Wilco Tango Foxtrot - Lagunitas Brewing Company

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BA SCORE
88
good
-
1,790 Ratings

rAvg: 3.94
pDev: 11.42%
Reviews: 761
Hads: 1029

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Brewed by:
Lagunitas Brewing Company

California, United States

Style | ABV
American Strong Ale | 7.83% ABV

Availability: Spring. bottle (685), on-tap (70), cask (5), growler (1).

Notes:
"Imperial Brown Ale" (not a style on BA).

View: Beers (56) | Reviews (44) | Events (0)

Reviews

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Reviews by jrenn:

jrenn

Kansas

4.5/5 rDev +14.2%

04-21-2012 19:28:25 | More by jrenn

More User Reviews:

dcloeren

Texas

4/5 rDev +1.5%

05-22-2013 20:10:20 | More by dcloeren

BigOldOaf

Massachusetts

4/5 rDev +1.5%

05-22-2013 02:59:25 | More by BigOldOaf

Lipsntoes

Ohio

3.75/5 rDev -4.8%

05-21-2013 23:19:16 | More by Lipsntoes

jl28r1

Texas

3/5 rDev -23.9%

05-21-2013 20:24:10 | More by jl28r1

seplo

Connecticut

3.5/5 rDev -11.2%

05-21-2013 17:48:01 | More by seplo

johntfox

Florida

3.75/5 rDev -4.8%

05-21-2013 17:47:20 | More by johntfox

Mikecap

Rhode Island

3.75/5 rDev -4.8%

05-21-2013 16:01:42 | More by Mikecap

Acuity

Michigan

3.75/5 rDev -4.8%

05-21-2013 03:52:54 | More by Acuity

California

4.21/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured out of a 22oz bottle into a tulip glass. Held onto this bottle longer than I should have, but it was finally opened recently. Review is from my notes.

Pours a darkened, deep amber reddish color complete with a ridiculous amount of head, that rises four fingers high in the tulip. Carbonation streams across the edges of the glass, although even as it dies down the head never truly does - a half finger remained on top the entire time. TONS of lacing coats the walls here, almost to the point of foamy, frothy thickness that was out of control but pretty awesome overall. Very viscous and syrupy. This is a big beer here indeed.

The aroma is pretty damn intense here, consisting of plums, cherries, caramelized brown sugar, piney, citrusy hop residue, and a huge boozy, stinging sensation from the alcohol. I definitely expected this to be slightly menacing, but the alcohol sting definitely was too much for me at one point. The caramel malty, lightly roasted character is at an all time high here, and combined with the resinous, piney flavor, it's almost like a strong black IPA, or typical American strong ale like AB, except in some ways it's nothing like either. Can't put my finger on it - is it the caramelized brown sugar? The sweetened currants that show up later on? This isn't sweet as it may sound, but it's very intense. Sometimes in ways that is pretty riveting, and sometimes simply cloying.

The flavor is luckily not as strong on the booze, although the syrupy, fruity, sweetened, pine-laden flavors all follow together. Right at the front, there's an instant citrus profile melded with plums, slight raisins, and bit of dried pine hoppiness. Afterwards, the hops settle, eventually being replaced by the toasted, malty flavor and then intertwined with herbs of all kinds, from rosemary to clove to basil. The finish is sweetened with the currants and plums, and is superbly dry. This is most definitely a sipping beer based on the large flavor profile that changes over time, although the lack of alcohol in the body (other than way at the end of the finish) makes this a deadly choice indeed. Carbonation is good. Body is syrupy, very astringent on the tongue, but by no means difficult to drink. It took us some time to finish it off, but it was well worth it.

This takes their other strong ales and puts them right in the basket for me. At the price of $4, this is a ridiculously difficult offer to beat. It's all over the place in terms of flavors, and at times is a little intimidating to finish, but it has tremendous shelf life and definitely could reduce any heat over time, but it also would reduce the forward citrus/pine hop profile going on here as well. I enjoy it fresh, although some time sitting around as settled a lot of the intensity. Great stuff yet again from Lagunitas.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:58:05 | More by magictacosinus

swanson45

North Carolina

4.75/5 rDev +20.6%

05-21-2013 02:16:31 | More by swanson45

CrazyEasyBartender

Maryland

4/5 rDev +1.5%

05-20-2013 15:59:48 | More by CrazyEasyBartender

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.53/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

22oz bottle from Sprayberry Bottle Shop (Marietta, GA). 4.99. No bottling date. Served in a Sweetwater snifter.

Pours tea brown with a half finger of pale head. Very little lacing.

Smells of citrus hops and a bit of caramel malt.

Taste follows the nose. Citrus rind, pine, caramel malt, mild nuttyness and slight toffee. A little nip of booze towards the finish.

A tad oily, medium thin body with moderate carbonation. Short, dry, bitter pine toffee aftertaste.

A solid offering but far from outstanding. Neither hoppy nor malty enough to fully commit to being either. Still a tasty occassional buy.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 00:42:16 | More by ThickNStout