Maximus - Lagunitas Brewing Company

champ103

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On cask at the Anvil in Houston.

A: Pours a hazy amber orange color. A tow finger white head forms with good retention. Rings of sticky lace are left behind.
S: Soft citrus and piny hops. Grapefruit and a light bitterness. A nice caramel and soft buttery aroma as well.
T: Follows the nose. Mostly soft and subtle. Citrus, pine, grapefruit, and a light bitterness. Good balance with caramel and light buttery malts.
M/D: A medium body that is well carbonated, creamy, and smooth. Easy to drink. I could have several on cask without a problem.

This is very nice on cask. Mellow, soft, and smooth. Three things I don't usually say about a Lagunitas beer. Though this is very good. I don't know what this is like on tap or bottle, but on cask this is very enjoyable.

Serving type: cask

12-16-2010 02:19:02 | More by champ103

donniecuffs

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

At The Blind Tiger in NYC. Poured copper-amber with expectedly no carbonation, but no head. Smelled very piney with grapefruit and some menthol. The taste revealed a big macintosh apple flavor, with menthol, grapefruit, biscuit, and a dry finish mixed with alcohol burn. The aftertaste was abundant in alcohol burn and dry bitter orange peel. Medium and smooth (no carbonation due to the cask). Nice-tasting ipa, but a little too much alcohol burn for my taste.

Serving type: cask

07-16-2010 19:08:59 | More by donniecuffs

femALEist

California

4.22/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on cask at Toronado at Lagunitas Night during SF Beer week.
It poured a orange copper with no head. It smelled of grapefruit, grass and sweet juicy hops. It tasted like bitter grapefruit peel, hint of sweet malt, hops and very wet. It was not too bitter at all.

Serving type: cask

03-25-2010 19:27:54 | More by femALEist

glid02

Georgia

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

Cask at the Porter Beer Bar in Atlanta.

Pours a clear copper color with a half-finger off-white head. The large bubbles dissipate into a wispy layer on top leaving surprisingly decent lacing.

Smells of bright grapefruit hop aromas with equal parts pale/caramel malts and pine sap.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Smooth malt flavors - part pale and part caramel - kick things off and are joined very quickly by good amounts of citrus flavors. Midway through the sip the hop influence turns toward pine and carries through to a solidly bitter finish.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a slick thickness with soft carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass quickly and could have another.

Overall this came off as one of the more balanced IPA/DIPA/Imperial Reds from Lagunitas. I have to say I like the unbalanced ones a bit more but this is still worth a shot.

Serving type: cask

01-26-2010 23:45:59 | More by glid02

CaptainIPA

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Hand-pulled, cask-conditioned goodness @ Romans' Pub on 5-20-08.

Pours a bright copper amber with a one-finger head. Superior head retention and lacing throughout.

Floral, hoppy nose with essences of grapefruit and grass.

Complex taste profile: Piney citrus hops balanced with caramel malts and spicy weightings of earthy peat and nutty wood tones. Subtle hints of herbal rose water.

Super smooth, cask-conditioned mouthfeel. Hand-pulled silk.

People mumble. Beer speaks. Maximus roars.

Serving type: cask

05-21-2008 02:08:23 | More by CaptainIPA

johnbonham1980

Idaho

3.43/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Quite a bit different on cask than in the bottle. Hops are subdued and the flavor profile differs quite a bit. Gotta say I prefer it in bottle but this was an interesting drink.

Poured with tons of head which lasts... and lasts... and lasts. Typical w/ cask ales in my experience. Chunky sediment in this one, very cloudy orange colour.

Taste was quite a bit different than in the bottle. A good amount of sourness, with a little sweetness to balance it out... hops are there but aren't dominant like the bottled version. Interesting, hard to identify fruity esters. Raspberry flavors definitely noticeable.

Finishes normally, very drinkable stuff.

Serving type: cask

11-15-2006 06:26:37 | More by johnbonham1980

sommersb

Tennessee

3.99/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 05-22-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Globe glass
Purchased: Received from a friend

A: Head is big and white, on top of the amber/orange beer which is mostly clear. Head retention is very good with a crazy amount of lacing.

S: Sharp hop aromas of evergreen and pine, with a hint of some bready malts.

T: Taste is quite hoppy, with a fairly high level of bitterness. Some caramel malts are also there for some balance, but they are fairly subdued. I get some alcohol warmth from the 8.2 abv.

M: Prickly mouthfeel with a high carbonation level. The body is medium with aftertastes that feature more piney hop character and bitterness.

O: All in all an enjoyable beer. I think it could use a bit more in the malts department, however.

Thanks to Kirk for the beer!

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 03:55:25 | More by sommersb

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

KattM2013

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Hazy orange with little head

S: Orange/grapefruit citrus

T: Intense grapefruit and piney hop; Subtle caramel sweetness in the finish

M: Light bodied; Lingering after taste of caramel and grapefruit

O: This brew packs a punch!! For hop lovers only!!!

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2013 04:49:05 | More by KattM2013

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