It's been a loooooong time since I last reviewed Stone Brewing Arrogant Bastard Ale. Part of that is because it vanished from local grocery stores. Apparently distribution changed, and this Californian brew is harder to obtain nowadays. I finally found some at a specialty store, though, and I am ready to give it a taste test with a bit more experience under my belt than last time. Heck, there was even a different name on the chain back then.
These cans have a lot less of the hype than the old glass bomber bottles did, but they still say, "True arrogant bastards refuse to be ignorant. Know where your beer comes from!" The rest of the text still seems to exist on their website, though.
This still seems to be a genuine microbrewery that has escaped the all-consuming power of mega-corporation consolidation, unlike former favorite Redhook.
This beer pours a deep brown with a slight red tint, and has a nice foamy head despite my best efforts at a gentle pour. My glass wouldn't even take the entire can. I am looking forward to this!
Last time, I said, "...a strong beery-malty scent. Taste is slightly sweet up front with a very bitter aftertaste, and lots of aggressive flavors in the malt and hops." After drinking a lot more IPAs, or perhaps due to changes in their brew over the ensuing years, this doesn't seem as harsh as it once did. It's still a very aggressive beer, though.
And it's almost gone. It's still 7.2% ABV, and I found it quite enjoyable regardless of any real or imagined changes. There isn't the usual pine or citrus hops profile of IPAs, and they refuse to disclose their hops, so I have no idea which variety they use. It's like an angrier stout, though.
The malt still also adds a good balance of sweetness. Overall, the flavor profile still seems balanced in spite of its lack of subtlety op front. Like last time, I'll still say, "Give it a try of you're looking for something different. Of course, you'd better make sure you're not a wuss first."
Cheers, you bastards!
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