The Beer I Drank Today: Oaked Arrogant Bastard

(Sorry, I couldn't wait to start drinking before I remembered to take a picture.)

The beer I drank today: Stone's Oaked Arrogant Bastard

Style: American Strong Ale

Color: dark amber

Head/Lacing: The head is moderate, but the lacing is surprisingly thick.

Aroma: malty, fruity, smoky

Flavor: A little rye, a little citrus, some nice bitterness from the hops come together to make one of the more complex beers I've had recently.

Context: My parents finally made it out to Misery for the holiday. Mom has now made it a custom to pick me up beer in Ohio that I can't get here. (I am resisting mail orders. It's a slippery slope once you mail-order your first beer.) She's brought me Stone IPA and Ruination, but I needed to branch out. Another Stone favorite is their Arrogant Bastard. She picked up a sixer in Toledo while visiting my grandparents. Luckily for me, she returned with the "oaked" version by sheer luck. My sister is set to arrive later this week with some of the classic Bastard and their doubled twin.

Would I recommend this beer to you? What do you think? Stone doesn't make a bad beer. This I am certain. If you can find it, buy it and drink it all up.

BTW - I did drink some other beers over the holiday.

Boulevard Smokestack Series' Bourbon Barrel Quad was served with oysters as an appetizer for our Christmas Eve dinner. This beers high ABV (and the shots of Polish vodka at dinner) most likely contributed to my demise that evening. Either way, it's too bad the BBQ was a limited release.

Southern Tier's Krampus Imperial Helles Lager is a hoppy take on an old Munich style.

At Flat Branch the other night, I had the APA and ESB (to go with my bangers and mash). The APA is a bit malty for my taste, but a solid beer nonetheless. The ESB was surprisingly good. The lacing and head were thick and creamy, a quality brew.