Brewery: Stone Brewery, Escondido, CA
Brewery Description: I’ll simply link you to the Arrogant Bastard webpage, it says it all.
Brew Style: American Strong Ale/God’s Drink, 7.2% ABV
Recommended Glassware: Supposedly a snifter, but this beer transcends all glass types.
The Ugly Truth: Alright, I will preface this review by saying that I exceptionally biased towards this beer. I knew before I even had it what the rating was going to be. In order to get it, I had to have someone bring a bottle with them when they drove down here. I used to live off this stuff in Boston, and Dave Bonner gave me on the greatest going away presents ever when he gave me a 3.5 liter bottle of Double Bastard. I still have it.
Anyone who has hung out with me knows that with the exception of Guinness and Skullsplitter, that I think this is the GREATEST BEER EVER BREWED….EVER. And if you argue with me, Jesus will smite you because He drank it at the Last Supper, it’s a fact and I have this picture for proof (click pic for larger version).
Alright, onto the beer. Arrogant Bastard pours a deep amber color with a substantial head to it. The aroma is like the Breathe of God, granted that God drank a vat full of beer and then started breathing on you. It has a clean, crisp smell to it that just challenges you to drink it. The taste itself, tastes like life. It’s easy and smooth at the start; strong and bittersweet at the end. The perfect balance of flavors to it, ending in this finish that is somewhat tangy to the taste but is just fantastic. I don’t even know if I can write an coherant review of this beer, since ever time I drink it my soul just rises to the angelic chorus of music that accompanies it and it blocks out rational thought. Its just soooooo
damn tasty. Soooo tasty. If I had to choose one beer for the rest of my life, it would be Arrogant Bastard. It’s just insanely good. If you like pale beer or lighter beers, please, please do yourself and me a favor and don’t drink it because you won’t like it. Which is fine, because that means there is more for the rest of us of that God actually loves. Jesus told me so over a pint and Jesus knows how to pack them away. I mena, what did you expect from someone with a divine liver?
Verdict: Do I even really need to put something here? The palty, earthly scale I have can’t possibly express the divinity of this beer. The limits of mortal comprehension require that I only give it a 10 out of 10 bottlecaps.
Make sure you go watch the Animated Arrogance
http://www.arrogantbastard.com/animated/index.html
Arrogant Bastard.
How fitting.
Don’t be like that.
I’ve got enough reasons for Jesus to smite my ass already, so I better not argue with you and give him another reason. 10 out of 10 it is.
HAHA…like I said, this is probably my most biased review ever.
Jesus still loves you Jeff
Ahh, finally the Blanchard’s in JP received some stock of Arrogant Bastard. Of course, I picked myself up a bottle and plan on enjoying shortly.
Naturally, because you are a sonofabitch.
Mail me some as tribute!!!
Don’t be too jealous, but I went shopping today:
http://flickr.com/photos/colinrego/462251773/
I hate you.
So much
Rock on. Thanks for spreading the Arrogance brother!
Dude, do me a favor and get that stuff into North Carolina like immediately!!! I’m dying down here.
Don’t get mad at Juliet, neither.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rascalking/533070296/
How can I be mad at something so cute?
B.R.,
A friend of mine currently has Stone’s 11th Anniversary Ale on tap at his bar:
http://www.mrbeerys.com/
Very nice. Style wise, think West Coast IPA, only in a Brown Ale format … alc’s in the vicinity of 7.5% abv.
He also has a full 50L keg of 2006 vintage Old Guardian squirred away in his walk-in, that he’s planning to tap sometime in 2008.
If you’re ever in the LI area, e-mail me, and I’ll take you around to a few of my friend’s places, and to meet some of the local brewmasters.
- Brad
IBDoF Forum Admin
Correction, 8.6% abv … think highly hopped Imperial Brown Ale.
Awesome, thanks man.