Decimator
Lagunitas Brewing Company

DecimatorDecimator
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From:
Lagunitas Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Strong Ale
ABV:
7.8%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.98 | pDev: 7.54%
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
14
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 04, 2004
Added:
Aug 26, 2003
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Reidrover:
Photo of Reidrover
Reviewed by Reidrover from Oregon

4.27/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Ok looking for a beer to reveiw in Salem , I haven't aleady had..in desperation I entered the cheap cigarette outlet type store ( cash only)..they sometimes have a surprise and right there in front of my eyes in the walk in cooler..was this.
The beer comes in the 22 oz bomber with the typical rambling Lagunitas label..plus the dog.
In appearance this beer is almost like a stong ice tea in appearance..with a smallish white head and attractive carbonation strings,
A very very spicy hop aroma greets my nose tough I do detect some malt in the background.
A very hoppy type ale in taste..especially for LagunitasI am impressed the hops bitterness is very fresh and hangs around for quite some time..there is below all this hops a pretty strong malt backbone..the 7.3 alcohol is well hidden
Pretty nice ans smooth on the palate.
For a 7.8% beer this is so very very drinkable.
Aug 29, 2003
More User Ratings:
Photo of donnebaby
Reviewed by donnebaby from North Carolina

3.67/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Dark orange and unfiltered body with only a faint haze covering but thick lacing. Nose is heavy, mulled malts, notes of sweet raisins, figs, and fermenting grapes. Floral. Lots of power behind it.

Taste is real strong. Alcohol is ever-present burning through the brew, burning through my stomach. Lots of malt body and lots of spice. Dry cinnamon stick, spicy pine, fresh lemons. Real dry alcohol-ridden after.

Again, totally unbalanced brew with wild yeast shocking the system with lemon tartness. Wouldn't need to have this again probably.
Nov 04, 2004
Photo of RedDiamond
Reviewed by RedDiamond from Oregon

3.34/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Decimator is a strong ale issued in celebration of Lagunitas Brewing Co.’s first decade of brewing. The beer is a lusty (no, not lustrous, lusty) gold that pours with a tall head of white lather. It is principally clear, but with enough particulate mass to create a slightly clouded hue.

I keep wondering why this beer smells like my grandmother’s house. Is it that it smells like those dried flowers she kept in a vase? Or like some rustic potpourri? I’m afraid it might take years of serious therapy to figure this out conclusively. Suffice it to say, Decimator smells hoppy, but of a unique hop variety not often encountered.

Decimator tastes for the most part like a strong IPA with plenty of initial hop character. However, there’s something acid / metallic at the far end of the finish that springs upon the palate like a mouse trap. Whatever it may be, it is acrid and startling and it won’t let go. Too bad. This is otherwise a smooth drinking beer with good lace top to bottom. If not for the flawed finish, this beer would score considerably higher.
Jul 31, 2004
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Picked up a 22 oz bomber. Poured a nice orange color with a nice fluffy head leaving a fine lacing down my glass. Smells of sweet malts with a good dose of grapefruit. Taste of sweet malts gives way to a nicely hopped finish. Nice mouth feel, fairly full for a brew that I think is more like an IPA. This is an extremely drinkable beer but tread lightly as it lives up to its name!
Mar 20, 2004
Photo of watermelonman
Reviewed by watermelonman from California

3.59/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This is a good beer in itself, but I don't think it compares very well to the other strong ales I've had such as North Coast Old Stock Ale or Stone Arrogrant Bastard. It has a flavor surprisingly similar to Lagunitas Censored, but more bitter and it has a far more significant aftertaste. It's certainly potent.
Feb 25, 2004
Photo of mzwolinski
Reviewed by mzwolinski from California

4.04/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Golden orange in color and well-carbonated, with a billowy off-white head. Quite attractive. Hoppy, somewhat one-dimensional grapefruit-dominated aroma. Citric hops dominate the flavor as well, though there's enough sweetness here to make it clear you're not drinking an IPA. A nice granular/brown sugar flavor picks up in the middle and carries through to the finish before yielding to the hops again which linger into the aftertaste. Medium-light in body with a crisp mouthfeel.
Feb 15, 2004
Photo of Shaw
Reviewed by Shaw from Florida

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I got two 22 oz. bottles of this brew free (!) when I visited the Lagunitas brewery in Petaluma, Calif. They have a very neat operation going on and a friendly staff. I recommend a visit. Plus they give you free brew! How cool is that?

Decimator is a deep brown ale with a nice head. It smells strongly of dry-hopping and malt. The bottle's label says its original gravity is 1.085 and it has about 57 IBUs. Nice. I really enjoy strong ales with their malty and hoppy flavors and thick bodies. Just don't drink too much or you'll be sorry.

This is one of Lagunitas' bigger beers. I like it. Too bad I only got two bottles. Try it, if you can find it.
Jan 09, 2004
Photo of Gusler
Reviewed by Gusler from Arizona

4.29/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The beer as it warms a bit in the glass a nebulous orange-amber color with the head super massive, frothy in texture and a winsome light tan in color. Nose has a hop floral front with a nice slightly sweet malt backing, lime like in its crispness, also a hint of fresh pine needles when you rub them between the palms of your hand and they give you a fresh and clean aroma, quite appealing to the senses, especially if your one of those “Tree Hugger Types”! Start is rich in malt, sweet and the top fair to middling in feel, finish has whacking hop presence, spicy and potent with the acidity middling and the aftertaste dry and bittersweet, quite a treat and more like and “Imperial IPA” than a “Strong Ale”, but “No Matter” the name a damn fine drinking beer IMHO.
Nov 13, 2003
Photo of barleypop
Reviewed by barleypop from California

4.17/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
This one was a nice surprise at the local store $2.99 for a 22oz bomber. When poured it shows a nice cloudy caramel color that looks unfiltered. Not much of a head. This one is ready to drink. A very hoppy, floral nose with a whiff of spice. I detect some cascade hops in the bouquet of flavour. There is just enough of a malt backbone to hold this one together. This is a wonderful strong ale. It would be all to easy to drink too much of this.
Oct 31, 2003
Photo of jcalabre
Reviewed by jcalabre from California

3.79/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: This pours cloudy orange/brown w/ a fluffy head.
Aroma: Lots of citrusy hops are in the aroma, along with some spiciness.
Flavor: Citrus, hops spice, lots of different flavors. This is a very nice and tasty brew. It is very enjoyable to drink
Oct 25, 2003
Photo of Mark
Reviewed by Mark from California

3.73/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
This beer was a real enigma for me. It's cloudy amber orange color was a visual delight, the lace that sheeted my glass was plentiful. The aroma was inviting and quite different. There seemed to be a tea like aroma thrown in. Taste profile had good balance between hop and malt but the alcohol was very prominent. a bit too much for me. A good full bodied beer with character, glad I tried it but would probably would not seek it out regularly.
Oct 18, 2003
Photo of RoyalT
Reviewed by RoyalT from Michigan

4.38/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance – Deep, rich orange body with a terrific head that left some nice lacing on the inside of my glass.

Smell – The sharp hop aroma leaps from the glass followed by a lighter but still noticeable grapefruit scent. There are some faint balancing malts and some good spicing as well, most notably coriander and pepper. The spicing and hops mix to form something akin to garden-fresh green peppers.

Taste – This musty ale again leads off with the sharp, bitter hop flavor. It settles down nicely though as the sweet slightly-sugary malt comes in to play. Not to be outdone, the biting afore-mentioned green pepper bitters the finish. Lastly, the alcohol notes, which were present all along, become noticeable.

Mouthfeel – Lightly carbonated and full-bodied with a small alcoholic sting. The short but sharp bitter flavors will pucker your cheeks and water your mouth.

Drinkability – I enjoyed this and thought it went down just fine. It would make a great session beer for alcoholics and heroin addicts. Other than that, save this one for a special occasion.

Comments - This is not for the faint of heart. Even those that like big beers like Imperial Stouts and Barleywines might think that this is a little over-the-top. But, if you’re not put off by strong, old, musty anniversary ales then pick one up and prepare to be Decimated.
Oct 13, 2003
Photo of beerguy101
Reviewed by beerguy101 from California

4.3/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
Orange gold color. Large foamy head. Aroma is fruity (orange and grapefruit), spicy and sweet. A big full-bodied Strong Ale. Lot of flavors. Malts are nutty, fruity, big and bold. Hops are grapefruity and spicy. Flavors are way over the top, but the bitterness of the hops is nicely balanced by the malt fruitiness and sweetness. There is a touch of alcohol in the taste, but its harshness mellows as the beer warms. Mellow and smooth, sort of cognac like. NICE beer. A little bottle aging will really make this beer excellent. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is smooth and a touch dry. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.
Oct 10, 2003
Photo of rkhaze
Reviewed by rkhaze from California

3.93/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Well, now that I've fulfilled my duty in this farce of a recall election that has made us the laughing stock of the country, think I'll have a beer.
This was a beautiful pouring beer. Golden amber with a thick creamy head that left nice lace.
Fresh, spicy hop aroma with grapefruit/citrus rind undertones.
Strong alcohol harshness at the front actually mellowed into a nicely balanced beer but still made it seem a bit out of kilter.
Decent, almost tangy mouthfeel but the drinkability was definitly hindered by the noticeable presence of alcohol.
Oct 08, 2003
Decimator from Lagunitas Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 14 ratings