A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale - Lagunitas Brewing Company

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A- Golden orange, fair amount of white head some lacing as well

S- Piney hops, citrus hops, very floral

T-The grains soften out the hops a lot, piney hops, citrus, sweet malt, nice level of bitterness

M- Medium bodied, well carbonated, medium bitterness

O- Very good beer, great nose, nice and easy to drink, right amount of bitterness, definitely worth trying

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 04:33:45 | More by Kmat10

hoppytobehere

Colorado

4.01/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. Bottled a little over a month ago, says the Julian code.

A: Looks similar to their IPA, Sucks, and Hop Stoopid. Clear bright copper body, nice head and sticky lacing.

S: Hops, lots of sugar, almost like cake frosting. More wheat and malt as it warms up.

T: Exactly how I'd expect a hoppy wheat beer to taste. Nice balance of bitterness and breadiness (if that's even a word).

M: Carbonation is at an adequate level. For a higher ABV beer, you wouldn't notice it much.

O: Solid offering from Lagunitas. Don't see myself picking this up too often though.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 01:09:51 | More by hoppytobehere

fcbrew

Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

This beer can best be described as sort of a wheat IPA. It pours a beautiful golden orange with minimal lacing. The aroma is very nice with flowery hops notes, citrus and grapefruit. The mouth feel is a little thin, But, after all, it's a wheat beer. The taste is like a light wheat IPA. This is one of my favorite summer beers. It is much more interesting than other wheat beers and will please hop heads- well hopped but not too bitter.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 18:13:38 | More by fcbrew

bpasquini

California

4.63/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A: Golden orange in color, leaves a very nice white head so don't poor too aggressively, leaves some lacing as well

S: Some piney hops, more citrus hop smell though, and some orange, can't tell if it's yeast or zest though, and a hint of some sweet malt

T: Pine hops hit first, then you get the citrus hops as the bitterness comes, and it leaves with orange yeast and a hint of sweet malt flavor in the after taste, very nice bitterness level in this beer, overall good balancing of flavors and bitterness

M: Nice and light, very drinkable, a hint oily, leaves your mouth a tiny bit dry but it's nice, if I didn't look at the ABV I would have thought this was a session beer

O: Great beer, good smell, taste, bitterness, if you haven't tried this yet definitely pick it up next time you see it, definitely worth the buy

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 00:27:09 | More by bpasquini

lawlerj

Nebraska

4.48/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a weizen glass.

A - Translucent golden amber. Big fluffy off white head. Appears to be strongly carbonated.

S - Fruity and citrusy hops dominate the aroma. That's most of what I'm getting, but I like it. Definitely a different take on the style.

T - The softness of the wheat set against the sharp hop flavors really stands out for me on this beer. It's really different, and I really like it. I get a bit of caramel sweetness up front, and the bitter flavors come out more strongly as the beer slides back.

M - It does seem to be well carbonated, which gives the beer a nice prickly mouthfeel. It is on the lighter side of medium bodies, which I also like.

O - Overall, this was not what I was expecting, which was great. I really really liked this beer, and it is probably my favorite of the Lagunitas beers that I have tried.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 23:32:30 | More by lawlerj

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

355ml bottle poured into tulip 20/5/13

A clear golden liquid with lots of bubbles throughout, large three finger head has great retention with a thick film at the bottom even after I drank all the liquid, a couple thick rings followed by continuous lace to the bottom, were off to a great start

S tropical punch going on here, tangerine, pineapple, apricot, and some peaches work well with pine, hard toffee and a little dry cereal is the only evidence of wheat, just a little booze and lemon rind

T slightly more grains and slightly less tropical hops, lots of citrus and the pineapples candied, pines stronger and although its very tasty the nose had just a little sumpin over it

M a nice bitter snap, a little gritty on the gums, not too heavy and not as many bubbles as I would guess from looking at it but that still leaves lots of life, piney rind and cereal linger on the finish

O I didn't mind drinking a solid IPA when I thought I was going to drink a wheat beer, hopped right up and I guess I shouldn't be surprised knowing who brewed it

I suppose this is one way to brew the best of a style, hop the hell out of a beer with some wheat malt and try to pass it off as a "Pale Wheat Ale". However you brand this one its great and I'd buy it again in a flash

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 05:21:03 | More by wordemupg

JimKal

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Poured into a tulip with a nice amber-gold appearance. Delivered a nice two inch head that dissipated pretty quickly but left behind some nice lacing.

S:Nice hoppy odor that lasted as long as the beer.

T: A really hop forward taste that was not as intense as the best IPAs but unlike any other wheat beer I've had. These hops linger and stand up well to a spicy chili that I was having with the beer.

M: Despite the hop bite it had the smoothness of a wheat beer. Really quite interesting.

O: I really liked this one and it will make a regular appearance in my beer lineup - particularly now that the hot weather has finally arrived.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 00:13:05 | More by JimKal

Immortale25

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Dogfish Spiegelau glass. Julian date 079....

A- Pours a light amber color with a full inch of off-white head that bears great retention time before slowly popping away to an 1/8 inch head. Semi-resilient lacing leaves a large ring behind on the glass.

S- Pungently aromatic hop aroma that's very citrusy and floral. Really quite awesome and one of the better bouquets on a Lagunitas beer which is saying a lot.

T- Medium-high grassy bitterness comes in along with a touch of wheat which is just enough to bring together the hoppy flavor profile. The bitterness lingers a bit but not too long and the alcohol is certainly noticeable but ends up being complementary overall.

M- A moderate hop bite and just a bit of sharpness from the booze. Medium carbonation and a body that's a bit on the lighter side.

O- One of my favorite Lagunitas beers. I always just assumed (as have many others) that it was an IPA because that's what it drinks like but lo and behold: it's a wheat beer and a damn delicious one at that.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 23:25:47 | More by Immortale25

Knuckles_Nuclear

Missouri

3.94/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Average head, which maintained. Plenty of lacing. Pours a beautiful deep golden color. The smell was understated. An interesting combination of fruity/hoppy flavor. The citrus fruitiness cuts the hoppy bitterness for a delicate balance that was quite drinkable. The 7.5% ABV was surprising. I was looking for a spring/summer ale to replace my beloved quads, and this just might fit the bill.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 00:03:58 | More by Knuckles_Nuclear

hopoilcrazy

Tennessee

3.91/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

See this all the time, thought I should finally try it

A - Not a lot of head, but what is there leaves a ton of lacing

S - Pretty crazy: biscuit, big red gum, cookie spices, raw flour, a lot of hop presence: getting citra and chinook big time. Obviously a great amount of wheat malt and maybe roasted pale malts

T - Wheat astringency, good amount of hoppy bitterness, some juicy hops. Big malts, big hops

M - Almost drying, like tap water with some implied astringency. Alcohol is very well hidden

Definitely gets points for originality. It definitely is a "little sumpin" cause I have no idea what just happened

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 06:30:12 | More by hopoilcrazy

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.99/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A- Transparent golden body with a frothy white head that leaves some lacing.

S- Lots of wheat and lots of piney hops with some grapefruit.

T- The wheat and the hops play very nicely off of each other. The beginning is a slightly sweet wheat presence with the piney and resiny hop flavors coming through in the middle. The finish has a very bitter taste with a hint of alcohol presence which is surprising because it is not as noticeable until the end.

M- Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Very drinkable for the ABV.

O- Very good beer that would be great if the alcohol was dialed back slightly.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 23:44:13 | More by stephenjmoore

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured out from the bottle a blonde yellow with a sustaining 3/4" head. Laces well for a pale wheat ale.

Remarkably spry Lagunitas hops in the nose. Grapefruit rind, green pineapple, maybe tart apricot, light pine, a dose of pale wheat malts, and just a whiff of nut flesh. Great nose for the style. Hoppy and bright.

Zippy citrus and tropical fruit hoppiness with pine and floral notes. Wheat malts are in the background, but they just allow the West Coast hop profile to blaze the trail. Some nutty yeast way back there behind IPA-level humulus and bitterness. Wants to clean up in the finish, but there's always a lot of tang in that nearly minty Lagunitas hop character. Light spiciness surfaces late and becomes a slight alcohol warmth; reminding me that this wheat ale is 7.5%.

Drinks charmingly. Bitternesd isn't actually all that massive. So smooth, but with that crisp bite of carbonation that smacks the tongue around. Faster than fast in drinkability.

An outstanding example of the style, if not too far out there. Like a wheat IPA. Lagunitas doing what Lagunitas does best.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 21:20:54 | More by thecheapies

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

4.16/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip.

A monstrous off-white head fills up the top half of my tulip with an initial pour. I may not have poured it that gently, but the head is proud and robust. A sheet of lace sticks to the glass as the head recedes to a 3 cm froth after a few minutes and leaves more lacing as I drink it. The beer itself is a transparent golden straw color.

The nose is fairly sweet, with honey, wheat, and pale malt notes blending with juicy hop notes, with the sweetness emerging as the victor. The combination gives off a little bit of a cotton candy note.

There is some pale malt sweetness and a bit of honey at the beginning of the sip. Right between the initial malt presence and a tidal wave of hops is a nice, uncut wheat flavor. It is a very nice segue between the malt sweetness and the lightness it entails and the acidity of the juicy hops. From then on, candied grapefruit, lemon, and apricot flavored hops rip through my taste buds. Somehow the hops seem to race for finish line and then stop on a dime for a crisp, clean finish. There is just a bit of residual bitterness that reminds me to take my next sip.

The carbonation is smooth and creamy, with a body that feels light and fluffy but with enough substance for the ABV as well. A nice juicy acidity closes out each sip, but there is not much of a residue after the sip is over.

This is an interesting combination of styles, and one that I would be happy to have a few times over the course of a day.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 00:44:00 | More by KickInTheChalice

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.11/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: A clear, crisp, dark hay color with good carbonation visible. A starch white half finger head that quickly dissipates to a thin film.

Smell: Sweet, flowery, some candied sugar and a small amount of hop presence.

Taste: This is delicious. It follows the nose in the best way possible. It is so smooth from beginning to end. The floral notes come out strong and the sweetness really keeps everything flowing. Delicious.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied but edging closer to medium. Good carbonation and is extremely soft, smooth, and drinkable.

Overall: This is my favorite from Lagunitas so far. Absolute gem.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 22:52:34 | More by alex_hart

STEELERFAN2390

Florida

4.95/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

this beer is fu**ing great ....its the perfect blend of a hopslam and a pliny without a fu**ing whale hunt and a price gouging...grab it if you can ,I pick it up at total wine for about 8.99 a 6er...well worth it if you like the lighter more powerful hoppy beers!!

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 23:15:01 | More by STEELERFAN2390

Bosoxfan20

Oklahoma

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A- Pours a clean golden with tons of carbonation bubbles flowing throughout. Fluff, 2 finger white head that sticks around forever. Wonderful lacing

S- Floral and citrus hops. Fresh flowers, grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine, slight pale wheat. Delightful hop profile. Another great smelling brew from Lagunitas.

T- Pale malt base gives way to strong hops and a fantastically bitter finish. Taste does a nice job of following nose. Smooth but also bitter. Different but delicious. Touch of pepper to go with the bitterness. A lot going on here.

M- Mid body. Very drinkable. Good carbonation with a warm finish that is just enough to warn you of the alcohol presence.

O- Sumpin' Sumpin' is sumpin' different and without a doubt an awesome beer. Really happy I got around to trying this one. One of the best American wheat beers I have ever had.

No bottled on date

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 02:09:37 | More by Bosoxfan20

smiga

New Jersey

4.41/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured into .5l cylinder class labeled Spaten.
Clear golden copper with tall white head. Modest retention and good lacing.

S: Sweet malt and spicy hop upfront with follow on complexities. The beach, boardwalk, tar, hops, pine needles, and oranges.

T: Pine, citrus, and a silo of malt/bready sweetness. A bit of fruit tea and citrus. Orange and a pine in the aftertaste. Nice finish. Great flavor arc. Powerful. Hoppy. A little tarry, sweat, and summer afternoon in a thin dress indeed.

M: Medium weight with medium carbonation. Good amount of dryness. Great finish. Significant, slight esters fruit and seriousness.

O: Great, well-rounded beer. A must try. Best I have had from Lagunitas. Tastes like 100 degree day in Petaluma.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 01:21:38 | More by smiga

DenverHopHead

Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Are you kidding me?! Lagunitas strikes again! This hopped up wheat ale is going to be my Summer drink of choice, I'm calling it now! Cali IPA meets a refreshing summer wheat, please! Gorgeous golden pour with thick foamy head that leaves impressive lacing up and down my Bull and Bush pint glass. Wow, this may surpass one of my other faves, also a Lagunitas (Sucks)!

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 00:50:51 | More by DenverHopHead

Louski

Pennsylvania

4.54/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

A: Pours a nice deep gold with a fingers worth of white, unstable head

S: Immediate smack of pine and citrus that lets you know you're in for a hoppy delight

T: Bright and vibrant hoppiness with nice lemony undertones and followed by a smooth but supple bitterness that leaves you clean. Can't help but do a little pucker noise after

M: Clean on the tongue and leaves a hoppy footprint but not enough to completely wreck your pallet

O: The perfect beer for 90 degree summer heat. Can't beat the refreshing flavor combined an alcoholic punch that does its job without knocking you on your rear end.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 19:38:56 | More by Louski

microbrewlover

Pennsylvania

4.69/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

This brew pours with a thick three finger head which lasts for several minuets then dissipates into a think lacing which stays on the glass and covers the top of the beer until the end.

The smell is strong with hops, pine,(like a freshly cut Christmas tree), orange and grapefruit. There is also a wheat/yeast and toasted oats smell, probably from the malts. There is also a bubble gum like smell.

The taste follows the nose, the first thing to hit is the piney hops, followed by the orange and grapefruit. There is then a smoky/tobacco taste followed by a strong malt profile then toasted malts at the end. The brew does leave a dry taste in the mouth after swallowing.
The mouthfeel is thick, bready and chewy but also smooth. I am guessing that the smoothness comes from the wheat.

Overall this a pleasant find and Lagunitas has become one of my favorite breweries with this and other offerings. I would have thought this was an IPA if B.A. had not told me the true style. The wheat adds a sweetness and smoothness that is not normally present in an IPA(I keep thinking of this as an IPA). I will be picking up more of this.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 19:56:03 | More by microbrewlover

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.26/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from bottle into hill farmstead tulip. Pours a golden color with thick foamy head and lots of lacing. Lots of citrus and pine hop with a bit of malt in the background. Taste is hoppy citrus and pine with a huge malt backbone. ..more pine than citrus. There is a big obvious smooth wheat finish. Its super easy to drink...smooth as can be.
Really great brew but more of an IPA than a wheat ale...

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 00:54:52 | More by DrinkSlurm

barnzy78

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, pours a pale, golden-straw color with slight haze, nice rocky, white head holds good retention & leaves thick lacing on the glass. Juicy, fruity aroma, juicy fruit gum, tropical, mango, floral hop. It's tangy and a bit tart, tropical fruit, mango, mandarin, juicy fruit gum, mild bitterness on the clean finish. Medium body, nice carbonation allows flavors to meld on the palate. Overall, I always enjoy this hopped up version of an American Pale Wheat Ale. Really nice flavors here; perfect for summertime, but with the higher ABV it's less sessionable than most APWA's.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 12:40:58 | More by barnzy78

tronester

Oklahoma

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

A hazy dark golden in color. Aromas of various citrus fruits, and some pine cone. Taste begins with some apricot, then a bready middle, and a piney aftertaste. Mouthfeel is extra rich and creamy. Overall a quite strong, but quite good wheat beer. I assumed it was an IPA before I went to BA.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 23:50:17 | More by tronester

AltBock

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12oz. stubby bottle with a pin up girl standing up against the name of the beer. The beer's specifications are near the middle next to the girl. Like Lagunitas, the only piece of info missing is a bottled date or best before date. Poured into a Cigar City pint glass.

This version of Little Sumpin' poured a very clear and bright yellowish amber color. Kind of like a really pale honey color. It was so clear that you could read the newspaper through it. On top was a small less than 1/4 of an inch paper white head of foam. I thought it had good retention. It left behind a long lasting skim of foam and a few streaks of lace around the glass. I usually don't like beers you can see through, but I'll make an exception for this beer.

When the cap came off, out came a strong aroma of pine. At first I thought I was stepping into a pine forest. When it was poured, the pine settled and the bitter citrus hops and citrus fruits emerged. The citrus fruits consisted of bitter grapefruit, lemon, orange, and a little pineapple. After the citrus elements had their fun, the beer then finishes up with a drop of honey and a pinch of toasted wheat.

This beer starts off slow with the toasted wheat. Once it got that out of the way, the taste then kicks into full gear. That's where the taste goes dry and bitter. I was able to pick out a nice assortment of citrus fruits. I got bitter and tart grapefruit, lemon zest, orange peel, and a splash of tangerine. Intermingled with the citrus fruits was the bitter citrus hops. Nothing followed the citrus elements. They didn't want any other flavor to follow them.

This is an easily affordable nicely hopped Pale Wheat Ale. I liked this version of Little Sumpin' best. Would I drink it again. I would. It's not hard to find.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 00:26:31 | More by AltBock

jadpsu

Georgia

4.21/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

At my daughters in Red Bank, NJ.
Pours very clear pale amber with an all white head that has decent but not superior head retention.
Has a wheaty and clove aroma, along with strong aromatic hoppy scents.
Taste: Wheat and cloves take a back seat in the taste area. Hops of orange, pine, pineapple and grapefruit along with some roasty malts, for blance, take over.
Mouthfeel is quite pungent and a bit bready, as well as bitter and puckering. Good stuff here!
Don't find this a wheat. I don't care for wheats and this is a beer I like. Citrus hops dominate.
Crisp, clean- for me, came across as more of an IPA than a wheat.
I enjoyed this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 01:45:22 | More by jadpsu