Lucky 13.alt - Lagunitas Brewing Company

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

a beautiful clean amber pour with 2 fingers of head which quickly dissipated though left behind great amounts of lacing. nice retention, as well. smells very malt heavy.. mainly caramel, molasses, slight floral hops. the taste is kind of bready up front, with a nice malty sweetness.. nothing too special really, but definitely tasty. just a boozed up amber ale really. medium body, nice carbonation, creamy on the lips.

a great beer for the value but i believe there's so much going on here in complexity that it all ends up blending together and you don't even realize it.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 02:24:03 | More by facundoCNB

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A nice twist on their already excellent Lucky 13. Pours a honey color with superior lacing. It's got a noticeably citric taste with a nice hop bite. The alcohol starts sneaking into the picture after a few ounces, but not in a way that makes it hard to handle. Never theless, it is strong and I found myself perfectly drunk downtown on a hot summer's day thanks to a bomber of this. An odd afternoon to be sure, but mostly another great beer from Lagunitas.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 19:56:01 | More by TheRealBigC

Lordquackingstic

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz. bomber served in a snifter.

A: Very clear honey yellow with noticeable carbonation. Very spectacular lacing.

S: Tropical fruit candy and sweet malts. Smells amazing.

T: Very citrus forward with lots of hop juiciness, but with just enough malt to balance it all together very nicely. I'm not getting the "Imperial Blonde" taste at all, but that's okay because this is still awesome.

M: Medium carbonation with a long, tingly and fruity finish.

O: Another home run for Lagunitas in my books. I hate buying bombers, but Lagunitas makes them super affordable, and this one is definitely worth the $4.99 I paid for it.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 02:32:54 | More by Lordquackingstic

CHADMC3

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a rich copper body beneath the foamy light tan head that gives way to a scattered sticky lacing.

Aromas of friuity citrus hops float from the glass with a light toasted malt to compliment. As it warms the spicy wood hops appear as well.

Quite a diverse hop character highlights the flavor, part citrus fruit and part warm spices. The fruit notes seem to be a cross of pineapple,, grapefruit and apricot. It really sweetens up as it warms.

Medium to full in body with generous carbonation and a warn, drying finish.

I like the Lagunitas description of an extra pale ale moreso than American strong, but this is a tasty beer regardless.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 02:08:35 | More by CHADMC3

barnzy78

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle, pours pale amber/copper with a fluffy off-white head that holds good retention and leaves excellent chunky lacing down the glass. Aromas are fruity, grapefruit rind, floral hops, caramely malt, toasted grain. Tastes are juicy grapefruit, pineapple, mango, tropical, biscuity, finishes slightly bitter. Mouth-feel is medium bodied, smooth, ample carbonation. Overall, I was disappointed to see they changed Lucky 13 from a red to a blonde, but this beer is exceptional either way! Excellent balance, excellent complexity, fresh and vibrant.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 15:42:44 | More by barnzy78

leaddog

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance- Pours an amber colour with 2 fingers width of bubbly white head.

Smell- Piney hops, citrus, tropical fruits, caramel, malts

Taste- Pretty much get everything from the aroma.This brew is nicely balanced between hops and malts. Finishes dry with slight lingering bitterness. Quite well done.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied with light carbonation. A pleasant smoothness.

Overall- Happy 13th anniversary Lagunitas. These guys never disappoint. A brew that is well executed and balanced. Defnitely worth trying and getting a bottle of.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 04:31:04 | More by leaddog

threeviews

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a tulip glass.

A- Pours a hazy, golden orange with a 1-2 finger head. Nice presentation

S- Sweet...carmamel malt and piney, citrusy hops in equal amounts. One of the most well balanced American strong ales I have ever experienced.

T- Sweet malt, pine resin and citrus all in concert. Although a hop-forward beer (as most Lagunitas offerings are), the recipe allows all of the particulars to shine. It is as much malt-forward as it is hops-forward. Really great stuff!

M- On the lighter side of heavier bodied. Although the hops do their part to beat down the malt, the malt is still quite present in the taste and mouthfeel...but never in an overwhelming capacity.

O- Coming from me, another killer brew from Lagunitas...a brewery that 'can do no wrong' and definitely worth searching out. After this, I've got to revist Undercover Shutdown, as I haven't had it over a year...

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 23:51:07 | More by threeviews

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Split a 22 oz poured into a lagunitas mason jar

A: pouts a clear, slightly orange golden with a fingers worth of slightly off white head, beautiful lacing, you can watch the small carbonation bubbles trudging upward through the glass... Beautiful beer.

S: citrus, orange, pineapple, passion fruit, the nose is a bit underwhelming here, not in that it smells bad, it smells like tropical fruity hop deliciousness, the aroma is just a bit the mild
Side.

T: is much more aggressive then the nose, bitter pine mixed with sweet caramel malt backbone, blending into a beautiful hoppy citrusness, mango, passion fruit, pinneapple, yum

M: medium bodied, slick and oily, with low/medium carbonation, just enough to keep it slightly crisp on the finish, and prevent it from being to viscous, it has a beautiful sweet citrus and light caramely pine aftertaste.

O: this is delicious, beautiful use of hops an malts, everything is deliciously rounded and well balanced, deffinatly grab one of these when you get a chance.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 23:40:39 | More by PeterIngemi

wvsabbath

West Virginia

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving Type - 22oz bottle

Appearance - Golden tan/burnt orange, nice 2 inch fomay head and lots of sticky lacing.

Smell - Lots of fruity hops, spices, yeasts, carmal malts, also the classic bready/earthy aroma at the end.

Taste - As i was expecting, very hop forward. Lots of sweet fruits like mango, peach, orange and grapefruit. There is a nice mix of peppery spices along side the carmal malts and warmth of alcohol to keep this from being a ipa. Has a slight bready, biscuit feel near the finish.

Mouthfeel - Big strong and hoppy that hits tounge. Spices and alcohol warm mouth up. Palate gets more hops, malts, spices and alcohol. The aftertaste is malty, warm and dry.

Overall - Tasty, and flavor-wise offers a little bit of everything. A little more like a hopped up strong ale, has good balance, and not overly sweet. Very affortable price, and a quailty beer, worth a drink for sure.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 23:47:11 | More by wvsabbath

ElCommodoro

Texas

1.83/5  rDev -54.6%
look: 5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Poured a lovely orange colour, but anything good I have to say ends there. It smelled like a pine forest that just had all of it's bark gashed open with pine sap dripping out. It tasted like more of the same. It had some sweet characteristics, but was mostly just astringent and pine-like. Anything else that would have been present was completely masked by the pine-flavoured hops and the astringency. This stuff was terrible.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 06:07:02 | More by ElCommodoro

imasloth

Texas

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Golden in light, orangey away from it. Nice, retentive head the color of peach ice cream (a peach-tinted white). Steady stream of carbonation. Sticky, but sparse lacing.

S- Extremely fruity- peach and mango. Sweet.

T- Bitter and fruit hops with a saltiness (?-got same thing from another Lagunitas I had that day so maybe it's a brewery thing for me) ...

M- Nice light body, very smooth- even velvety.

O- Good. Distinct flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 16:55:48 | More by imasloth

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark gold with a decent foamy white head and some lace.

Some big pine hop notes here, and some toasted grain, some tropical fruit notes. Pine dominates, and is pure sensory overkill.

Nice brew. Big hoppy piney bitterness up front; some grapefruit rind; some fruit to balance, but really get the grain and malt. You also get a sense of the alcohol, but the hops come in and hide it well. Finishes with resinous bitterness that is pleasant. Slightly off balance, but not much.

Fuller bodied, and just right carbonation.

Overall, very pleasant. Nice tasty version of the style. Minor flaws are just that.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 00:11:13 | More by OtherShoe2

smakawhat

Maryland

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

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.

Really nice body color here. Crystal clear, and amber bronze and orange glowing. Rising carbonation of small pinhead size, and producing a nice big three finger off white fluffy head with lots of retention. Very inviting.

Nose is great. Toasty sweet caramel and brown sugar, clean smelling citrus hops, really nicely balanced with a big malt forward presence. Smells delicious.

Tasty toasty light rolling malts, with a thick sweetness. Not too syrupy but just a little. Finishes with a muted sweetness and a slow burried hop bitterness. Feel doesn't seem heavily carbonated but no complaints as the malt is nicely big but in control.

Taste wise it's solid and not mind blowing, but I love everything else about this beer they did a great job on this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 18:31:34 | More by smakawhat

arizcards

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a bomber in early June from Total Wine for $3.99. Bomber received at TW on 5-30-12. Am assuming this was bottled in May.

Beer poured orange with a nice white head that is leaving a foamy lacing behind.

Nose is fresh citrus hops.

Taste is bready and pilsner malts with citrus hops finishing strong.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and decently carbonated.

Overall this is a pretty good DAPA.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 01:16:38 | More by arizcards

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 22 oz. bottle into a Surly Darkness Chalice.

Appearance: Pours a deep and clear copper orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. About three fingers of off white head which slowly fade into a thin creamy layer. Leaves some nice lacing on the glass.

Smell: Quite hoppy with a solid malt presence. Lots of tropical citrus hops with hints of grapefruit, mango, orange, pineapple, apricot, and lemon. Also a light whiff of earthy, spicy hops. Solid hints of bready malts with good hints of biscuit and caramel. This is very forward with the citrus fruits.

Taste: Like the smell, a big and bold taste of citrus fruits along with a solid bready malt backing. Bitter and ripe citrus hops upfront with notes of grapefruit, mango, pineapple, orange, apricot, and lemon. Light taste of earthy hops. Citrus is dominate here. Good bready malt taste with some biscuit and caramel. Pretty juicy and good.

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavy feeling body with a moderate level of carbonation. Creamy, juicy, and very smooth. Finishes fairly dry. Alcohol is hidden pretty well.

Overall: Another very solid brew from Lagunitas. Very good citrus hop taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 05:31:20 | More by MattyG85

Lawl3ss

Texas

3.8/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Lightly chilled 22 oz. bomber into an imperial shaker pint. Bottling date reads May 1st.

Look- Clear pale amber with four fingers of soapy foam. Good retention, plenty of lace.

Smell- Citrus and vanilla, very fresh, light, floral, some pepper, a little sweetness. Crusty bread comes out as it warms, and agitation brings out more lemon. Very nice. When I say fresh, it's rather like opening a vacuum packet of Simcoe or something, it smells *fresh*.

Taste- More restrained than the aroma indicates. 75+ IBU? Wouldn't know it. Mango, pine, apricot, nutty malt; almost juicelike but not quite. Finishes pretty clean, just a hint of grass and Italian bread.

Mouthfeel- Medium-full body, smooth carbonation. Dry finish, no hint of alcohol. Easy drinking for the style.

Overall- Alright, but something of a letdown after the aroma. Booze is under wraps, but so is just about everything else- it's not bad by any means, but very plain. Fine enough, but in the end, it's a pretty generic Lagunitas brew. I'd probably pass on it in favor of one of their other fine offerings with more punch.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 04:08:54 | More by Lawl3ss

dmatsui

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz bombadier into a tulip. Hazy orange reminiscent of Hefe, little to no head that dissipated fairly quickly. Alcohol legs are definitely present, as I would expect from an 8.8. Overal very pretty, tight clean carbonation.

So many complexities in the nose. At first you get the butterscotch, biscuity malt which is pleasantly sweet and slightly toasty without overshadowing the hops. As would be expected of anything from Lagu-fukin-nitas, the hops are definitely forward. A nice swirl brings out the sweet, summery amarilllo hops with a definite touch of chinook. There are hints of honeydew, clove, grass and citrus. There is a dank presence here as well. Not as much hop spice in the nose; perhaps it will be revealed in the taste.

The nose definitely provides for an accurate foreshadowing of the flavor. Big Amarillo hops, huge sweet citrus hops, pine, honeysuckle, and grapefruit (I know, typical.) What makes this beer different is the wild imbalance of the hop:malt ratio, which as a west coast IPA fanatic I really enjoy. The sweet malt base provides JUST enough support for the hops to really shine. Again, not much hop spice, but very forward in the honey-like characteristics. Not much alcohol presence.

The mouthfeel is surprisingly resinous and oily. With the amount of bittering hops they threw into this brew, you would think the finish would be very dry. However, this is NOT a dry beer. The oils and sugars make for a really nice mouthfeel, with a refreshing tight carbonation.

Overall, this is another winner from Lagu-Fukin-nitas. Lucky 13.alt (blonde) is definitely a nice summer ale, although maybe not a sesionable as one would want out of a summer beer. However, the sweet honey characteristics of the hops make this a unique brew and are reminiscent of summer foliage. Definitely worth a try if you like anything from this fukin' brewery, or are simply ready to try a delectably off-balanced, hop raging, sweet and unique summer brew.

One note: I'm not sure why this is under the category of ASA... I'm thinking west coast diipa.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 03:38:24 | More by dmatsui

rajendra82

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The amber colored body was clear, and the head was foamy, and two fingers thick. The aroma was laden with tropical fruits like papaya, mango, and guava. The taste was not quite as sweet as the aroma hinted at. I got a more bittersweet, bready taste, rather than the tropical blast. The alcohol was warm and up front. The body was medium thick and somewhat astringent. This was a nice IPA/DIPA, but somewhat more interesting malt choices would have improved the beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 03:24:16 | More by rajendra82

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz Bomber into mason jar.

Look is a pale yellow orange with rising bubbles and a frothy head. Smell is light earthy hops, light malt, grain, grass, touch of lemon and spice. Bitter citrus hops up front, sweet ripened fruit, alcohol, grassy finish. Drinks like a higher ABV IPA(~7%), not a stong ale; i.e. lighter feel. Sweetness in the middle is mildly cloying, finishes pleasantly bitter.

Overall, it's very well made and tasty, just doesn't leave much of an impression. Not disappointed that it's a one-off. Maybe I'm being harsh, I did enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 00:39:43 | More by jimmah120

kojevergas

California

3.45/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

OG 1.085. IBU 60. 1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a conical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average; I've had some pretty good beers from Lagunitas.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger head of beige colour, hardly any cream, bad thickness, and merely average retention. Colour is a clear copper-orange. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. The brewers call it "auburn", which might be strange if they didn't also apply the wrong usage of "it's". Rest assured, they're wrong on both counts.

Sm: Bittering hops with a piney floral character. Grapefruit citrus esters. Clean malts. Hops are dominant. A moderate strength aroma.

T: Hoppy - with bitterness punching through on the climax to its detriment. Until that point, the pine and floral qualities obscure the bitterness. Tame grapefruit. Clean malts provide the simple unobtrusive foundation. This beer lets its hops shine, but over-relies on them for flavour. No yeast or alcohol comes through. A complicated beer within the style, but not particularly complex or subtle (and I'm drawing a big distinction betwixt 'complicated' and 'complex'). It's a pleasant little brew. I do like it, but it's far from perfect. A touch imbalanced.

Mf: Oily. Nicely smooth and wet. A touch too heavy on the palate for the lack of diverse or deep flavour. Good thickness. Maybe the best aspect of this beer.

Dr: A drinkable little brew. American Strong Ale seems like a weak categorization. I'd get this on-draught, but otherwise it's somewhat forgettable. Hides its ABV quite well. Lagunitas fans would do well to try it, but it doesn't impress.

High B-

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 02:47:45 | More by kojevergas

N3rdM3t4l

Oregon

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brown bomber into standard pint served fridge temp.

A: bright clear golden almost orange. a finger of head that fell into a nice cap and ring leaving good lacing.

S: Orange and malt. Good citrusy hops. smells refreshing.

T: Long hops flavor that starts citrusy becomes grassy and ends with a bitter twang. Opens sweet from the malt and when paired with the orange notes is really good. This is a good sipping beer for sure.

M: perfect mouthfeel for the flavor profile. A little thick but really smooth. Makes sipping on it easier to do and sometimes too easy for an 8.9% beer

O: Good beer, well worth whatever it was I paid for it (like $4 or something). Would be really good with some smoke in the air while working the grill/smoker in the heat. Summer brew victory for Lagunitas.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 19:19:24 | More by N3rdM3t4l

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On Tap at TJ'S Everyday in Paoli, PA, (hey, that rhymes)

I missed this guy last year when it came out. I saw it on the shelves and on tap all over but did not indulge, glad to see it back. In the tulip glass Lucky 13.alt looks light amber in color with some faint sunset orange in the mix. It's not exactly blond looking, the skim of foam on top was off white and sparse, minimal lace.

Smell on this sucka was pungent with florals, a dash of perfume. A bready yeast base with some caramel poking out. The hops are there but subdued, less so than a regular lucky. I guess the yeast strain used is English or German in origin, based on the alt in the name. Some orange pokes through with faint pine with warming.

With being 8.9%, the alcohol is incredibly hidden. Not a bitter beer, the hops are earthy with some slight pine and orange. I get some caramel in the middle with some butterscotch. The yeast brings out a biscuit flavor that really sticks and hits the spot. Basically, a less hoppy version of 13 with different yeast. Imperial Blond Ale, yes, I kind of see it.

Feel on lucky 13 is a medium build and is not to thick. It's easy to take down and not overly sweet and not boggled down with malt. This one is good for a go.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2012 17:22:58 | More by onix1agr

jsprain1

Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours a dark dull honey color with a thin off white head that stays at a slick but still leaves lots of lacing.
S- The aroma is sweet citrus. The best description I have is candied grapefruit.
T- More of the same here. The citrus flavors are big and bold. There is a certain candy sweetness to it as well. The alcohol is slightly noticable.
M- A bit light for style and abv. There is a certain oily characteristic to it.
O- A good and very tasty beer. Worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2012 23:16:49 | More by jsprain1

mscudder

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked this up after having it a few nights back. Had to review it!

A - Wow this is bar none the worst aspect of the brew. Its almost translucent with a light amber tint. A fair sized pale head, lead to me think this was a mistake...

S - Lots of juicy hops hit the nose.There are a few subtle notes of citrus and just a pinch of pine.

T - This is this a fantastic brew! Juicy mango, pineapple and grapefruit attack the palette and recede smoothly. Leaves you wanting more (thankfully it came in a bomber!). For the ABV this is truly astonding, I cannot detect any at all beyond a little warmth.

M - A light to medium body with perfect carbonation to compliment the ale.

T - Lagunitas does it again with this fine strong amber ale. I can say without hesitation I will return to this many times over at a measly $4 a bottle. Bravo!

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 04:31:42 | More by mscudder

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On tap at Tylers in Durham (kind of wished Censored was on, but this was a good substitute). Bright golden body with a tight white head. The smell is, just well fantastic. My first thought was dank, but I get some nice pineapple and mango notes as well from the hopes.

At first the taste was all hops (dank and citric), but it gets more sweet and bitter as you progress through the beer. I like how the dank flavors and mango/pineapple work together. Theres so much going on upfront and late, that I almost had trouble finishing it. Too much going on to drink it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2012 19:39:08 | More by VncentLIFE