Arrogant Bastard Ale | Arrogant Brewing
Brewed by:
Arrogant Brewing
California, United States
arrogantbastard.com
Style: American Strong Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.20%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
At Arrogant Bastard Brewing Co., we believe that pandering to the lowest common denominator represents the height of tyranny—a virtual form of keeping the consumer barefoot and stupid. Brought forth upon an unsuspecting public in 1997, Arrogant Bastard Ale openly challenged the tyrannical overlords who were brazenly attempting to keep Americans chained in the shackles of poor taste. As the progenitor of its style, Arrogant Bastard Ale has reveled in its unprecedented and uncompromising celebration of intensity. There have been many nods to Arrogant Bastard Ale...even outright attempts to copy it...but only one can ever embody the true nature of Liquid Arrogance!
Added by kbub6f on 11-15-2000
Ratings: 10,590 | Reviews: 3,059
3.94/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
16oz can
16oz pint glass
Too much beer for the glass. Needed to sip upon it first to empty the can.
Rich caramel amber color.
Creamy off white head, about an inch thick dissipating to about a quarter inch, thinning out.
Bitter toffee, warm but not overwhelming alcohol lacing.
Soft seltzer carbonation on the palate.
Lingering floral hoppy notes. Great complexity.
Coffee and toffee are the high notes.
Malty finish.
Raspberry hints in the nose.
Spicy alcohol scent.
Mmmm. So fun to drink. Immediately warming.
Pasteurization: No
537 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
16oz can
16oz pint glass
Too much beer for the glass. Needed to sip upon it first to empty the can.
Rich caramel amber color.
Creamy off white head, about an inch thick dissipating to about a quarter inch, thinning out.
Bitter toffee, warm but not overwhelming alcohol lacing.
Soft seltzer carbonation on the palate.
Lingering floral hoppy notes. Great complexity.
Coffee and toffee are the high notes.
Malty finish.
Raspberry hints in the nose.
Spicy alcohol scent.
Mmmm. So fun to drink. Immediately warming.
Pasteurization: No
537 characters
4/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.25/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.89/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured into a snifter. A clear copper color with a thick and impressively resilient tan head. Caramel malt and citrus on the nose. Aggressively bitter taste with pine, orange pith, some herbal notes and floral ones. Roasted malt with some caramel and even some coffee notes. Medium-bodied and medium carbed. First one of these in 10 years (?) and still very enjoyable.
368 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured into a snifter. A clear copper color with a thick and impressively resilient tan head. Caramel malt and citrus on the nose. Aggressively bitter taste with pine, orange pith, some herbal notes and floral ones. Roasted malt with some caramel and even some coffee notes. Medium-bodied and medium carbed. First one of these in 10 years (?) and still very enjoyable.
368 characters
4.14/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Toasty toasty malts and hint of caramel and chocolate, sweetness. Very bready and rich, also some floral and piney hop notes. Grapefruit and orange coming through on palate, again very floral and some earthy spice
213 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Toasty toasty malts and hint of caramel and chocolate, sweetness. Very bready and rich, also some floral and piney hop notes. Grapefruit and orange coming through on palate, again very floral and some earthy spice
213 characters
4.06/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From a can, pours as a clear brown with a khaki medium dense head. Mild aroma of caramel and malt. Taste is fully bitter hops, caramelly sweet malt, and pine. Strong overall (and lasting) tastes. OK, while this is an admirable creation as a beer, it is not an especially pleasant beverage.
293 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From a can, pours as a clear brown with a khaki medium dense head. Mild aroma of caramel and malt. Taste is fully bitter hops, caramelly sweet malt, and pine. Strong overall (and lasting) tastes. OK, while this is an admirable creation as a beer, it is not an especially pleasant beverage.
293 characters
3.89/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very good brew. Slightly overpowering.
38 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Very good brew. Slightly overpowering.
38 characters
3.96/5 rDev -5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
Lovely red colour. A sort of musty smell, reminds me of the library. Distinct sweetness but not to the point of being unbalanced. Gentle warming boozy drinky feeling on the way down. Aftertaste is lingering and pleasantly spicy. A bit pricey but I really like it.
263 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
Lovely red colour. A sort of musty smell, reminds me of the library. Distinct sweetness but not to the point of being unbalanced. Gentle warming boozy drinky feeling on the way down. Aftertaste is lingering and pleasantly spicy. A bit pricey but I really like it.
263 characters
3.98/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2.48/5 rDev -40.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.5
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.5
3.65/5 rDev -12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
22 oz bottle. Copper colored, smells of raisins. Pours an awesome head that retains itself throughout. "This is an aggressive brew"...you know the rest. Though I love the attitude, I can think of many greater brews. Still, this beer is a pioneer in the Strong Ale category, and will always be world-class.
305 characters
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
22 oz bottle. Copper colored, smells of raisins. Pours an awesome head that retains itself throughout. "This is an aggressive brew"...you know the rest. Though I love the attitude, I can think of many greater brews. Still, this beer is a pioneer in the Strong Ale category, and will always be world-class.
305 characters
3.96/5 rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
On vacation and bought this ($5.99) thinking it would be a nice accompaniment to a steak dinner. Sat down to eat and cracked it open, only to later look at the bottle and notice a best before date: 7/10/14... Almost three years past. Oh boy, here we go.
Pours a dark Amber with a full off-white head. Leaves a nearly unperturbed sheet of lacing all the way down the glass. Smell is very sweet, sticky and syrupy, lots and lots of malt and no detectable hop aroma. Taste follows suit; very sweet malt flavors, slightly dry, little to no hops. Slight bitterness at the tail end, faint hint of booze but not overpowering by any means. Carbonstion is very light and leaves a nice coating on the mouth, not unpleasant.
Reminds me of some Barleywine ales I have had. Overall glad I tried it and surprisingly am not dissatisfied, however I may have some trouble finishing the entire bottle myself.
893 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
On vacation and bought this ($5.99) thinking it would be a nice accompaniment to a steak dinner. Sat down to eat and cracked it open, only to later look at the bottle and notice a best before date: 7/10/14... Almost three years past. Oh boy, here we go.
Pours a dark Amber with a full off-white head. Leaves a nearly unperturbed sheet of lacing all the way down the glass. Smell is very sweet, sticky and syrupy, lots and lots of malt and no detectable hop aroma. Taste follows suit; very sweet malt flavors, slightly dry, little to no hops. Slight bitterness at the tail end, faint hint of booze but not overpowering by any means. Carbonstion is very light and leaves a nice coating on the mouth, not unpleasant.
Reminds me of some Barleywine ales I have had. Overall glad I tried it and surprisingly am not dissatisfied, however I may have some trouble finishing the entire bottle myself.
893 characters
4.06/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
L: Dark brown color, four finger light brown head, superb lacing, no visible carbonation.
S: Light hops, malts. Very faint aroma.
T: Hops, malts. Very bitter on the back end. Nice.
F: Medium bodied, full flavored. Very refreshing.
O: Good beer. I just wish it had some aroma to go with the great taste and mouthfeel.
320 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
L: Dark brown color, four finger light brown head, superb lacing, no visible carbonation.
S: Light hops, malts. Very faint aroma.
T: Hops, malts. Very bitter on the back end. Nice.
F: Medium bodied, full flavored. Very refreshing.
O: Good beer. I just wish it had some aroma to go with the great taste and mouthfeel.
320 characters
4.17/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.38/5 rDev +5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This beer gets a really high rating here at Beer Advocate which makes me want to follow along with everyone else. However, I am trying my hardest to judge unbiased because I review for myself, and like to rate accordingly.
The beer obviously has a lot of ingredients in it. It's got a high ABV and it's made by a well known brewer. The name is also super catchy. This is a recipe for a great rating. It's a good beer, if "mom" said I could only have one beer.
If I want to throw back a couple, it can become a bit much. It's bitter. It's strong. It's blunt. It tastes like all all the other imperial beers were thrown into a mason jar and you took a swig. I think this is a good thing?
I will continue buying this beer because of social proof / herd mentality and also because I think I like it. It's got flavor. I wish it had flavor and smoothness. It's not smooth. It doesn't have a really complex yeast profile either which would be awesome if it did. Lots of malts, lots of carbonation, and lots of hops.
1,028 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This beer gets a really high rating here at Beer Advocate which makes me want to follow along with everyone else. However, I am trying my hardest to judge unbiased because I review for myself, and like to rate accordingly.
The beer obviously has a lot of ingredients in it. It's got a high ABV and it's made by a well known brewer. The name is also super catchy. This is a recipe for a great rating. It's a good beer, if "mom" said I could only have one beer.
If I want to throw back a couple, it can become a bit much. It's bitter. It's strong. It's blunt. It tastes like all all the other imperial beers were thrown into a mason jar and you took a swig. I think this is a good thing?
I will continue buying this beer because of social proof / herd mentality and also because I think I like it. It's got flavor. I wish it had flavor and smoothness. It's not smooth. It doesn't have a really complex yeast profile either which would be awesome if it did. Lots of malts, lots of carbonation, and lots of hops.
1,028 characters
Arrogant Bastard Ale from Arrogant Brewing
4.17
out of 5
based on 10,590 ratings.
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75