Undercover Investigation Shut-down Ale - Lagunitas Brewing Company

dctrscola3

Wisconsin

4.95/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is my first review ever. I have had 100s of craft beers, but am truely inspired by this beer, so am writing a review.

A - Suprisingly amber for a strong ale, with almost a hint of orange. Head - a little weak for this type of beer, and not enough lacing. Crystal clear.

S - The overall bouquet is strong, considering the clarity of the appearance, and lack of head. I was instantly struck by a maltiness, but was soon overcome by citrusy hops reminiscent of an IPA. There were also lingering notes of pine.

T - In classic Lagunitas style, hops dominate the taste. Especially with that classic citrus ping in the back of my mouth. However, this time, there is a nice sugary carmel in the front. Nothing that lingers in a sticky way, but a clean sweetness up front which contrasts nicely with the bitterness on the sides of the tongue.

M - The big shock of this beer...CRISP!!! Can't believe this is an American Strong Ale. I could easily take this out in the sun on a hot summer day. Though there is a definate body here, it is light through the palate and...see below...

D - Devilishly easy to drink. Perfect balance has no potential for "overkill" in any area. Lagunitas has crafted one of there most balanced and drinkable brews yet!

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2010 00:14:31 | More by dctrscola3

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +22%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into becker. Golden-orange, the color of honey, with a moderately thick white head made of dense foam with visible carbonation rising. Smells similar to Sucks, but with less of the spicy/pungent hops; this smells like mango and pineapple, with the herbal pungent hop scent only ghosting in at the end. Taste is smooth at first, but quite bitter in the mouth, but the bitterness is washed away by the sweet finish upon swallowing. Then, the bitter aftertaste lingers, begging you to take another sip. This is a complex and incredibly well-balanced beer. The interplay between the flavors is amazing. The mouthfeel is medium, but slick.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 17:48:02 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

irongator

Kansas

4.9/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is one of my top 5 special releases of the season. Beautiful golden-red color. Good nose-not overly fruity; just wonderful ( I wish they made hops air freshener!) Let it get nice and warm as the flavor comes out so much better. Just the right balance of hops and malt to make it a great sipper. Alcohol is well hidden if cold, but when you let it warm you will feel it bite your tongue a bit. Beware, have only one or you'll need a lawyer for your DUI. My favorite ale-bar none. Question for Lagunitas: Why am I just getting this in late July when it was released in April?

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 11:06:01 | More by irongator

drlumps62

Florida

4.83/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a dark brownish red color. 1/2" white head moderately gives way to a thin white ring. Nice lacing.

S: I don't want to do this right now.

T: Malty base. Citrus hops jump in. Then they jump in again. Barely any bitterness at the end. Followed up with a very sweet grape taste. I was doing double takes. I really feel like this one has taken me somewhere I've never been before.

M: Like a Double IPA. Bold to heavy.

D: This is so smooth. I don't reccomend making a night of it. But do it anyway.

S: Ok. I'm ready. This is the most inticing beer that I have ever smelled. I am not going to try to explain it. Just smell it. I was so taken by the smell, I actually inhaled some.

I think that this may be my favorite beer to date. It was given to me by my daughters boyfriend. I was not expecting to even have a beer tonight. Lagunitus keeps one-uping themselves. This is a beer that other brewers mighjt have taken too far. Lagunitus has found the proper balance.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2009 03:53:24 | More by drlumps62

challenja

Virginia

4.83/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

F*ck You.. this beer is good. real good. no beer snob here. Just a hardcore IPA head. This one was legendary in status. Longest lingering aftertaste of all time and it was lavender.. silky smooth..
Sweet, mighty tasty DIPA. Better than Maximus. Closest in taste and quality of Double Jack by Firestone..

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 18:23:26 | More by challenja

RiverRatJoe47

Kansas

4.78/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'm not a beer expert or beer brewer, just a beer drinker. But I'm 63 years old and have consumed a few beers. So I hope my review won't be deleted automatically on the grounds of "insufficient detail".

I just wanted to say that I tried my first-ever glass of this ale last week, and the thought instantly hit me that Undercover Shut-Down is the absolute best beer I've ever drank.

It tasted so wonderful and full -- and without being heavy -- that I found myself extending the experience by taking a drink of the beer and letting it sit in my mouth for five or ten seconds before swallowing it. After that swallow, I took a drink of water to clear the beer's taste from my mouth as much as possible just so that the next drink of the Undercover would hit my senses as powerfully as the first drink had.

The parallel I would draw is that Undercover Shut-Down is to the best beers I've had previously, as a fine single-malt Scotch whiskey is to domestic rotgut whiskeys. Undercover, to me, tasted this good. It is a beer to be savored in the same way that a fine Scotch would be sipped.

I'm visiting Boise, Idaho for six months. Before going home to Kansas I hope to find a supply of Undercover somewhere so that I can share it with my buddies in Kansas. Sorry for the absence of tech talk in this review; all I know is that this is a very fine beer that greatly appealed to me. At the restaurant where my son and I enjoyed this beer, as (bad) luck would have it we were served the last two glasses they had before the keg ran out. Broke our hearts. I hope the restaurant reloads soon.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2010 00:53:06 | More by RiverRatJoe47

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.76/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

12 ounce bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a clear copper color with a two finger head and very nice lacing.

S: Lots of pine and citrus hops along with some sweet malts. Very inviting nose.

T: Not quite as hop heavy as the nose suggests, but still very appealing to a hop head like myself. There is an excellent malt balance to complement the hop profile. Alcohol is not noticeable at all.

M: Medium bodied with ample carbonation.

O: This is an almost perfect example of what an American Strong Ale can be. Super tasty, very smooth, and plenty of alcohol with almost none detectable. Well done Lagunitas!!

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 21:48:47 | More by nUgZ

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Deep orange/amber body. White head fed by decent carbonation.

Very sticky sweet malt, with some pineapple, mango, and apricot coming in as well. Lots of tropical fruits and honey malt.

Now this is the definition of sticky sweet tropical fruits. Lemons be damned, this is all pineapple all the way. I get a bit of mango and apricots as well. insanely dry-hopped, and so very well done. Almost tasted randallized. This is perfect dry-hopping for me. All fruit, with a bit of resin and dank-ness floating around in the back late. Its just so sticky, sweet, and tropical.

Feel syrupy, and no bitterness at all. Beautiful beer from a brewery that knows how to dry hop!

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 21:18:16 | More by VncentLIFE

teromous

Virginia

4.73/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: It has a great dark copper color, with lots of visible carbonation. It's brilliantly transparent, and has a long-standing eggshell white head. There is nothing bad to say about it.

S: Lots of hop character. I get a strong resinous scent of hops, with a tad of citrus character. There is a slight malty scent as well, but not strong. Once again, out of the ballpark...perfect scent.

T: Lots of hop character, but not overly bitter. Extremely well balanced character between the hops and malt flavor. I'm drinking this on the East Coast, and I've had it refrigerated for at least a month or so...so it could just be that it has had a lot of time to age. Lots of pine character, with very light citrus. It's near perfect. Zero alcohol flavor, despite the high ABV.

M: The mouthfeel is great. It's not too bitter or punchy, but it has enough zing to let you know it's still there. Great feeling while drinking it though...I hardly noticed that half a glass was gone. It's a very easy drinker, and near perfect.

O: Overall I gave this a 5, because this is a great tasting beer. I was very surprised at how good it is. I bought it only because of the cool story behind it, not realizing how good of a beer it could potentially be. I really enjoyed this one!

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 12:49:49 | More by teromous

misinformed

California

4.72/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Picked up a 6 pack of this a week or so ago and am on my 5th bottle, so I figured it was about time to review it. Poured in to a Lucifer tulip.

A- Deep red/mahogany. Dark enough not be able to see through clearly. More orange when looking straight down into the glass. Poured with a small off-white head that quickly disappeared.

S- Sweet citrus hops, very much like grapefruit. Some alcohol later.

T- Starts with a very nice citrus/hops flavor. Reminds me a lot of grapefruit. The hops drop off quickly for a nice sweet, malty finish that is not too strong. Really, really well balanced. Starts off with the nice hoppy punch followed by the sweet finish which is not overpowering at all.

M- Medium bodied. Smooth with some light carbonation. There is a mild and pleasant prickly alcohol burn present if it warms up that much.

D- Very nice! I like this one a lot. The flavor is balanced so nicely between the citrusy hops at the start and the mellow sweetness of the finish. I could drink this all the time.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2010 07:16:14 | More by misinformed

alkemy

Ohio

4.7/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pour is a medium mahogany/amber with a pretty thin off-white head. Lots of hops on the nose. It's a combo of floral and piney hops. Contrary to the taste, which is pine-centric, the floral note dominates the scent. As I said, pine dominates the taste with a sticky, prickly vibe. There's also a bit of chewy dough taste and caramel from the malts. There's also a citrus presence that intertwines with that piney opening. Nice viscosity and carbonation that pairs well with the biting pine notes. This is another winner from Lagunitas!

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2010 23:45:55 | More by alkemy

marc956

Texas

4.7/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Just an FYI bro's and readers, the one I got here in Texas is 9.87% abv.

A very good beer with LOTS of hops and flavor, drinking it you know it's not a session beer but it's very drinkable. Lagunitas is a quality product and I only wish more people could try this one! Went very well with pizza.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 03:22:14 | More by marc956

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.68/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On cask at Kickbacks Gastropub in Jax. Poured into a Unibroue tulip. Poured vigorously with little head, very little lacing but resinous hop juiciness is clearly noted sliding all over the glass. Aroma is of some malt sweetness, some alcohol and a ton of goddamned hop goodness. Taste is a touch hot (this cask is quite young and fresh, where the increased heat is balanced out by increased hop freshness). Taste of sweet, caramel malts and all kinds of hop flavors stylin and profilin'. As good as the bottled/kegged version but as usual, just a little something extra on the cask pour. Over the top Lagunitas liquid awesomeness....

Serving type: cask

07-30-2010 22:37:50 | More by KickbacksSteve

SDtastentune

California

4.68/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Great Darker brown/amber look, great lacing.

S - Smells of malts/hops/alcohol.

T - Taste has a deep malty/sweet/alcohol thing close to a strong ale of some sort.

M - Goes down easy for a 9%'er, great aftertaste of robust'ness. Good medium carbonation.

O - Overall its a good strong ale, close to an arrogant bastard but not as hopped up/bitter, has a taste of its own... great brew!

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2011 00:00:04 | More by SDtastentune

Sorcerer

United Kingdom (England)

4.68/5  rDev +15.8%
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

allergictomacros

Ontario (Canada)

4.65/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear red with an inch of sticky tan foam. Nose is tangerines, grapefruit and a hint of pine. Huge hoppy flavour right off the bat - lots of resinous grapefruit with a healthy dose of orange. There's a lot of sweetness is this one, but balances well against the ridiculous hoppiness. Body is appropriate - not too heavy and not too light with a medium-hard carbonation. I'm really liking this one - I would describe it as very smooth and very, very hoppy.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2009 23:14:11 | More by allergictomacros

Tballz420

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this the week of 4/20, and I guess given the story behind the name of this brew, it is fitting.

Very clear and clean dark caramel color. Minimal head but it leaves plenty of lace behind. Scent is huge hop, malt, spicy alcohol, dark fruit. Boner.

Very spicy brew. Loads of malt and nice hops, but the spiciness of the big alcohol profile and other spices dominate this one.

Medium mouth, very wet.

Speaking of wet, if I was a gal, thats what I would be right now

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2010 01:23:59 | More by Tballz420

edwino

Arizona

4.65/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Purchased from lone hill liquors in la area.

Really a delish brew. Flavor has a nice sweetness to it,; noticeable alcohol but not overpowering.

Nice rom that to me opened with hops then settled down.

It Is decent abv, so maybe just a one off for the evening....

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2010 05:16:33 | More by edwino

WankelEngine

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a pint glass

A: This beer pours a deep, clear amber-red with a thick white head of maybe one finger which diminishes slowly. I can see almost no carbonation.

S: The smell is fantastic. It is very balanced, having a smooth malt backbone with strong notes of piney hops. I can also detect wood and slight hints of smoke and cherry.

T: The taste is dominated by hops, mostly pine but also undertones of citrus. Despite being heavy on the hops (the ingredients listed on the bottle are "Hops, Malt, Hops, Hops, Yeast, Hops, Water, and Hops"), the flavor is very well balanced by the malt. This sweetness, almost caramel-like, does wonders to help temper the bitterness of hops. There is also a bit of spice to this beer which masks the taste of alcohol.

M: This is a medium bodied drink with a small amount of carbonation.

O: Delicious. I've been waiting all year for this seasonal. You can hardly taste the 10% ABV which makes this beer surprisingly drinkable. (EDIT: As the beer gets warmer, the taste of alcohol becomes much more noticeable) Strong on the hops yet relatively balanced.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 22:45:58 | More by WankelEngine

Hopinista

Nevada

4.65/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a Dogfish shaped pint.

A: Amber/copper brown with a nice white head that leaves intricate lacing all the way down the glass.

S: Floral and citrus hops with a strong undertone of malt sweetness, very slight spiciness in the back. Very inviting.

T: There's a lot going on here. It calls itself an American Strong, but everyone accuses it of being and IPA. I think it definitely has the hop presence to be and IPA, but the malt backbone really takes it in a different direction. You get the nice floral hop note followed by the caramel-esque hop finish that creates a really unique experience that brings everything together in s great way.

M: Mildy carbonated. Smooth but slightly sticky and cloying, which is one of my biggest turn offs on beer. A cloyingness on the palate is a huge turnoff for me.

O: Another great offering from Lagunitas. They very rarely disappoint in my opinon. I think this could just benefit from a little less on the cloyingness, aside from that, amazingly delicious.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 06:57:47 | More by Hopinista

BrainDad

Michigan

4.63/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap, just arrived, at Hopcat in GR. Beautiful deep amber color like a good whisky. I've always thought Lagunitas takes it in the shorts with reviews because their beers are between styles. You should check out this beer!

The flavor is characteristic sweet malt with a nice hop tone. Very rich!! Tastes great and feels smooth on the tongue, especially for the ABV. I will be back here to drink more and buy a few bombers when I can find them around. Wish I could get to Petaluma this year but this will have to do.

If you like Lagunitas specialty brews you will like this. If you haven't had a strong ale this smooth you better try one.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2011 02:00:21 | More by BrainDad

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.6/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The aroma starts this one off strongly. Great caramelized malt with pushing it to the limit without it becoming burnt. Seems to have that nice English toasty crackly aroma too. This aroma is something special. Just enough hop presence to know that it's there (and it couldn't be lagunitas without some hops).
Thin dense tan head. Clear orange brown amber. Ample lacing.
Very enjoyable complex malt flavors, but holding more hops in the flavor and balance than in the aroma. Soft warmth and nip from the alcohol, but no distraction with the fullness of the other flavors.
Big without being big or excessive. Moderately carbonated which adds a little to the prickliness of the drink. Somewhat sweet and somewhat rich, but again achieving that nice balance.
This is a pretty darn good beer. Close to the enjoyment I had with the Imperial Red.

thanks my brother.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 21:46:03 | More by garymuchow

Aradan

Oregon

4.58/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Meant to try one of these the other night. My eyes widened at the first sip, and I ended up having three. Gave it another go round tonight, hopefully I can stick to just one while I write this review.

Pours a nice orangey-red color with a thick, sticky head.

Smells sweet like caramel and beautiful, fragrant, grapey hop notes, very enticing.

Tastes the way it smells, only more so. Big, sweet, delicious malt transitions incredibly smoothly into a whole lot of citrusy hops. Not bitter per se, but very hoppy in the finish. Hard to tell where one ends and the other begins; very nice balance between the two.

Mouthfeel is rich and smooth, carbonation does its job and keeps its head down.

This one is a temptress. Each sip is so good you can't wait to have another, and the flavor lingers just enough to remind you of what you're missing when the glass is empty. I was well into my second the other night before noticing the 9.03% abv printed on the bottle. Went for a third anyway.

This is a really terrific beer with a really terrific name from a brewery I will most certainly be keeping an eye on. Have one and it will take care of the rest.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 06:46:44 | More by Aradan

Erish

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I poured this 12 oz. bottle into an English pint glass.

A: reddish amber, the one finger head quickly falls into a thin cap with decent lace; if the appearance were just a tad better this would be an A+ beer.

S: caramel, fruity esters, whiff of pine.

T: caramel, candied orange, cherry pie, then the middle simply explodes with sweet candied fruit, dark raisins, sweetened condensed milk, the finish is tart cherries wrapped around a slowly emerging core of grass and bitterness. Amazing!

M: creamy, almost milk-like, with light carbonation.

D: This nearly 10% ABV beer hides its alcohol well. I am going to try and score more of this at World Market.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2010 00:19:45 | More by Erish

tharper

North Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: Pours with a 3" white head into 1-1/2" after 5 minutes. Lots of tiny bubbles and is clear as a bell.
S: Centennial (I'm guessing, could be cascade, etc.) hops and a strong 2-row, caramel malt backbone.
T: Strong resiny malt , slightly sweet, and slightly bitter to match. Pretty much perfect for the characteristics of this beer. The only detractor is the strength of the flavor, but how can you make a beer this strong without this intensity? Most folks should consider this as an asset unless they are looking for something with less taste. Pure and true.
M: Carbonation meets the taste. Seems to be high CO2 (around 3 vols) but this matches the taste very well in the USA sense. Lots of bubbles after ten minutes.

Overall: It should be clear. I am a very small brewer in NC who loves Lagunitas This beer is a perfect example of the Petalumas's crew to creating great beers for all of us. It is great and world class. Thanks guys! Beer speaks, people mumble. It is an honor repeating what your beer is speaking for you!

Tim

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 02:16:02 | More by tharper