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Lagunitas Sucks
Lagunitas Sucks
Their words, not mine. Also their words
Originally brewed in 2011 as a Brown Shugga’ substitute, due to construction-induced capacity issues. But we liked it so much it had to make a return trip.
So here we have Lagunitas Sucks, a brew boasting a complex malt backbone and a whopping dose of hops to make it a double IPA.
Pours a bit lighter and crisper than expected. The frothy white head doesn’t stick around for long. Hops completely dominate the aroma. Yeah, a double IPA for sure. Hop oils assault the palate. Grapefruit and pine, mostly. Hint of heat from the 7.8% ABV. Rye comes through a bit in the finish. But this is all about the hops. Surprisingly, it’s only 65 IBUs. Thought this would push closer to 100.
Hop heads, get it!
Grade: A
Lagunitas Brown Shugga’
Lagunitas Brown Shugga
Lagunitas is not exactly known for timid brews. Brown Shugga is, as they say, the result of a failed experiment with a batch of Barley Wine.
Pours a slightly hazy copper. Brown sugar and piney hops in the aroma. The brown sugar comes out even more after a sip. Very sweet, but the aggressive, pungent hops cut through to tame it. Big and very tasty, if not complex. Great balance between the hops and sugar, each keeping the other from overpowering. And checking in at 9.9% ABV, you’d never guess it’s close to that strong while drinking it.
Grade: A
Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale
Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin'
Just looking at the label, I have no idea what to expect from Lagunitas’s Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale.
Pours kind of a hazy gold with a fluffy white head. Smells like honey, hops, and wheat. My first taste is about the same. It’s kind of like a wheat IPA. There’s some grapefruit, some grass, a little bit of malt sweetness, and long, dry, biting finish.
You’d never guess it’s 7.5% ABV.
I definitely get more IPA than wheat, which is probably why I like it! Overall, it’s different, certainly worth a try. Very drinkable, especially for its ABV. I’d do this again, but I wouldn’t go crazy looking for it.
Grade: B
Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball
Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball
A beer called Hairy Eyeball would have to be brown, wouldn’t it?
With a big head, this brew from Lagunitas is a deep brown with copper edges. The nose is very malty with dark fruit and some hot alcohol.
Big and malty like a Trappist quad, there are a ton of complex flavors going on here. Sweet malt, dark fruit, butterscotch, and a dry finish that presents some hop character.
Very smooth and creamy, this is an outstanding beer, and the best I’ve had from Lagunitas.
Grade: A
Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale
Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Wild
The hops hit you immediately with Lagunitas Sumpin’ Wild Ale. Clear straw color with a big white head that doesn’t stick around for long. Checking in at more than 70 IBUs, there is a bit of a lip pucker factor with the huge hop flavor. But there is some sweetness in there, too, and a hint of cherries, even. As it warms I’m getting some wheat malt coming through, which is adding a nice layer of flavor.
Overall, it’s good, but the hops dominate everything else.
Grade: B
Lagunitas Censored Copper Ale
This is the first beer I have tried from Lagunitas, the Censored Copper Ale. True to its name, it pours a copper color with a thin white head. Smells of malt, some warm spice, maybe even a hint of vinegar. The vinegar, thankfully, isn’t in the taste. Malt and spice, bitter hops, a hint of orange, some sweet grain, then bitter hops again. A lot going on in just one taste!
The more I’m having of this, the more I like it. It’s complex, yet balanced. Full and aggressive, but not overpowering.
If you’re wondering about the censored, it’s actually called Kronik. Apparently that isn’t OK, but hemp beers are.
I’d do this again
Grade: B