Ok, I know I should not post this before doing a side by side tasting, but I am just trying Green Flash's Hop Head Red for the first time and I can't help but think it tastes a lot like Arrogant Bastard, or at least it really reminds me of it. I am not saying that they taste exactly the same, it just seems really similar and I remember the Bastard being better than the GF Hop Head Red. Anyone else notice this or am I really off base?
I disagree 100%. But in all fairness I haven't had either in awhile and I can see where your coming from. Different strokes.
i don't think they are similar. I prefer Arrogant Bastard, especially when i can get a bomber of it for $3 and a fourpack of hop head red costs $10.
Not to hijack, but is the East Coast/West Coast pricing disparity for Stone really that high? AB bombers are $6 at best in all the stores around here in MA, and you pay $3? When IRS came out I read again and again how people were buying it for less than $6, I think $8.50 is the rock bottom I saw for it here. I understand there are costs involved in moving heavy shit across the country (the 4 of HHR above usually costs $12 here) but the difference on Stone seems high.
Thanks for the feedback... now i want to taste them side-by-side to figure out why one is making me think of the other.
I've seen AB for $5.49 at Wegman's from time to time. They make it a point to undercut Julio's by $0.50-$1.00 when possible. Mind you, that's offset a bit with certain products by the fact that stock doesn't move as rapidly. Killed some time locating bottle dates the other day and found IPA pushing six months.
I guess so. Everytime i see someone quote a price from MA it is always high, it seems. A bomber of AB is never above $4 here. This year stone's RIS was $7, that's the lowest i saw it anyway.
had this last night and an oaked arrogant bastard over the weekend. dont think they are very similar, especially as they warm up
I would have to say they're different. In fact, AB is different from damn near everything out there, which must be the reason Stone has always kept secret the recipe for that beer, even though they freely share recipes for just about everything else they make. The malt base for AB is unique. HHR falls much more easily into the general category of a strong red. Try it alongside a Bear Republic Red Rocket or a Heretic Evil Twin and I think you'll see a great similarity.
