Stone Brewing Company Arrogant Bastard Ale (2015) American Strong Ale at 7.2% ABV (C$10.78 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 750 ml, bottle date 22-Oct-2015, best before 20-Jan-2016, reviewed 3-Jan-2016)
Appearance: clear medium to deep amber with one fat finger of dense light tan head, good retention and lacing. (5/5) Aroma: caramel/toffee, pine, citrus, tobacco, mild vanilla, hint of spicy rye. (10/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, strong bitter. (10/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter finish. (5/5)
Well, on the one hand, this is probably a fresher version than my prior experience with this beer, making the hops much more emphatic. On the other, I’ve had a lot more experience since first giving this a perfect score. I’ll be honest: it’s tough being unbiased here now. It’s definitely not “perfect” – for example, the lacing could be better-defined. But, is that a flaw that justifies dropping a whole point, from 5/5 to 4/5? I don’t (quite) think so. Same goes for some of the minor character flaws in the aroma and flavour. And for obvious reasons, some (most?) people will find it too aggressive, while I, as a major hop-head, don’t. At the end of the day, It’s close enough to perfect that my subjective single point penalty here in the overall doesn’t affect the final score. (19/20)
10/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
