Beer Review: Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

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backyard brewer
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Beer Review: Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

Post by backyard brewer »

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I bought a 6 pack of this at Whole Foods yesterday and tried it last night. It's aged on oak cubes, not barrel aged. The color was typical Arrogant Bastard, a deep rich copper color with an almost three-dimensional depth to it. It poured with a nice thick head that hung around for a while.

The aroma was again, typical Arrogant Bastard with lots of malt in the nose. I could not detect the oak in the aroma, but to be fair I was preparing to BBQ at the same time and there were onions and garlic everywhere.

The flavor was, you guessed it, typical Arrogant Bastard although it seemed to have more astringency that I remember and more body and flavor all around. It was more like Double Bastard than Arrogant Bastard, at least I thought. The oak character was there, but very subtle. I think for such a screaming, yelling, exploding with flavor beer like Arrogant Bastard that the oak would have been more pronounced. I think the level of oak would have been more appropriate for one of their lesser beers.

Overall I think it was worth the $10 or so I spent on the six-pack. It's definitely not something you want to quaff one right after the other on a beautiful BBQ afternoon, but it's an interesting beer. I'd even have spent $15 for an 11oz beer just to try it....
Last edited by backyard brewer on Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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lars
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Post by lars »

This was one of my more favorite Stone beers. I really looked forward to getting it in a six pack, until I saw the cost. However, I also think it has changed a bit since hitting their regular production line. I seem to remember it having quite a bit of oak character.
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BrewMasterBrad
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Post by BrewMasterBrad »

I have a magnum bottle of the 2004 Oaked AB. I have been waiting for the right time to open it. Maybe if I get a couple beers through to the second round of the NHC......
I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada down at Trader Vic's
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