The Brü Revü – Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball

Lagunitas’ hangover halting beer was a fitting end to the SXSW madness in Austin.  The beer poured a deep ruby red to copper with a full and creamy head that left great lacing.  The sweet malty aroma held a bit of fruit as well as a slight roast.  The taste was very malt forward with a burnt bitterness underneath.  There were notes of caramel, brown sugar and dark fruit with some fruity hops for good measure.  It left a lingering bitterness on my tongue from a combo of the roasty malts and fruity hops.  The Hairy Eyeball is not as hop forward as most of the Lagunitas brews but the hops play second fiddle to the big malty sweetness.  A different and dynamic beer all around that has a good balance of sweetness with a touch of hops.  While it was slightly boozy at the start, the booziness dissipated as it warmed and the creamy chewy body really became a deliciously easy drinker.  All in all another great beer from Lagunitas and the perfect morning after remedy for a week of hardcore SXSW fun.

Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball

The Brü Revü – Stone Bourbon Barrel-Aged Arrogant Bastard

It took me a while to get around to the Bourbon Barrel-Aged Arrogant Bastard out of my Bastard Box, but the wait was worth it.  The beer poured a deep dark ruby-amber color with a significant off-white head with great retention and lacing.  The Bourbon Barrel aging was prominent in the aroma with hints of vanilla and coconut that overtook the base Arrogant aromas. The Bourbon notes were not overwhelming as in some barrel-aged beers but more subtle.  The base Arrogant Bastard shined through upon the first taste where the bitter Bastard hops poked through and that signature flavor emerged.  The Bourbon qualities were still present with the vanilla and coconut but adding a nuanced profile to the Arrogant Bastard rather than overwhelming it. There was an almost fruity floral quality lingering on my palate between sips that I attribute to the hops fighting through the barrel-aging.  In the end the Barrel-aging took that Bastard and gave it even more palate pummeling power.  Stone showed nice restraint as well as I could see more Bourbon may have been too much. I hear this is coming to six packs of 12 oz bottles this year so be sure to grab some if you missed on the Bastard Box.  These Bastards get me every time!

Stone Bourbon Barrel-Aged Arrogant Bastard

The Brü Revü – Lagunitas Brown Shugga

Brown Shugga is Lagunitas’ winter seasonal that was briefly replaced last season for the exceptional Lagunitas Sucks.  While I loved Lagunitas Sucks I am happy Brown Shugga is back.  The brew poured a deep amber with ample head that billowed quickly and lasted throughout.  The aroma is sweet hops, that is a good hop scent with sweet toffee and malt all rolled into one.  The first taste was a wow moment.  The full on signature Lagunitas hop profile with loads of the sweet malt and toasted sugary goodness to make for a perfect beer.  It is definitely unique to say the least and dangerously easy to drink..  Not quite an IPA and not quite a barley wine, but a great brew nonetheless. I love all of Lagunitas’ beers and this may be my favorite.  It’s a shame it only comes once a year, and it disappears fast!

Lagunitas Brown Shugga

The Brü Revü – Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale

I really love Stone Brewery and what they represent in terms of craft brewing and their experimentation.  All of their beers are extremely well done and very good, so with that in mind I tried their flagship beer the Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale.  With my first taste my initial thought was “what the hell?”  It had a very off-putting bitterness that was not necessarily an intense hoppiness like an IIPA and it was surprising.  The label states “It is quite doubtful that you have the taste of sophistication to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth,” and I was beginning to believe them!  I have to admit I was a bit disappointed.  I finished the first glass and slowly poured the rest of the bottle with growing dread.  By now the beer had begun to warm a bit as I left it out of the refrigerator.  As it warmed, Arrogant Bastard took on a much smoother more balanced taste as the malts began to balance out the hop bitterness with a more roasty almost toffee flavor.  I easily finished glass #2 and completely erased my earlier disappointment. 

I realized that I fell into two traps: A) this being the summer in Austin we all want to drink a cold beer to cool off and B) in my haste for a cold one, I completely ignored the fact that most complex brews reveal themselves as they warm.

This is definitely an aggressive and sophisticated beer as the label suggests, and a very good, highly recommended introduction to Stone.  Just let it warm a little first.

Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale