When it comes to craft breweries in America, Stone Brewing Company ranks up there as one of the biggest and best, thanks in part to their loyalty to their fan base and solid line-up. Stone also owes it's success to CEO and founder Greg Koch, who is very active in the craft beer community and is often regarded as an advocate for craft beer in general.
I'm going to start out by reviewing what many consider to be their flagship beer: Arrogant Bastard which is an American Strong Ale. Many people I've talked to said that Arrogant Bastard is the first Stone Beer they ever had. In my case, it was Stone Levitation that introduced me to Stone Brewing.
In case you are wondering "Why are you reviewing Arrogant Bastard when Enjoy By was just released at in your location?" Well I'll be picking up a bottle tomorrow so just be patient!
It pours a dark mahogany color with a brown foamy head and cloudy appearance. It leaves behind a good amount of lacing along the sides too.
The nose is a mixture of licorice, caramel, toffee, and pungent piney hops. The malts in here are pretty strong as well, giving it a nice balance between hoppiness and sweetness. It's an interesting combination to say the least.
Upon tasting, the piney hops hit hard but this is followed up by a licorice and caramelized malty sweetness. The aftertaste is a bittersweet resin finish with an slight licorice kick.
The body is also like it's style, strong and heavy. The body itself is quite hefty and the carbonation packs a punch, so it's not a beer you can just knock back and chug; You really need to take your time with this.
I can see why this beer put Stone on the map, because of it's unique and balanced flavor. I know Stone has been in Minnesota for a while now, but it's worth supporting because they truly do make outstanding beer. If you're into stronger ales, this one is for you.
Stone Arrogant Bastard - 9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment