Arrogant Bastard Ale: Review

7.2% abv
1pt 6oz bottle
IBU They are so Arrogant they won’t list it.
Stone Brewing Co.
Escondido, California, USA

Poured a deep amber color with a fine tan head (one finger - if). I get a very tart citrus – pine bite front and center. Then the malts waltz right in for a little sweetness. Take notice of a slight caramel and roasted caramel in the background. There is also faint pineapple sweetness. Pay attention if you burp while drinking this beer – yep – a pineapple burp. Then smell the beer – aroma of pineapple. The fine carbonation helps to clean things up on the aftertaste. It is rather smooth overall. I think you can play the game of ‘what do you taste’ while drinking this beer.

This Arrogant Bastard is a very good beer to drink and learn to recognize different flavors because it has some complexity. There are several faint flavors that are involved here in this ale beyond the obvious ones. I think pineapple for one. There is also what I call the interpreted flavor, I don’t really get a direct dark chocolate taste but, the dryness from the ale and the bitterness from the hops leaves me with this aftertaste like a dark cocoa 80% style – dry and bitter.

Now, this is a balanced beer. I hate it when you get one of those pilsners or lagers and they say it is a ‘well balanced beer,’ and the IBU is like 17. No, this beer is sugar and malts.

This beer gets better as it warms up. I think the next time I drink one I am going to let it sit till it reaches the temp of 45 to 50 degrees F. The pine – citrus bite is not as big when it was straight out of the fridge. The caramel flavors are a little more noticeable and the aftertaste seems to be stronger. A bit more of the pine on the aftertaste as it warms up.

For me this is a once a month or twice a month beer and I personally would only drink one of these big bottles in a night.

Buy: yes, learn to develop your palate. If you are ‘just starting’ to learn to drink better beer you may want to wait a few months till you try it. Pick one bottle up. 5 bucks for this size bottle in Michigan.