Lagunitas Sucks (Imperial IPA)

As someone who is anxious for the “hop bubble” to burst, I was a bit skeptical at paying $10 for a six-pack of Lagunitas’ latest Imperial/Double IPA offering.  Whooooooey, good stuff!

 

The beer pours a nice copper/bronze with a nice amount of frothy head.  The beer isn’t clear and it’s not dirty, but it sure is stanky.  I definitely got a hoppy aroma with pine, lemon zest, and mega-hops.  The smell wasn’t that different than Pliny actually.

 

On first drink, I was hit with an immediate hop bomb that dissipated immediately, turning into a pleasantly smooth and crisp IPA that held on to some maltiness that balanced everything out.  Thought the aroma was ripe with pine and citrus, I didn’t sense an abundance on the tongue at all.  This was a nice and balance DIPA that had so much flavor it seemed like a Strong American Ale…sort of like Pliny bred with Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot and produced this wacky lovechild.

 

I came back 5 minutes later (diaper change) and the aroma was actually stronger than before.  The flavor was still hoppy, but I sensed a mango finish that really finished nicely.

 

Was it worth $10? Absolutely. And at 7.85% ABV, it fit into my “price per ABV” ratio well.

 

Definitely a keeper…just hope they keep making this stuff! It’s severely limited in production!

 

eric