Maximus - Lagunitas Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Better than average beer, perhaps the near-room temperature on a very humid day did not do it justice. Had at Volo Cafe. Bomber needed to and was shared. Good retained head. Floral hoppy, initially grapefruity aroma. Smooth and Refreshing, but there are tastier double IPAs around, or even IPAs instead.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2005 02:45:56 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

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

Yeasty dark tangerine with a huge, dense cap of lightly orange-accented beige that has a fine-grained, finely pitting surface. It's already an attractive looking beer and I haven't even seen any lace yet. As the head begins its descent, a nearly solid sheet of lace appears on the glass. Splendid.

The nose is aromatic and consists of bright, juicy citrus zest and sweet pine. I would have said IPA rather than DIPA though. It isn't quite assertive enough for the bigger style.

Maximus is hoppy, but not as hoppy as expected after tasting this brewery's IPA. The flavor profile is sweet and rounded rather than bright and pungent. Candied white grapefruit, ripe peaches in heavy syrup and sticky pine sap lead the way. The hop bill is made up of Cascade, Liberty and Emperor. There's plenty of cake-like malt on hand to provide a rock solid structure that could handle a bigger hop load than it has been given.

The finish is less fruity and more piney with a lingering bittersweet sappiness. The body is on the full side of medium, no more. Although this isn't one of the thicker, chewier DIPAs, it feels fine in the mouth all the same. I can appreciate a subtle hint of alcohol once the beer leaves the mouth, but I don't know that I would have noticed without looking for it.

I was expecting great things from Maximus after being impressed by its little brother Minimus (actual name: Lagunitas IPA). Oddly enough, the DIPA tastes less hoppy than the IPA. Since it favors the tamer end of the style spectrum, Maximus is probably a good entry-level Double IPA for those with an interest in the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2005 00:06:07 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a very hazy bright orange with a big billowing white pillow like head and a slow fade leaving a nice lace down the sides. Smel was sweet, with a big citrus hop presence. Lots of orange, pineapple and tangerine flavors, balanced nicely with hints of carameled sugar and a touch of alcohol. The taste was very nice, warm, with lots of hoppy bite. Very smooth, and no real hint of alcohol whatsoever. This was very nice and a definate keeper, good solid IIPA and something I would definatly wanna have again!

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2007 00:34:07 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

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

Reviewed from notes.

Served in a tulip glass. Pours a nice orange color that is just ever-so-slightly darkened by a bit of bronze. Nose is strong citrus hops with loads of orange and grapefruit. A bit of rind. The taste is quite hoppy, but doesn't hit quite the level of the nose. Nice bitter and resinous feel. Drinks quite well and is a solid DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 01:11:43 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

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

Pours a dark honey color with a small 1/2 inch bone colored head that fades to a tiny cap. Nicely formed distinct rings of lacing on the drink down. Smell is of sweet malt, honey, and citrus/floral hops. Taste is up front with the citrus zest hops, followed by the sweet malt and a honey aftertaste. Very mild citrus juice bitterness on the palate after each sip. Good carbonation makes for a crisp and clean mouthfeel. Hop oils can be felt in the mouth. Overall, a very good DIPA from Lagunitas.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2011 02:50:48 | More by UCLABrewN84

brentk56

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a clear amber color with a gorgeous head that sheets the pint glass with lace

Smell: Nicely balanced between pine and citrus with a solid caramel underpinning

Taste: Balanced, as well, on the opening with the caramel providing a sturdy backdrop to the pine and citrus (tangerine) that appear by mid-palate; after the swallow, the bitter flavors jump to the fore, but there is a sweetness that lingers from the big malt bill

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body, somewhat sticky; moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Not the most bitter; not the most extreme; but a very nice example of the DIPA style

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2008 17:03:29 | More by brentk56

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.15/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a clear, light copper color with a white-colored head.

Smell: Sharp, sweet pine hop aroma with notes of caramel.

Taste: Firm citrus, grapefruit flavors with a small amount of caramel left to balance out the hops. Hints of bread dough. Very dry, bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Thin, but a bit oily, as well.

Drinkability: This one wasn't for me. Thin to a fault, and the malt flavor could be more distinct.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2006 01:44:14 | More by ChainGangGuy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle courtesy of Hogtownharry: Poured a beige/yellow color ale with a medium bubbly head with average retention. Aroma of C-hops is quite powerful with lots of citrus and floral notes. Taste is quite bitter with huge citrus and floral hops with a big grassy feel. Malt is more subdued then I would have liked it with limited caramel. Body is about average with medium carbonation. Good take on the style but it is missing something (malt?) to make it truly great.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2006 15:32:40 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The bottle revealed a bit more about the beer than the tap. The beer falls short of D!PA but stands firm as a standard IPA. The aromas leap from the bottle with juicy gapefruit, orange, lemon, pine, and light malts. The pour delivers a strong straw / golden color with airy head retention. The flavors reinforce the citrus aromas and add a lot of peppery spices to the taste. Firm bitterness rises toward the finish. A light metalic note lingers throughout the flavors. Body is light against the flavors; but makes for easy drinking. The beer has an evaporative, chalky effect going into the finish, compounding the alcohols and hop character. Again, good, but no double.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2007 13:03:10 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

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

I have sampled this beer a few times but never had a bottle to myself until now,poured lighter pale golden with a nice tight white one finger fluffy head that stuck nicley leaving a sheet of lace behind as it settled slowly.Mmmm big pine aromas with underlying citrus with just light and I mean light caramel note underneath,piney with a apricot-like edge hop profile pretty big but not overly brash the malt is amped up a little as well in a sweeter caramel note the alcohol shows up a little more as it warms.Not bitter more of a smoother,rounder DIPA nice balance really.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2006 20:10:37 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A brilliant, crystal-clear amber body reveals deep gold highlights when held to the light. Its short head of creamy off-white foam holds well before dropping to a thin surface covering; and leaves some very nice lace throughout the glass. Perfumey, floral, citrusy (mild grapefruit) and piney hops greet you in the nose over a delicate, caramel-laced malt. It's quite engaging and very welcoming; although not as brash as some of the bolder IPA's tend to be! Nice! The body is medium and it's lightly crisp in the mouth. All of the variety of hops found in the aroma dominate the flavor profile; and it's caramel-laced and biscuity malt acts as support. It's exceptionally well-balanced for such a boldly hopped beer. It boasts a 7.5% alcohol content and it displays a bold, drying bitterness that carries over into the aftertaste with some lingering hop flavor. Overall, it's a very clean and straightforward American IPA that maintains a great deal of balance and offers a clean, fresh, hoppy, and malty character! Impressive! One to try.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2003 03:03:29 | More by NeroFiddled

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is crystal clear light amber in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high dense off white head that has good retention properties and consistently left a short head covering the surface and lots of lacy rings of bubbles running down the sides of the glass.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of citrus hops in the nose along with some hints of pine resin hops.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and is dominated by flavors of citrusy hops (oranges and grapefruits seem to stand out in particular) along with some hints of pine resin towards the back end. There is a moderate amount of bitterness and faint hints of caramel malts.
M: It feels a bit shy of being medium-bodied on the palate and is a little crisp with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is nice and hoppy but doesn't seem as malty and strong compared to other beers in the style. Any traces of alcohol are well masked from the taste.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 01:28:47 | More by metter98

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

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

Big white head, dark orange color. Aroma: fresh, floral, fruity, hoppy. This is self-hyped as highly hopped, hence the boastful name, but on first sip, I'm not overwhelmed. First impression: a more alcoholic extra pale ale, but not the hoppiest of IPAs by a long shot. Smooth palate, medium body, easy-drinking.But overall, a disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2003 15:34:36 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.33/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark amber/orange color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is awesome. It has a nice malty scent that is sweet and warm. It boasts of pale and light crystal malts. It also has an intense hop aroma that is quite pleasant and bitter. The taste is great also. It has a well rounded flavor that boasts of pale and light crystal malts as well as loads of hops. It goes down smooth with a slightly warm finish. It has an intense hop character; very nice. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a good double IPA. It's not as high in alcohol content as some, but it has excellent flavor and aroma; a good drinker.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2005 21:54:32 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

3.55/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer poured from a bottle into a Russian River wine glass. Beer is orange with a little haze and a decent one finger head of small white bubbles that leaves some lacing on the glass.

The aroma is quite malt forward with a complex mixture of hop flavors including grapefruit and a lot of pine.

Beer is sweet and thick in the front and quite bitter in the back, its a little heavy, even for a DIPA. The midpalate is weak and spotty, the finish is good. Appropriately bitter and flavorful but not as good as others I've had. It is just a decent DIPA, I would have it again but without excitement.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 16:23:15 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

3.8/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to mar for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a yellow color with a white head. The aroma is not near as strong as I remembered it being. I get some pine and citrus notes, as well as a little bit of toffee. Still, it is not the big strong aroma that I remember from this beer. The flavor is similar, but more pronounced. I get some tropical fruit and pine hop notes, as well as some alcohol. There is also some toffee. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 06:10:13 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured out an orange/amber color with a small, off-white, soapy head. Some descent lace.

S - It smelled very citrusy (orange and lemon). Also, some roasted malt aromas.

T - It tasted of burnt toast maltiness and had a sweet grassy hop flavor. The citrus flavor was quite nice, too.

M - It was crisp and smooth. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is a pretty good IPA. Nice citrus aroma and flavor.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2008 02:33:16 | More by zeff80

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.78/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz. bottle into a pint glass.

A: The beer pours to a deep amber color with an orange tint, with a thick, foamy, off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a little bit of lace on the glass.

S: Heavy hops aroma with a background of citrus and malt.

T: The hops hit you first, then a malty, citrus sweetness. As the beer warms, the two flavors blend together more and the beer becomes very well-balanced. It leaves a nice floral hops after-taste.

M: Very crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, very clean finish.

D: This beer goes down quite easily, there’s no hint of the alcohol (mostly because of the strength of the hops), very tasty and it’s not very filling. This is a beer I could stick with for the whole night. This is an excellent beer and an excellent representation of the style. I liked this beer a lot.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2006 04:43:53 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.85/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured an cloudy amber with a fluffy white head that held up okay with good lacing

Smell: Hops (piney & floral) nutin' else

Taste: Big hops smack and some peppery notes with faint hints of malt. Alcohol warming on the finish...

MF: Just to damn hoppy; no malts to balance it out

If you are totally into hops this is your beer, but not the worst DIPA you could pick at random

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2005 05:13:48 | More by russpowell

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.6/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A hazy copper color, pours a bit on the thick side with an off cream to tan colored head that is fairly thick and lasting. A hoppy aroma with notes of fruit and citrus, perhaps some aromas of a blooming field of some type of flower. A full mouth-feel, quite thick for an IPA, even for a strong one. This was yester-years American Barley-Wine. The hops are there, but not as up front as I was expecting. A sort of orange-nectar hop flavor. This beer is quite malty as well. Lightly sweet, which gives this beer a hop nectar type taste. This beer was not as bitter or hoppy as I was expecting. It is pretty good though. I is a bit too thick for my taste though.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2003 22:17:41 | More by Gueuzedude

Halcyondays

California

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

12 oz. bottle,

A: Amber coloured, with a thick, white head, which leaves average lacing.

S: Quite malty for a Double IPA, with lots of pine hop bitterness, and fragrance in the smell to back it up.

T: Malty for a Double IPA, great pine hop taste to go with it, some grapefruit, very balanced and restrained, but tasty.

M: Smooth and robust, resiny, typical Double IPA characteristics.

D: A great drinkable Double IPA, Lagunitas makes great stuff, a company I will continue to buy from in the future, I have not been disappointed by them thus far.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2007 23:32:44 | More by Halcyondays

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is the 12oz offering, as opposed to the usual 22oz bombers, which I've found over the past few years to be the best example of American IIPAs available in my part of the world. The alcohol has been increased in this edition (to 8.4% from 7.5%), and the humorous murmurings on the label modified as well.

This pours a nice clear copper hue, with a billowy white head, that sticks around for quite some time, leaving a small amount of lacing. The smell is lovely grapefruit essence from the hops, and a small malt offset; what an anticipatory aroma! The flavour is quite full of bitter, astringent pine hops, more so than the aroma would have indicated. The malt influence is quite mild; this is all about the hops, which I've come to learn isn't always a grand thing. The sweetness from properly balanced malt is a necessity in an IPA or IIPA. This beer isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination; the elevated alcohol may also contribute to the bitterness. When looking for a palate cleanser, with a whole lot of real hop goodness, look no further than this.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2008 02:19:38 | More by biboergosum

Gavage

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Orange in color with a two finger head. The lasted a bit, but reduced to a surface foam with large bubbles. Light lacing developed. The aroma was weaker than expected as only some mellow pine and sweetness were detected.The flavor of a decent balance of malt and piney bitterness, but the citrus tones were too sour. Alcohol was slightly noticeable too.

The mouthfeel crisp at the start and finish. The syrupy texture of the malt last on the tongue after swallowing. Medium bodied. Not a bad brew, but the citric sourness knocked this down a bit.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2005 13:19:59 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours copper with a thin head.

The smell is of grapefruit, orange, some pine.

The taste is of sharp, almost metaliic hops. Some peppery alcohol that becomes more assertive as the drink progresses. Grapefruit, orange - citric. Where is the malt? MIA - almost - it does almost peek through at times, but subtle when it does.

Some chewiness to it. Firm, medium body.

I like hops, but this one borders metallic and lopsided. Between that and the sharp alcohol, it is somewhat of a chore to drink. Not bad, but not nearly one of my favorite DIPA's.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2007 15:45:52 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

For a 7.5% DIPA, this is a pretty good one. The hops are big on grapefruit, with a deep perfume tang and hints of less acidic fruit like apricot. The aroma is a bit weak, and the flavor isn't the most complex, but those are only minor defects if you will. This is still a nice, big American DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2007 00:15:57 | More by tempest