Hairy Eyeball Ale - Lagunitas Brewing Company

Hairy Eyeball AleHairy Eyeball Ale

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BA SCORE
87
good
-
964 Ratings
THE BROS
N/A

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rAvg: 3.86
pDev: 12.18%
Reviews: 723
Hads: 241

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Brewed by:
Lagunitas Brewing Company visit their website
California, United States

Style | ABV
American Strong Ale |  9.00% ABV

Availability: Winter. bottle (646), on-tap (70), growler (6), cask (1)

Notes:
No notes at this time.
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Reviews

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Photo of jondeelee
jondeelee

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The Hairy Eyeball (which wins my award for the most disgustingly-named food ever that still manages to be somehow appealing) smells so rich and malty that it comes off more as a beer extract than a legitimate brew. Huge vanillas, oranges, apricots, brown sugars, creams, chocolate ice creams, and wildflowers mix with an equally heavy rosewater and light grapefruit scent.

On the tongue, the brew is equally complex and heavy, with layers upon layers of flavors glooping across the tongue. Early flavors include apricots and oranges, brown sugar, lychee nut, fig, and grapefruit. Mid-mouthful, these peel back to reveal a darker, chocolate malt layer, that continues to darken into coffees towards the end. A healthy grapefruit hop overtone lingers throughout the mouthful, growing perhaps slightly stronger toward the end. The aftertaste is largely darker coffee and chocolate malt flavors, with a good dose of bitterness from the hops. Mouthfeel is medium-heavy, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is an excellent beer, and fascinating in both taste and texture. The only real fault is that the 8.83% ABV does result in an vodka-like bite, which can prove distracting, especially late in the aftertaste. However, the rest of the beer quite makes up for this.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 03:29:17 | More by jondeelee
Photo of robbrandes
robbrandes

Oregon

4.05/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

poured from a 12oz bottle in a tulip.

pours quite dark brown, hints of deep purple. nice full head, recedes to a nice layer of faintly off-white bubbles and lacing.

big bready nose, some dark fruit and caramel undertones. just a whiff of the alcohol bomb hidden within. pretty boozy upfront, but the sweetness of the malts, some caramel, raisins bring everything back together nicely. exceptional mouthfeel keeps the glass coming back for more drinks.

good stuff, certainly would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 05:28:50 | More by robbrandes
Photo of AgentMunky
AgentMunky

Alabama

4.3/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a pilsner glass. No visible best before date.

A: Light head fades very quickly. A rich, dark-dark brown, but clear. Wonderful colour.

S: Rich and chocolatey malts. Some alcohol. Nice

T: Very good beer! Malty, with lots of fruit and a touch of chocolate. A bit drying on the endtaste. Alcohol is present, but not obtrusively so. There's more going on, but it's a little hard to explain. Old ale funkiness?

M: Round, very smooth, and utterly delicious. Whoah.

O: Great beer! Drinkable, recommended, and super-tasty. Will have again. The more Lagunitas I try, the more I like it.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 03:10:12 | More by AgentMunky
Photo of u2carew
u2carew

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz stubby
A) Pours with a finger thick tan colored head. The head settles slightly but maintains a nice creamy and tight retention. Dark amber in color. Clear body.
S) Malty - Earthy caramel and toffee. A waft of alcohol.
T) Caramel malt bomb! Alcohol in the mix but the balance of the malts does well to offset the 9%.
M) Fizzy. Medium body on the bolder side. Dry in the finish. Slight alcohol warmth in the finish and beyond.
O) This makes for easy drinking - a dangerous combination with ABV as it is. I'd have another one, but the following day. Two of these might put me under.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 00:10:15 | More by u2carew
Photo of johnmichaelsen
johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Surprised to see I have not yet reviewed this excellent beer from Lagunitas. On cask (much to my surprise) at Max's last night.

The beer pours a fairly dark brown color with red hilights. Head retention and lacing are both pretty good, especially for cask. The nose is impressive, showing some caramel, light brown sugar and some decent, underlying dry citrus. On the palate... I just don't know how Lagunitas does this. On cask this beer is fairly sweet, showing light brown sugar, some ranier cherry, chocolate and a hint of vanilla, but with more than enough hoppy bitterness to keep it all in check. This beer is beautifully balanced, with nothing overdone or out of place. Mouthfeel is sensational... on the palate this beer is soft and caressing, with a long, moderately sweet, but also refreshingly bitter finish. What amazes me about this beer is it's drinkability. Despite the sweetness and relatively high alcohol, this beer was not at all heavy, cloying or tiring on the palate. Incredible, really...

Have always been a fan of this beer, but on cask it truly is sensational.

Serving type: cask

07-09-2011 17:49:32 | More by johnmichaelsen
Photo of JerzDevl2000
JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up last week right after I got the Undercover Shut-down Ale. I didn't realize that these were both American Strong Ales and sure enough, this one lived up to its stylistic name as well. While this tasted a bit like a Barleywine as well, it wasn't as sweet and had just a bit more of a balanced mouthfeel to it.

The pour was the best aspect of this beer, as it was a deep mahogany with a head that filled up the remainder of my pint glass. Even though it settled, it lasted throughout my drinking session and made up for the minimal lacing on the edges of the glass. There wasn't a lot of carbonation to detract from the taste, which was mostly booze, followed by dark fruit, caramel, and some sweetness. No hops or citrus in the aftertaste and this was just a bit thicker too, to the point where I felt somewhat full after finishing this!

Lots of booze here both in taste and in the warming sensation, which did detract a bit from everything in this beer. This would have been better to have during cooler months since it's somewhat overpowering but the flavors work well together and the slightly toasted mouthfeel ties everything in together well.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 15:03:37 | More by JerzDevl2000
Photo of Canibacea
Canibacea

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +29.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Delicious Brew for sure. Nice Rich Body and Mouthfeel. I am drinking this along with the Undercovor Investigation, and in comparison it is slightly less Hoppy and slightly more Malty. Both have a remarkably smooth and drinkable quality, yet an abundance of flavor. Nice goin Lagunitas.

AAA+

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 02:10:15 | More by Canibacea
Photo of avaldivia
avaldivia

California

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Lagunitas

A: Dark amber color with a nice head which did not go away quickly.

S: Nice malt character. Alcohol is definitely noticeable on the nose.

T: Caramel and dark fruits upfront. Kind of sweet. Alcohol finish. There is no hiding that kick in this beer. I don't mind that alcohol punch so, I find it nice.

M: Medium to thick bodied. A bit syrupy.

O: Solid. Not a beer a will order every time at Lagunitas, but every now and then, it is very enjoyable. Especially if it is cool outside.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2011 16:29:42 | More by avaldivia
Photo of GarthDanielson
GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.98/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass, the beer pours a deep, dark, vibrant and clear blood-ruby coloring that almost looks brown in dim light. The brew starts off with a thin (half inch) yet solid and dense head that is biege in color, and this slowly settles out into a film that is barely coating the top. Aromas remind me of a barleywine...delicious and rich. There is a darkly sweet molasses backbone to the smell, with fruits blended throughout, such as cherry and plum. Some very slight spicing and hops are noted deep into the aroma, as well. Flavors are rich, but on a slick and lightly oily body. The flavors have a bit of coffee in the background, as well as bittering hops, both of which balance out the heavy caramel sweetness and dark fruit characteristics. The aftertaste is rich in the caramel sweet, and slightly cloying, making the finish slightly bittersweet and rich, as well. There is a slight linger to the finish, but the flavors keep this from being overly unpleasant. Decent brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 22:57:23 | More by GarthDanielson
Photo of fragilehearted
fragilehearted

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I've had this before, but didn't review it. I remember liking it, so I picked it up again. Here goes! 12 oz into Chimay chalice.

A - pretty deep reddish-brown. 1 finger head that stuck around for awhile before going down to a ring+cover. Lacing is already stuck to the glass before drinking.

S - toasted malts, dark fruits, some hop spiciness. As it warms, the caramel comes out a lot..smells perk up a bit, fruitiness becomes a bit more pronounced.

T - malty first, then spicy hop bitterness. And woo - you can taste the booze. The alcohol is not well-hidden at all in this one. (Why am I having this in the summer again?)

M - full bodied. Appropriately carbonated.

O/D - overall a good American Strong Ale, but one will do me for the night.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 06:32:00 | More by fragilehearted
Photo of thegodfather1076
thegodfather1076

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer was served out of a 12oz. bottle dispensed into a glass....

Presentation - Cool yet simple label, graphics and concept.

Appearance - Pours out a deep amber brown color with a 1 finger tan head that stick around for awhile before dissipating into a nice foam ring. Light lacing left behind.

Smell - Smells of a nice blend of hops with a sweet caramel malt sent. A bit fruity.

Taste - A nice hoppy bitterness that blends into a sweet malty taste. The alcohol is definitely tasted but not overpowering.

Mouthfeel - Lightly carbonated and medium bodied.

Drinkability - Smooth and drinkable with a nice flavor profile.

This one was enjoyable for me because I am fan for more bitter brews. I would recommend trying this out.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 12:33:29 | More by thegodfather1076
Photo of drinkiusmaximus
drinkiusmaximus

New York

3.28/5  rDev -15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Stone pint glass.
A. pours with a half finger of beige head Body is a dark brown with reddish highlights, actually a rather decent looking beer. Head takes a minutes to die down little retention with Decent lacing.

S. Malt, caramel, dark fruit, and alcohol. smells also reminiscent of walnut in there also.

T. Heavy alcohol burn intermingled with woodiness,dark fruits and an odd walnut husk taste.

M. Heavy bodied. Slightly syrupy but not overly sticky.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 22:43:06 | More by drinkiusmaximus
Photo of sixerofelixir
sixerofelixir

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle. Funny name for a beer.. lol

Pours a tepid dark-brown. A light tan head sticks very well. Smell is cocoa powder and sorta airy and cool. Herbal notes on the taste, maybe some anise. Mostly dark malts and booze. High resins and tannins; nutty. Finishes minerally, bitter, and hot. I had no idea what to expect, but this was a complex & decent brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 04:19:08 | More by sixerofelixir
Photo of CaptDavyJones
CaptDavyJones

New York

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a reddish-brown color from a 12 oz bottle with ABV on the label.
Thin film of a head that dissipates fairly quickly. Not surprising with such high ABV.
Aroma is a blend of sweet caramel, molasses and malt. Fruity esters make their presence felt intermittently.
Taste is also predominantly malty upfront. Almost full bodied, silky mouthfeel and coats the palate very nicely. Hints of bitterness in the finish.
Drinkability is very good, considering this is a high ABV ale. The alcohol is very well hidden.
Overall, this is a fairly solid strong ale, almost like a barleywine.
Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 01:39:51 | More by CaptDavyJones
Photo of CFHMagnet
CFHMagnet

Ohio

2.65/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass.
A. A strong pour finds me with a half finger of effervescent beige head in my glass. Body is a red-tinted dark brown, actually a rather pretty color. Head takes a few minutes to die down to a ring and very light frosting on top. Decent lacing.

S. Malt, caramel, dark fruit, and alcohol. In that order.

T. Malt and caramel lead the assault on the tongue. Alcohol pops up and says hi, then a nut flavor takes over that ruins it for me. It's a woody/nutty flavor that combines with a dryness and slight bitterness to just turn me off to this beer. I don't know why, because any of these traits alone would be pleasant, but the way they are combined in this beer does not please my palate.

M. Heavy bodied, with some carbonation, although this seems to almost get lost in the body and flavor. Slightly syrupy.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 04:49:33 | More by CFHMagnet
Photo of micromaniac129
micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Rich chestnut color. I get about an inch of beige dense mousse like foamy head that lingers quite long and leaves fair lacing.
Carbonation unknown due to the murky thickness of the brew.

Aroma is of malts, sweet and candied maybe some dark fruit too.

Taste is strong and rich tasting malts. I taste some roasted malts too.

Thick and smooth mouthfeel with some bitterness. It has a clean finish with soft alcohol warming in the aftertaste.

A good tasting beer that is not as threating as it may look. Easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 00:45:15 | More by micromaniac129
Photo of SkeeterHawk
SkeeterHawk

Texas

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

It's weird. I would have sworn that I had reviewed this beer about 4 years ago, and I picked this six pack by mistake as I planned on reviewing the DownTown Pale and picked up the wrong one. Well, at least I haven't reviewed this one yet. Let's give it a go:

Appearance: Pours a clear chestnut color with a small 1/8" cap of tan foam on top that was made up of small bubbles, but seemed to disappear pretty quickly...within about 45 seconds. It ended up as a small ring at the edge of the glass. There is a decent amount of lace left on the glass after the beer is drank a bit.

Aroma: The beer is really malty with some hops in the aroma, but they are somewhat earthy and lightly floral so that they blend with the malt well. There is evident sweetness in this beer and is showing up as dark caramel as much as anything. There are some fruity esters coming out as the beer warms up some, and there are raisins and some other white-grape-like things going on here.

Taste: The flavor is very malty, but overall it is pretty well attenuated and somewhat dry on the palate. The alcohol is noticeable in that it adds to the dryness and also cleans up the finish. There is a lot of nuttiness to this beer, and not only does it look like Hazelnuts, but it tastes like it too. The sweetness is also a big player in this beer, and is giving us dark caramel and a little bit of syrup to slick up the back of the throat to give the alcohol something to penetrate and slow up the obviousness that this was a big beer. The body is medium to slightly full with ample to maybe slightly low carbonation.

Opinion: Overall this is a pretty decent beer. This is different than my recollection of this beer as I remember it being much more hoppy than it is and having a rather harsh mix between the hops, dark malts, and water in the finish. This beer is much different and is much more palatable. This beer is a little on the mild side for the style as far as palate sensations go for this style, but overall it is clean and well presented. I would drink this beer again and more importantly, I am not sad about my mistake of buying the wrong six-pack.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2011 03:51:53 | More by SkeeterHawk
Photo of 6thomas3
6thomas3

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - One notch below chocolate brown and when held against the light there is some penetration on the outer edges with the middle continuing to stay a deep rich brown; carbonation bubbles are visible and moving at a modest clip towards the top of my mug and suds move down my glass as I continue to take sips leaving behind limited lacing

Smell - A fruity alcoholic aroma gathers in my nasal passages with a pleasant melted butter mixed with yeast and cooked meat smell that clings to my nose hairs

Taste - Sweet fruit burst start at the tip of my tongue with the middle an intriguing complexity of hearty yeast, malt, and hops that arrive at the finish producing a snappy alcoholic bit and desirable aftertaste

Mouthfeel - Uniform feel of neat saltiness with an abundance of delightful and savory appeal

Overall - This beer's 9.00% ABV is well hidden in a myriad complex flavors that will lull you into bliss, revel

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 23:54:24 | More by 6thomas3
Photo of tlazaroff
tlazaroff

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Beautiful beer. Pours a deep DEEP mahogany color, almost looks brown. Topped by a nice light tan head.

S: Smells like those caramel cubes you can buy in the bulk section. I also get some slight yeast action, though, it's really subtle.

T: By saying this is a malty beer is an understatement. Upfront you get a smooth hop bitterness, it's low, but it's there. Mid-palate I get this toasted flavor and the finish is the sweet sweet caramel.

M: Full bodied with moderate-low carbonation. A tad cloying, but not too bad.

D: This is possibly one of my favorite "malty" beers. i am quite enamored with it.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 05:21:55 | More by tlazaroff
Photo of MikeyRx
MikeyRx

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a rich, deep mahogany with a small amount of off-white head that subsided quickly but leaves a thin film.

Smell: Surprisingly minimal aroma... Hints of sweet malt,and raisin.

Taste: Sweet, rich, slightly toasted malt with hints of chocolate and caramel. Ester and raisin flavors take over from the malt starting sweet and bittering as they reach the back of the palate. Slightly boozy flavor emerges as the beer moves across the palate and becomes more pronounced as the beer warms.

Mouthfeel: Medium-heavy in body with a chewy mouthfeel that lingers through the finish until the last moment where a slight astringent bitterness takes over.

Overall: A good strong ale. The flavor and mouthfeel were good but the lack of aroma was disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 23:57:38 | More by MikeyRx
Photo of BeerForMuscle
BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Deep ruby, slightly hazy with a very thin head.

S - Hops and alcohol present in the nose as well as sweet, tangy fruits and sugary malt.

T - Bitter with a Belgian yeast kick. Warming alcohol bite with faint carob aftertaste.

M - A nice smooth beer with a soft carbonation.

O - A good strong ale. Deeper flavors would have been nice but this is a solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2011 20:43:37 | More by BeerForMuscle
Photo of Duff27
Duff27

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A- Half inch of off white foam on top of a clear dark red/brown beer. Head was short lived, some lacing. Really like the color though.

S- Faint cherries mixed with boozyness.

T- Dark fruits. "Raisins." Well balanced, so it's got that going for it. Noticeable alcohol.

M- Good carbonation. Syrupy mouthfeel.

D/O- Nothing really stands out with this one for me unfortunately. Could be my least favorite Lagunitas to date (a half dozen or so). Would recommend something else in the style. Thanks for the beer PTMcB!

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2011 02:27:03 | More by Duff27
Photo of ghetto90007
ghetto90007

California

3.78/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. Do not be deceived by the fact that they sell this in 6-packs - it is a big, boozy beer. Not a session ale by any measure, unless you like porcelain and headaches.

Pours a fairly dark, reddish brown. Off-white, to light brown head that does not come forward readily - heavy pour only yielded about a half-finger with inconsistent coverage of the beer's surface. Lingers a bit, but there is not a lot of effervescence to this beer. Some lacing, but not very sticky.

Smells malty and boozy. Sort of an overripe sweetness to the nose. Dark fruits.

This is a big, rich beer. Dark fruits, hints of spice, rum-soaked raisins, malty caramel sweetness. Herb and hop bitterness surfaces in the aftertaste, but is overwhelmed by thick, syrupy maltiness before that.

This is a fairly full-bodied, rich beer. Mouthfeel is smooth, carbonation is on the lower end, but appropriate for the beer.

A big, big beer - a little too cloying for my tastes, but acknowledged to be well done for a beer aiming to be a hairy eyeball.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2011 03:06:35 | More by ghetto90007
Photo of StoutHunter
StoutHunter

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I picked up a bottle of Hairy Eyeball Ale the other day for $1.89 at The Lager Mill. So far it seems like Lagunitas brews have all been pretty good, making them one of my favorite out of state brewerys, so when I saw Hairy Eyeball on the singles shelf I knew I had to give it a try. There was no visible bottling date. Poured from a short 12oz bottle into a snifter.

A- Typical Lagunitas label, a little plain, but I like the blood shot eye. It poured a clear copper amber color with two and a half fingers worth of fluffy off white head that died down to a nice layer that stayed the rest of the time and it left some great rings of lacing. It's a pretty good looking beer.

S- I pick up lots of super sweet toasted caramel malts. Some caramel, dark fruits, candied sugar, molasses, and a touch of grassy and spiced hops. This beer smells super sweet I hope the sweetness isn't as bold in the flavor as it is in the aroma.

T- Thankfully it is not as sweet as the aroma led me to believe. The taste starts out with tons of toasted malts that are semi sweet but not overly sweet. The toasted malts have a nice biscuit like flavor to them companied by a small amount of dark fruits, mainly figs. I also pick up some candied and brown sugars along with a mild presence of alcohol, it lets you know it's there but it's not overpowering. There is a sweet and bitter after finish that I really haven't encountered before, it's like the finish is half bitter and half sweet, not too bad.

M- There was some sugary stickiness and it was medium bodied withe medium carbonation that suited this American Strong Ale nicely.

Overall I thought this was a good American Strong ale, it kind of reminds me of a cross between and American Barleywine and a Dopplebock. It had Ok balance but I felt like a little more floral hops would help this brew out a little, I always felt like all in all Lagunitas is pretty generous with the hops but this one was for sure all about the malts, some may call it a malt bomb. As with most of Lagunitas high gravity beers the alcohol was evident but still nicely subdued which makes for good drinkability, but the sweetness of this brew would prevent me from having more then two. I could see picking this up when I am in the mood for a really malty beer, and for the price it is a pretty good deal, like all of the other beers I have had from them. If malt forward beers are you thing then this brew won't disappointed. This was another good beer from Lagunitas, if they make a bad beer, then I haven't found it yet.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2011 03:48:09 | More by StoutHunter
Photo of VelvetExtract
VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-At first look, this beer seems a burnished brown. When held up to the light however, the color is a regal ruby tone. The dark scarlet outer edges of the beer are appealing. The sandy shaded head is thin but holds its posture very well. The lacing is dependable, it smears the glass from top to bottom.

S-Smells to me like a cranberry liqueur. I get some whiffs of tropic pineapple. Beyond the liquor dipped fruits is a generous deep maltiness. I can almost sense the approaching hotness in my cheeks after the first few sips. The alcohol is quite noticeable in the nose. A pungent nose to say the least.

T-The brown sugar and caramel malt taste is much stronger on the tongue than in the nose. The fruits seem muted compared to the beer's aroma too. Fortunately, the alcohol is masked much better here, but I can feel the heat in my cheeks like I expected. The fruits actually become more detectable once I get accustomed to the initial bang of the sugary sweetness. As the beer warms I discover some tingling spicy aspects. A pretty complex brew.

M-The feel is a bit syrupy. The carbonation is very slight. Sugary stickiness coats the tongue. The booze slowly chokes the moisture from my tongue.

O/D-Although I do not detect any cherries, this beer reminds me of those chocolate-dipped cherries that have a liqueur-syrup filling. Its as if they took a slice of pineapple, a handful of cranberries and dipped them in cognac based syrup. This is a big, bold beer. I respect Lagunitas for putting this beast into a decently affordable six-pack. I only bought a single, would not buy a 6-pack. Too boozy for me, but for about 10 dollars, a six-pack of this would floor you. I respect this beer, do not love it.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2011 00:37:02 | More by VelvetExtract
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Hairy Eyeball Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company
87 out of 100 based on 964 user ratings.