Stone Brewing’s Arrogant Bastard gets canned

Stone Brewing Co. has no shortage of braggadocio. The Escondido, Calif.-based craft brewery has the utmost confidence that its bold, out-of-the-box and even obtuse West Coast-style beers are simply better than all the others. They’re typically right. Arrogant Bastard is its flagship argument. The American strong ale and its smug-demon-drinking logo have become icons in the American beer industry. Its marketing is just as self-satisfying. From the website:

This is an aggressive ale. 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 safer and more familiar territory — maybe something with a multimillion-dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it’s made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beverage will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multimillion-dollar ad campaigns make things taste better. Perhaps you’re mouthing your words as you read this.

Originality by its very nature is questioning, irreverent and iconoclastic, and Arrogant Bastard is definitely a beer originator. Now the pioneer is going from its classic 22-ounce bomber packaging into tall-boy can format, which still seems suitably carefree and superior. No exact date from the press release, but these cans are supposed to go nationwide soon.