Lagunitas Brewing '12th of Never' Ale. 5.5% abv. 45 IBU. Straw yellow color. Nearly clear. Two fingers of white, foamy head. Outstanding retention and lacing. Nose of sweet melon, pine, white bread. Notes of juniper and sweet spice rise with the temp.

Front taste is juicy citrus, cantaloupe rind, herbal spice, grain. Aftertaste is pale malt, lemon-grapefruit peel, fruity hops, bitter herbal hop bite. Dry finish. Light-medium body. Mouthfeel is cool, round, sticky, clingy, astringent.

This is an excellent beer, great for relaxing both the mind and the palate. The flavor profile is a mix of bready and bittersweet fruity notes held together by a juicy, herbal expression. It’s a tasty brew that’s not overpowering, balancing its components well. Highly drinkable, but not so much that it’s essentially colored water like so many other session beers tend to be. This is a finely crafted mild beer, a value beer, and another hit from one of my favorite breweries. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"The magical, mystical 12th of Never is a blend of Old and New School hops that play bright citrus, rich coconut, and papaya-esque flavors, all on a solid stage of English puffed wheat. Tropically hoppy. Light, yet full-bodied. Bright and citrusy. The 12th of Never Ale is everything we’ve learned about making hop-forward beer expressed in a moderate voice. Pale, cold, slightly alcoholic and bitter. It’s all we know... As the River Styx froze and the final pig took flight, when the last winged monkey departed the darkly fragrant netherlands, as wishes became horses and all the beggars rode… Under a newly-blued moon at dawn on the very 12th of Never: the second-to-last craft brewery in America pressed the green ‘start’ button on their canning line. We wanted to be the Last Small Brewer in the U.S. to can their beer and maybe, finally, by now, we are... The ‘12th of Never Ale’ is everything we’ve learned about making hop-forward beer expressed in a moderate voice. Pale, cold, slightly alcoholic, and bitter. It’s all we know."
[source: lagunitas.com]

Lagunitas Brewing 'The Waldos' Special Ale. 11.9% abv. 100+ IBU. Dark yellow color. Hazy. Finger of soapy white head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of pine, tropical fruit, cantaloupe. 

Front taste of abundant fruity hops, light fruit candy, honeydew melon, berry pastry, sweet start with dry finish. Aftertaste of ample bitter fruity hops, pineapple, banana peel, distant cloves. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm-hot, astringent, thick, clingy.

This is an extraordinary beer, a TIPA that delivers a truckload of hops in a fruity bitter bundle, held together with light stone fruits, melons, tall pine, and a ribbon of sweet light malt underneath it all. The abv shines throughout, yet there is a balance in the flavor profile that keeps the booze in check, grouping it well with the other tastes. Outstanding. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"In 1971, the Waldos met one afternoon at 4:20 in the front courtyard of their school near the statue of Louis Pasteur. They set out in a '66 Impala armed with a "treasure map" on a journey to find a secret garden near Point Reyes. They met there at the same time every day and continued their quest. They never found the secret garden....But they keep lookin'. The dankest and hoppiest beer ever brewed at Lagunitas was made with help of the Waldos for all treasure hunters."
[source: lagunitas.com]

Lagunitas Brewing 'Wilco Tango Foxtrot' Imperial Brown Ale. 7.85% abv. 64 IBU. Ruby color, clear, with a finger of ivory foamy head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nose of mild cocoa, white bread, dark dried fruit. The fruity aroma focuses somewhat as wine grapes as the temperature rises.

Front taste of bittersweet dark chocolate, tangy berry, bitter herbal hops. Aftertaste of cocoa, red wine, sweet bread, herbal hops all underneath with a dry finish. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, round, slightly astringent, thick on the back of the tongue.

This is an excellent ale that is hard to pin down for category. The label says it's an ale, with the notes further teasing that it's perhaps a brown, perhaps an imperial brown. Lagunitas loves to toy with us by defying categories and brewing whatever the hell they want.

The latter description, imperial brown, is the closest in my opinion, with the prerequisite nutty flavor replaced by a taller malt expression complemented by a brighter hop bitter bite. Whatever this officially is, I enjoyed it and will surely have another. Another solid brew from one of my favorite breweries. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"WTF Ale. A malty, robust, jobless Recovery Ale! We’re not quite in the Red, or in the Black... Does that mean we’re in the Brown? Rich, smooth, dangerous, and chocolatey. It's a big ol’ Imperial Brown Ale to help you with your slippery slide on into springtime. Rich, smooth, dangerous & chocolatey. "
[source: lagunitas.com]

Lagunitas Brewing 'Hop Stoopid' Imperial IPA. 8% abv. 102 IBU. Golden-Amber color. Two fingers of foamy white head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nose of bright citrus, fruity hop bouquet, pine resin, tropical fruit, spicy herbal. Front taste of sweet light malt, floral, pineapple, ample bitter fruity hops, faint banana on the back. Aftertaste of citrus rind, bittersweet light fruit, spicy herbal. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, sticky, clingy on the back of the tongue.

This is an outstanding beer. The bitter hops are tall yet balanced perfectly with the malt, producing light fruit flavors and background herbs. The aroma is complex with many mixed yet distinct scents. The mouthfeel is perfect, actually complementing the fruit-pine resin smell and taste. I was very impressed with this beer. Grab a bomber, especially if you live balanced hoppy brews. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A double barrel dose of malt and hops. The beer with a guarantee built right into the name, this one is destined to blast through the flavors from the night before. Massively dry-hopped for your aromatic pleasure... When the time came that hoppy beers jumped the shark with brewers everywhere trying to make the most bitter beer ever, we went more toward the flavor and aromas in the beer and used hop extract for our bittering addition to keep the beer huge on the flavor, letting the malt keep up with the bitterness to make you want another. And another. And another. Then you get stoopid."
[source: lagunitas.com]

Lagunitas Brewing 'Olde GnarlyWine'. 10.6% abv. 69.39 IBU. Deep red color with a finger of creamy tan head. Outstanding retention and exquisite lace. Nose of fruity hop bouquet, sweet citrus, orange, plum. Front taste of sweet orange peel, raisins, biscuit, toffee. Aftertaste of rich malt, caramel, brown sugar, floral-fruity hops, bitter grapefruit sustain. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, thick, syrupy, creamy, carby, velvety, tangy.

This is an extraordinary, world-class beer, the one that helped give birth to their legendary Brown Shugga'. The aroma, flavor, and body are all complex and pleasing at every point. Complete package. The citrus is powerful without being crazy bitter, and the sugar-fruit combo is balanced very well, with an aftertaste that invites you for more. Incredible. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"The first sip is for thirst, the second one for pleasure. The third is for romance, and the fourth for pure madness... Since 1996, our Olde Gnarly Wine Ale has satisfied thirst, enhanced pleasure, and even encourages romance…. As for pure madness?? Try it. Let us know."

[source: lagunitas.com]

"Making a mondo ultra mega super premium barleywine ale is a little like having a kid. The first part is fun and messy, it takes a while to ferment, and a whole lot longer to mature. It is expensive and takes up a lot of space. You worry about how it will grow up and whether or not you'll still be friends. Eventually it stays out all night and comes home with its skirt on backwards. You know how it is. Usually we package our ales with in 15 days of brewing. This one we aged in tanks for over a month. Why not buy three? Drink one now, keep one in the fridge for a month, and one for another years! Yummy..."

[source: bottle]

Lagunitas Brewing 'Sucks'. 8% abv. 63.21 IBU. Brown Shugga' Substitute Ale. Yellow-orange color. Thin white head that gradually falls to a sustaining collar. Moderate retention, excellent lace. Nose of sweet roasted malt. Front taste of light roasted grain, light caramel, sweet bread. Aftertaste of bitter fruity hops, toffee, toasted grain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, slightly sticky, some carb.

This is an excellent beer, roasty and sweet without being syrupy sugary sweet. Nice balance of bitter and malt in the aftertaste, with the fruity hops coming through and sustaining well. This beer was created to help tide us over until the legendary seasonal Brown Shugga' is made available each year's end.

Some beer enthusiasts love one and detest the other, if only because tribalism demands such extremes (think Ford vs. Chevy, PC vs. Mac, Star Wars vs Star Trek, etc.). However, the more reasonable among us love both beers while still preferring one over the other. I love Brown Shugga' for being such a unique, big, bold beer with an amazing somewhat aggressive taste, and I love Sucks slightly less only because its similar flavors are not quite as tall as its predecessor. You may like that the hops in Sucks are not as forward, and the brown sugar taste is not as present. I urge you to try both. You will likely be adding two more beers to your personal Top-20. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"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."

[source: lagunitas.com]

"E.K. Ross would have enjoyed our suffering in 2010 when we saw we couldn't brew our Brown Shugga. But in that time of deepest despair, as is common to artists everywhere... broke, hungover, abandoned by the muse and prepared to take a job at Arby's, we found in that darkness the spark of inspiration that would yield up this nearly sanctified recipe!"

[source: bottle]

Lagunitas Brewing 'High West-ified' Imperial Coffee Stout 2015. 12% abv. Black in color. Two+ fingers of thick mocha-colored head, rich like melted ice cream. Superb retention and outstanding lacing. Nose of rich chocolate, roasted coffee, vanilla, notes of oak on the back. Front taste is complex with flavors of bourbon, oak, black coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruit, plum. Aftertaste is strong bourbon, espresso, bittersweet chocolate on the sustain. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, thick, creamy, sticky back end.

This is an extraordinary beer. The promised bourbon aging taste is clear and present from nose to finish, as is fresh coffee, roasted chocolate, and dark fruit notes. The flavor profile is definitely barrel-aged as opposed to simply tasting like bourbon was added. My friend bought me this at Lagunitas a week before release. By now it should be out on store shelves and I suggest you buy a bottle or two before they're all gone. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Up until this brew, none of Lagunitas’ barrel-aged adventures ever made it to shelves. They’ve been super-limited draft-only releases. This time we’ve made enough to actually bottle some … The 100% barrel-aged 2015 High West-ified Coffee Stout. Ale brewed with Coffee from our friends at Petaluma Coffee & Tea, then aged in Rye Whiskey barrels from our friends at High West Distillery in Park City, Utah … barrels that held High West’s Double Rye and American Prairie Bourbon, to be exact. Cheers!"

[source: lagunitas.com]

"Nectar from the source, from cast-against-type Utah. Latent heat of evaporation causes apparitions to rise up the column. They rise and condense and coolly run off. Oak barrels, just wood, made Magic by a higher power, filled to the bung for a time are then drained. Potential energy. The desire to fall. The barrels rolled wear downslope out of north central Utah, outta 6,780 ft. County of Summit, into the Basin, past the temptations of Wendover, across basin through range, escaping the Great Humboldt Sink, climb the Cretateous subduction's saw-faced batholitic intrusion, down the Smartville Ophiolite through the gentle Coast Range onto delta, landing gently in Petaluma, where we just plain filled them with beer. That's all there is to it."

[source: bottle]

This photo was taken by my friend at a Petaluma campground near Lagunitas brewery moments after he bought it. He managed to buy several bottles a week before it would be released. Lucky me got one.

Lagunitas Brewing 'Equinox' Pale Oat Ale. 8% abv. Golden color with two+ fingers of thick foamy off-white head. Outstanding retention and superb lace that goes all the way down. Nose of herbal spice, oat grain, light sweet malt back. Front taste of herbal bitter hops, earthy grain, spicy, woodsy. Aftertaste is complex with herbal spice bouquet, bitter hop bite, pine notes, malt sweet sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy.

This is an excellent beer, my first oat pale but definitely not my last. The spice is notable yet balanced throughout, the oat is well used for a creamy, silky mouthfeel from first taste to last. The aftertaste shines with a tall, complex flavor. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A creamy pale oat ale hopped up with a huge charge of Equinox and Simcoe hops for a piney, eucalyptusy, cedary, sprucey, foresty blast."

[source: lagunitas.com]

The serious lacing on this beer goes all the way down.

Lagunitas Brewing IPA. 6.2% abv. 45 IBU. Orange-copper color. Thick foamy white head. Outstanding retention, superb lace. Nose of sweet malt, light caramel, floral hop bouquet. Front taste of fresh flowery bitter hops, sweet citrus back. Aftertaste is bittersweet floral hop sustain, slightly sweet finish. Light-medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, bitter tingly, thin carb.

This is an excellent IPA. It strikes a nice balance between malt and hops, siding a touch more on the hops side, with a sweet floral bitterness that follows to the bottom quite well. A perfect example of its category, and a great base for their other beers. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Lagunitas IPA was our first seasonal way back in 1995. The recipe was formulated with malt and hops working together to balance it all out on your ‘buds so you can knock back more than one without wearing yourself out. Big on the aroma with a hoppy-sweet finish that’ll leave you wantin’ another sip."

[source: lagunitas.com]

Lagunitas Brewing 'The Hairy Eyeball' Ale. 9.1% abv. 56 IBU. Toffee brown color. Finger of tan head that falls to a sustaining collar. Good retention, moderate lace. Nose of roasted dark malt, earthy hops. Front taste of sweet malt, brown sugar, earthy bitter hops. Aftertaste is bitter, toasty, alcoholic. Medium body. Mouthfeel is hot, thick, slightly sticky, foamy from the lingering carb.

This is an excellent beer, an American strong ale that delivers a high malt taste, some rich sweet notes, and a boozy bite that is hidden at first. Get this on tap when you can, and have a couple of bombers in the fridge the rest of the time. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A roasty, toasty, malty, hangover-halting beer. Especially formulated for when you wake up feelin’ like you need to shave your eyeballs to see the new day."
[source: lagunitas.com]

"Laying there, staring up at the ceiling, head pounding, last night was a dim recollection. How did he get home? Was he alone? Looking to the left and right, the answer was yes, maybe. His head was full of 'rag water, bitters, and blue ruin! His teeth felt like he'd been chewing aluminum and his breath smelled like a burning tractor tire. There was wrenching knot somewhere between his liver and East St. Louis and he couldn't be sure whether or not he'd wet himself. A yellow sine wave rang in his ears so loud it made his teeth ache and he wassurethat if he touched his skin anywhere it would induce a rhythmic retching jag. Even in the face of all that, he found himself smiling at the realization that today represented thresh breath of a new year- an undiscovered country - and also that there was still one warm, half-full, flat, redolent Hairy Eyeball on the nightstand. yes - there is a God."
[source: bottle]

Lagunitas Brewing Imperial Stout. 9.9% abv. 72 IBU. Black color. Two+ fingers of dense beige head. Superb retention and outstanding lace. Nose of dark malt, dark chocolate, distant herbal hops. Front taste of roasted malt, black coffee, dark fruit, raisins. Aftertaste of bittersweet chocolate, sweet roasted malt. Full body. Mouthfeel is thick, rich, sticky, herbal on the back.

This is an outstanding beer, filled with rich, roasty flavors and a background hop bitter bite. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Made with Highly roasted malted barley, and plenty of it, to give the beer an uncommon richness and smoky, roasty depth. Just the way the 18th century Russian royalty liked it…. Having downed his fourth Imperial Stout of the day, the wild eyed charlatan from Voldvostogniaky belched and hollered for the Czarina to enter his chamber and bend herself to his will. The economy was a wreck and revolt was just around the corner. Nicky the Czar dude was off playing soldier like any pale nobleman with a hemorrhagic skin condition would. Such were the final days of the old empire. Reactionary, decadent, sputnik, stroganoff, weird, and drunk. But even as the proletariat countryside labored under inhuman conditions and a threat of being sent to a futile war in the east, they wisely took the time to slam back an Imperial Stout or two. After all, life can be a real ‘suka’, as they said in the old country. Big, black, bourgeois, blocky, belligerent, buxom, and scary- this is our version of the chaotic end of an era in a bottle."
[source: lagunitas.com]

Lagunitas Brewing 'Brown Shugga' Ale. 9.9% abv. 51.1 IBU. Deep ruby color. Thick 2+ fingers of foamy tan head off the pour. Excellent retention and superb lacing. Nose of bright herbal hops, malt, spice. Front taste of ample bitter hops, roasted malt, brown sugar, flowers, cloves. Aftertaste of balanced bitter hops, sweet malt, warm sugar. Full body. Mouthfeel is warm-hot, creamy, carby.

This is one of my seasonal and all-time favorites, a big bold beer with a unique, complex taste. Sweet, bitter, fresh. Strongly recommended.

I once met Tony Magill, Founder of Lagunitas, at Lucky Baldwin's Pub in Pasadena. He was playing blues guitar, on a pub tour to promote the then-new Brown Shugga'. He took a break and joined me and my friend. He asked us what beers we ordered. I told him that I came for the Brown Shugga', which fast became one of my favorites at the time. It was only then that he introduced himself. I was stunned. I was talking with one of my craft beer idols - a legend - and I didn't even realize!

Tony then told us in detail how Lagunitas started, and the legendary story of how Brown Shugga came to be, starting with the big mistake, followed by visiting every all-night supermarket in the area and leaving with shopping carts full of brown sugar at 3AM. He bought us a few rounds of beer, "Whatever you want, whether or not they're mine!"

Tony Magill was very cool that night, played great music, told wonderful stories, and offered great beer. I think of that unforgettable evening whenever I drink this wonderful beer.

From the brewery:

"We believe this special ale is something unique. Feeding brown cane sugar to otherwise cultured brewery yeast is akin to feeding raw shark to your gerbil. It is unlikely to ever occur in nature without human intervention. And it looks weird besides. But is has happened and now it’s too late. Originally a failed attempt at our 1997 batch of Olde GnarlyWine Ale, resulting in an all-new beer style we like to call… irresponsible. Rich, roasty, and mysteriously drinkable. It leaves a lot of stories in its wake."

Old pic of me enjoying a Brown Shugga

Lagunitas Brewing 'Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale. 7.5% abv. 64 IBU. Gold-orange color. Clear. Two+ fingers of creamy white head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nose is a hop bouquet, slightly sweet, with notes of crackers. Front taste is malt, abundant floral hops, light fruit underneath. Aftertaste is citrus peel and dry, lingering hops. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, smooth, bubbly from the persistent carb.

This is an excellent limited edition brew. A fragrant nose followed by a malty profile bursting with flowery hops, with notes of light fruit to balance it out. I didn't much detect the wheat grain, but it wasn't a deal-breaker for what was otherwise a well-crafted brew. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A truly unique style featuring a strong hop finish on a silky body. A filtered pale wheat ale that is great for both IPA and wheat beer fans."
[source: lagunitas.com]

Lagunitas Brewing 'Imperial Red' Ale. 7.8% abv. 54 IBU. Dark red-amber in color. Hoppy nose with bready notes of grain. Creamy two fingers of tan head. Good retention, outstanding lace. Front taste is a balance of bright hops and citrus over malty sweetness. The mingling of citrus and hops and are much more present as the temp drops. Aftertaste is hoppy bite with a descending malt taste. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm bordering on hot, rich, smooth on the tongue.

This is an extraordinary beer. Nicely balanced, growing more complex as the temperature falls. The mix of flavors is pronounced and pleasant, and the mouthfeel is almost silky. Delicious. Get this beer if you can. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"This Special Ale is In Reality, the Exhumation of the Very First Ale We Ever Brewed Way, Way Back, in 1993. Brewed With a Big Head, a Muscular Malty Thorax, a Silky Texture & All Strung Together With a Hoppy Sweet Nerve Sack… Ick. A dank and roasty treat. Back again in bombers. Cheers!"