Hi guys!!!  Sorry I didn’t post a review yesterday, but I was in Cincinnati taking in a ballgame and cheering on the Reds as they faced the Dodgers (Reds lost 11-8 by the way), so despite the loss, I just enjoyed the trip with the family, had a great time and decided to wait until today to post a review.

With that being said, I think I’ve got a beer that you are going to like.  I thought I would share with you my tasting experience of the Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale produced by the Stone Brewing Company located in Escondido, California.

The website, stonebrew.com, has a rather lengthy description of this brew, so bare with me.

This is an aggressive ale.  You probably wont 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.

 At Stone Brewing, we believe that pandering to the lowest common denominator represents the height of tyranny – a virtual form of keeping the consumer barefoot and stupid.  Brought forth upon an unsuspecting public in 1997, Arrogant Bastard Ale openly challenged the tyrannical overlords who were brazenly attempting to keep Americans chained in the shackles of poor taste.  As the progenitor of its style, Arrogant Bastard Ale has reveled in its unprecedented and uncompromising celebration of intensity.  There have been many nods to Arrogant Bastard Ale… even outright attempts to copy it… but only one can ever embody the true nature of liquid Arrogance!!!

Ok.  I’ve never had this particular Stone brew, so let’s see how it tastes!!!

This beer came in a 22 oz. bottle and it has an ABV of 7.2%.

From the pour, this brew appeared a hazy, very beautiful amber/copper color with some burnt orange highlights swirling around the bottom of the glass.  An off white head was produced from a medium aggressive pour that was very pronounced, tight, fluffy and creamy.  It maintained its size for a good, long while and left behind some great lacing.  Patches were strewn all down the sides of the glass, which remained throughout the drink.

The smell brought forth wonderful aromas of sweet, caramel malt, dark fruit and a hop character that was resinous and floral.  It was bold, balanced and even.  A fruity, peach and grapefruit note added a bit more complexity, which coincided with an earthy tone and a very mild alcohol hint.

The taste revealed more of the hops, in the form of a piny, resinous zip.  Some grapefruit citrus splashes were enjoyed, which gave way to the caramel malt that was both sugary and sweet.  No peach flavoring or other dark fruit was detected in the taste, however it wasn’t missed as enough “zestiness” was proportioned to entertain me.  The savor had a bountiful hop bitterness to make me want to continue to turn it up and gulp.  The flavor was very good, well balanced, pungent and “round.”  As the beer warmed, it maintained a consistency that I found to be very rewarding.

The mouthfeel was medium/full, smooth, dry and chewy.  A slight bit of “slickness” made it glide across the palate very easily.  Some alcohol warmth was felt right at the back before heading down.  A fine tuned dryness helped to cover the palate in the most satisfying way leaving plenty of flavor behind for a complete coating.   

This is a really great beer in my opinion.  It’s unbelievably easy to drink even with the bold characteristics and the higher ABV.  I don’t know why I haven’t tried this yet, considering how popular it is in craft beer circles.  I definitely won’t pass this up ever again.  I should have picked up a few more bottles.  A very, very nice and well made brew.  I would highly recommend you try this if you haven’t already.   

Did you guys get to enjoy a tasty craft beer this weekend?  What did you have?  Leave a comment and share if you like.

Thanks for reading guys.  Again, I apologize for not posting yesterday, but I figured I would come back strong today with a great beer.

Score:  4.5 out of 5
Grade:  A