Hairy Eyeball Ale - Lagunitas Brewing Company

JayS2629

Alabama

4.08/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The appearance is a dark copper brown with foamy but thin head that retains well and leaves nice sea foam lace. Teh smell is sweet and malty with caramel and honey notes followed by earthy and spicey hops on the back. Some dark fruit peeks through too. The taste follows the nose. This is a malty, sweet beer in the vein of dopplebock. Caramel, honey and notes of toffee with herbal, spicey notes of hops with some hints of nutmeg and dark fruit like raisins and fig. Hints of roasted malt and chocolate. Overall a medium bodied beer that is well balanced. Easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 04:23:58 | More by JayS2629

jbertsch

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip.

Super dark brown in color with ruby edges. Foamy head hangs around through the session.
Malty aroma with faint dark fruits, fig, and molasses. The Molasses carry through to the taste, along with brown sugar. Caramel notes are found in the middle, which give way to a slight alcohol bite on the finish. The texture is almost like an oatmeal stout.

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this much because the last Lagunitas I had was a let down and it scarred me. But I loved this. Flavorful and big with some weight, yet easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 17:04:34 | More by jbertsch

shaunb81

Florida

3.1/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - This beer looks great. Pours a dark brown that is a dark copper at the bottom of the glass. A nice 2 " head is nicely reatined and the lacing is nice as well. Good looking stuff here.

Smell - Sweet, toasty malts are prevalent as well as caramel, spicy hops, and a little dark fruitiness.

Taste - Slightly sweet on the front tip and then dry, bitterness takes full force. It lingers for a while and then slowly dissipates. A real treat comes forth when the sweetness seems to come back! Not much more of a profile here which makes it a bit disappointing

Mouthfeel - Carbonation is medium and there is a nice medium density to it as well.

Overall - Aside from the look of the stuff, there really isn't much here. It leaves a bit to be desired. Grant it, it's bitter enough to make you grow hair on hairless parts of the body, but that's it. My opinion? If you want an average ale that is nice to look at, buy this.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 03:02:03 | More by shaunb81

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this from a 16 oz. bottle into a pint glass. There was only a little bit of head, which was decent to get aroma from.

I smell some hoppiness, but not a lot. There isn't much more than that. I smells pretty good.

From the first sip I get the strong ale flavors. There is some robust hops. Some alcohols are coming through.

Overall this was a pretty good strong ale. It was a good deal.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 20:58:34 | More by ummswimmin

chilidog

Ohio

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

Hairy pours a deep ruby/mohogany. A good looking color indeed. The head is cream like in color, though small in size that settles only to film the beer top.

Aromas of sweet bready malts.

The taste is of sweet biscuit, roasty malts, brown sugar/honey chased by an alcohol boozy taste and kick.

The mouth is sticky like, sweet bread chewy.

Not a bad easy drink or sipper. The 9% adds a nice,non-intrusive touch.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 04:43:27 | More by chilidog

sjverla

Massachusetts

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

Nose: Dark sugar--molasses and a little spice--almost fruit cake like, but bolder. Sweet and hearty.

Appearance: Dark garnet or deep cherry. No head. So dark it's hard to judge the clarity, which is fine with me.

Taste: Malt hammer. Immediately sweet and alcoholic. Balanced by burnt caramel and plenty of coffee bitterness. Nice hoppy dryness rounds out the end.

Overall: This is a big beer. Super satisfying and very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 02:01:08 | More by sjverla

Lauthaha

Michigan

4.47/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a dinner glass.

Appearance: Pours with the color of strongly brewed iced tea, with some very prominent ruby tones included in the color palette. Head is of moderate body, and sizzles down to a uniform paper-thin froth on top of the beer with a creamy white color.

Smell: An almost perfectly roasted caramel malt scent lays the foundation for some gentle fruity tones and a great combination of floral and bitter hops.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Beer has a very nice consistency with moderate foaminess. The alcohol is the first taste to emerge, but it's not overpowering by any means (which is a feat). Soon afterwards, the bitterness from the hops shines through, and it transitions very smoothly into malt sweetness/breadiness. Aftertaste is a great 75/25 mix of sweetness and bitterness.

Overall: A great beer! And deceptively high in alcohol by volume...I would never guess it was 9%...maybe 7% at the highest. Once again, Lagunitas has it under control!

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2011 23:54:43 | More by Lauthaha

bbkd3b

Missouri

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

Poured into a tulip.

The pour is a beautiful shade of mahogany. Puffy, 1-finger head forms, but doesn't retain very well, and as I drink, there isn't much lacing to speak of. Still, the color is very seductive.

Smells very sweet - caramel malts with some brown sugar and a dark fruit, maybe. Not much complexity here, but it's pleasant enough for me not to worry about balance or anything of that nature.

The taste does a better job than the nose - comes on to the tongue much in the same way. As it slides back on the palate, a light touch of hoppy bitterness shows up, but quickly gets hidden away in the malty sweetness. No touch of that alcohol breaks through, though it certainly helps warm the gut. Smooth body, but it does feel a bit flat the whole way through.

A much sweeter strong ale than I'd generally expect from the style. Has a barleywine sort of character. While it isn't the best beer I've had, it certainly is worth seeking out and tasting. Lagunitas has yet to disappoint me, and this certainly follows that trend! Probably good to have something sweet to pair with it.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 05:09:03 | More by bbkd3b

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

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

12oz bottle - I kind of miss the nonsensical label edge ramblings from the bigger bottles.

This beer pours a clear, very dark chestnut brown colour, with orange highlights, and one finger of foamy pale beige head, which leaves a scattered web of lace around the glass in its wake. It smells of toasty caramel malt, and mild pine/citrus hops. The taste is big caramel and treacle-flecked malt, vanilla, citrus cream, pine hops, and acrid warming alcohol. The carbonation is moderate, the body slightly short of full, round weight, and smooth enough. It finishes quite off-dry, the well-established malt persisting, amongst a tugging blended hop bitterness.

Seems like I've seen this before from this brewery, but I'm not complaining - a solid, strong west coast ale. Well, maybe the booze isn't as well hidden as usual, but that's just splitting hairs.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 06:10:37 | More by biboergosum

Swedes21

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - pours a dark auburn colour however very clear, allows real good light through. the head is an off-white, very thick and rick. there is some real good lacing and decent carbonation.

Smell - very straight fwd, malts, caramel, some signs of min hops, deep roasted coffee.

Taste - very dominant tasting beer, can right away pick up the malts combined with the dark roasted coffee. in the end, the warming taste from hops is lasting. there isnt much sign of the caramel either.

Mouthfeel - thicker, more exaggerated tastes. very good mouthfeel and fullness.

Overall - overall a good beer, very dominant and strong, to be would be best served in the winter on a cold day.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 00:32:33 | More by Swedes21

STEG

New York

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

Auburn and completely clear in color when poured into the Duvel tulip. A light sandy colored fine bubbled head rises four fingers high and leaves some nice lacing as the beer vanishes. Medium-long head retention is also a welcome sight. Quite the looker.

Smell is mostly comprised of caramel earthy hops and a very light milk chocolate note. Not too much to talk about here, aroma wise this is pretty mild, odd given the style...

Taste is comprised of sweet malt, while some light hop flavors sit and poke and prod your taste buds slightly at varying points throughout the palate progression. Again, a bit one sided.

Mouthfeel has a bit too much carbonation towards the finish for my liking but the heat is masked exceptionally well almost to the point of being hazardous. Theres also a cooling mint/menthol feel that I haven't felt in any other beer other than Mikkeller's Monk's Brew, weird...

Overall this was a one sided meh, although it had personally hyped me with its appearance

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 01:09:36 | More by STEG

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Notes from 4/30/11.
Thanks to korguy123 for this bottle. Poured in to Duvel tulip glass.

A - Dark amber/brown colour with one finger of cream coloured head.

S - Caramel, toffee, brown sugar and some good bitterness. Very sweet overall nose.

T - Very sweet up initially followed by a bitter, dry finish. Brown sugar, toffee, caramel. The sweetness is definitely the predominant flavour but there is also a slight hop bite that cuts through a little bit and offers a little bit of a balance.

M -Medium body with a good chew. Light carbonation.

O - This was an interesting beer and a good one. One of the better offerings I have had from a brewery that I don't generally care for.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 23:17:22 | More by TheSevenDuffs

rrski198

Missouri

3.4/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Big time caramel mocha colored head. Outstanding lacing. deep dark brown and charred red. looks amazing.

S: Very nuty, caramel malt, lightly roasted coffe, dark chocolate, mild booze.

T: Wow, not as impressive here. There is a big wave of sweet burnt sugar followed by a mild hop backbone. I find this beer a little too sweet and not overly balanced. Maybe it is my palate that is used to overly hopped beers. I like that it is something different and the flavor grows on me as i ontinue to drink.

M: Below average carbonation. I wish it had more. Thick and creamy in the mouth. If it had more carbonation, I would dig this much, much more.

O: It grew on me as i drank it, but, I wish it was a little more balanced. I wouldn't buy again, but this is rare from a brewery such as lagunitas. Overall, not bad

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 02:40:37 | More by rrski198

alenonbeeradv

California

3.23/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

a - kinda like a coca-cola with more ruby tones. a finer carbonation and slight head that diminishes into a nice collar.

s - very malty and boozey. sweet like some fresh caramel or fresh baked goods. a little musky.

t - malty and smokey. kinda sweet like some exotic fruit or like a sweet woody taste. a little bitter on the finish but mainly nutty and roasty overall.

m - low - med amount of carbonation. nothing too exciting. kind of a creeper on the tongue.

o - eh. not a huge fan of strong ales in general but its alright. a few of these would definitely get me pretty tipsy, and the boozy taste would get me feelin it after 1. its alright.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2011 21:33:28 | More by alenonbeeradv

notchucknorris

California

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

A: Pours a deep mahogany color with a one-finger tan head that holds up well.

S: Brown sugar, hints of overripe fruit that's been sitting in the sun and a little bit of soy sauce. Strange combination.

T: Sweet and malty upfront with a slight citrus hop bite towards the middle. I'm getting kind of a strange burnt flavor in there as well as a bit of beef jerky and coffee flavor towards the finish. It's a little on the sweet side for me and there's not quite enough hop bitterness or carbonation to tone it down.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 19:58:31 | More by notchucknorris

dmsohyea

California

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12 oz bottle to IPA glass.

A - Dark brown with a slight reddish tinge. Some light penetrates. One finger pearl white head with a bit of lacing and some retention around the ring of the glass.

S - Coffee, chocolate, toffee, burnt malt. Smells very stout-ish (yep, just made that up).

T - Tastes like brown sugar beer to me. Really overpowering malt characteristic. Sugary and almost like maple syrup. Not horrible considering the style, but not my favorite. Still drinkable. Slightly bitter, but not overpowering. The finish leaves some toffee and bitterness lingering.

M - Average carbonation and very dry. Some astringency.

O - Not my favorite by any means, but not a bad go-to American strong ale that is easy to find.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 06:10:50 | More by dmsohyea

SWMeyer4141

Texas

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance-A deep purple/brown color. 1 inch off white head that leaves some alcohol legs

Smell-At first I thought I was being served Brown Shugga. I get a big sugar kick with some burnt caramel. Some dark fruits as well.

Taste-The taste definitely follows the aroma. Lots of sweet sweet caramel, some light hops and some sweet malt and molasses. Finish is rather dry, some darkfruits are present along with some bitterness.

Mouthfeel-Very thick, coats the mouth. Medium bodied with very little carbonation

Overall-Another nice beer. Glad my buddy had this, because this is one of those beers I always walk by, and I should probably drink these more often.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 06:08:34 | More by SWMeyer4141

NODAK

Tennessee

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

Aroma is filled with brown sugar, a bit of dark fruit, alcohol and a toastiness as well.

Pours a mahogany color in the glass with a pretty weak head.

Taste starts off sweet, with a brown sugar beginning. A fair amount of caramel malt shows up in the body, as well as a touch of dark fruit and just the slightest hint of toastiness. A medicinal bitterness hits at the backend and tends to linger a little while. For a beer that's otherwise pretty sweet and malty, this was definitely a different turn.

All in all, I guess I could compare this to a doppelbock or even a Belgian dark ale with bitterness on the backend.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 01:02:54 | More by NODAK

beals

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

poured a 12oz bottle into a DFH snifter.

A: brown. brownish-tan head, 1 finger, receded quickly. dark, deep. i'm digging the way this beer looks in the glass.
S: alcohol, malt, bit of a cherry aroma, perhaps? not much here.
T: no hop nose, sweet malt middle, backend a bit bitter. all the hop presence is at the back. aftertaste is sticky, malt flavor not terribly complex.
M: thick, bit chewy. moderate carbonation.

O: OK, bit of a strong brown ale. not amazing. i like strong beers, but i'm not sure i'd have more than 1 of these in a session. meh.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 16:58:27 | More by beals

josefnewsong

New York

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a - deep, dark burgundy color, clear and bubbly, 2 inches of off-white head that recedes slowly and leaves an almost opaque coating of lace
s - nothing major here. sweet syrupy malts, molasses, whiskey, a touch of hops
t - cherry flavors and a whole lot of alcohol dominate - i would have guessed 10.5% at the very least, more likely somewhere around 11 or 12 if I hadn't already known about the 9abv. As it warms the cherry flavor begins to taste artificial, almost medicinal but still not bad - could just be an effect of the alcohol presence. Slight roast and toffee flavors are in the back but not much else.
m - medium bodied, sticky, syrupy
o - a brew that I pulled from my cellar because most of the good beer stores are closed and I didn't feel like going out - and because I wasn't too excited about aging it, it just got tossed down there. Certainly a pleasant experience, but nothing to rave about. Also I didn't check the date but I'm pretty sure it's not fresh

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 02:54:17 | More by josefnewsong

BeerPhan86

New York

3.88/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Being a big fan of Brown Shugga, I was looking forward to this seasonal from Lagunitas. I really like this brewery and almost everything they make, especially their stronger ales. Bring it!

A - Pours a clear mahogany with a small half finger tan head. Head dissipates quickly but the lacing is quite sticky.

S - Smells like a Belgian dark ale, with hints of dark fruit and malt. There is also some noticeable molasses and brown sugar.

T - A blast of sweet malt up front with cherry and raisin followed by some dry, earthy hops. The alcohol is well hidden for such a strong beer. Reminds me of a Doppelbock or Belgian dark ale, very fitting as the winter seasonal. Finishes dry with a nutty aftertaste that has hints of oak.

M - Well carbonated with a relatively thin mouthfeel. Sticky on the lips.

D - The alcohol is hidden but the effects are not, I feel buzzed almost immediately! Definitely a sipper for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 00:50:37 | More by BeerPhan86

ngeunit1

California

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

- Pours a rich ruby red color that is just a touch hazy with a finger of off-white head atop. The head fades down to a thin ring around the glass leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of sweet caramel malt, some deep dark fruits, and some grassy hops. There is a brown sugar as well.

T - Starts off with some sweet dark fruit flavors (raisin and plum) as well as some slightly roasted caramel malts. Just a touch of some grassy hops in the background. Through the middle some richer fruit flavor and some brown sugar comes through. The finish is a blend of some dark fruit sweetness, a touch of bitterness, brown sugar, and a hint of alcohol flavor that lingers.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Has a bit of a slick syrupy feeling. Finishes fairly full with just a touch of alcohol warming.

D - For 9% abv, pretty drinkable. Nice balance of flavors, and they are decently complex. A bit full and heavy so a bit more of a sipper, but still really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 03:34:12 | More by ngeunit1

JeffBob

California

4.78/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

WOW was speechless at first sip

A nice beautiful dark red

S hops and the smell of hiking through hay and wild flowers in the spring.

T So complex at first its kind of stoutish with some yummy chocolatey goodness, the the hops kicks in along with some spice and bright notes then chocolate again fading into a bitterish hopish after taste.

M thick and smooth a bit carbonated but given the dark complexity it is perfect.

O just peachy keen I love this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 01:26:56 | More by JeffBob

MAB

Alberta (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The sum of the parts add up to more than the whole. While everything about it is good (at least), my overall impression was exceptional.
A tough one to categorize. American Strong Ale meets the criteria, though.

Color was deep brown, almost porter-like.
Lovely aroma, but I'd expect nothing less from Lagunitas. They ALL smell good.

Taste was very good. Some (roasted) grain flavors combine with the chocolate malt to come forward in front of the hops. The hops are there but this is not a bitter beer, by any means.
The alcohol contributes to the sharpness of the malt sweetness.

Mouthfeel was also good. I expected it to be a bit thicker, since it was 9% ABV, but it was still a nice consistency--not too thick.

Overall, though, this one struck me as a real find, and a keeper. I'm a big fan.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 18:16:13 | More by MAB

VMWhelan

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a tulip.

Pours a deep ruby-brown with a finger of tannish head with good lacing.

Nose is very sweet and malty. Caramel and dark fruits are prevalent, with some brown sugar notes.

Taste follows the nose upfront but that is followed by a pronounced floral hop bitterness and some booziness.

Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied and slightly sticky. Leaves the mouth dry.

Overall this isn't bad. The 9% ABV could be balanced out better, so this one is a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 03:15:39 | More by VMWhelan