http://www.beeritual.com/

Stone “Ruination” 95 A Named for its...

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Stone “Ruination”

95 A

Named for its disastrous affect on the palate by way of resinous hop oils, Ruination is sure to hit home for any hop head. Aromas are bright and clean with citrus, very floral, and a little piney. Flavors actually begin pretty mellow with toasted malt, honey then layers on with satisfying sweetness only to be outmatched by a quick and aggressive bitterness. Hop flavors are overall very floral, but with loads of pink grapefruit, orange zest, lemongrass, hints of tropical fruit, and pine oil. Alpha acids continue to develop for a long and bitter conclusion. I should also mention the prominence of American ale yeast on the palate. The feel is creamy, it’s fairly easy to drink due to the slow onset of bitterness, and it finishes out dry and sticky. Its funny because I know the IBU’s on this exceed 100 but it just doesn’t come across tasting near that bitter and I haven’t yet discovered why. By about mid-glass the bitterness won’t appear near as intense either. I find the 7.7% ABV is maybe a tad low for a double, but there really isn’t much else to complain about. Stone knows their IPA’s, you know it’s recommended.

7.7%

100+ IBU

Escondido, California

Dogfish Head “Miles Davis’ Bitches...

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Dogfish Head “Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew”

94 A-

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the original release of Bitches Brew, this limited double stout was brewed to commemorate the album as part of Dogfish Head’s so-called Legacy series. An addition of honey and an Ethiopian root called gesho are added, which are both traditionally used in brewing African honey wine (mead). It features a defined, somewhat unusual aroma of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, raw coffee bean, roasted barley grain that comes off sort of like coffee, a hint of alcohol, leather, and a fruity grape juice accent. The whole package is delivered rather quickly, meaning there is a sudden rise and fall in both flavor and feel. She begins with a medium bodied chocolate base, layering on cocoa as a sudden onset of pine flavored hops lift up the palate. Next up, sweet honey rounds things out nicely and works to offset the moderate hop bitterness for near perfect balance while adding a pleasant honey flavor. A light dash of solvent alcohol then makes its appearance with a semi-spicy, chalky, slight aspirin twang which isn’t too pronounced or distracting, but is worth noting because of its unusual additions to flavor. In closing, it finishes with a pronounced licorice flavor, woody gesho, herb-spiced hops, and dry roasted coffee to close out. The body runs medium-high with soft carbonation for a smooth and milky feel, then hops spike for a rough edged transition. A beer such as this carries with it high expectations, and while it is obviously well crafted I’m still left just a little bit underwhelmed in the mouth feel. It’s probably best enjoyed while actually listening to the Bitches Brew album, and seems to mirror the sound with its bold but smooth flavor. I recommend this one for its great uniqueness, solid balance, and a deep, distinctive range of flavor.

9.0%

38 IBU

Milton, Deleware

Victory “Storm King Stout” 93 A- This double...

Mon, 06 May 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Victory “Storm King Stout”

93 A-

This double stout uses a malt bill of two-row, as well as three other imported malts. It pours a surprisingly bright hop aroma that nearly overwhelms a deep roasted malt with coffee undertones. The palate begins with milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, then layers of bitter espresso as an almost fruity, citric hop character begins to take hold, followed by a dash of licorice. It then transitions into a minor grapefruit and herbal hop combination of moderate bitterness, combining nicely with the bittersweet chocolate. It finishes off with dark espresso dusted with cocoa and just a dash of hop oil for a long sustained finish. The feel is rounded off, ultra creamy and very easy to drink despite the alcohol (which just so happens to be hidden perfectly). Though it feels somewhat thinner than average, it is nice and smooth. This hits on all flavor cylinders and is absolutely delicious. It’s definitely a hop forward stout, almost like a double IPA stout hybrid. It’s just a big, badass stout with a perfect combination of aggressive hops and rich malts. I really love it, and I think you will too. Recommended.

9.1%

? IBU

Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Dogfish Head “My Antonia” 95 A My Antonia...

Fri, 03 May 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Dogfish Head “My Antonia”

95 A

My Antonia is an imperial pilsner that started out as a collaboration at Birra del Borgo outside Rome with owner/brewer Leonardo DiVencenzo. I don’t typically note the color of the beer, but this one has a particularly unusual and beautiful hue I’ve not seen before. She opens with floral hop aromas, bright citric hops, grainy pilsner malt and sweet caramel. The palate begins with a warm delivery of sweet pilsner and grainy pale malts. Yeast weaves its way in perfectly as earthy and spicy hops quickly precede, leaving a drop of pine oil. Sweet tangerine, pineapple, and apricot later fill in the gaps for a delightfully fruity finish. It has a smooth, rounded off sort of feel with moderate carbonation, somewhat easy to drink but bittersweet enough to keep from being a session beer. This is probably one of the most aggressive double pilsners I know of. Any hop head would love this, and you really get the best of all worlds because the malt, hops, and yeast all go together so perfectly. This is pushing the boundaries of the style, and it really comes across tasting like a well malted, pilsner IPA hybrid. I find it delicious, very satisfying in mouth feel, and I think the flavor combination is really solid. Everything comes together so well and I highly recommend this beer. On the downside, the bottle size is just over 12 oz, it’s priced at around $7, and the ABV is average-low. Regardless of those negatives, it’s a great beer worth picking up. Cheers!

7.5%

? IBU

Milton, Delaware

Crow Peak “Pile O’ Dirt...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Crow Peak “Pile O’ Dirt Porter”

86 B+

This porter marks my first beer from South Dakota, brought back with my best friend on a recent trip to the Black Hills. It opens with sweet aromas of caramel, cold brewed coffee, roasted barley, a hint of vanilla, and milk chocolate. The palate begins silky with malted milk balls that pair up with coffee and a light dose of sweetness. Hops then thrust forward with mild bitterness, carrying an herbal/citric character that elevates the body enough to transition smoothly into a tart blackberry highlight to finish. The feel is thin at first, but as it develops it grows more wet and rich, almost semi-dry in closing. I quite like this porter, and I think they’ve done a good job crafting it. The range of flavor from sweet to bitter to tart is all in good balance. I would purchase this again, and I recommend picking this up if you’re ever in that neck of the woods.

6.0%

40 IBU

Spearfish, South Dakota

Green Flash “Saison Diego” 80 B- Green...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:01:29 -0500

Green Flash “Saison Diego”

80 B-

Green Flash has been filling in the Belgian gaps in their lineup, including this Saison (farmhouse ale). Aromas include semi-spicy Belgian yeast (white pepper, clove), bread dough, white grapes, oranges, and bright lemon. Palate flavors begin with sweet wheat and a light use of pale malt that add bready, doughy flavors that merge with dried fruits. Next, hops bring in a grassy flavor and yeast begins to throw out hints of clove and white pepper with hints of banana. I enjoy the balancing blend of fruit (lemon zest, grapes, oranges, pears) with spices (ginger, grain of paradise, clove, and white pepper). Mouth feel is somewhat crisp and zesty, and the body is super light so it’s a session beer that’s probably perfect for spring or summer. Green Flash handles hops well, and while I really enjoy their IPA’s and stouts, their attempts at European styles (Rayon Vert, Grand Cru, Tripel) are simply off par. I think they should consider revising this recipe and upping the alcohol for me to take this beer seriously. While it’s a fine beer, it’s rather restrained and simple. Plus the $11 price tag for four beers at a meager 4.2% is simply not worth it so I’m forced withhold recommendation.

Hops: Saaz

4.2%

20 IBU

San Diego, California

Stone “Vertical Epic 12.12.12” 94 A- Each...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Stone “Vertical Epic 12.12.12”

94 A-

Each epic must eventually reach its conclusion. This is the final brew in Stone’s anniversary ‘Vertical Epic’ series which started in 2002 and slowly added one ingredient each passing year. Therefore, an arrangement of spices were added to this Belgian strong dark ale including cinnamon, allspice, orange peel, clove, and rose hips. The aroma is like “Red Hot” cinnamon candies highlighted by christmas spice, a fruity touch of fig, molasses, root beer, belgian yeast, and just a bit of herbal hops. The deep palate is softly carbonated, beginning with warm Belgian candi sugar and a sweet fruity accent of figs and grapes. Malts then begin to expose a dark chocolate character bordering on burnt dark bread, sweetened with brown sugar and caramel. Next, grassy hops combine with the orange peel as everything pulls together for a great holiday spice effect (this beer would be absolutely perfect with a Christmas feast). It eventually finishes off with charred barley, brewed coffee, some ester alcohol, remnants of plum, anise, black pepper, and a splash of hop oil. As is style appropriate, sweetness slightly overtakes bitterness, but there is point at which they exchange control about midway through. The mouth feel is chewy and smooth with a semi-dry finish. There is an earthy, dank nature as it becomes clear that this beer is pushing the limits of style boundaries and pulls in a wide range of influence. In the end, I understand why this series had to come to an end, and this is an appropriate beer to conclude the series. It’s been interesting to watch the recipe progress, but based on Stone’s affinity for anniversary beers I’m sure they’ll find an excuse to brew another specialty. Recommended.

9.0%

? IBU

Escondido, California

Founders “Dirty Bastard” 92 A- This Scotch...

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Founders “Dirty Bastard”

92 A-

This Scotch ale (wee heavy) has a wonderful earthy aroma with an almost tart caramel, roasted malt, mild chocolate undertones, leather, and just a touch of floral herbal hops. This uses a combination of ten different malts on the bill, so its quite complex. The flavor profile begins with sweet caramel, a panoply of fruits ranging from orange to guava, then delves into milk chocolate, and further with a touch of smoked peat. A drop of pine oil finishes out with a perfectly level 50 IBU bitterness. Additional hints of cinnamon, tobacco, vanilla, walnuts, almonds, and charred whiskey barrels. This delivers an impressive range of flavors, and each is due to one malt variety or another for a perfect mix that’s neither too sweet, too sour, or too bitter. Hops take a backseat, and that’s a good thing in this case. Mouth feel is sort of soft and mellow, well-rounded by alcohol. I actually got half way through the glass before I gasped and realized this is 8.5%, because the alcohol is just so stealthy. I think 8.5 is the perfect ABV. Founders is simply amazing and I just don’t have enough good things to say about their work.

8.5%

50 IBU

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Deschutes “Green Lakes” 87 B+ This amber...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Deschutes “Green Lakes”

87 B+

This amber ale is brewed using 100% organic malts, and hops specially cultivated to preserve salmon spawning streams. The aroma brings in a splash of oranges and melon, but is dominated most by pale malts which are roasted lightly to bring out a richer malt character. The palate is so easy going, touching first on orange flavored hops and toffee flavored malt as carbonation rises for the chorus where amber grains begin a buildup of rich flavor. As detected on the nose, there’s a sweet honeydew and cantaloupe character that pairs nicely with the orange flavor of the hops. Malt flavors wash out in their final remnants as grassy/herbal hops lightly descend to balance out the finish with mild bitterness. I enjoy the well rounded, ‘wet’ mouth feel, and all the flavors are in good equilibrium with one another. This is a session beer designed for easy drinking and therefore lighter flavor, so if that’s your desire this beer is for you. However, I prefer a richer, more bold amber ale that has a bit more to say when it speaks. Some people would probably love it, but I don’t think the seasoned craft drinker would miss much if passing this one by. Deschutes does no wrong, so just give it a shot.

5.2%

45 IBU

Bend, Oregon

HaandBryggeriet “Odin’s...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

HaandBryggeriet “Odin’s Tipple”

96 A+

This Russian Imperial Stout marks my first Norwegian beer from what appears to be very reputable brewery. The aroma has a rich roasted dark chocolate malt with a raspberry accent, hints of anise, and sweet molasses. The flavor profile begins instantly with chocolate malt as layers of dark chocolate and cocoa develop alongside fruity alcohol esters and a perfectly balancing note of herbal hops that carry moderate bitterness. Wild yeast adds a funky Belgian-like character that pairs up with fruity alcohol esters boasting a bright cherry accent. The malt unfolds its flavor, and I imagine there are several varieties on the malt bill, obviously including some European curiosities. Hops add a light touch of orange peel bitterness that merges with that cherry flavored alcohol and just a dash of mint to top it off. Hops are more of an underscore and really weaves its way into other flavors so that its difficult to distinguish. These guys have allowed a more open canvas more malt to fully develop, and this obviously allows alcohol to penetrate but they’ve managed to work with it instead of trying to conceal it. A complex mouth feel begins with aggressive, prickly carbonation, gets slick with alcohol, then dries out very slowly to end off a little astringent. This is definitely a European take on the style with a good appreciation of malt, a yeasty twang, and some deep complexity. I’ve never had anything quite like it, and I feel like I could go on and on about the wonderful balance and how well the wild yeast is working with a double stout. The palate of flavor is hitting on all cylinders and it’s really a sensation to drink. I recommend this only to those of you who can handle the alcohol (flavors) and appreciate its uniqueness.

11.0%

? IBU

Drammen, Norway

Deschutes “Chainbreaker” 88 B+ This...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Deschutes “Chainbreaker”

88 B+

This witbier IPA fusion blends the smooth sweetness of wheat with the citric bitterness of hops. It won a silver medal (American-Belgo-Style Ale) at GABF in 2012. The ‘white IPA’ is a new trend these days in the craft beer world. The aroma on this guy is full of banana, with just a dash of clove and a sour whiff of hops. The palate is rather light, highly carbonated, and feels like club soda. The hop flavor is completely dominated by sour lemon, not quite puckering but still pretty tart. Wheat immediately rushes in with sweetness but not quite enough to balance out the bitterness. Pilsner malts develop and it finishes with additional notes of herbal hops, orange peel, and light coriander. The sustain is somewhat quick, and it leaves off a little dry so it’s super easy to drink and I would definitely consider this a session beer. It actually shares some wild ale characteristics too, being so sour with a bit of funky yeast.This is sort of cold beer I would reach for when mowing the lawn in the heat, because it’s so crisp and refreshing. I recommend you try it, but know it would be best when you’re craving a lighter, more sessionable beer. It may not be for everyone but it’s good.

Malt: Pilsner, Wheat, Unmalted Wheat

Hops: Bravo, Citra, Centennial, Cascade

Other: Sweet Orange, Coriander

5.6%

55 IBU

Bend, Oregon

Great Lakes “Edmund Fitzgerald” 95 A This...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Great Lakes “Edmund Fitzgerald”

95 A

This robust porter was a gold medal winner at GABF in ‘02. Aromas are roasty with hints of chocolate and caramel malt and a mild grainy accent. The flavor profile begins with bittersweet chocolate, then dries out to expose a black malt character with hints of coffee. For the finish, hops touch lightly on orange peel, and a mild leafy hop character. The hop flavor is actually quite subdued, so I’m guessing it’s of British origin. This allows for a more minimal impact on the flavor of the malt, while providing just the right amount of bitterness. The chocolate/coffee tradeoff is perfect, and so is the balance of bitter and sweet. Mouth feel is medium-low in body, somewhat thin, perfectly carbonated, and creamy. This is a stunning example of a proper porter. I’d say it’s practically perfect, but they’re definitely playing it safe in keeping it simple. There’s always room for improvement, but I highly recommend it.

5.8%

? IBU

Cleveland, Ohio

Ballast Point “Victory At Sea” 94 A- This...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:01:31 -0500

Ballast Point “Victory At Sea”

94 A-

This double stout is brewed with real vanilla and coffee beans provided by San Diego coffee roaster, Caffe Calabria. It pours with enticing aromas of warm french vanilla, roasted coffee beans, and dark roasted malt. This is an exceptional, unique beer which is neither too sweet nor too heavy. The palate begins with a bold base of viscous malt, chocolate merges with orange and mint flavored hops that enter midway with a bright menthol accent, then slowly dries out into roasted coffee. Vanilla gets its opportunity to come forward on the finish to highlights the roasted espresso and chocolate malt, ending off with a dash of pine oil. The malt is dark roasted, but not quite burnt. There is an immaculate sense of balance between bittersweet chocolate, espresso, and vanilla bean. Malt comes out on top, but do a dance with hops and trade off in good rhythm. Alcohol imparts black berry flavors which combine with hop flavors for a very positive effect. The body is a bit chewy, creamy smooth, and the alcohol gives a sort of slickness with slow warmth. Despite being 10% it drinks more like an 8% because the body is surprisingly light. Though the mouth feel falls a tad short, the flavor makes up for it. Like most complex beers, the flavor does actually improve as it warms so don’t be afraid to let that baby come down to room temperature. Highly recommended.

10.0%

? IBU

San Diego, California

Founders “All Day IPA” 91 A- This All Day...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Founders “All Day IPA”

91 A-

This All Day IPA is a spring-summer seasonal created to merge a lighter, more sessionable, and less bitter ale with the fresh flavor only found in an IPA. It was a silver medal winner at GABF in 2010. The aroma is delightfully crisp, clean and fruity, smelling exactly like ruby red grapefruit topped with white sugar. The palate begins mellow and softly carbonated with a slow buildup of toasted bread pale malts. Sweet grapefruit rises to a crisp climax, then things switch directions and move into grassy hops of moderate bitterness, a rich grain flavor, and finishes off with a puckering astringent accent that tastes like lemon. Overall, the palate is very bright, and quick to rise and fall. The mouth feel runs parallel to the transitioning of flavor, always feeling clean and crisp but not quite smooth. If I had to pick a session beer, this would be in my top tier. Obviously the best feature is the drinkability, and I appreciate the intent and think they’ve succeeded in toning down an IPA, but as a standalone IPA it’s not good enough to compete with other options (but it isn’t fair to compare it to others since drinkability was such a strong goal). The astringent finish might actually hinder the drinkability a bit, and is one of the beer’s weaknesses. It still tastes great, and it would certainly be tough to only drink one of these. In the end, your satisfaction will be directly relational to your expectations. Recommended.

4.7%

42 IBU

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Ballast Point “Tongue Buckler” 91 A- This...

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Ballast Point “Tongue Buckler”

91 A-

This beer is labeled ‘imperial red ale’ but it has strong characteristics of a barleywine or strong ale. The aroma smells sweet and fruity (like a barleywine), with pine resin underneath. This is a west coast beer, so you should know to anticipate a heavy hop delivery. The palate immediately drops a rich delivery of caramel malt and thick, coating pine oils that dry out into grapefruit, and maintain a long-lingering bitterness with trails of cedar wood. Aggressive pine oil is the most dominant flavor, matched closely with butterscotch caramel. The feel is dense and chewy, completely mouth coating with hop oils, and dry with a mellow rise and fall in body. In many ways it reminds me of Sierra Nevada’s “Bigfoot” in flavor, but it’s even more hoppy and dry. The malt/hop balance is good, alcohol is somewhat concealed behind the barrage of hop oil, but it’s still a warm, borderline ‘hot’ beer. In the end, it’s actually pretty damn good, but sort of a two trick pony. I recommend this to all those hop heads out there.

10.0%

? IBU

San Diego, California

Port “Old Viscosity” 95 A This beer is...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Port “Old Viscosity”

95 A

This beer is truly difficult to pin down on a style category, and it’s blended so that 20% is aged in bourbon barrels. Port says that Old Viscosity blurs the boundaries between porter, stout, old ale and barleywine. The nickname around the brewery is ”The Big Black Nasty.” It pours like thick motor oil, obviously well deserving of its title. Aromas are pungent with smoke, dark roasted coffee, vanilla, sour cherries, and a hint of bourbon. The palate begins with a sweet rush of molasses and caramel, quickly transitioning into semi-sweet chocolate, then into a nice roast coffee darkness, and washing out with semi-bitter pine resins. The complexities go even further with a cherry accent, oranges, a low dose of pine resin, vanilla, and charred oak and to end it off good and smoky. Despite the eventual bitterness, the original sweetness from the malt never subsides. Mouth feel is like velvet, ultra chewy, and leaves off extremely dry like wine. The transitioning of flavor is really exceptional, and alcohol is incorporated flawlessly, somehow managing to add beneficial flavors to the mix which is a true indicator of a great beer. It’s a pleasure to drink, has a good measure of complexity, and high enough in alcohol to make it a beer worth sharing (slowly). Recommended!

Malts: Two Row, Wheat, Domestic and English Crystal, Carafa III, Chocolate

Hops: German Magnum

Yeast: White Labs California Ale, Proprietary Yeast Strains

10.0%

? IBU

San Marcos, California

Victory “Yakima Glory” 93 A- This black...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:01:12 -0500

Victory “Yakima Glory”

93 A-

This black IPA is released as a winter seasonal amongst more modest seasonal warmers, with the name dedicated to the heart of hop cultivation in the Yakima Valley of Washington. Aromas display roasted grains, caramel, evergreen, and a blend of fruit juices. Fruity hops strike the palate immediately, and caramel sweetness settles in alongside grapefruit rind, then roasted barley begins its layering process while pine resins finish out nice and bitter. Bittersweet balance is pretty prefect for my taste, being slightly more bitter than sweet. The feel is at first creamy with soft carbonation, leaves with a mild warming to mellow things out, then continues to grow more dry even long after the sip was taken. I really like this, the hop flavors are stellar and it’s just so tasty and well balanced. The ABV at 8.7% is pretty much perfect, as 7% is somewhat standard and 9% can be a bit much sometimes. I find it borders more on a dark double IPA than simply a hoppy black ale. You can really taste the range of complexity added from the different malt and hop varieties which all pull together for an earthy and fruity vibe. I love the name, the label, and most importantly the contents. Recommended.

8.7%

? IBU

Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Deschutes “Black Butte” 97 A+ This is a...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Deschutes “Black Butte”

97 A+

This is a more robust, roasty, and slightly more aggressive version of a porter with a good bit of complexity. It’s also Deschutes flagship brew, meaning that they sell more of this offering than any other. Aromas are rich with roasted barley and chocolate. The palate also consists primarily of chocolate, with a dash of raw coffee beans, then a kiss of caramel sweetness on the back end. Things finish off with a nice roasty dryness combined with light sweetness. An earthy, herbal hop character with an orange twist leaves with a satisfying tart finish. Mouth feel is super creamy and smooth, leveled out by rising carbonation. Drinkability is high, it isn’t too bitter or sweet and everything comes together perfectly. Black Butte is just an all around great porter, an exemplary rendition of the style. These guys know how to work their barley in a way other breweries just don’t get. Now this is a proper porter, ladies and gentleman. Recommended.

Malt: Pale, Carapils, Chocolate, Crystal, Wheat

Hops: Cascade, Bravo, Tettnang

5.2%

30 IBU

Bend, Oregon

Bell’s “Oberon” 88 B+ This summer...

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Bell’s “Oberon”

88 B+

This summer seasonal pale wheat ale pours a delightfully yeasty aroma with a light clove spice, banana bread, and some earthy wheat. It begins with tongue prickling carbonation, a muted, semi-soft pale malt body descends along with lemongrass hops, transitioning into lighter degrees of wheat, then slowly fades out with a delicate use of spices. A mild bitterness enters in midway to wash into a light wheat sweetness, but lemon tartness exists all the way through. The body load never manages to rise above medium, creamy, and always an ease to drink. It’s a perfect summer/spring beer in lightness, but it’s got sufficient strength in flavor so that it’s not just another watered down seasonal wheat beer. My favorite aspect of this beer is that the nose touches on that great clove banana yeast, but the palate really doesn’t bother much with those flavors, and chooses instead to put emphasis on the pale malts. It’s sure to satisfy most if your desires are based around a sessionable beer. It’s also likely to be a gateway beer into the craft world. Not bad, Bell’s, not bad.

5.8%

? IBU

Comstock, Michigan

Stone “Lukcy Basartd Ale” 92 A- Stone is...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:01:00 -0500

Stone “Lukcy Basartd Ale”

92 A-

Stone is big on Anniversary beers, and any reason to brew a specialty ale is good enough for me. To commemorate the 13th Anniversary of Arrogant Bastard, this strong ale blends together Arrogant Bastard, Oaked Bastard, and Double Bastard in one fermenter which is then dry-hopped for added strength and freshness. It presents us with a barleywine-like aroma, sweet with brown sugar malt, bitter with pine centered hops, citric with grapefruit, and an abundance of oak to top it off. Much like the nose, the palate opens with rich layers of malt which unfold toffee, brown sugar, and hints of molasses. Malt then gives way to yeast midway, then fruity hops open up before delving into pine, mint and white grapefruit. Bitter and sour merge in an appealing balancing act to level out thick sweetness. The mouth feel is a complex range of chewy, creamy, sticky, oily with alpha acids, astringent, full with alcohol tannins, increasingly dry, and gives a mild alcohol warming to end it off. I enjoyed this offering, but don’t find it better than the other Bastards, and would probably prefer the others over this blend of the three. If you haven’t had the others, I suggest you start at the beginning and work your way up, as they do get more aggressive and complex as you go. If I remember correctly, Double Bastard was my favorite of all. Regardless, this is a great big hoppy beer that’s sure to satisfy your craving for both intense sweetness and tongue biting bitterness.

9.2%

? IBU

Escondido, California