Beer- #261 – Stone – Arrogant Bastard Ale

Arrogant Bastard Ale – Brewed by Stone Brewing Co. as an: American Strong Ale and that’d be on the road to Escondido, California USA

Arrogant Bastard Ale

This is an aggressive ale. You probably won’t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory–maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it’s made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beverage will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make things taste better. Perhaps you’re mouthing your words as you read this.

This is a 7.2% ABV beer in a 20fl oz bottle (600 ml give or take), 216 calories, in NZ 3.69 standard drink units.

The in-laws have arrived and I’ve been driven to Monday beer. This by most accounts is a good one.

Not overly aggressive aroma, possibly some herbs possibly a tint of orange.

Its much much darker than I expected, it doesn’t pour this thick, and the head what there is is persistent. Still nothing on the aroma to give you a clue. It’s very omen brown burnt orange, dense.

Now there’s a complex mouthful of beer. blindingly complex. Despite the aroma being like bread yeast there is so much flavour punch it’s all a bit of a surprise. Overwhelming perhaps.

Bitterness abounds, but it’s of the subtle variety and not the puckering type, and it’s carried on a sweeter base that you’d expect.

So trying to pick what’s what in this is a challenge. Pine, and citrusness of something, not grapefruit more tart orange. Whilst you’re dallying around the taste maze you notice that you’ve managed to quaff a fair amount, and that’s not surprising. This brings you in to drinking it, draws you close, but doesn’t give much away until it’s in your mouth doing it thang.

The pdubyah-o-meter enjoys this a 9 as a great beer. Ok so I talked it up and then it’s a 9? It finishes dry and as it warms you start to get a kick from the alcohol in the back. With this amount of dry you’re going to run out of steam drinking it if you have your mind set on a session. Arrogantly you could try. I think you’d fail.

This beer has heaps of fans, I imagine it has detractors too. This is a stand up beer, and if you like Bitter beer, Strong Ales, and want a beer that has something to talk about when you’re drinking it this would be a good place to start.

The bottle label says “You’re not worthy”, I’m probably not, but what I am is “wanting Another” ….

Music you can hear in the background was the Black Keys.