Thanks to daHammer for bringing this to the SE gathering at KP’s. The oak adds an interesting twist to the Bastard, by mellowing out the coarseness that I find in fresh AB. This will be a real nice one to cellar I believe.

Sampled an ’04 bottle after cellaring for nearly 2 yrs. I would say that over all the flavor has mellowed and smothed out better than I remember from a year and a half ago. Adjusting overall score up a bit. FYI: "Lacerative" 1 : to tear or rend roughly 2 : to cause sharp mental or emotional pain to ’03 Bottle Pours a dark murky redish brown with litle head very nice fine persistant lacing. Aromas are a strong malt and hps combo with some fruity apple and melon notes. Flavors are a very thick robust hefy dark malt. fairly sweet with plenty of bite to it. There is a rich woody flavor as well. Feel is very heavy and smooth. Aftertaste is I think quite strong. Harsh. Not to the dossapointment of Stone I’m sure. Interesting and bold. Will not be a regular in my fridge though.

Crimson coloured body with a good brown/amber tint and an off-white head. Aroma of strong wood, vanilla, oak and a subtle hoppiness. Medium-bodied; Strong oakyness throughout, almost no hops at all in the taste. Good oakyness in the aftertaste almost too much however. This was simply a showstopper-this one had pretty much everyone at the gathering sit down and contemplate this beer. Many many thanks to Mike (the_beer_god) for bringing this hefty 3 litre bottle...this was probably the only chance i’d have to taste this monster. I sampled this 3 Litre bottle at the November RB party at Founder’s in Alexandria, Virginia on 20-November-2004.

Sampled at marinaro500’s post-Thanksgiving gathering from a big 3-liter bottle provided by the host. Clearish red-orange body with a thick, puffy cream/yellow head. Oak and tons of piney hops in the aroma, a nice toasty touch too. Very creamy, woody initial mouthfeel opening into piney, resiny hops, caramel, and sweet, toasty malts. The oak chips provided a unique tannin character to this already good beer. Full palate. Didn’t have that grapefruit rind bite I’ve come to associate with the regular Arrogant Bastard.

3L 2004 bottle @ the gathering. Light rusty orange, dark yellow, with some light red hues swirling about. Mostly clear, small disipating off-white head. Musty, cedary, oaky, like being in a dry sauna. Light orange rind and orange blossom notes. Flavor is quite different than regular arrogant bastard. It’s smoother, less acidic and not as over-hopped as I remember. Not nearly as sweet and caramel malty either. Medium body, and a much lighter, softer and easier bastard than i expected. Light cookie dough flavors, some fruit. Relaxed and good. They even went easy on the oak flavoring, as it’s hardly apparent.

August 2005 Draught at Redbones Quite similar to the bottle, it still remains an easier bastard than the straight up hops monster that is arrogant bastard. Though I really think that’s only because you throw the oak chips in to the mix. The oak is done very nicely, not overdone, just a light woodiness, only lightly dry, with a touch of chocolate or smoke almost. Deep hickory wood colored beer, peachy orange tints with a firm white head. Body is very thick, with light carbonation and a perfumey, lightly citrusy hops finish. Good stuff, though tough to drink too many pints. 2 were MORE than enough for one night.

I had been looking forward to trying this one since I first heard of it. Sampled on draft the beer poured a dark mahogany color with a small tan head. The aroma was hoppy and had definite wood elements. The mouthfeel was rather flat. There was the strong grapefruity hop flavor that one expects to find with an Arrogant Bastard, but it was somehow muted and diminished by the noted wood flavor. The finish was very bitter. In all an interesting beer but I would rather have the regular Arrogant Bastard.

Pine, coffe and nutty roast, citrus. Red brown, creamy head. Powerfull earthy and pinehop flavors. Medium body, peppery aftertaste.