Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 7.85 IBU: 63.0

97/100
Aroma: 11
Appearance: 3
Flavor: 20
Mouthfeel: 4

Lagunitas Brewing Company Lagunitas Sucks

What the brewers say

Full of complex-ish-ness. A “cereal medley” of barley, rye, wheat, and oats.

What our panel thought

Aroma: “Leads with an intense hop aroma backed with grassy notes and strong citrus, with hints of tropical fruit and lemon plus a noticeable malt sweetness.”

Flavor: “Hop character carries through with a unique and complex profile ripe with sweet citrus and tropical fruit but balanced with a dose of spruce. Hints of orange marmelade and candied grapefruit come through. Subtle bread crust flavor in the malt, and a slight amount of alcohol heat in the clean finish.”

Overall: “A bright and flavorful beer that’s a bit low on bitterness and body for a double IPA, but is thoroughly balanced. It’s a great beer that’s a bit strong for an IPA but not as strong as other double/imperial IPAs. If you can get past the style definition, it won’t disappoint.”

What our editors thought

Review printed in: The New India Pale Ale (Spring 2014) (View All Issues)


REVIEWS FOR YOU >

The Lagunitas Brewing Company High Westified 2016

__Aroma:__ “Huge barrel characters of roasted coconut, vanilla, dark chocolate, and a rich, woody, bourbon, and fruity character that almost comes off vinous. Some raisin and plum emerge as it warms, with some rum-like sweetness.” __Flavor:__ “Intense barrel flavors, with strong vanilla, coconut, bourbon, and light roasted almond. The beer has heft but doesn’t sit too heavily on the tongue. Really nice creaminess rounds it out. Very complex beer with a lingering malt character of chocolate and rum.” __Overall:__ “An excellent coupling of beer and barrel. The barrel flavors heighten the beer, and the beer flavors accentuate the barrel. The sweetness is nicely balanced with the roast and charred oak. Great harmony between the fruity esters and the bourbon/rum character sweetness. Fantastic complex beer that really shines as it warms, inviting another sip.”

Lagunitas Brewing Company DayTime IPA

**Aroma:** “Light malt sweetness. Strong hop character. Resinous, piney, light citrus, floral, slightly grassy, lemon zest, grapefruit. Aroma is intense—pine salty. It’s a bit deceptive because the juicy aroma is huge, but the flavor is more subtle.” **Flavor:** “A balanced flavor that has hops and malt done well. Hop flavors similar to aroma but not as intense. Light to medium malt sweetness.” **Overall:** “Delicious session IPA with a complex, bright hop character that really shines thanks to the restrained alcohol and body. Creamy, body-wise for a session IPA. Bitterness is well balanced but lingers long enough to make it memorable.”

Lagunitas Brewing Company New DogTown

**Aroma:** “Juicy, resiny hops prevail, with nice pine and grapefruit notes and a touch of must. Malt and yeast are mostly absent in aroma. Bright citrus and cattiness play well together.” **Flavor:** “Very juicy and citrusy with lemon, orange, and tangerine notes—the aroma promises, and the flavor over-delivers. The hops fruity sweetness carries through to the dry and clean finish. The complex floral and spice rack pungency in the hops flavor is beautiful and yet quite different from what was suggested in the aroma. Very carbonic and juicy yet dry.” **Overall:** “A bright, juicy APA that smells and tastes like fresh hops resin, this beer beautifully showcased the hops. Very, very enjoyable. It’s quite an unexpected and delicious beer with unique hops choices that allow it to showcase and shine light onto new hops flavors. It’s very carbonated and dry, very tasty, and probably one of the best we’ve had.”

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