Lagunitas Sirius Ale - Lagunitas Brewing Company

bkilpatr

Oregon

3.23/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. 10/09/08.

Pours a clear golden orange color with a thin half finger of fizzy off-white head which quickly dropped to absolutely nothing. Aroma is sweet honey, caramel malt, and earthy hops.

Taste is sweet caramel malt and floral hops. Starts sweet and ends very bitter. A bit of honey as well. Feel is bubbly yet creamy. Light-medium body and highly carbonated. Drinkability is alright. The sweetness up front is a bit high for me, as is the ending hop bitterness.

It's alright, though to me it's closer to a pale ale than a cream ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2008 02:38:32 | More by bkilpatr

LSx

California

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%

04-25-2013 04:50:28 | More by LSx

matjack85

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%

02-11-2013 20:34:39 | More by matjack85

BlissJunkie

Michigan

4/5  rDev +6.4%

01-14-2013 23:01:04 | More by BlissJunkie

cliff1066

Virginia

4/5  rDev +6.4%

01-05-2013 02:27:48 | More by cliff1066

beerpadawan

California

4/5  rDev +6.4%

08-27-2012 16:37:37 | More by beerpadawan

KevdoggNasty

4/5  rDev +6.4%

03-28-2012 15:57:31 | More by KevdoggNasty

Tyrawlings

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%

02-19-2012 01:41:04 | More by Tyrawlings

djrn2

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%

02-16-2012 19:35:07 | More by djrn2

jfcaa193

Connecticut

2.5/5  rDev -33.5%

02-15-2012 01:48:55 | More by jfcaa193

zenwatts

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +6.4%

01-17-2012 17:34:20 | More by zenwatts

Stoffel

Texas

4/5  rDev +6.4%

01-05-2012 04:36:43 | More by Stoffel

TasteTester

Ohio

4/5  rDev +6.4%

12-17-2011 02:41:46 | More by TasteTester

jacobtulloch

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +33%

12-16-2011 16:24:51 | More by jacobtulloch

rab53

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +6.4%

12-02-2011 03:19:10 | More by rab53

barnzy78

Illinois

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-27-2011 05:45:33 | More by barnzy78

brandoman63

Illinois

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-21-2011 15:48:06 | More by brandoman63

sirius

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +26.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A damn fine beer, I looked forward to it every summer. This wasn't what I used to think of when I heard the words "Cream Ale", but for me it redefined the style. I first picked up a six pack because of the name (and well, it's Lagunitas), and was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

The color is a golden caramel, with a mild head of uniformly small bubbles.

The aroma is a blend of creamy hoppiness, with some citrus notes.

The taste, aah the taste... Initially malty, then a mild citrus profile comes through, with a subtle hop finish. Don't rush this one, you've got to let it ride.

The mouthfeel is where the cream ale label fits. Very smooth.

In spite of the relatively high ABV, this was a very drinkable beer. It's a shame Lagunitas retired it, I wish I'd cellared some the last time I had the chance.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 23:40:42 | More by sirius

litheum94

California

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-16-2011 17:28:09 | More by litheum94

oline73

Maryland

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-15-2011 01:54:55 | More by oline73

Brenden

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Notes are from the night before last...

This brew pours into the glass a slightly hazed golden-orange color with a soft yellowish-tan head at about 2 fingers. The head is slow to fade, leaving behind some respectable lacing.
The nose is interesting. It's almost a pale ale base, with bright, leafy and citrus hops presence underneath a sweet note of candied sugars and bright undertones of light fruits. Malts are below the other aromas but certainly present, and a light whiff of alcohol comes and goes.
This is a pretty unique one to me, and the more I drink it the more I think this is what I was thinking a cream ale should be. The concept seems like it would make for a delicious beer, but I've never been blown away by one before. This is the closest I've come thus far in that respect. There's a nice underlying complexity to this beer, well blended and making for a nice concert of flavor. A candied sugar sweetness that isn't overbearing works with a soft malts presence and a variety of fruits to balance a nice raw, leafy, citrus tart hops flavor. Let this one sit on the tongue for awhile. I didn't get a full appreciation until I did.
This is certainly a smooth beer with a very nice creaminess to it, but I feel it would benefit from slightly more carbonation. Body is medium.
The ABV just creeps to the higher end, but this beer is quite drinkable and easy to appreciate.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2010 14:17:48 | More by Brenden

hoegaardenhero

California

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a: amber-brown with fluffy white head that leaves some sticky lace on the glass; beautiful flowing rising bubbly movement from carbonation

s: tangy spicy citrus hops; light caramel malts; some raw grain; very light scent

t: first warm sweet caramel and grainy malts hit the tongue followed by the slow rise of citrus hop flavors that fade back leaving a warm sweet hop/malt blend on the tongue

m: a little aggressive for me but i guess that keeps it refreshing

d: an interesting beer; not as flavorful as i was expecting it will be interesting to see what happens to this in the cellar
~~~
well, this bad by has been chilling in the cellar for around 2 years, time to give it a second try

a: really beautiful deep hazy amber with about 1/4 inch of dense white head that has ok retention but eventually fades to leave just a ring of white and a few wisps

s: potent! first is fragrant floral hops; after that is kind of a warm caramel scent followed with lots of tangy citrus hops on the nose; a lot of spicy hop scent is still very present as well as some toffee notes

t: vanilla; warm caramel that slowly becomes buttery toffee on the tongue; light hopiness with spice and citrus on the finish but mostly the long buttery goodness is what defines the sip; very good and better than i remember it

m: smooth; very mellow carb with a creamy and slightly cloying sticky mouthfeel

d: i think this has gotten substantially better with age; much more mellow in some respects (especially mouthfeel) but just so much more buttery and smooth in taste; great

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2010 03:03:57 | More by hoegaardenhero

kegger22

Michigan

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lagunitas Sirius Cream Ale was a hazy amber color with a modest off-white head that quickly faded away.

The aroma was first about malt, and second, a little citrus hops.

The taste was a nice balance of citrus and sweet, smoky malt. I found it to be a pleasing combination.

The mouth feel was medium bodied and oily, with reasonable carbonation.

Drinkability was good due to a respectable 7.00 ABV and a very palatable taste. I would happily drink Sirius again.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2010 05:06:45 | More by kegger22

alcstradamus

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes

Orange/amber pour with a finger of quickly disappearing head. On the nose I'm quickly picking up some dairy notes on top of orange peel and sweet caramel malts. The taste follows suit...there is a nice orange peel hoppiness and a very balanced malt profile, but that milkiness keeps peeking through. The only other beer I've tasted this in is Apocalypse Cow, and I didn't like it there but I actually like it in this beer.

Medium to full bodied with very soft carbonation, this one drinks damn well but unfortunately is sitting at 7% which prevents it from being really sessionable, which is unfortunate because it definitely has the flavor profile to support that type of drinking. Good beer overall though, I haven't had too many cream ales but this one is definitely the best so far.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2009 00:22:22 | More by alcstradamus

ckeegan04

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Orangish-brown with a fizzy off-white head. Head is onlky about 1/2 inch thick and quickly fades to a very thin cap. Solid rings of lace left on the glass though.

S - Surprisingly strong citrus hop aroma backed by lots of biscuity malt. As the beer warms the hops start to become buried by a clean malt aroma. A light graininess comes through as well as it warms.

T - Very malty taste on this one. Lots of biscuity malt with just a hint of grapefruit. Alcohol is very well masked (maybe the 6 months of age let it cool a little?). Again, as the beer warms a stronger graininess begins coming through. Finishes very clean.

M/D - A touch on the lighter side. Good carbonation. Very clean and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2009 17:59:31 | More by ckeegan04