Stone Brewing Company Bourbon Barrel-Aged Arrogant Bastard American Strong Ale at 8.1% ABV (Trade – thanks, Bayman 4048!, 355 ml, bottle date 22-Aug-2015, reviewed 7-Feb-2016)
Appearance: clear medium amber with one finger of light beige head, good retention and patchy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: caramel/toffee, pine, citrus, oaky bourbon. (9/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, strong bitter. (9/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate carbonation, lingering bitter and warming finish. (5/5)
I’m not entirely convinced by this one. The bourbon barrel ageing is not overwhelming, but it’s definitely present, and it feels to me like it’s blowing out some of the subtler notes I usually associate with Arrogant Bastard, such as vanilla and rye spice, and it’s muddying the aggressive hop/malt one-two punch. It’s still quite good, but it doesn’t feel like an improvement to me. (18/20)
9/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
