Jägermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale
Stone Brewing - Berlin

Jägermeister Arrogant Bastard AleJägermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale
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From:
Stone Brewing - Berlin
 
Germany
Style:
American Strong Ale
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.66 | pDev: 18.85%
Reviews:
23
Ratings:
42
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 25, 2023
Added:
Sep 28, 2019
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  2
Arrogant Bastard Ale. Jägermeister.

Two names that elicit adoration by a worthy few, with a storied history of unapologetically flummoxing less refined palates. Jägermeister hails from Wolfenbüttel, Germany while Arrogant Consorita’s European headquarters are in nearby Berlin. In other words, this collaboration was as inevitable as it is incorrigible.

Brewed in and imported from Berlin, Jägermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale is fit for sipping on fall evenings, paired with a fine meal or simply given as a gift to any true appreciator of liquid arrogance and independence.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by superspak:
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 ml bottle into stone tulip glass, 2019 vintage. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy medium orange/amber/light copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy light khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to nice cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of huge licorice, anise, poppy seed, ginger, saffron, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, juniper berry, ginseng, orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, caramel, brown sugar/bread, toasted biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of spices, citrus/earthy hops, and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with big strength. Taste of huge licorice, anise, poppy seed, ginger, saffron, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, juniper berry, ginseng, orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, caramel, brown sugar/bread, toasted biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, minty, peppery bitterness; and Jägermeister spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of licorice, anise, poppy seed, ginger, saffron, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, juniper berry, ginseng, orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, caramel, brown sugar/bread, toasted biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of spices, citrus/earthy hops, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance; and no astringent hop/spice flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness. Medium-plus carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, and sticky/resinous/rindy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Mild increasing warmth of 8.5% and spice heat after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic spiced American strong ale. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of spices, citrus/earthy hops, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the ABV with the modestly bitter/spicy/resinous/drying finish. Not overly aggressively bitter/spicy. Perfectly balanced between Jägermeister spices and Arrogant Bastard Chinook hop complexity; with a nice sized bready malt backbone. Mild residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstanding experimental style example. They nailed this one, not overwhelming on any aspect.
Oct 28, 2019
More User Ratings:
Photo of stortore
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois

4.06/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750 ml bottle into a tulip snifter. Released fall 2019, had 10/18/21. I failed to respect the command of “Drink fresh, numbskull”.

Pours an orange brown color, a little cloudy, with a one inch foamy head with good retention and a decent amount of foamy lacing. Has a definite herbal smell, like walking through a field in the woods. Aromas of malt, juniper, fennel, orange zest, anise, licorice, ginger, some spruce, light caramel and a little leather. Also has a spicy aroma. Tastes as herbal and spicy as it smells. Flavors of juniper, fennel, ginger, pine, grapefruit, orange zest, licorice, anise, allspice, some malt and caramel, some spruce, a little mint. Has a big herbal aftertaste, and a little floral, too. There’s some bitterness, too, from… everything? Smooth for what it is, a thin at times but good medium body, well carbonated.

Somehow, I’ve never had Jager and imagine it would be harsher and more bitter than this. This is interesting with all the aromas and flavors to pick out; there is an allure to it. That said, if it was an annual release, I’d likely pass.
May 25, 2023
 
Rated: 2.65 by Belthorm from Pennsylvania

Oct 29, 2022
 
Rated: 3.77 by Dsimenson from California

May 08, 2022
Photo of atigerlife
Reviewed by atigerlife from Hawaii

1.94/5  rDev -47%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5
Pours a nice dark amber with a small light brown head which dissipated relatively quickly. Left a collar.

Aroma of caramel, licorice, herbs. Somewhat medicinal.

Taste of licorice, sweet but bitter at the end. Piney. Medicinal. Herbal. Truthfully, I really like AB but this merging with Jaeger was a real mess. Didn't work for me.

Mouthfeel was medium bodied and lightly cleansing.

Overall, a disappointment. Not drinkable. Just stick to regular AB and everyone's life will be much better.
Dec 30, 2021
 
Rated: 3.87 by Jcarriglio from Florida

Jan 30, 2021
Photo of dkoehler42
Reviewed by dkoehler42 from New York

3/5  rDev -18%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I don't know how to describe this beer. The color is appropriate for most ales and has a white head. The nose and taste are all herbal though. It's not malty or bitter, just herbal. I like Jagermeister on it's own, but I'm not sure how this works as a beer. I do wonder if this beer has gone past its prime.
Jan 17, 2021
Photo of grinreeper
Reviewed by grinreeper from New York

4.37/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I've sampled Arrogant Bastard Ales for about the past 5-6 years. I'm impressed with the feel of drinking 7.2 - 8.5 ABV beers from these "Arrogant Bastards." For they satisfy me...as if they're 10+ ABV...like their Woot Stouts. And I must confess...this appears to be my preferred zone of ABV approval. That accomplishes a feeling of contentment...resulting in drinking satisfaction completeness. With a hint of bliss...probably due to the high volume of spirit content!

Now...

Being Italian-American...and nurtured on biscotti...anise-fennel, and the like...I seem to have a special affinity for this specific cock-tale and collaboration. For me...it's a perfect accompaniment...for imbibing...during these Holiday Seasons. Reminds me of my young teen days. When 25+ of us would gather around X'mas-New Years for some jolly filled moments of celebration. Enjoying exquisitely prepared Italian-American cuisine. Treats...of timeless recipes handed down from peasant heritage...that may never again exist...or resonate...in this present era of instant demands. For it takes a bit of time and consuming effort...to bring forth such Sicilian-Italian legends of cuisine...that I've been fortunate to experience...to fruition.

Now...what does these nostalgic musings have to do with this brew I'm actually now imbibing? Simple...It just seems a perfect drink for these Winter-Holiday occasions. It reminds me of those times when I was privileged to experience a special cultural heritage. One that's becoming lost and forgotten.

These sentiments may hold true for others here as well. Whether of European or other heritage backgrounds. I've found the brew that invokes those happy memories for me. Hope you can discover the elixir that can do the same for you.

For me...this Germany-USA collaboration, IMHO...is a very successful one indeed!

I know what's going on in this country...the World...right now. Still...Happy Holidays. Stay healthy. Drink and be Merry!
Dec 19, 2020
 
Rated: 3.78 by Tcsox from Massachusetts

Dec 17, 2020
 
Rated: 3.9 by Bogdawg from Massachusetts

Dec 17, 2020
Photo of Snowcrash000
Reviewed by Snowcrash000 from Germany

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a cloudy, deep amber to ruby red coloration with a medium, fluffy head. Smells of caramel malt and strong herbal elements, with licorice, fennel, anise and juniper most noticeable. Taste is a decent balance of caramel malt, strong herbal notes of licorice, fennel, anise, juniper and lighter white pepper, cinnamon and clove, with the fennel and anise standing out particularly here, as well as just a hint of citrus hops and pine coming through. Finishes bittersweet, with a medium bitterness and some fennel, anise and licorice lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a medium/rich body and medium carbonation.

I was really looking forward to this and while I did enjoy it, it left me just a tad disappointed, which may be due to this being around 12 months old now though, which has surely upset the balance a little. First off, I think that this tastes nothing like Jägermeister, which is a good thing in my book. Sure, there are quite strong notes of licorice, fennel and anise at work here, but this is thankfully nowhere near as sweet, boozy or driven by licorice as it could have been, although the fennel and anise notes are particularly distinct still. While there is a decent bitterness left, countering the sweetness nicely, I would have hoped for a bit more nuanced herbal character and better balance, with some more distinct, bitter, resinous and citrus hops, which may well be due to the age of this though. Nevertheless it is a very interesting, unique brew that was probably a lot better at its prime and is certainly not going to be for everyone, with the herbal presence, especially fennel, just being too strong here and kinda drowning out everything else.
Sep 05, 2020
 
Rated: 4.41 by entenduintransit from Tennessee

Jul 16, 2020
Photo of neenerzig
Reviewed by neenerzig from Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Split a bomber of this with my good friend Jon Passow earlier tonight. Poured into my tulip glass, this beer pours a mostly clear, medium copper color with some bright highlights around the edges when held up to the light. Has a white head that's about an inch thick when first poured. Settles eventually to a very thick ring surrounding the inside of the glass with some nice spots of surface foam and pretty good lacing. Aromas of some toasted, caramel malt sweetness along with some fruit and spice notes of lime and licorice. Also some grapefruit hope notes. A very similar flavor profile, with some toasted, caramel malt sweetness that gives way to hints of lime, licorice, and grapefruit hop notes. Also just a lightly boozy note. Has a slightly crisp, slightly chewy and syrupy, also smooth, medium to full bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Has a clean finish, with a nice herbal and slightly bitter aftertaste. An interesting take on this beer.

Eric
Jun 16, 2020
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
A buddy brought this beast over on a whimsical whim. We are still friends even after this monster. A little more oragney than usual for the series, same head. The smell and taste are doused in jager, so much licorice, anise, leather, and some christmas spices, reminds me of poor decisions and college. There is some caramel malt and grapefruit lingering in there too. So full disclosure I am meh on jager, but if you like it you might like this. I don't like this because it is so unbalanced and hot with jager, just overwhelms the palate, and yet it doesn't even have a high abv, not worth it!
Jun 15, 2020
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

4.09/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into an Arrogant Bastard Ale pint glass. Pours a lightly hazy, medium orange with a fine, three finger light khaki head with good retention and thick lacing. Aroma of mild caramel malt, licorice, anise, sage and medicinal herbs with light orange peel. Flavor is quite medicinal, but the base Arrogant Bastard malt is detectable underneath. Hops are masked by the onslaught of herbs. In addition to the herbs in the aroma, I also pick up strong juniper, wood, a little ginger and an unknown bitter herb like quinine. Long, lingering medicinally bitter finish with a woody quinine touch that does not fade. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess, nice mouthfeel. This tastes pretty much as I expected, having sampled Jägermeister years ago, but is actually better than anticipated. I expected that strong liqueur to dominate, but it does not intimidate. The herbal flavors are most clear in the beginning of the taste, where the Arrogant Bastard malt is most noticeable, but get muddled and quite bitter in the finish and afterward. I waited to buy this because of the size of the bottle, anticipating this to be an ale that was not for drinking in large quantities at one time, and that does seem correct, although I have to say that after some of the stronger flavors desensitized my pallate, I actually found this quite sippable. I'm a fan of bitter hops and bitter liquers, and I like this one. My only regret is not getting much of the traditional Stone hops, which are largely masked by the herbal elements. That could be partially because the bottle is a few months old and designed for drinking soon after brewing. I would definitely get this again, but not until it was in a smaller format, more appropriate for one evening of drinking.
Jun 11, 2020
Photo of OK_Denise
Reviewed by OK_Denise from Oklahoma

3.49/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
I really can't say that I will ever drink this again. I respect that it adheres to the style, but the smell and feel is just too strong for my palette. It is not a bad ale, but the smell just puts me off. The taste is not as bad as the smell, and it does grow on you as you drink it (or as your taste buds go numb) but I just do not find it overly appealing.
May 24, 2020
Photo of LifesAnesthesia
Reviewed by LifesAnesthesia from Virginia

4.58/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
L - Copper with a light tan head that dissipates somewhat quickly but leaves behind a ton of lacing
S - Lots of licorice on the nose along with other herbal notes as well as some pine. Some caramel as well as even root beer notes.
T - Complex: licorice and herbal notes dominate up front and throughout along with notes of earth and pine as well as some caramel, molasses, and root beer and some woody notes
F - Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. There's a softness to it
O - Honestly, way better than I was expecting. The two flavor profiles pair incredibly well together.
Apr 12, 2020
 
Rated: 2.53 by Zazzi82 from Tennessee

Apr 01, 2020
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

4.52/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
This will mark the third of a triumvirate of beers & their liquor counterparts, so stay tuned. I eschewed distilled spirits for many years, having gotten into more trouble with them than with simple beer, but in my old age, I'm a bit less fiery. I got this one during one of my last visits to the Friendly Greek Bottle Shop. It was a tad spendy, but I knew that I had a bottle of Jägermeister in the freezer at Mom-Za's place from when Pops & I would partake.

From the Bottle: "Arrogant Bastard Ale. Jägermeister. Two names that elicit adoration by a worthy few, with a storied history of unapologetically flummoxing less refined palates. Jägermeister hails from Wolfenbüttel, Germany while Arrogant Consorita’s European headquarters are in nearby Berlin. In other words, this collaboration was as inevitable as it is incorrigible. Brewed in and imported from Berlin, Jägermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale is fit for sipping on fall evenings, paired with a fine meal or simply given as a gift to any true appreciator of liquid arrogance and independence."

I was very anxious to open this corked & caged beauty since I have long been a fan of both Arrogant Bastard (Larry the bartender's "The Medicine") & Jägermeister. Not only did it come in a massive bottle, but it had an equally massive kick/punt so I poured as slowly & gently as I could into the awaiting glass. I got naught but wisps as a result, but c'est la guerre. Color was Amber to Deep-Amber/Light-Copper (SRM = > 9, < 13) with NE-quality clarity. The nose was absolutely redolent with the herbs & spices of the liquor!

I remember the first time that I had some - my best friend's brother was having a party while their 'rents were in Vegas & I was admitted into the Sanctum Sanctorum. He & his friends were two years older than us, and at 15/16 y/o, the gap seemed enormous. And their chicks! It was like hot & cold running girls! Somebody reached into his mini-fridge (!) & pulled out a bottle, poured a dram & handed it to me. I will never forget its distinct smell as I lifted it to my lips. Everybody was waiting with bated breath to see if I would cough, spew or otherwise be unable to handle it. When I sucked it down & just smiled, I was in! I have always enjoyed it & it was a treat to share it with my Pops towards the end of his life.

I have also long enjoyed Arrogant Bastard (AB) & when I have been able to find it on draught offering, it is a must! It has its own distinct nose, sharpish without being sweet or boozy & I got that from this conglomeration. Mouthfeel was thick, dense & syrupy, beyond simply a dollop in my mouth & on my tongue. This was a reminder to savor it, to take it slow & easy. The reward was the blooming blossoming of the flavors, led (obviously) by the herbs & spices, but accompanied by the unique flavor of AB. Mmm. I then began to alternate between a draught from the beer's glass followed by a wee sip from the shot glass. It made for a perfect tandem, allowing me to really appreciate what each had brought to the finished product. Finish was absolutely dry, as any beer that includes spice(s) as a/an adjunct(s) should be expected to be. Phew. What a treat while in self-quarantine! YMMV.
Mar 30, 2020
 
Rated: 3.58 by BeardedWalrus from North Carolina

Mar 05, 2020
Jägermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale from Stone Brewing - Berlin
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 42 ratings