Undercover Investigation Shut-down Ale - Lagunitas Brewing Company

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz.

Pours a brownish amber, yellowish fine head retains well, leaves a film as it dissipates.

Smells of rich caramel malts and piney hops.

Flavor is of piney hops, caramel, buttered bread, and a bit of citrus.

Full body with tingles of carbonation on the roof of the mouth. Slight warmth going down.

Really good strong hoppy ale. Most similar to an imperial/double IPA to me. Definitely worth trying and would have it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 19:54:49 | More by Cylinsier

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.74/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

clean copper/amber pour with 2 fingers of foamy white head giving off excellent lacing. this beer really does lack in aroma, both on tap and in bottle form. scents of mild fruity hops, caramel, sweet barley malt. the flavor is of sweet malt, caramel, mild hoppy bitterness, slightly nutty flavor. this is almost barley wine-like. medium to full body, moderate carbonation, creamy yet fizzy.

really not that impressed by this one. i've had many better beers by them.. this is pretty much a less sweeter version and lower abv version of brown shugga. with that said, i don't understand why it's a springtime release. i'd probably appreciate this a lot more if it were cold out.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 02:09:28 | More by facundoCNB

FanofHefe

Illinois

4.44/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a Duvel tulip. No dating apparent on the bottle or label, but since this just showed up on the shelves, I'm guessing it is this years' release.

Pours a clear amber body, very carbonated. Lots of bubbles sticking to the glass and a three-finger dense tan head. The retention and lacing are average, but as expected for a high abv brew.

The aroma is very reminiscent of a DIPA - strong scents of citrus hops, mostly grapefruit. Some caramel malt in the background.

Wow - I really like this! Nice bitterness (as advertised) from the hops that is more complex than the aroma would suggest. Plenty of grapefruit, but some hints of pine and even tropical fruit blending in for the win. Solid hop/malt balance with a very flavorful blend with the caramel malt. The house Lagunitas yeast flavor comes along for the ride, as well.

Medium thickness with oily hop textures. Surprised at the lack of alcohol present for the high abv, but it is well hidden. Overall, I really like this brew. Will definitely seek out some more and recommend to friends.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 22:26:59 | More by FanofHefe

smakawhat

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a Funkwerks globe glass.

Real nice looking beer, super dark ruby red and clear with amber ruby and brown tinges. Head forms frothy at three fingers with a light tan color. Big retention and scattered lacing throughout the glass and leaving a big one finger puck and island.

Nose brings a nice mellow citrus grapefruit hop quality, soft and fleshy. Small faint caramel hides in the back, with a little dank earth.

Palate fills with a nice full caramel and mix of earthy hops. Swallow brings much of the mellow citrus grapefruit and fleshy tones. Chewy hop forward palate. Alcohol is really hidden on this for nearly ten percent. Mellow toasty and caramel tasting like malts come and match with subsequent sips.

Overall this comes off as just a big solid and controlled hoppy amber to me more than a strong ale, and that appeals greatly to me. Real well put together brew, and love the mix of fruit and dank earth hop profile on this as well.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 21:17:53 | More by smakawhat

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.29/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter at cellar temperature.

L – Deep amber color with an awesome 3-finger foamy, billowing, cream-colored head. Fantastic retention and some awesome lacing. Clear with lots of bubbles.

S – Lots of aromas here including piney, resinous, and citrusy hops, rich caramel malt, and a spiciness that is reminiscent of allspice. This smells fantastic.

T – Bitter hops jump out right off the bat with resinous, piney, grapefruit, and spicy notes. As the bitterness fades, caramel and brown sugar flavors appear, along with a spiciness that I can’t quite put my finger on. The best I can come up with is some combination of pepper, allspice, and anise. Really, really tasty.

F – Medium-bodied with good carbonation, a sticky and creamy mouthfeel, and a bittersweet, spicy, and very dry finish. Citrus hop bitterness and spice seems to linger for the longest and pairs excellently with the throat-warmth from the alcohol.

O – This beer is awesome. It comes very close to the DIPA side of the spectrum as it is very hop-forward, but the extra sweet malts and spices make it more than that. It is very tasty and definitely drinkable, especially given the ABV. It has a nice, smooth burn from the alcohol and tons of flavor. I highly recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 02:36:12 | More by BlackBelt5112203

hoptualBrew

Florida

4.08/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Deep red in color, clear and descent head retention. No yeast sediment out of the bottle, looks beautiful in the glass.

Aroma is a ton of dark caramel malts; sweet intense plum, slight raisin, toffee. These malt aromas come paired with a floral and pine hop character. There is also an English character that is there in the background that lends an identity of a barleywine almost.

Flavor follows the aroma. This is not as hop forward as other Lagunitas beers, but rather the big dose of hops is kept in check by a balancing presence of sweet malt. Tastes like a barleywine to me, with each sip confirming that thought more and more.

Feel is right on. Enough carbonation to keep this easily drinkable, but the sticky hop oils and sweet malts coat the palate to keep the flavor around for a while.

Overall, this is a good barleywine offering from Lagunitas. I'm impressed by the balance offered here.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 15:34:43 | More by hoptualBrew

Murrhey

Montana

3.95/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz standard pressure-cap bottle into a tulip glass in high elevation Kalispell, Mont. Reviewed live. Purchased April 27 for $1.97. No best-by date.

A- Huge fluffy head. Four fingers deep of luxuriant head, off-white with lovely fluffy lacing. Ruby-brown color with floaty carbonation and high clarity. Really a great looking beer. The head lasts several minutes and leaves sticky, fluffy lacing on top of the auburn body.

S- Strong hop body with an interesting copper aroma as well. Sweet malt, candi sugar, bitter, piney hops. Not bad.

T- Slightly boozy, very sweet, coppery. Bitterness and a chocolate malt kicks in as it warms up. Fine tasting beer.

M- Slightly vinous, sticky and tight. Nice feel.

O- Wonderful beer. I'm very pleased with this.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2013 23:31:59 | More by Murrhey

deebo

Minnesota

3.63/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Had this one on tap a couple times before. Finally getting around to review this. Served in a snifter with a finger of white sticky creamy head this beer is a bit murky and amber with plenty of orange highlights. Aromas of hops aplenty. Citrus and herbal. Malt is biscuity with caramel. A marmalade character to this beer. Taste is malty and sweet with a hoppy backdrop that is similar to the aroma with a fair amount of resin. Mouthfeel is a bit slick in the finish and a bit warming. A heavy malt bill that is a bit cloying. Alcohol in the finish but not vapory in the mouth. Overall this is a solid brew that doesn't offend or jump out at me. Nice beer given the high alcohol.

Serving type: on-tap

05-31-2013 21:29:48 | More by deebo

superspak

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 3/14/2013. Pours moderately cloudy orange copper color with a 1-2 finger dense cream colored head with great retention; that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, pine, orange zest, orange rind, pineapple, floral, grass, caramel, and floral earthiness. Excellent aromas with big hop presence and complexity with a fair amount of malt balance. Taste of orange zest, grapefruit, tangerine, orange rind, pineapple, floral, pine, grass, caramel, and floral earthiness. Fair amount of floral pine bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, citrus zest, pineapple, pine, floral, caramel, grass, and floral earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice hop flavor complexity; with a moderate malt balance that does not overpower the hop flavors; with zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a creamy, slick, and moderately sticky mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent hoppy strong ale. Great hop flavor complexity and moderate malt balance; and very smooth to drink for the ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 04:19:55 | More by superspak

MistahBeah

Massachusetts

4.74/5  rDev +17%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Hazy honey colored with some amber and orange highlights. Dense creamy two finger head with some retention but lots of foamy lacing. Good amount of tiny bubbles streaming upwards. Quite a good looking beer

Aroma: Citrus and pine hops. Some fruity sweetness almost like grape juice. Grapefruit. Biscuity

Taste: Follows the nose but I was honestlyh expecting a bigger hop profile. Definitely grapefruit and pine for the hops with a little bit of orange or coriander. A good amount of sweetness in the mid palate with some hints of banana. There's some nice breadiness and a hint of spice followed by a very refreshing finish. The hops are present every step of the way but are never overpowering. As for the alcohol, you certainly could have fooled me. Not a trace. Fantastically balanced.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly crisp and refreshing. Big and nicely carbonated. Wet

Overall: Fantastic. Expertly balanced. Not the hop-bomb I was expecting but that's not a bad thing at all. Its a shame this is a limited release because I would get this all the time otherwise. If you see it you should grab it

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 03:40:48 | More by MistahBeah

d1ckvanswype

Florida

4.41/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz super fresh bottle into an oversized snifter.

A: Monstrous amounts (appx 4 fingers) of creamy, thick tan head sitting on top of an amber-brown, clear liquid. Lasting head with decent lacing.

S: Big, rich, sweet caramel malts, tangerine, grapefruit, yuzu and honey hops, mildly fruity.

T: The same as the nose, with a bracing hop bite balanced by heady caramel maltiness. A touch of earthiness on the finish, really rather nice and nowhere near as bitter as it was advertised which was a pleasant surprise.

M: Extremely full feeling, thick and mildly viscous, nice hop stickiness that coats the tongue after a few sips. No alcohol heat whatsoever.

O: A stellar beer, greater than the sum of its parts. Supremely drinkable at 9.6%ABV and 66 IBU, this should be around all year long.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 17:29:37 | More by d1ckvanswype

Bucktron18

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours dark amber, clear with some floating particles. Smells hoppy up front with heavy caramel and lightly roasted malts. Slight hops up front with a heavy malty caramel middle and a bitter sweet heavy finish with lingering alcoholic flavors. Feels slick and heavy across the palate.

I really like this beer. Has a hoppy floral aroma that you dont really expect on a beer this dark. The malt dominates the flavor with great hop flavor balancing throughout. Definitely a beer I would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 03:50:24 | More by Bucktron18

Segelstrom

Pennsylvania

3.16/5  rDev -22%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A - poured to frozen tumbler w/ a modest lightly foamy head. - not well maintained. Good clarity

S- nothing jumps out at me here. hoppy but not overtly so

T - not one for the record books. strange flavor I could not identify

M - OK - carbonation just about right

O - not one of Lagunitas' best efforts. I really like their overall lineup as they are one of my favorite brewers but this one is not one and will not be purchased by me again.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 23:27:19 | More by Segelstrom

MacQ32

South Carolina

3.79/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours an incredibly clear amber with a monster 2+ finger light tan head. Retention is quite strong, lacing is perfect.

S - Sweet sugary toasted caramel malts, citrusy as well as spicey piney hops, very smokey, alcohol is detectable.

T - Spiced hops and alcohol burn up front, but transitions into a super sweet citrusy fruityness (possibly some figs/dark cherries) followed by more alcohol burn. (possibly some figs/dark cherries).

M - Medium bodied or less, appropriate carbonation - fairly smooth but the alcohol makes it just a bit less drinkable than desired.

O - Not that this is too much to handle, but the alcohol burn is just a little overpowering to the other flavors of the beer. Otherwise fantastic, just a little off balance IMO

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 00:15:25 | More by MacQ32

lawlerj

Nebraska

3.85/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a dark amber with a light tan head.

S - Big caramel malts with some hop notes as well.

T - Hops and caramel malt are big. Pretty nice.

M - Medium bodied, good carbonation.

O - Pretty tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 19:40:03 | More by lawlerj

bnes09

Illinois

4.51/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful red color that turns a transparent orange-amber when head to light. A few visible bubbles cascading along the glass. One finger head on the pour. Descent retention for the strength and a few lace spots.

Complex aroma. Tropical and citrus fruits, pine needles, rye bread, malty. Buttered toast with cherry spread. Excellent balance in the nose.

Rich, hoppy, complex and dynamic palate. Floral, herbal, pine-like hop bitterness right up front. Balanced with spicy rye and smooth wheat malt. Chewy biscuit character. Toasty. Just enough malt character to balance but not enough to make the beer sweet or syrupy. Hop bitterness lingers through the finish.

Bordering on full bodied with an oily texture that turns dry middle to end. Lively carbonation especially for the strength.

Now this is good! A highly complex and yet perfectly balanced American barley wine. I wish I had another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 06:33:12 | More by bnes09

lordofstarside

Nevada

3.79/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Brewed 4/3, 12oz to a snifter

Pours a dark bronze with a half finger of foam. Moderate carbonation stemming from the middle of the glass, good lacing, alright retnetion

Smells of spicy hops, vanilla, smoked oak, molasses, brown sugar, alcohol, and some toasted malt. There's some complexity but doesn't come together the best, the smokey wood comes through a little strong

Taste is more or less with the nose, spicy hops and toasted malts, dark sugar, a kick of alcohol, some figs, and a touch of citrus. Again, this could come together a lot better

Feel is crisp with a medium plus feel. Nice kick and a dry finish, alcohol has a nice warming feel without distracting too much from the beer

Overall this stuff is drinkable, but I don't think I'll pick up another sixer anytime soon

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 07:24:11 | More by lordofstarside

Sorcerer

United Kingdom (England)

4.68/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Alrighty then, perhaps an ambusch, yet none the less, a wee bit o' judgement here lads, and gals...

Yay, I have have tasted this afore, and I expect no disappointment:

Undercover in appearance is true.

But the smell is way above average.

What do you expect, it's printed in the side and it s not cheap!

The name says it all really.

Smells like moonlit bliss on a desert isle with a fair maiden and fermented coconut juice.

Taste is mild fantasy. Mildew, piney resin, willow bark, dirty cott'n socks, stalled lawnmover with leaking petrol, pretty girls on a hot day.

Mouthfeel is full of high calorie, diabetic nightmares.

In the end, a six pack is enough to get one person there, but not irreversibly too far.

Lagunitas...

It's a big beer. I can only drink five or six today; more accurately: tonight.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 06:21:01 | More by Sorcerer

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.2/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

So this thing was available in 6-packs. Alrighty... I'll bit.

Enjoying bedside (On my table next to me after a long, yet reasonably pleasant day of Spring cleaning). Served in a DC Brau tulip.

A: About as amber as a beer can get with only the slightest semblance of a white head... nice frothy one, I guess.

S: Hop profile in spades, along with a Jolly Rancher-esque disposition overall. Melted cherry, to my mind.

T: Much like Stone's "Double Bastard," only quite a bit cheaper and a bit better. Hop and malt duet for sure, along with lots of IPA-esque greatness.

M: Carbonation was fine, no lacing left on the glass, and the sugar content was fine.

O: I felt like I was drinking Stone Double Bastard the whole time, but this one is a bit different, and infinitely cheaper.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 04:43:33 | More by Chaney

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Slightly more than two fingers worth of active billowing khaki colored pillow like fluffy frothy goodness... Excellent retention... You're left with a mostly full layer of frothy lacing and a thick collar... The color is a distinctive deep rich dark bronze copper with a bit of a ruby red hue to it... Limited carbonation that randomly rises at a sluggish to moderate pace... Gobs of lacing cling to the snifter...

S - Fresh grapefruit at the forefront... Lots of orange zest... Sweet citrus... While the hoppiness is the star of the aroma, the malty base isn't too far behind... A terrific mix of inviting caramel and toffee... A bit of sweet desert breads... Some light brown sugar lingers beneath the surface... Wonderful depth and complexity...

T - The hops are again at the forefront... They're a bit less citrusy and a bit more earthy than expected... A slight yet pleasant herbal presence... Some biscuit and bready malts... A very mellow caramel and brown sugar component as well...

M - On the fuller side of medium bodied... Limited but biting carbonation... Sleek and a bit chewy... Even and consistent...

D - A terrific American Strong Ale... More hops than malt, but still quite tasty... Another rock solid offering from Lagunitas... Packs a bit of a punch with its 9.7%... Layers of depth and complexity in every facet... Highly recommend and a definite bargain at its fairly low price...

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 02:04:10 | More by philbe311

MarkQ617

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Big strong beer! Had out of the bottle into a pint glad. Lots of booze. Decent color with a soft, flat head. Good looking American Ale, copper color. Big aroma of hops and sugary fruit. You can, as other have noted, taste the alcohol. The mouthfeel has a good deal of carbonation and a bit of spice.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 23:00:01 | More by MarkQ617

PaleZombie

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a large wine glass.

A - Dark copper color almost amber. Clear with about 1 finger of white head.

S - Strong tropical fruits (Mango, Pineapple, maybe some pears and apples) nice caramel sent. Slight alcohol sent.

T - Sweet caramel malts, some mild tropical fruits, not as strong as the nose followed by a bitter hop finish and some alcohol.

M - Very heavy almost slick resin feel with medium carbonation.

O - This is an awesome beer, for a 9.6% it seems like a 7.5-8%. Its only 10$ for a 6 pack and extremely tasty. One of the top 5 beers I have had. I will be getting a case of this for sure to cellar some of it.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 04:12:14 | More by PaleZombie

da_beers

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

Love what Lagunitas does, very excited to try this one out.

A - Pours a dark coppery amber color, beautiful chunky head of about three inches, incredible lacing coming down.

S - Sweet malts are very overpowering, not in a negative way tho. Smells almost sticky. Cedar woodiness as well as some citrus hidden away in the back.I

T - Has the distinct Lagunitas hop profile, but ends with a great sweet resiny characteristic. Malts are very present, probably its most distinct taste. Some pineapple/tropical fruit as well. Kind of a bit boozy, but not too bad.

M - Its quite smooth and buttery I would say, on the heavier side of medium bodied - you definitely know you're drinking an ale here.

O - Overall I really enjoyed this American Strong Ale. Not my favorite by Lagunitas, but that isn't saying much because they generally kick ass.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 01:26:17 | More by da_beers

Andrew041180

Massachusetts

3.41/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams pint glass. The beer is a deep, clear amber with enough head for me to stop pouring for fear of overflowing the glass. The head retention was very good and left nice lacing on the side of the glass.

S - Mostly maltiness with a hint of the relatively strong ABV.

T - Not my favorite. Overly malty for me with a finish that contained a strong alcoholic presence. There was a hint of bite to it from the hops, which I liked, but I couldn't really detect any of that flavor that I know so well.

M - Not as clean as the appearance would have lead me to believe. Tasted a little syrupy to me, but it did have a nice amount of carbonation. The good beat out the bad by a small margin.

O - I picked up this beer completely blind based on my love of all the Lagunitas products that I've had. This one was much maltier and much boozier than I expected. I would not buy it again, and will be more careful about selecting brews blindly based on previous experience. I still rate Lagunitas as my 3rd favorite brewery.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 00:21:36 | More by Andrew041180

sukwonee

Washington

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer like this is hard to review because there isn't really much to compare to.

With that said, it's delicious. it tastes like canned pineapple with sweet candied malt.

Without looking at the description, I would have guessed that this was a super malty and sweet DIPA. But maybe America Strong Ale is a better description. Sort of similar to Brown Shugga but not really.

A: Reddish brown body with 1 finger head.

S: Sweet malt up front. Pineapple. Tropical fruits. I also detect some sour notes.

T: It's all pineapple and sweet malt. It's like... those pineapple candy or canned pineapple. It's quite tasty. Alcohol is well hidden, but it's there.

M: Not sure what to compare this against, but I would say it's stickier than most DIPAs and but lighter than barleywine. Good amount of carbonation.

O: Solid and tasty. It also tastes like what I would expect from a "Lagunitas" brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 04:09:06 | More by sukwonee