Undercover Investigation Shut-down Ale - Lagunitas Brewing Company

bruachan

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

sweet and hearty. fruity and hoppy

nice color--amber/brown but deficient in the head department. it poured quite viscously so perhaps bubblage simply isn't able to reach the surface

the aroma is deeply malty, with brown sugar, port, and biscuit entailed. some piney hop stickiness

quite a bit of port flavor with ever so little of a suggestion of cough syrup (it is a strong brew and the alcohol is a subtle but significant factor). bitterness is strong but hop flavor is controlled and balanced. citrus

nice mouthfeel for such a strong beer. not too solid and it's a perfect vehicle for the nice flavors

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2009 00:17:35 | More by bruachan

Norfawkers

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A great beer for sipping; robust and complex

Appearance: Deep amber with little head

Smell: Sweet, hops

Taste: Robust malty sweetness with a crisp hop finish

Mouthfeel: Smooth up front with a bitter finish

Drinkability: Complex but relatively balanced, a bit sweet; very sippable

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2009 17:44:35 | More by Norfawkers

pmcadamis

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Tried this one in Grafton with my buddy Joe V.

A - Deep burgundy when not in direct light, this one looks more deep-amber red when more directly illuminated. The head is a smallish dusty-gray brown affair that reminds me of the color of toasted coconuts. Looks inviting!

S - Clove, honey, orange blossoms, and a hint of booze. This smells hoppy! Dark dried apricots are there somewhere, and I can also pick up some raisin and date notes.

T - Wow, big time hops for what I thought was an amber ale when I ordered it. This is like an IPA "dark" or something (amber IPA?). This is extremely caramel-y in its malt flavor, and that counterpoints the hop accents beautifully.

M - Full bodied, muscular, solid, and slightly boozy. This is a powerhouse beer but it is in no way overinflated or chubby. This is a bodybuilder, not a powerlifter.

D - Excellent. This is a damn fine beer that I could drink several pints of in an evening.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 14:47:07 | More by pmcadamis

Nickls

District of Columbia

3.68/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(From notes)

A - Poured with creamy, thinner slightly off-white head; deep copper brown color

S - Heavier maltiness and sweetness at first; then cedary hops come through; slight touch of alcohol

T - A more sugary sweetness is the dominant flavor to me; good bit of hops but would have been better if they cut through the sweet characteristics a little more. Rich maltiness

M - Creamy, medium to heavier overall; a touch oily and then dries out

D - Not the most drinkable I've had in the style, bit heavy on the maltiness against the hops in addition to the booziness

Overall, worth a look, but this isn't one of my favorites from Lagunitas.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2009 19:54:28 | More by Nickls

popery

California

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I don't know if having a crappy macro earlier softened me up, but this is delicious. I'd call it a hoppy Imperial Red Ale with good malty sweetness backing strong luscious hop flavors. I like Lagunitas pretty well, but this beer is a lot better than I was expecting. The feel is smooth and rich. The hop flavors don't strip away the palate, but they still provide a great lasting bitter pine/grapefruit flavor. The beer looks pretty great, medium red-amber liquid with an off-white head and plenty of lacing. I fear that I may be using appearance to counterbalance my enthusiasm for other categories, but there are some great looking strong ales, on the other hand. A pleasing touch of caramel malt comes through in the aroma, but it's mostly floral/pine hops. The hop flavors and aromas complement each other well. The hop additions were well-chosen. The malt flavor is stronger than I first thought and very good. I was unaware of the abv when I first tried the beer and would have pegged it two or so percent lower if pressed. It's a very easy drinking strong ale. All around, Lagunitas made a very strong effort with this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2009 07:05:56 | More by popery

jasonjlewis

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a 1 1/2 finger head with excellent retnetion and a nice clear amber color.

Initially I get a balanced whiff of hops with a tiny bit of a biscuit malt chracteristic and some undertones of alcohol. However as it warms I get a light fruitiness reminiscent of raisins and plums.

Taste is a little bit dry and boozy even though it seems that a darker crystal malt was used with a slight bit of biscuit.

The mouthfeel is a bit too dry and there are notes of harsh fusel alcohols within.

I like this beer. It's a decent jab at an IIPA, but it needed to pick either a malty forefront or a more hop centered forefront (especially aroma wise) to be considered a great example of ths style.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2009 04:37:15 | More by jasonjlewis

jujubeast6000

Texas

2.95/5  rDev -27%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed 5/31/2009 (Draft at Flying Saucer, Houston, Tx):

Pours a clear reddish brown colored body, foamy cream-colored head, very lasting. Sweet hoppy aroma, kind of a weird fruity aroma. Not very strong. Pale somewhat hoppy, sweet taste. A mild pale ale. Sweet fruity taste, almost like strawberry. Creamy mouthfeel.

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2009 21:24:24 | More by jujubeast6000

1fastz28

Illinois

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

lagunitas to me just means ipa, they make some great ones, but this to me seems like a mini-ipa, it has more kick than a standard pale ale, but not as much as their ipas. its color is a deep copper color with a nice lacing head. smell is of hops and some sweet malty aromas. taste has some strong fruit flavors, much more than many other ales, nice hop flavors also dance on the tongue.

really can never go wrong with lagunitas, a nice smooth yummy ale

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2009 01:34:12 | More by 1fastz28

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz stubby bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a crystal clear coppery amber with 2+ big fingers of frothy off-white head. This retains down into a thin yet creamy layer, which leaves some rich foamy lacing back. The aroma is floral, lightly resinous, and very spicy smelling. Thick roasty malts and citrus character mixes with the highter ABV to give this a sticky smelling heft in the nose.

The taste starts with a big base of dark roasted malts, which lies densely under some fairly aggressive hoppy notes of pine and spices, before ending with some lip smacking sweeter accents of toffee and toast. The mouthfeel is medium-fuller bodied with a more beefy and viscous to it but the 10% ABV is extremely well hidden. I'm getting a little bit of warmth on the breath but that's about it.

Big and ballsy beer here from Lagunitas that reminded me a good bit of Stone's Arrogant Bastard. Beefy and flavorful with a lot of presence on the palate but still really smooth for the size. I enjoyed this a lot.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2009 17:04:46 | More by Kegatron

jsh420

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

pours a copper amber with a 1 finger head that coated the glass with lacing

smell was strange - sour tropical fruity hops with some tang to it which i think is the alcohol

taste is very similar to Hop Stoopid but much more sweeter and a much more carmel malt taste to it as well - this beer does not mask the alcohol and i think that is a good thing - sometimes i like to be reminded i am drinking a beer not just flavored water - all in all this beer rocks

mouthfeel is medium but some how feels lighter then it is - good carbonation and a nice creamy finish

drinkability is dangerous at such a high abv - this is not a six pack i could put away on a heavy drinking night or maybe i could because i would not remember drinking the last couple

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2009 01:52:38 | More by jsh420

clayrock81

Virginia

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

Poured a semi-dark brown body with sheath lacing running all down my glass and a two-finger head. A mix of earthy, piney hops and some sweet malts, like caramel, although mild. Medium to full body with a good balance between hops and malts although the malt sweetness is mild and the hops are the more powerful thing in it. Nice citric and herbal dryness, the taste is good and the mouthfeel has a nice dryness to it in the backend thanks to hop bitterness. Had a bit of creaminess/chewiness to it and I ended up chugging this; had no idea the ABV was that high until I came on this site. Nothing too outstanding but this is still another quality brew from Lagunitas and worth a try by anyone.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2009 19:22:46 | More by clayrock81

snaotheus

Washington

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours a rich amber color with about a finger of quickly fading head and superb lacing. Head shrinks down to just a film and a ring, and I can see clear levels in the lacing for each sip I take.

Smells earthy, musty, sweet.

Taste is smokey molasses with sour and bitter balancing out the sweetness. Tannic aftertaste, and very late in the finish it's a pleasant smokey sour.

Mouthfeel is thick and bready (I want to use the word 'chewy'), a little sticky.

Nicely drinkable beer for 9%. I approve.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2009 02:53:23 | More by snaotheus

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle served in a standard pint glass.

Mostly clear orange/amber color with an off-white head that left a bunch of lacing.
The aroma is a mix of pine and citrus, but it's mostly all hops.
The taste is full of citrus flavor with some sweet sticky pine and a bit of caramel malt thrown in.
Medium bodied with a smooth feel.
Goes down too easy for a 9% abv beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2009 22:56:42 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

WYVYRN527

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

These guys never fail to impress me. This beer pours a slightly hazy amber with a thin white head that is more of a film on the top. Carbonation is mellow. The initial aroma is a bit faint. Piney, citrusy hops are prominent, with sweet caramel-like undertones. The flavors this beer has are great. It begins with malt flavors of caramel and bread, finishing with crisp hop flavors of lemon peel, grass, and pine. This beer is medium to full-bodied, yet very clean. Although it's high in alc, it's almost non-existent on the palate. I definitely can see why the brewery calls this an "Imperial Mild." It's almost too easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2009 22:14:48 | More by WYVYRN527

alexgash

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle.

Another American Strong Ale from Lagunitas. I think they are the masters of this style! Pours a slightly cloudy ruby red with a coppery tinge. Small, sticky, lacy, dirty white head. Nose full of tropical fruits, particularly pineapple and fruit cocktail. Whiff of cookie dough gets lost amidst resinous, piny, herbal hops.

Toasted malt mixed with piny, resinous hops. Fruit cocktail and pineapple add a little malty sweetness. A little bit of cookie dough rounds it out. Piny, herbal bitterness into the finish, with lingering fruity malt sweetness. Medium-full body with a creamy feel. Another solid American Strong Ale. Keep 'em coming!

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2009 01:11:16 | More by alexgash

Jayli

Massachusetts

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

This beer pours a nice deep clear amber color with a one finger of off white head. Head dissapated relatively quickly leaving very little lacing to speak of. Nose is dominated by piney hops, a touch of caramel malts and a bit boozy. Taste is piney and spicey hops up front, heavier on the caramel malts in the middle, and some hops and dark fruits are detectable in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, medium carbonation, feel rather slick going down. Overall a very decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2009 16:11:05 | More by Jayli

yesyouam

New York

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

Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale is a crystal clear, rich amber ale with a dense, frothy, off-white head that thins and leaves outstanding lacing. Sweet, resiny malt and bright, fresh, wooden hops are strong and well balanced in the nose. It's medium-full bodied and silky smooth with a quick and slightly sticky finish. It tastes sweet, bitter and bold. The flavors are well balanced and blend together to provide a big, fruity (pineapple), wooden, resiny flavor. It's incredibly drinkable, even at this strength. A very solid American Strong Ale here.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2009 03:39:31 | More by yesyouam

Durge

Connecticut

3.68/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From six-pack into the pint glass, cold, this brings a dark amber brown color with a goodly, very light oatmeal colored head and decent blotchy lace. The aroma is mostly light citrus hop and brown sugar, a bit sharp but subtle and pleasant. The taste is primarily tart rhubarb citrus with caramel brown sugar malt. It's middle bodied, smooth with fair carbonation, fairly drinkable although I find it a bit more on the "rhubarb" side to invite sessioning. I also think it's a bit heavy in the sweetness, almost suggesting cotton candy at times, but it's an enjoyable refreshment, I just don't think I would pound these based on the flavor profile, interesting but not a "must have".

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2009 02:41:59 | More by Durge

TheTrevor

New York

3.73/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured a brownish copper with a single-finger head. The smell is lots of different hops with some pine and herbal scents. The taste starts off with some sweet malt that gives away very quickly to two or three different kinds of hops. The mouthfeel is slightly thick with some moderate carbonation. The alcohol content is dangerously hidden in this beer, but it may be a bit too hoppy for some people. Personally I'm glad I snagged a bottle of it,

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2009 21:31:04 | More by TheTrevor

basscram

Florida

3.2/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a goblet glass from bottle.
Looks are Dark Golden Amber and see through, Head comes at the end of the pour and lasts for about 10 seconds. Little fizzies come from around the glass

Smells sweet like a maple syrup and goes away quickly. Can't wait to try it!

Taste is exciting, meaning very flavorful with sweetness and hoppiness. Taste lingers on the tip of the tongue and down the middle and goes away. The high abv is recognized too! On the back of the tongue, I taste some grapefruit, but a light taste as it dissipates. Don't be alarmed. After my tongue gets used to the zip of the alcohol and sweet hoppy tastes I can enjoy it a lot more. ( Not like I didn't enjoy the first few sips )

Their is that sweet taste I'm trying to think of what it is but its hard to figure it out with the hoppiness.

Lacing is minimal if any. The way it feels on my tongue is spicy and not too thick. Taste lingers on the backside of the tongue a bit after a while.

Drinkable? Yes, but not something I can gulp down. Its a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2009 03:49:08 | More by basscram

thespaceman

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz stubby bottle into a pint glass:

Appearance: Beautiful deep amber in color, bits of red highlights, billowing, frothy white head, with excellent lacing and retention all the way down the glass.

Smell: Loads of citrus hops up front, very resinous and piney, a bit of hop oil, some clove, orange zest and grapefruit. A small tinge of malt is detectible, bits of brown sugar and crystal malt, alot going on in the nose but smells fairly balanced with the hops doing a bit more in the aroma department.

Taste: Don't see how this could be considered a strong ale, this one is definetley along the lines of a solid DIPA. Loads of DIPA qualities up front, beautiful floral hops, very west coast style, loads of citrus and grapefruit give way to a small malt backbone, sweet on the tongue and very forgiving. Very similar to a DFH 90 Minute, balanced correctly and the malt sweetness balances such a pine-like earthy hop splash with ease. I love how this beer is very easy on the palete without going in one direction. Finishes off with a nice boozy touch yet it's hidden in here fairly well.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is medium, very nice slickness rolls over the tongue, bitterness is very prevalent when sitting in the mouth. Lots of mouthfeel qualities similar to a barleywine, viscous yet big bodied and bold.

Drinkability: How Lagunita's comes up with all these excellent beers is beyond me, but there hasn't been one beer I've tried from these guys that has been dissapointing. This shouldn't be considered a strong ale, this is a perfectly balanced DIPA with an excellent dose of pine and grapefruit for the hop heads built on a beautiful foundation of malt for the true big beer drinkers. This is dangerous might I add, this one drinks like a standard IPA with the alcohol hidden well enough to fool you. I love these creeper beers, you sip and sip until before you know it, the third one catches up and your feeling like you lost track of how many brews you really had. Another excellent offering from a brewery that should be respected and bowed down upon. Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2009 02:38:34 | More by thespaceman

OldSchoolGamer

Ohio

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

I am slowly becoming a Lagunitas fan, especially after having the excellent Hop Stoopid. This is a spring seasonal I believe. Anyways, here is my review:

A: Poured a clear copper color. Very soapy head that leaves light lacing on the glass. Some bubbles coming up from the bottom.

S: I smell sweet oranges. Some grassy hops, and caramel malts. Smells pretty good.

T: This tastes like an IPA crossed with a Barleywine. Not as heavy or malty as a Barleywine, and not as hoppy as an IPA. Kind of in between. I got grassy, earthy hops upfront. Some fruit like orange or mango. Then the malt character takes over. Semi-sweet caramel and some bready malts. Finish is a tad watery as the flavor doesn't stick to the palate long after the sip. Pretty good overall.

M: Medium bodied. Not cloying or syrupy at all. Finish is dry and somewhat bitter. Finish is also very clean. There is a little bit of picklyness from the alcohol. As I said before, the aftertaste is a bit watered down, but its not a big deterrant.

D: Medium body with a pretty strong alcohol content keep this beer from being an all nighter. Very tasty and pretty easy drinking. Good overall.

One of the better Lagunitas beers I have had. Its got a lot of character from both the hops and malt, but overall falls short of excellence. Worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2009 18:35:30 | More by OldSchoolGamer

flexinwext

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear, dark gold/brown color. Thin frothy head that sticks to the side of the glass. Aroma is of pine hops and lemon peel. At first taste this is quite the bitter brew. Tart on the tip of the tongue with a grapefruit-esque finish and after taste. I think the high ABV is hidden pretty well in this one. This one seems to cross many different style genres.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2009 00:09:23 | More by flexinwext

ArrogantDeadGuy

Virginia

3.43/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours from draft a light molasses color with
nearly no head and thus a very slight lace
effect. There was little sign of active
carbonation.

S: A boozy aroma combined with hints of an IPAs
pine and florals

T: Just as it smells high octane alcohol flavor
with supporting floral notes reminiscent of
a slight IPA

M: The brew was a little thin but managed to
leave a bit of a slick on the back of my
tongue.

D: This is an average choice amongst American
Strongs. It's not that this choice is a
poor one but that this style is being done
really well right now by other brewers.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2009 02:46:39 | More by ArrogantDeadGuy

ATPete

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle

72 IBU, but very malty, oh Lagunitas... you silly bastards!

Pours a deep orange brown/amber color with very good clarity and a medium sized, puffy, white head that leaves some soapy stickage on the glass. The nose tells you this is a big beer, deep milky sweet malts hit me first with an encore of bitter herbal hops, west coasty but not overkill, im not pulling a ton of citrus out of this one (or alcohol notes for that matter) more pine resin than anything. Damn, this beer is spooky drinkable for being over 9%... This beer is big, but in the most restrained kind of way, the malts get larger and more coating to the tongue as the beer warms, the sweetness (which is rather quite mild) intensifies slightly also. Im impressed. I'm almost interested to see what some age will do to this motherfu....

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2009 23:56:40 | More by ATPete