Beer Talk by Art of the Table
September 17, 2010
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Lagunitas (LAH-GOO-KNEE-TUSS, as they so affectionately endorse )is a boisterous, loud-mouthed and non-apologetic about what or who they are brewing company...and we love it! Put all of that aside, and these dudes are certainly making well crafted beer.
Humor and sarcasm reign on the labels, and within every description on the website. Well deserved too. These guys had a hard time getting the ball rolling. Starting in West Marin, California with much dismay from the community and ultimately a faulty septic system that forced them to leave the building and replant in Petaluma, CA. This was a good choice. The town is welcoming, and the beer and building are thriving.
They st arted with a goal of creating consistently well crafted beer...but that got so boring after a while. In their boredom came crazy malt and hop combinations and intense, but amazing beer.
Our suggestion is to sample everything they brew. The price points are incredibly low for craft beer, and the quality is still way up there. It's not very classy, as a matter of fact, it's the sassiest beer we have in the cooler...based on the flavor and the oh-so-interesting labels...like this one.
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What's usually available...
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Lagunitas IPA is a little more than flavorful. They claim 43 different hops and 65 various malts create this fine ale. That is insane! I believe it too. The beer is intense with bitter hops and flavorful malts. I wouldn't call it malty, it's hoppy for sure. Citrus notes claim the finish and that perfect bitter bite IPA lovers seek is right there in every sip.
PILS
A true Czech style pilsner, with a li'l American love from a touch more hops. Still though, much more traditional in style than say Victory's Prima Pils (which is still a very good beer). One of our employee's boyfriends is a huge Pilsner Urquell fan. We were out, and he needed something to satisfy the craving. I suggested this beer, and he's been buying it ever since...loves the stuff. It's a truly great refreshing beer with true dedication to it's quality...this ain't no Miller Light y'all.
PALE ALE
I can't for the life of me figure out why this beer isn't wildly popular. It's awesome. I know, I know, pale ale was so 8 years ago. I don't care, this is good beer. To me, this is conversation beer. I don't have to think about it, I don't have to care about it. I just need it to be good so I can sip on something tasty and enjoy the conversation with my friends. It's malty and nice, with a little hops to balance everything out. Nearly every other pale these days is trying to "step it up". Don't please. Be a pale ale, and like who you are. Thank you Lagunitas for being you.
CENSORED ALE (Rich Copper Ale)
I have no idea what is censored about this beer, but I can see why they call it a copper ale. It has a very rusty, copper color to it. It's crazy malty. It has very sweet notes to it, and is a little biscuity and bitter on the finish. This beer makes you feel all good inside on a cloudy, rainy day.
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The Special Stuff...
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| Hop Stoopid
This is available year round, it's in large format and crazy good. It really is for the hop heads. And it's way on the cheap for large format ($4.75). Intense aromas of hops and citrus. You can smell the bitter end in this. The finish lingers for minutes and the flavor wins over the bitter bite. Lagunitas recommends this beer in the morning to get rid of anything lingering in your mouth. We won't go that far, but we will agree it's a palate cleanser/bruiser.
Lil' Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale
A pale in style, and a good one at that. Rich aromas of orange, pineapple and a hint of pine. The palate is slightly less hoppy than expected and the malt character is rather sweet and nice. Don't get me wrong, this is a pale ale. It is characteristically bitter and slightly hopped, but it has other things going on too.
Wilco Tango Foxtrot
Yep, WTF. It's a brown ale with loads of hops, crazy malts and a taste that makes you go huh? It is a great beer, but certainly not for the faint of heart. You either love or hate this beer. Understandably. I love it, and it is certainly a beer worth giving an honest try. It'll be a learning experience for sure.
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Oh Yeah!!!!
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| Lucky 13
A new specialty ale on the shelf from Lagunitas. It's an anniversary release, and it's rather tasty. I'll be the first to admit red ales aren't usually on my top anything list. But for all of the anniversary ales that have come out this year without much to say...this is different. It's good. Translucent red in color with slightly over indulged hops. It certainly is a malt machine though. Sweet aromas and flavors soar on the palate. I've been hearing and reading a lot of people say molasses on the palate, but I get more burnt sugar. Caramel and a hint of spice on the finish. It's a fine beer. And, it's gone when it's gone. Just one case folks. HURRY!
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