Stone Bourbon Barrel Aged Arrogant Bastard (8/10)

Stone Brewing Company's Arrogant Bastard Ale is one of the two hoppy beers I occasionally seek out and drink.  Being a fan of barrel-aged beers, it seemed natural to grab a bottle of Stone's Bourbon Barrel Aged Arrogant Bastard... so I did.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Arrogant Bastard pours a bright mahogany with a thick beige head that lasts a while and leaves behind sheet like lacing.

The aroma is a mix of caramel, bourbon, and hops in pretty much equal parts.  The Bourbon might be just a bit more dominant.

The flavor starts with a strong bourbon hit, followed by hops bitterness, which I expect for Arrogant Bastard. I get a little caramel and vanilla in the aftertaste, and it finishes bitter. The bitterness lingers.

As bitter beers go, this is definitely one of my favorites.  The mix of caramel, bourbon, vanilla, and hops is well done.  I'm giving it an 8 out of 10.  Beer Advocate rates it an 87 or "very good" while Rate Beer gives it a 97.  We all seem to agree that it's pretty good.

This was a limited release beer.  If you haven't found a bottle already, you may have trouble locating one.  Their Beer Finder web application says there are zero locations nearby.