Drink-a-Pint

It’s always fun when you walk into a liquor store to buy a six-pack of Guinness while you’re wife’s waiting in the car with your three-month old daughter. The moment you step foot in the store, you know the clock’s ticking and your consumer experience is now more akin to a severely-shortened episode of “24″ than a leisurely stroll through the mall.

But, for some strange reason, I forgot the clock was ticking when I saw a big bottle of Arrogant Bastard Ale sitting on the shelf. Not only did it have a great name, but the fact that the label stared at me with a mocking “You’re Not Worthy” told me that this was a beer I was destined to try. It was meant to be, although my wife probably wasn’t thinking that as I read the entire description while standing in aisle one:

“This is an aggresive beer. You probably won’t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to the safer and more familiar territory - maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it’s made in a little brewery or one that implies that their tasteless, fizzy yellow beer will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps yo uthink multi-million dollar ad-campaigns make a beer taste better. Perhaps you’re mouthing your words as you read this.”

I’m not worthy and I probably won’t like it? Sounds like $5 well spent to me!

So, I walked up to the counter with my six-pack of Guinness and my bottle of Arrogant Bastard Ale. After the cashier told me how this beer must have been named after her husband (very funny), I was off to the parking lot to explain how buying a six-pack somehow took me almost ten minutes. When I got in the car, I handed my wife the bottle, she read the entire description and chuckled. All was well as we went on our way and the beer was placed in the back of my fridge awaiting the perfect night to prove my worth.

That night arrived last night and, let me tell you, this beer kicked my ass. It checks in at a hefty 7.2% abv and the 1 pint 6 oz bottle was the perfect size.

Poured into a pint glass, it was a deep red with a thick & foamy head that and a spicy caramel aroma that wasn’t far from what you’d get in some Belgian beers. As for the taste, it’s actually pretty hard to pin down. At first, the beer tasted extremely bitter, which is to be expected from a strong ale. But, by the third or forth sip, the hops and a malty taste began to punch through along with a variety of flavors. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the recipe, but this is a beer that really did get better with each sip.

So, how did Arrogant Bastard Ale stack up? It definitely packed a punch that almost had me ready to take a nap by the time the bottle was empty, but it had a nice, hoppy taste that was perfect for sipping. And, at $5 for 1 pint 6oz, it’s not too hard on the wallet. So, unless you’re a a fizzy yellow beer drinking nancy with false pretenses, even with the higher alcohol content, this is actually a very drinkable brew I’d recommend to anyone who likes their beer strong.