Arrogant Bastard Ale - Stone Brewing Co.

kaboose72

Virginia

2.5/5  rDev -40.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

HOP CITY

A- A Clear deep red mahogany, copper color.

S- Smells of HOPS

T- HAs a long lasting after taste.

D- Very strong and distinct beer. This is the beer that turned me away from strong HOP beers.

guess i got drink if given again. but will not by ever

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2008 18:01:47 | More by kaboose72

calise1122

New York

2.53/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Man, It really has been far too long since I’ve had the beer. Like I said before – I got a bit annoyed from their beers a few years back and sort of stopped buying them. Not in any boycott or shit like that, just fell off my grocery list.

Anyway, I let the bomber get a little closer to room temp and poured into a skinny tulip. It pours a dark, mahogany brown with a frothy sweat stained white head that pours a few fingers thick and then dimples and craters quickly on the surface, but holds on tight to the sides of the glass leaving a nice lacing. 3 minutes go by and the head settles down to a nice foamy surface about a half inch thick with rings sticking around up north.

For a dark brown ale, it is crystal clear. Very filtered and I can almost make out Aceves’s beer gut through the glass if I hold still long enough. Held up to the light, you get a little coca cola ruby red/brown at the base of the glass. Nice looking beer – certainly looks like a strong ale.

Haven’t smelt this beer in a long time, but oddly enough it smells the same, familiar. A weird smell I think – very bitter, very hoppy… but the pine aroma is supported by the foundation of grain, caramel, toffee aroma beneath it.

Maybe it’s because I just had a DIPA… but I think it has a pretty “watery” mouthfeel compared to last time I had it. It finishes sticky enough… but I feel like it may have been “thicker” in my memory. Taste? Boozy, hoppy, grainy, chewy caramel – but a lack of balance if you ask me. The hops smack you around a bit with grapefruit/citrus… but its not that great citrus flavor that you cherish in a really well balanced and appropriately hopped beer. Just swinging its big grapefruit dick around with no abandon... I guess that's what an Arrogant Bastard does.

Wouldn’t say I’d get this again soon. I like a beer that is balanced – even when its high alcohol. There are plenty of 7+ ABV beers that are fantastically balanced… but this unfortunately (in my opinion) is not one of them. It doesn’t have much flow to it if that makes any sense… starts a bit watery in mouthfeel, ends very sticky. Starts out way to hoppy – filled with grapefruit.. ends with a not so great burnt caramel flavor. Awkward more than Arrogant... and I like big ass, hoppy, aggressive beers...

But it did look really nice.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 02:51:53 | More by calise1122

kojevergas

California

2.53/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

1 pt 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a generic hefeweissbier glass in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live.

A: Three finger head of good cream, nice thickness, and good retention. Colour is a dark copper colour. Semitransparent.

Sm: Musty caramel, nuts, and fair cream. A mild strength aroma.

T: Caramel ridden body alongside some very slight roast notes. A little cream is present. Generally, it's a bit simply built. The nuts don't come through. It's not really well balanced, but it could be worse.

Mf: Pretty smooth and pretty wet. Doesn't really suit the flavours of the body.

Dr: Too difficult to drink for the ABV. The flavours are a damned distraction. The price is higher than it should be. It's far from awful, but I wouldn't have it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 06:19:21 | More by kojevergas

deebo

Minnesota

2.55/5  rDev -39.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

I'm not much of a NW hop fan when done in arrogant fashion so didn't expect to care for this one-but gave it a try at a beer tasing.

A-light clear brown with a weak head
S-Yep its hoppy, citrusy/piney, touch of malted barley
T-Decent upfront malted barley flavor quickly taken over by grapefruit, resin like hops.
M-Decent, but lingers
D-I could drink one if in a pinch.

Definitely an arrogant bastard-me no like, but good for you hop heads.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 00:38:50 | More by deebo

Arbitrator

California

2.55/5  rDev -39.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Re-review because I never cared for my first review.

A: Pours a reddish mahogany with a well-retaining beige head.

S: Bitter, resiny pine hops, dark fruit, caramel.

T: As in the nose, bitter hops lead the way. The emphasis on bitter pine needles and resin is something I've never gotten accustomed to with this beer. Mild citrus elements in the mid-taste, which transition into caramel and dark fruit. The finish is a piney hop punch again.

M: Medium-full bodied with tons of sticky, lingering bitterness. I prefer a cleaner flavor profile, one that doesn't totally ruin your palate. But that's arguably my own shortcoming.

O: I've never enjoyed this beer, and I can't figure out why. I like Stone, I like hoppy beers (is that redundant?), but the particular flavor profile here rubs me the wrong way, whether I have it on tap or out of the bottle. Ah well, more for everyone else.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 05:23:15 | More by Arbitrator

Bagman007

Texas

2.6/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Served on tap in a pint glass.

A- Dark brown/black coloring with not a whole lot of head.

S- Strong hoppy scent. Can also smell the alcohol in this as well.

T- Tastes like pure hops and alcohol. Overpowering hop flavor. Very bitter beer.

M- Extremely bitter. Nothing smooth about this beer.

D- The extreme hoppiness makes this beer a little hard to drink.

Overall I like hoppy beers, but this one just seems a little too hoppy for me.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2009 20:45:00 | More by Bagman007

beertunes

Washington

2.6/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

This is a beer I used to drink regularly, then one day I found myself bored with it and haven't had one in at least two years. This style doesn't have a lot of clear definitions, and versions vary greatly. Let's see what's up.

Served in straight pint glass. Poured an attractive mahogany color with about a half inch of light tan head that quickly dissipated and left minimal lacing.

A mostly bitter hop aroma wafts through the olfactory area, with just a touch of malt in the background. The flavors are the mix of sweet and bitter, with that harsh metallic taste I remember still dominant.

The body is decent, solid and not heavy. Drinkability is not good, this beer is just not very enjoyable. This beer is very popular so my opinion is going to be the minority, but I won't be seeking this beer out again for a while.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2010 12:14:10 | More by beertunes

London1985

United Kingdom (England)

2.6/5  rDev -38.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

What can i say?

I wasnt impressed with this whatsoever.

After being put onto it by some friends of mine i decided to give it a go. I went to my local beer importer who was selling it by the bottle for £12 British Pound Sterling!

The Arrogance!

Anywhoo, i nabbed a bottle along with some of my preplanned Belgian buys and got on the London Underground home. I chilled it for an hour in the fridge so it was a little below room temperature but not freezing cold as i wanted to taste what it had on offer.

When i poured it looked like my type of drink, but it all went downhill from there. The bitterness put me off straight away and i found it to be nothing like any type of 'Ale' ive had. It was more like an English bitter but with more carbonation, and i am not a fan of bitters. I actually didnt even want to finish it.

Glad i tried it. I wont say id never drink it again but at £12 for one bottle, i definatly wont ever buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2011 18:45:34 | More by London1985

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

AtrumAnimus

Texas

2.7/5  rDev -35.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

This is definately a hop head beer. Very hoppy with a bitter finish. Rather ropugh on the pallate too. I love their logo though. Just not a very clean finish either. Drinkable but definately not on my list of favorites. The aroma is deceptive. Perhaps that is the real problem with this beer. You get the aroma of Hops and are probably expecting more than you get from the taste. Also tastes a lot like it was allowed enough fermentation time. PErhaps if they bottle fermented this beer it would smooth out and be excellent then.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2002 11:59:13 | More by AtrumAnimus

Mitchel

Texas

2.7/5  rDev -35.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This ale will put hair on your chest (I’m talkin’ to you ladies)! Initially I want to tell you to watch out. This is for real beer drinkers who like BOLD tastes. Aside from the cool silk-screened logo and the huge bottle, it has interesting flavors and smell.

This is a very complex beer but is also reasonably smooth. Very fruity (orange) in the bouquet and also a huge occurrence of alcohol tang is present. This is an exceedingly hopped beer with plenty of toasted grain. I would suggest one bottle of this mixed in with other types of beer for the night. Don’t try and drink this all night long. You might grow horns or turn into a hairy beast (more so than you already are).

Try it. Have an open mind and buy other beer just incase.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2005 21:45:03 | More by Mitchel

Rudgers73

New York

2.7/5  rDev -35.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served cold on-tap at Fat Heads in Pittsburg.

A- Red and caramelly. Frothy head that settles to nothing but a ring of bigger bubbles.

S- Wow this is gonna pack a punch... Hops, hops, and more hops. Is that a faint roasted smell?

T- This is a tough beer. Light and smooth but oh man does it slam you with hops. Dry, bitter, grapefruit, dark cheeries, hoppity hop hop.

M- Leaves your mouth dry as a bone. *Gasp* This sure is a bastard...

D- I didn't really enjoy this beer. I'm glad I got to try it at a bar for $5 a pint instead of buying a 22 oz bomber and suffering through it. I don't enjoy this beer much at all.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2006 23:37:54 | More by Rudgers73

hossua34

California

2.7/5  rDev -35.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

A - Dark mahoganey wood brown with a dirty tan head, medium in size. Good lacing. This beer lost a whole point from me in this category because of labels on the bottle, which basically insult you and say that if you don't like this beer it's because you aren't sophisticated enough. For questions and comments, it basically suggests you go **** yourself. I am not overlooking the whole "Arrogant Bastard" theme here, but I just spent over five bucks on this one tall bottle, so this type of self-important crap is pretty annoying.

S - Pure hop oil. Tart, piney grapefruit smell and something like celery (???).

T - Holy bitterness. Tons of hops, little else. Not that I know, but this is what I imagine pine tree sap would taste like. Aftertaste = grapefruit. A hint of malt sweetness is almost detectable for just a second, then it's gone. Almost zero balance; just tons of hops.

M - Thick and warm, due to the high ABV.

D - Between the extreme dose of hops, and the sharp bite of the relatively poorly-hidden alcohol, I'm ready to switch to something else after about 8 oz. Not my style whatsoever.

This ale was way, way, way too hoppy for my tastes. Evidently - or according to the packaging - this is because I am a giant moron and a sissy when it comes to beer. I know I'm probably taking the damn label WAAAAY too seriously, but in my eyes if you put statements like that on your bottle, your beer sure as hell better deliver. And Arrogant Bastard simply did not deliver. It reminded me of the compressed pellet of hops I tasted when I toured the Anheiser-Busch brewery in St. Louis. I had some other Arrogant Bastard beers on my to-try list, but I will cross them off unless someone wants to throw a bottle my way for free.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2009 01:18:27 | More by hossua34

mactrail

California

2.73/5  rDev -35%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Hops wrestle with the sweet malt for a long, long time. Eventually the malt gives up. Oddly light bodied. Oily pine on the lips followed by grapefruit pith. Carbonation lasts well if your tongue can take the workout. Pleasing head on the amber brew with nice lacing.

From the cask at The Linkery in San Diego. I thought it might be interesting to try the cask version, but I wish I hadn't. The unfortunate part is the warm cellar temp accentuates the astounding excess of bitter hops and makes the whole concoction harsh and and brutal.

Serving type: cask

12-06-2011 04:59:43 | More by mactrail

Optimat0r

Texas

2.75/5  rDev -34.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 1.5

appearance - comes in a big 1pt6oz bottle. the bottle is plain but has lots of fun writing on it. it also informs me that i 'probably wont like it'. color is a deep reddish-amber.

taste - when Stone hops go bad. i love Stone's IPA, their hops are the best. but here they go waaaay overboard. this beer tastes like a copper metallic penny. tastes like metal. gross, horrible aftertaste.
i first tried this as a total novice so i thought id give it another shot, but it was even worse the second time around. i cannot make it through the bomber, i still find it hardly drinkable. i guess im not worthy.

drinkability - terrible. its a quality beer for sure, but just too relentlessly hoppy bitter. should maybe be called Bitter Bastard. certainly a must-try, but i dont think ill be having this again. unless you like the taste of metal, you probably wont take it past your first try. good for the experience though...what novice beerfan could resist that bottle's appeal?

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2006 04:58:04 | More by Optimat0r

Jwale73

Rhode Island

2.75/5  rDev -34.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served in my Delirium Tremens tulip. Poured a translucent mahogany; excellent clarity. Rocky, off-white head. Good retention that eventually coalesced into a dollop of white in the center. Head was reconstituted with a light swirl and completely refreshed with each pour. Scent of hops, hops and more hops, as well as a hint of pine and citrus that lent a medicinal quality to the nose. Also thought I detected some dark-skinned fruit in there. Taste was consistent with nose and flavors seemed a bit muddled. Lingering bitterness between quaffs left a bad taste in my mouth. Mouthfeel was medium-bodied and lightly effervescent with a mild burn up front. Bottle was right; I didn't like this one. Not at all what I expected. Probably won't bother trying the oaked version.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2008 23:25:26 | More by Jwale73

woodske1

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -33.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is an ok beer but I would reccomend the Oaked version. It's worth having in your hand based on the name alone.

I could see where people would really like this, but its not for me. It doesn't have enough flavor in my book and a bit of an off taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2009 18:34:03 | More by woodske1

BeerManDan

California

2.8/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not impressed with this beer. I heard so much and maybe expected to much. I didn't like the beer in general. It was different, but not my cup of tea!

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2002 01:03:26 | More by BeerManDan

Wisconsinality

Wisconsin

2.8/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22oz bomber poured into imperial pint.

A- Pours a dark ruby red that is completely transparent. A big two finger's worth of head that sticks around forever and leaves some good lacing on the side of the glass.

S- A fair amount of malt but not overpowering. Reminds me slightly of a lager. I pick up a little bit of hops and kind of a weird fishy smell.

T- Malty and biscuity right off the bat. A slight amount of alcohol There is another off taste that I can't really define.

M- Feels slightly thin and the only carbonation seems to come from the head. There is a little heat on the finish from the alcohol.

D- I am about half way through a bomber and am really struggling to finish this. Not a whole lot going on and could use some cooling off.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2010 01:37:56 | More by Wisconsinality

ColoradoBobs

Colorado

2.83/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.5

On tap at Old Chicago, downtown Denver, CO.

Served too cold in a chilled mug. Poured with no head: just an off-white ring that left good lacing. Cloudy plain brown. Smell is malty front, with hop side notes. Taste is the opposite: very hoppy foreground (pine, metallic, bitter) with just a hint of malt background. The bartender sold me this by saying it was balanced and complex. Those who know me also know I'm a malt-lover, and so take it with a grain of salt when I say that I didn't find it either balanced or complex. Overtly hoppy and bitter (too much so for my taste!), with hardly any malt presence. Even after I let it sit and warm up, it was still too one-dimensionally hop-dominated.
Decent mouthfeel (its best feature), and fairly drinkable. I've had one, now. Probably not again, and certainly not for $4.75 (plus tip) for a pint.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2006 23:12:59 | More by ColoradoBobs

SupaCelt

Michigan

2.93/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

This brutal little number poured out with a very nice looking colour that was crimson to purple. It formed a substantial creamy head of tan that held nicely and left gobs of lacing as the drink was drunk.

The nose is nicely arranged with fresh floral hoppiness. It is somewhat grassy and herbal, but mostly citrus bloom. The malt character underneath smells potent and mixes with a biting alcohol scent to throw some roughness on the pile. Crusty. Stinging. Astringent. But a lovely bloom of hoppiness.

The taste is not all that special. I think it is a bit abrasive for my tastes. I have no problem with the decent amount of hop character displayed here. In fact, that is the saving grace for this brew. It has a crusty and biting side to it that is not all that appealing to me. I guess I am not worthy, but this is just not my style. It just feels dirty and brutal save for the hops. This feels more assaultive than many huge brews that I've had. Astringent.

Mouthfeel is good. It has a nice body to it. It is just wasted on a sort of wild charactered brew. Coats the mouth nicely and the head throws off some creaminess.

The drinkability is average. I see no reason to drink this when there are beers that are much less offensive that have a true style to them. By far the worst Stone beer that gets the most press and praise. The strong ale catch all is just not a solid situation. I prefer structure. This is a bit messy for me. If this thing were about 14% abv, I think I would be more appreciative of it because I could forgive some of the harsh abrasiveness. As it stands it tastes like a monster only it is not really that strong considering. This beer has a great name. I wish it deserved to be so arrogant though. I think some people have been punked out by the smack talk on the bottle. Nice Jedi mind tricks. Stone's other products are much more deserving of the praise. They make some truly stellar beers. That being said, I am not feeling this one and I will not pretend to be.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2006 04:35:48 | More by SupaCelt

choyhosoi

California

2.93/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had heard about this beer from a friend and decided to try it. I heard it was bitter and it lives up to the hype. I thought after a couple of swigs I would get used to the bitterness but I didnt. I will try this beer again when my sophistication changes heh heh.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2007 00:19:31 | More by choyhosoi

bignick

Massachusetts

2.95/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I find this beer to unbalanced and unimpressive. I looks good enough, other than that, isn't all that great. I have no problem with agressive hops...in fact, double bastard is one of my favorites because it is more balanced. However, the lack of sweetness to balance the strong hop profile of Arrogant Bastard leads to a very undrinkable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2006 04:43:32 | More by bignick

jrallen34

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

I drank this from the bottle into a chalice.

It pours a medium clear amber with a light tan head. There are about 2 fingers of head that have great retention and lacing. The head is chunky and pillowy clouds.

The aroma is very strong with hops and mixture of spice dominating.

The flavor is just hoppy to me, nothing complex to wrap your palate around. The beer itself is very strong and bitter and almost burns your lips as you drink it.

The mouthfeel is heavy but the beer is not very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 14:09:10 | More by jrallen34

brewmaster411

California

2.98/5  rDev -29%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

While American IPA and double IPA's are not my favorite style, Arrogant Bastard deserves renown for its chutzpah. You would say "you are not worthy" and expect the customer to drink it?

The beer is dark brown with a medium sized mostly lasting fizzy off white head, with a strong citrusy lemon lime hops aroma with some light piney perfumey hops as well, with light sweet caramel tones. Pineapple candy overall.

Taste was upfront strong grapefruit and moderate pine, with light nutty maltiness, followed by a dark breaded maltiness, somewhat bittersweet, followed by a second front of hops, this time harshly grapefruit in nature, followed by an herbal, tea-like bitter hops, licorice, and the same sweet gelatineous lingering finish. Mouthfeel was medium-bodied, slightly creamy, fizzy and moderately astringent.

Overall, the nose is spellbinding, the appearance good. The balance of hops to malt seems such to enliven the hops, but to not let it get overly out of character. Perfect in that sense. The finish is rich with flavors, but I would have liked to see a bit more complexity on the foretaste though. Excellent overall.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2006 02:29:52 | More by brewmaster411