carried away with the pour. three fingers of frothy, off-white head. substantial lacing.

S: piney stone hop profile. caramel notes. burnt toast or biscuit. sugar or molasses. maybe something citrusy buried in the malts.

T: hops up front. malt bomb. mostly sticky molasses with a hint of caramel. more dimensional than the smell. The sweetness is offset by the burnt toast, bready character. there's a certain dryness to it that doesn't come from the hops. definitely burnt malts, but maybe wood notes as well. don't really pick up on the alcohol.

M: medium bodied. slight carbonation on the tip of the tongue. burnt malts and hops really resonate on the palate.

O: love stone. this one is a little deeper and darker than their ipas. complex malts. not particularly refreshing, but i think it follows through on its intention. bold brew for bold nights.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 04:16:44 | More by roundthewaygirls

Alextricity

Michigan

4.44/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap at One-Eyed Betty's in Ferndale, Michigan.

The beer is a dark, ruby-ish color. A very nice little head on it with super sexy lacing... a very pretty looking beer, for sure. Arrogant Bastard has a taste not quite like beers I've had before... there's some bitterness in there, for sure, but it's not as intense as it seems a lot of people like to describe it. The hops in this beer mixed with the malts balance it perfectly. I've had some people try and tell me it tastes/feels "soapy", but I don't get that at ALL ... maybe that's because I had it on-tap. The taste is complex to the point where I can't pinpoint exactly how I remember it being, but it was interesting, and it was super tasty... a seemingly wild blend of hops and malt, and I couldn't get quite enough of my sample. Crazy drinkable, tasty beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2013 03:41:26 | More by Alextricity

Clinterjack

Texas

4.69/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Wonderful beer. I don't get the aroma, it's not nearly as telling as the taste. We drink beer for the taste primarily, so I rank this beer highly. I enjoy the hoppy, burnt malt taste, it's one of North America's best. The aroma has bread, malt, and pungent hops undertones, it's just not prevalent to me. The taste is the key, it's outstanding.

Rich amber color, a beautiful red.

Thick, frothy head that dissipates quickly, lacing was moderate.

Aroma is mild, does not give an accurate portrayal of the flavors.

Taste is nice, pungent hops, intense compared to most American ales.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 23:51:50 | More by Clinterjack

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.46/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Half Pint of tap at Craft Beer Co, Farringdon, London (£4.50):
Deep ruby amber to copper colour in the glass with a thin white lacing on top and around the sides.

Fresh hops with strong caramel notes and further grassy hops. There is a lot of sugar upfront and some sweetness along with hints of toffee and a generally quite rich aroma. There is some roasted malts as well but overall it is the hops with some citrus that dominates.

Caramel and rich, sweet flavours with grassy hops from the smell and a lot of bitterness. There is some grapefruit coming through and a lot of sweetness. Surprisingly refreshing and had a pleasant alcohol kick to it that went down well.

Smooth with a medium to full body and a lot of carbonation. There bitterness levels were very in your face and the mouthfeel was complimented by some sweet malts too.

An exceptional beer and one that did not disappoint in any way, shape or form upon first trying it. The beer was insanely hoppy with lots of bitterness. Surprisingly easy to drink and went down well with the mouthfeel complimented the taste and smell quite well. A must try.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2013 15:48:29 | More by flyingpig

mjc3151

Illinois

4.24/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - dark brown but clear. medium head forms upon pour

S - smells of hops, lots of hops. a very good smell indeed

T - wow! initially very bitter. after swallowing i taste the sweet malts

M - medium carbonation, rolls past the tongue smoothly

O - a bit too bitter for my tastes but still a very good beer

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 01:25:52 | More by mjc3151

Siriusfisherman

Montana

4.45/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Clear, dark ruby with nice pillowy off-white head with good retention. Great lacing.

S: Big on the hops in the nose, pine resin, citrus, and spice (classic Chinook). The malt is very substantial as well, with burnt caramel candy and some bisciuty breadiness.

T/M: Nice kick of bitterness upfront, moves into some big hoppy and malty flavor. The hops are more of the big resiny pine notes, citrus, spice, and some herb. The malt showcases nice burnt sugar, biscuit, and caramel flavors. The finish is pretty dry, but has some nice sweetness from the caramel malt.

Overall, this is one in your face beer. SNPA made me realize that there are beers with a lot more flavor than what society would lead you to think. This was the beer that made me realize that beers could blow the roof off of your palate. My palate has tamed this beast since then, but I still find this to be a great beer to keep on hand at all times.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 23:46:06 | More by Siriusfisherman

BradMacMullin

Massachusetts

4.76/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Been a while since I had this ale, and I forgot how much I like this. I find the bottle narrative a little off-putting...slightly arrogant, but I purchased a 22oz anyway.

Color is a great copper look, and although the head was only 1 finger, it retained itself throughout. Usually I get little out of the smell, but this ale has a nice floral hoppy smell. What I find great though is that the taste isn't crazy hoppy, and has a nice balanced sweetness.

Really great ale without having an ABV that knocks me out - says a lot these days when 7.2% is mild. Great reliable beer from Stone.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 00:39:55 | More by BradMacMullin

SpruceMoose

Australia

4.36/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Arrogant Bastard Ale holds a somewhat legendary status amongst drinkers. The bottle's red and white logo featuring Satan holding a stein glass shows the drinker that it's a beer best avoided by lager purists or casual drinkers alike, for the depth of flavour and character that this ale possesses really coincides with the arrogance and masculinity portrayed on the bottle. And, if the bottle's anything to go by, "sniveling yellow-swill-drinkin' wimps" are in for a surprising but hopefully rewarding experience with this ale.

Appearance: An aggressive pour into a dimpled DAB Dortmunder stein glass leaves a dark brown to ruby red body with generous cream-coloured head. The head retains its consistency well past the first sip and leaves moderate lacing down the glass. Overall very pleasing.

Smell: Dark cocoa aromas contrast with the scents of many intriguing hops, perhaps the most ubiquitous being citra. Not dissimilar to English IPAs yet maintaining the American craft beer charm of several kinds of hops.

Taste: The drinker is overcome with a wave of bitterness upon the first sip, with the hops gently rising as the beer remains longer in the mouth. Deep, charismatic and thoroughly enjoyable. The generous alcohol content (7.2%) is noticeable with an alcohol taste underlying the wonderful bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Just as one would expect from an American craft dark ale; moderate carbonation with a dense body, similar to many Sierra Nevada brews. Not too thin and watery, yet not too thick and bold.

Overall: This ale needn't the arrogance it flaunts on its bottle (although this undeniably adds to its character) as its deep hop aromas and aggressive bitterness give it its well-deserved status as one of the finest examples of American craft beer brilliance. The bottle claims that "[we're] not worthy" of drinking it, and perhaps it's right; any ale with as much character as this would have even the most seasoned beer buff worshipping it religiously.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 11:55:40 | More by SpruceMoose

Hendry

Vermont

4.14/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Having enjoyed the Stone IPA, I was taken by the high rating displayed on a tag in front of the beer, so I thought it was worth a try. Pours like a super creamy British Brown Ale with a tall frothy tan colored whipped cream head that sticks around for an eternity.

Not getting the powerful aroma of hops in the nose as much as a malt explosion: sure, the hops are in there, you can certainly get a whiff of them amongst the caramel and bread tones that dominate.

Flavor reminds me of a highly hopped British Ale, more specifically the Landlord Strong Ale by Timothy Taylor. There is a degree of toastiness to this ale that takes center stage in the flavor, and while interesting, not exceptional.... something lacking the way my palate reacts, sort of a cough syrupy & malty toasty aftertaste that seems to be halfway to a black IPA.

A reasonable buy at $5 for the bomber, but there is a sort of rich heaviness to it that wasn't inviting me back for another sip. Worth a try? Why the hell not, but fans of tart cloudy IPAs are not likely to be back for a second helping.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 03:39:08 | More by Hendry

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.16/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

A- pours a clear dark ruby color with a good size creamy white head that retains forever leaving walls of lace down the entire glass.

S- oily and pungeant grassy hop, vegetal, sweet doughy and bready malt, caramel and powdered sugar

T- great balance in this one, the bready sweetness of the malt provides caramel and custard notes, the hops are grassy, herbal and slightly floral. Finish is dry with a clean hop linger and a touch of alcohol

M- medium-full body, creamy viscous mouthfeel with a smooth and velvety finish and just a touch of warmth at the end, very nice

O- great balance and very drinkable, one of the easier drinking strong ales that I can remember, with great mouthfeel to boot

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 02:50:54 | More by Treyliff

JG-90

New Jersey

2.98/5  rDev -29%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3

220z poured into glass gives a large coffee-cream colored head that was an interesting mix of creamy yet still bubbly. The color is a deep mahogany with hints of red and gold. The head recedes slowly to a thin film on top with heavy lacing. The aroma consists of toasted malt, piney hops, caramel, and toffee.

Taste starts with toasted malts, then a hint of floral hops along with a big hit of resinous hops. Finishes with more malt along with toffee and caramel. Has a bit of an unwanted medcinally bitter aftertaste, kind of like if you let a tylenol disolve on your tongue. Flavor was great until this after taste. Mouthfeel is creamy, medium/heavy body and low carbonation.

Very interesting beer, would be great without the aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 01:58:02 | More by JG-90

GoldHorde

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I am not familiar with the style specifics of [American Strong Ale] so i wasn't sure where to place the expectations of my palate mitt. I was tense, like a catcher waitin' for a wild pitch from a cocky young rookie freshly on the mound from the farm league.

POUR/APPEARANCE: An extremely clean and red shifted amber color of immediate intrigue.

OK, so first pitch showed some maturity with a clean strike.

HEAD: A quickly fading one finger pitch with loose lacing.

OK, so one in the dirt - count it up to junior jitters.

AROMA: Virtually non-existent bouquet - could be a cola for all I know.

Foul, in the dirt.

FLAVOR: The promise of oak maturity whistled into the mitt here - a sharp fast ball right down the middle takes both hitter and catcher by surprise. This kid's "been around" - what's his name again? Oh yes, "ARROGANT BASTARD ALE"...I think this kid will be around for a couple of seasons or so...

Welcome to the major leagues - of American Strong Ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 04:43:48 | More by GoldHorde

bullseyestrat

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +19%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Easily one of the best beers I've ever had. I honestly saw the 22oz bottle at my local store in 2010 i think and saw the cover...hmmm this looks pretty cool maybe I should give it a shot. I don't regret it at all. Its a very complex American ale that will kick you in the butt and leave you wanting more. I have had it in the bottle as previously said. Along with a tap pour at the bar Strange Brew in Manchester, NH. All I can say is the bottle is no match for the tap by a long shot. Stronger, tastier, and I'm sure it has to be more than 7.2abv. Kind of reminds me of those old muscle cars that are rated by gross horsepower under the SAE standards at the time...but if you drove one now compared to the newer muscle cars you can definitely tell they were being modest.
Anyways it has a reddish black appearance with a head that always appears no matter how you pour it. In a good way it has a mind of its own. Smellwise Arrogant Bastard has alot going on. You can smell and taste the cascade hops and other stuff I can't put my finger on. Its aggressive and complex to say the least.
Tastewise like I said it kicks you in the butt and leaves you wanting more. Its very similar to an IPA but its not quite in the same category. Its very bold, aggressive, and tasty for someone looking for a rather full bodied ale. In you mouth like I said goes similar to an IPA but not quite. Its bold, full, and not as bitter as most IPA's but kicks your tastebuds almost like one.
Overall the label on the bottle isn't too far from the truth. If you are more into lighter beers I'd sip or steer clear of Arrogant Bastard Ale. Otherwise Arrogant Bastard Ale a very full-bodied American Strong Ale that will kick you in the butt and keep you coming back for more!

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 02:54:13 | More by bullseyestrat

Chrysostom

Ohio

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

As always, I review (mostly) to style (ala BJCP), modified (a bit, not too much) by personal taste (contra BJCP), or else certain beers, which are excellent exemplars of styles I do not prefer (like this IPA), would receive consistently lower marks than beers which are poor exemplars of my favourite styles.

As always, I review live, and not from notes.

My palate is accustomed to Belgian malt-bombs, and not hoppier American ales. This was one of my first craft beers ever, probably my fourth or fifth. I'm quite drunk, and, of course, my ratings are subject to change upon sobriety and/or further bottles being consumed.

Presentation: 22 fl oz bomber, $5.99, from Stone Brewing, poured in to Samuel Adam's imperial pint nonic glass (my Stone Brewery pint glass is in use by my wife), about 40ºF and warming as I write the review.

A: Crystal-clear dark, dark red or heavily burnt amber colour, bordering on the light brown. On a normal pour, three fingers of rocky, nearly off-white, head are left, which recede very slowly, leaving a heavy and rocky lacing down the sides of the glass, and never quite retreating in to something that can be called a "crown and ring" as opposed to a "head".

S: Citrus and floral hops. A tiny whiff of alcohol. I think there's a bit of bready yeast in there. It's more complex than I would have thought, but hard to describe as the hops are overwhelming. The smell is mildly reminiscent of marijuana, although not as much as the Maharaja or other "Californian" hopped beers. This is shaping up to be much more of an IPA than an "American Strong Ale".

T: Buttery yet sharp hops completely dominate the initial flavour. The mid-palate opens up to some warming, but quite smooth, alcohol (more present for 7.2% ABV than my Trappist-adjust palate is used to, but still quite good). There's a strong pull of unsweetened iced tea on the mid-palate all the way through the finish. There's a bit of caramel and strong roasted malts flavours. I don't get any sweetness at all: the hops dominate the malt in this, to my palate. Astringent. Somewhat complex: there are more flavours than I hath described. Excellent IPA. I don't know what "American Strong Ale" is supposed to be like. Sounds too much like an ale version of malt liquor lager.

M: Rich and smooth, with a bit of prickliness in there on the mid- and back-palates due to the carbonation.

O: I don't drink many IPAs, but of the roughly ten or twelve that I've had, this is a fine example, and a good beer in its own right. Unlike a Belgian Quad/BSDA, it doesn't become better as it warms. It's best cool/cold. As it warms, it's not bad, but not as good: Belgians get better. Not as much up my alley as my standard dark and malty Belgians, not as bitter as an absolute hop-bomb like Hop Stoopid (Lagunitas), it's worth trying if you like malty beers, as long as you don't hate hops. If you hate hops:

"You can't handle the Bastard."

To IPA style: 90/100
To taste: 74/100

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 17:37:45 | More by Chrysostom