Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale

I’m getting ready for the first 100 mile (century) ride of the year and what better beer to get me in the mood for a tough and challenging ride than an “Arrogant Bastard” ale.

Stone Brewing Company, out of Escondido California makes this American Strong Ale that tips the scales at 7.2%ABV.  The name is great and the bottle is even better.  Make sure you read the back of the bottle when you try it.  Here is the review:

Appearance- The beer pours a nice reddish amber color and has a fairly creamy light brown head.  My beer was a little hazy.  Lacing is good.

Smell- Lots of chocolate, malt, and dark fruits dominate the smell.  You can get a hint of the hops as well.

Taste- The taste is much like the smell.  There is a lot of malt sweetness along with some chocolate and dark fruits such as plum, cherry, and fig.  There is a bit of a hops bite in the aftertaste.

Drinkability- For being 7.2%ABV this beer drinks like a lighter one.  It is medium bodied but it goes down pretty darn smooth, belying the alcohol.  This is not a session beer by any means but it drinks pretty well.  The big downside is the hop bite at the end which might be a bit harsh for some.

Stone has another fine beer on it’s hands with this one.  It has a nice mix of flavors and smells.  The appearance is a little off of what I had expected and the drinkability was  good but not great due to the hop bite it had at the end.  The smell and taste are the high points of this beer.  I liked it a lot overall and will definitely be drinking it again.  Get some and try it for yourself.

1. Appearance- 6 points (out of 10)
2. Smell- 7 points (out of 10)
3. Taste- 16 points (out of 20)
4. Drinkability- 7 points (out of 10)

Total 36 (out of 50) Points- 3 Mugs