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