Maximus - Lagunitas Brewing Company

lawlerj

Nebraska

4.39/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a NB globe.

A - Pours translucent copper with a nice thick white head. Moderate amount of splotchy lacing.

S - Hops dominate the aroma, and there is a nice mix of earthy/piney aroma with fruit and citrus aromas. I'm searching for a word to describe the overall effect, and I can't really come up with one. It's almost a...juicy....sort of smell...if that makes any sense.

T - This first thing that jumps out at me about the flavor is how well balanced it is. The hops are definitely big and in your face, but the sweetness of the malt is definitiely noticeable. A lot of IPAs seem to focus on the hops at the expense of other flavors, but this beer lets all the flavors come through, and in a bag way as well. There are some herbal notes in there, so the overall effect is earthy and refreshing.

M - medium bodied, a little syrupy at time, but nothing wrong with it.

O - Overall, this is a great beer, and definitely stands out among the DIPAs I've had. The balance is great and a highlight for me and I would guess for others as well.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 00:23:47 | More by lawlerj

mindlucent2007

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a rather clear, gold-copper color with a nice head and retention. Lacing is tough and resilient. Aroma is hoppy and boozy. Taste is rich with a good citrusy and bitter bite. Notes of lemon and pine. This is an IPA that not only has the hoppy blast but the malty blast right up there with it. Strong mouthfeel but no booziness detected and aftertaste is mild. A well balanced work from Lagunitas.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 23:11:55 | More by mindlucent2007

BierStein711

Illinois

3.89/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Big bottle poured into pint glass.

Appearance, beige off-white head, moderate carbonation

Smells: Pine, grapefruit, apricot, and hop

Taste: Medicinal, Resin, Pine, grapefruit, odd funky finish

Mouthfeel: Perfect

Overall, not bad but I expected better.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 03:28:19 | More by BierStein711

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.21/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

appearance: a burnt orange with nice carbonation and a thin white head. good lacing as well.

smell: classic IPA smell. citrus, grapefruit, and hopps. nothing special, but still nice.

taste: wayyy different than i expected from the nose. I was just expecting another bitter hop bomb like many others, but there is a caramel sweetness to it that balances so perfectly with the hopps. this is brilliantly done. some bready notes, still some grapefruit, citrus, that caramel that I just spoke of, and malt.

mouthfeel: medium bodied with good carbonation.

overall: i rated this 4.25 because of how much the taste surprised me after the "uniform IPA" appearance and smell. The taste was just fantastic. Must get.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 00:29:57 | More by alex_hart

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3.94/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bout time I reviewed this one...

Dark copper/amber color with a thick off-white head. A thin but full cap retains with some decent lacing.

Scent brings intense earthy hops, citrus and grapefruit hops with sweet candy caramel malts there as well.

Taste mostly follows suit, still quite hoppy but the malts are more present. Lots of sweet, buttery bready caramel battles some intensified pine and earthiness, grassy and citrus hops. Sweeter than your average DIPA for sure, you can't ignore the malts here, but well-balanced.

Thick mouthfeel with carbonation a bit on the low side. Some alcohol noticeable. Big malts+hops make this a bit of a sipper.

The sweet+hoppy combo is very well done here. This is what I've come to know as a "classic 6-pack". Tough to beat this for $10. Yet another Lagunitas beer makes it to my regular rotation...

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 02:45:02 | More by Chico1985

lsummers

California

3.79/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a deep orange with a slight copper tone. Seems lighter in color than their regular IPA. Although this one is thicker and more cloudy. Head is off white, one finger, and frothy. Recedes to a nice mocha like froth that sits ontop.

Smells right away of orange and grapefruit. Almost a creaminess. Reminds me of orange sherbert mixed with a touch of pine and subtle crackers. Still a bit of bitterness showing though, surprisingly little for a DIPA though.

Taste is very balanced. The creamy orange and citrus notes come through straight away. Touch of caramel, cracker, malts. I'm very surprised by the balance of the bitter hops with the sweet malts. It's got a slight bit of an acidic note that isn't necessarily detracting. A touch of the alcohol does show, however very, very subtle towards the back end. This is a fairly easy drinking DIPA.

Mouthfeel is mildly carbonated. Sticky and sweet. Slight bit of viscous nature.

Overall, this is an excellent DIPA to try. I could easily see this as being a favorite for some. For me, it's drinkable and balanced. But there's some slight astringent characters that pull me away from thinking it's the perfect DIPA for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 05:30:44 | More by lsummers

kojevergas

California

3.45/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Acquired as part of a six pack at Adam's Fine wine and Liquor earlier tonight. It's a couple months old and has been refrigerated the entire time. 8.2% ABV confirmed. 1.080 original gravity. 59 IBUs. 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with understated classy label and standard green branded pressure cap served into a conical Samuel Smith's pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are fairly high given the brewery.

Served cold, straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a three finger beige colour head of nice thickness, decent cream, and generally good (~4-5 minute) retention. Uneven light lacing as the head recedes. Body colour is a clear vibrant translucent copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Looks pretty solid for an IPA; there's nothing unique or special here but I don't note any flaws.

Sm: Hefty hop bitterness. Floral hop character. Light nectar. Caramalts and pale malts. Some vague grapefruit citrus. It's imbalanced but pleasant and appealing. Brown sugar. A mild to moderate strength aroma. No yeast or alcohol is detectable. Light soap. Some hop extract oil.

T: Hop oil/extract. Floral hops. Some grapefruit hop bite with corresponding untamed hop bitterness - a cardinal sin in a (D)IPA. Pale malts. Some caramalt. No yeast character or alcohol comes through. I do like it, but it's a bit wanting in terms of balance. Good malt and hop mix, but it's rough around the edges. Flavorful and enjoyable, though.

Mf: A bit oily. Smooth and wet. Pretty good carbonation. Good thickness. Suits the flavour profile pretty well.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable. I'd like to have another; I'll happily enjoy the other beers in the sixer. Another good-but-not-great offering from Lagunitas. It's a bit more distinctive than their other hoppy beers - which I like. I'd definitely get this again. Solid work, just not exceptional.

High B-

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 02:50:07 | More by kojevergas

Nektar-der-Gotter

New Jersey

2.74/5  rDev -31%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Ok, this was the first DIPA I have ever tried. Maybe it is an acquired taste as for me, someone that normally drinks bocks/ales in the cooler months and hefeweizen/lagers in the wamer months, this just tasted...rank.

I cracked open the bottle acquired from the San Mateo BevMo and poured it out into a glass to enjoy with my In N Out Double Double Animal Style and Fries. Just to make sure the food didn't taint the tasting experience I made sure to take several tastes of the beer prior to chowing down. As mentioned this was my first DIPA, and I have had Lagunitas IPA many times and really enjoyed it, so this was a big disappointment. The taste uncomfortably hinted at stomach acid. Being loathe to waste beer, I willed myself to finish the bottle, but I was happy to be done with it.

Note that I did try Pliny the Elder the following day (right at the source, on tap, in Russian River's Brewpub in Santa Rosa) and didn't find it much better, so I can only assume that I skew towards the malty side of beer preference.

Almost any beer I had while in Germany (kolsch, lager, bock, weizen) kicks this beers ass.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 04:12:38 | More by Nektar-der-Gotter

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.24/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Lagunitas Brewing Company mason jar-style glass

Pours golden amber with orangish accents capped by a huge bright white; great retention with gobs of splotchy lacing. Huge citrus notes; pineapple, mandarin orange blossoms, some pine sap. Pineapple, orange pulp, resin, dank, grapefruit rind, hints of lemon zest, some hints of sweet malt and flora. Moderate carbonation, full-bodied with a substantial malt presence. A very solid, well-balanced DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 03:36:01 | More by chanokokoro

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - A fairly active swirling pour with cascading carbonation yields a mere fingers worth of slightly whimsical bone white colored head with a bit of a rocky top... Minimal retention gives way to a rich full veil of lace and a moderate collar... Still with no discernible carbonation... The color is a vibrant yet ale golden copper... There is a light glowing red hue when back lit... A slight bit of lacing clings to the glass...

S - The aroma is equal parts sweet tropical fruit / citrus and assertive malt base... Loads of sweet orange... Some pineapple... Even a touch of kiwi... Caramel... Toasted malts... Biscuit... Doughy white bread... Good balance...

T - The hops take on a much more earth and piney character on the palate... The take the forefront while the malt sweetness takes a semi backseat... Lots of bread crust and dough... Just a hint of caramel... The finish has a slightly astringent earthy hop presence...

M - On the lighter side of medium bodied... Good carbonation level with just a slight bite... Clean... Crisp... Even and consistent... Very pleasant...

D - Quite approachable... Doesn't pack a huge punch for a American Double / Imperial IPA... This won't "wow" anybody, but it won't turn anybody off either... Won't be my first choice when I'm in the market for a sixer, but I certainly wouldn't turn it down... A notch down from other Lagunitas offering... HIdes the 8.2% ABV exceptionally well...

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 02:06:34 | More by philbe311

Burkbom23

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Clear orangy light copper color with a good ammount of bubbles visible. Nice foamy rocky slightly off white head. Lots of beautiful lacing that sticks all over the glass. Good Looking beer. Aroma of hops right up front. Citrus. Lots of orange peel in the nose. Also some nuttiness and a little bit of apricot maybe? Definitly get some malt backbone in the aroma also. Like the smell get a lot of hops in the taste as well. The opposite of most brews for me, the hops catch me up front with the maltiness more towards the back. Some yeasty breadiness towards the end also. Some good sharp bitterness at the finish, not overwhelming by any means. Good sturdy mouthfeel for a IPA, pretty crisp. Obviously tilted towards the hop, but not a bad balance. Will definitly visit this one again.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 00:57:10 | More by Burkbom23

Philousa

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up super fresh at the brewery a week before opening.

Pours a clear copper with a thin khaki head that laces well (though the amount is lacking in my opinion). Aroma kicks you with pine, tropical fruit, and pineapple. Underneath is a biscuity, honey malt. Some of that tropical fruit carries over to the taste but with a grassiness, followed by wheat bread crust and honey. Bitterness washes in when the previous flavors are receding, which is, again, grassy and similar to unripe fruit (think green banana). Feel is tending slightly towards viscous due to slight undercarbonation in my opinion, finish is slightly sweet.

This is a really solid DIPA, though they have made better in Petaluma for sure. I'd love more of a tropical fruitiness throughout, less biscuit, and less grassy notes.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 05:00:26 | More by Philousa

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.94/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A big off white to light tan head ever so slowly settles above a clear rich golden colored beer.

Citrus, piney, and light floral hops aroma with a little bit of caramel malts coming through.

A little grapefruit mixed in the citrus blended with piney hops taste that finishes with some light caramel malts that have a hint of sweetness to it.

A dryish aftertaste with light hops lingering on with this medium bodied IPA.

A solid tasting beer, not as bold as Lagunitas Sucks but a decent drink still the same.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 22:47:46 | More by LXIXME

Bowdoinbeerboy

Maine

3.99/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with almost no head and is a light read color. The nose here is all grapefruit and sweet hops. This matches well with the flavor which is fairly sweet, again almost fruit-juice like. This is everything I love in an IPA, lots of floral hops and strong, sweet grapefruit flavors. This is a must buy for me again!

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 17:36:59 | More by Bowdoinbeerboy

AmitC

Indiana

4.21/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Color is golden amber. Head is off white in color with over three fingers thickness. Excellent retention and an awesome lacing on the sides. Very beautiful looking beer. Some suspensions. Dry hops may be. Clear and almost transparent.

Aroma is a little subdued. Not a lot of herbal or spiced up hop aroma. Neither much of grapefruit or citrus notes. Some bland malt with a little backbone.

Taste is awesome. Very delicious. Malt backbone is good. Hops show some bitterness. Good herbal and spicy flavors. A little earthiness to the flavor. Some grapefruit. Finish is slightly bitter.

Mouth feel is medium bodied with some oiliness. Slick and easy to drink IIPA. Moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 21:50:14 | More by AmitC

dheacck11

Connecticut

4.23/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a bright golden amber orange with finger of soft white head. Tons of lacing as it fades.

Nose is prominent with orange, other citrus, and piney hop

Flavor is grapefruit citrus up front followed by biting piney hops on the finish. Not too dry though.

Mouth feel is surprisingly full. Nice sharp bite on the finish.

Really nice IPA. Reminiscent of Sucks but a little more potent, more dry hop, and a bit less floral hop complexity. For a readily available brew, it's pretty fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 23:23:22 | More by dheacck11

Bauzen

New York

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy dark copper in color, carbonation is light and the fluffy light foam dissolves rather quickly.

The aroma is very fruity; hops are bright and super citrusy. Each smell brings out new flavors... Too many to list. There's a lot going on here, and the complexity takes several separate occasions to appreciate the depth of each flavor.

Taste doesn't fully live up to the aroma. It would be nearly impossible as it's so overwhelming. That being said, it's still a great beer, but it's overshadowed by the sum of it's components. The finish is also super bitter, and lacks the finesse that the original IPA from Lagunitas offers.

This beer is generally advertised as a step up from Lagunitas' renown IPA - hoppier and a little stronger. While it's certainly more aromatic, it tends to fall short of the standard IPA's balance. Overall, it's a good beer, but when given the choice, there are many other over-the-top doubles that do a better job than this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 02:53:26 | More by Bauzen

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.24/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance- Clear copper with quick off white head. Great lacing.

Smell- Pine, grass, peaches, earthy hops, caramel malts, slight booze.

Taste- Smooth fruity peachy hops, piney earthyness, nice malt balance, no booze.

Mouthfeel- Pretty resinous, not very bitter, quite drinkable at 8.2%. Crisp and clean.

Overall- Solid IPA. It's no Sucks, but it's pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 16:12:22 | More by Seanniek91

hardy008

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours clear amber with a two finger bright white head, with good retention and lacing. The aroma has grapefruit, pine, and some caramel.

Tastes both bitter and sweet. Has grapefruit, citrus zest, pine sap, some onions and a little caramel. The bitterness is much stronger that the sweetness, and it may be a little too bitter. Still pretty tasty though. The alcohol taste is not well disguised, and is pretty noticeable.

Medium bodied with average carbonation. Smooth and easy to drink. I wish this was just a little less bitter, and that the alcohol was better hidden. Not bad though.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 22:21:59 | More by hardy008

StJamesGate

New York

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pale fizzy amber with a lumpy eggshell head that crusts when it fades.
Candied orange, resin and powdered sugar with some dank perfumed underneath.
Cheese danish, orange fruit smoothie, and some brown candy sugar then resiny, stewy hops with hints of nectar.
Floral finish and herbal linger.
Medium, chewy, oily.

OK, no date on this so no way of knowing if hops have faded. But 1.080 is kinda high for 8.2% and 59 IBUs is not all that bitter so I'm tempted to think this tastes like it's supposed to.
In which case, it's a mess: swampy, sugary malts with no clean pine or citrus aroma to cut it, but instead exacerbated by - supposedly - Willamette (aka Fuggles spawn) for the peppery herbs and Horizon for all that rose petal.
At a DIPA strength without DIPA hopping, this just ends up syrupy and cloying.

Big letdown from Lagunitas.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 20:20:53 | More by StJamesGate

ktblue22

Vermont

4.21/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Very interesting IPA, really well balanced but there is an aftertaste in it that I can't quite pinpoint. perhaps peanut-y resin. High ABV on this beer, but its masked very well. Also getting some smooth caramel hops on the finish which pair really well with the grainy-nuttiness in this also intensely hopped IPA

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 21:57:37 | More by ktblue22

GuzzLah

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - pours a clear light amber with a white head. Nice lace. Bubbly.

S - soft aroma for the style. Grapefruit, soft pine and faint diesel.

T - similar to the aroma. Sweet grapefruit with a soft piney finish. Slightly bready.

M - medium-full body. Oily. Low-medium bitterness with a short sustain.

O - conservative for the style. Malty sweet and weak on the hops. Decent flavor, but a little too sweet for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 00:37:13 | More by GuzzLah

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle with no date. On sale at Blue Max

Looks like a standard IPA. Smell is on point; skunky pine, lemon, musk. Taste is sweeter and more malty than expected. It strikes a good balance with the honey-like malt and the citrus/pine of the hops. Still, It's almost too buttery and/or sweet.

Another solid hoppy Lagunitas brew. Hop Stoopid's better, tho.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 01:21:13 | More by jimmah120

rickyleepotts

Arizona

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is the last Lagunitas beer on the list, which is sad. I like this brewing company. I am a HUGE fan of their IPA, and their Cappuccino Stout is really nice. For $3.99 for 22 ounces, you can't beat it. Their seasonal WTF release is pretty nice, too. I have had Maximus before, but love the flavor… being a hop head, I can appreciate an affordable double IPA. There should be more beers from them on the list, but there is a lot more to look forward to. Excited to drink another bottle of Maximus! Cool story on where they got the name, too. I bet dogs are welcome in the tasting room!

In the Glass: This seems a little light for a typical double IPA, but I know this beer has a lot of citrus aromas and a nice flavor, so maybe that is why my mind thinks it looks more like orange juice than it does beer. The head is nice and thin, but the beer is producing a thick and juicy lace that is just clinging to the side of the glass. I told myself, after visiting the Old World Brewery last night, that I wasn't going to drink today. Oh well, cheers!

Nose: For being a double IPA, you expect more hops. Think about the 90 Minute IPA from Dogfish head. You smell that, and can taste the hops. This has a load of hoppy goodness, but it is not overwhelming. That is a good thing, because from what I remember, that balance carries over to the flavor. The beer almost smells fruity and fun.

Flavor: Those same fruity flavors DO carry over, and the flavor is actually more balanced than I remember. It is also more carbonated than what I remember, bit the carbonation shows up and is gone as fast as it arrived. The initial flavor explodes on the front of your palate, and is (considering the ABV) well balanced to a smooth and somewhat drying finish. The citrus flavors are obvious, and the hops are so mellow, you would never know you were drinking a DIPA. It's good, and scary drinkable.

Mouthfeel: At first, the mouthfeel is boring and smooth, then bubbles attack your palate about halfway back, then it mellows again as you begin to swallow. The mouthfeel is almost like a roller coaster as it changes two or three times with each drink. This provides a fun, and unexpected experience while drinking this beer. (The burp is nice, bringing those fruity flavors back to the center of your palate.)

Aftertaste: At first, there are some subtle hop flavors hanging around, and then the drying begins. From there, you are taken to a nice, mellow finish that lingers for a few minutes. You lose flavor every time you swallow, but the beer is so drinkable, I bet you don't wait to see how long it lasts before you take another sip.

I am sad this is our last Lagunitas bottle, as they have such a good line of beers… but all three we did were good, and I love their expected hop profile. They are like Stone in that regard, providing you a consistent and enjoyable experience regardless of the beer you pick. If there is a bar in the Valley that has this on tap, I need to try this on draft. It would be good nitro, too.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 22:03:57 | More by rickyleepotts

brodericksloth

Oregon

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

70 IBU’s hit you at first but mellow quickly
Spicy light; alcohol well hidden; Citrus orange and grapefruit; malts are subtle; drinks like a lawnmower beer. Not filling
One finger head, nice amber/red clear color very little lacing
Light not DIPA type; enough hops to carry alcohol; good value

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 02:18:43 | More by brodericksloth