Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga Substitute Ale - Lagunitas Brewing Company

dbmernin83

California

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

My 100th review. Guess it's fitting that's it's a one-off IPA.
A very crisp clean golden, awesome rings of lace
Crisp clean hops with that signature Lagunitas malt profile adding a touch of sweet behind the big hops.
Decent carbonation. On the lighter side of medium.
It's ok Lagunitas, I don't think you suck.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2011 09:20:37 | More by dbmernin83

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.95/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Draft at Friscos.

Clear golden color with a white head; ample lacing. Heavy citrus aroma with light floral hops; fairly sweet. Grapefruit and pineapple sugary sweetness from the start and throughout over a light caramel malt body and a mild resin bitter finish. Fairly simple, a little sweet, a little boozy and medium bodied. Ok, so I don't get the love for this other than the price. It tastes like any other Lagunitas IPA, which I typically don't enjoy. Happy to drink this fresh, but I'm pretty sure my pint at Friscos cost more than a 6 pack of it does (so maybe that's why I'm...wait for it...bitter).

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2011 02:13:26 | More by yourefragile

Heavenisbeer

Georgia

4.38/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Dark golden body, thin head that retains, and some very light lacing. Very light carbonation as well.

S: Deep forest pine, bright citrus notes, and some cat urine.

T: Wow! Such a divergent AIPA flavor. Has that bright and colorful citrus blast, but with an prickly pine backing, a sprinkle of onion, and a toasted hop (there are really no malt flavors, yet a toasted center) backend. Excellent.

M: Medium carbonation, lightly syrupy, and a sweet hoppy finish.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 00:40:19 | More by Heavenisbeer

Cstromberg57

New Hampshire

4.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Ralphs66 - sent as an extra in a trade.

A - pours golden with a slight head that last only for a moment.

S - definite citrus aroma, smells clean and fresh.

T - Great!! Tastes as it smells, citrusy, full of flavor.

M - not overly carbonated, very light, crisp.

O - Excellent! This beer has not been overhyped at all.

I am going to have to get some more. Can't wait to share the other bottle that I got.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 00:22:44 | More by Cstromberg57

khiasmus

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

You have to wonder if the cord will break. Not just like those little two-or three-person cars at the state fair, there is such a monstrous load on this thing. The white continues to cascade down from the sky, leaving a lot of sticky-looking spots on the windows as you gaze at the black spots in the white drifts below. You look up. You can almost taste and smell the summit now. Yes, that must be it. Unmistakeable.
A lurch and jerk and everyone clutches their belongings. the veterans pretend not to be worried, like the businessmen in heavy turbulence on an airplane who stare straight ahead and pretend that their nerves are not rattled to the core with the thought of falling so many thousand feet and meeting their maker.
The clack-clack-clack of another pole holding up this monstrosity and you begin to feel your knuckles clenching and unclenching as you wonder to yourself why you are such a glutton for punishment. You close your eyes. The summit again, with it's distinctive almost green-onion, combining beautifully with a tropical malt note, a huge bitterness, some grapefruit and lemongrass-covered candied pineapple wrapped in grapefruit rind and drizzled with that delicious thin honey that they used to sprinkle atop those delicious honey-buns...
It grinds to a halt. You must have been dreaming again. You toss back the remainder of the golden nectar in your lace-covered glass, and grab your skis. It is a long way down.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 00:20:48 | More by khiasmus

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a tulip glass.

Pours a crystal clear copper, with ¾ finger sized head of bright-white froth. This maintains a rich ½ fingers worth of foam, which quickly slides down the sides of the glass, leaving back a very light amount of spotty lacing. The aroma is sharp in the nose as grapefruit and pine are funneled up the nostrils with a fresh floral feel. Some sweeter feeling tropical fruit and grainy notes mingle on the edges of the nose and just barely keep that aggressiveness in check. The alcohol here really gives those hops some pop!

The taste is very similar to the aroma, with zesty grapefruit and resins ripping across the tongue. While tropical and herbal tones attempt to smooth out the edges of this and the grainy sweetness of the malts give this just enough balance, those hops finish this HARD, with a dry aggressiveness that sticks pith and pine to the tongue that is hard to shake. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and quite sharp on the tongue where those hops sit, while more of a creamy slickness fills out the edges of the mouth and attempt to make this about as easy feeling as it can under the circumstances. The alcohol does show itself some here and really strengthens those assertive hops quite a bit.

I’ll bet this beer drank great back in November but I wouldn’t know since Maryland didn’t get this beer in stock until just last week. It’s a shame to, as you could definitely feel the potential to but the age as really enabled those hops and alcohol to turn this into a warm, dry, piney, and bitter bomb of an IPA that wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as it should have been. Ah well, maybe we’ll get the Holiday Leftovers Ale in a more timely manner.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 20:04:41 | More by Kegatron

Hoagie1973

New York

4.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours gold with a paper thin fizzy white head that's gone in a flash.

Hop bouquet is amazingly fruity and sweet. Took a minute just to enjoy the smell before taking a sip. Literally never had a beer that smelled this fresh & fruity in the hop department.
Flavor has the same fresh hop taste that's in the nose. Grapefruit, grapefruit, grapefruit. Nothing harsh or bitter about the hops whatsoever, just fruity and flavorful.
Only lacking in the malt department, but it's not really missed.
Body is light and crisp.
Alcohol isn't even noticed. Dangerously drinkable for 7.85%
Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 18:40:02 | More by Hoagie1973

Nugganooch

California

4.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First came across this fantastic brew on tap at Track 84 in Warwick RI (right by the TF Green airport) a few weeks ago. Was on business travel, read some great reviews on the place and man BA’s were spot on. There I was, a Cali native drinking yet another great Cali West Coast IPA for the first time at some New England dive. Hooked off of one sip. Had to track this down upon my return.

Christmas Day Consumption - the last of my 6er
12oz bottle w/ Pint glass

A: Pours a clear golden straw color that looks super light and bubbly leaving a small frothy white topping. Med retention with some specks of lace.

S: Aroma is killer with hops. Uber catty as fresh hop pellets. Spikes of grapefruit and tropicals. Smells so good. Begging me for sips.

T: Taste is crazy fresh hoppiness too. Pungent and catty on the palate. Super fruity with grapefruit zest, bitter melon, and guava. Malt holds a slight sugary sweetness but is practically nonexistent. Definitely not of the maltier Lagunitas standards. So tasty fresh and hoppy!

M: Super light body. A touch creamy with a nice light dry crisp finish.

D: Way too easy to drink. Was a bit better fresh on tap compared to the bottle version but still an awesome IPA either way.

Merry Effen Christmas to me! Actually this one was loved by all I shared with. Definitely looking for more and/or the re-release.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 18:29:59 | More by Nugganooch

jegross2

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Re-reviewing the Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company. Finally got a FRESH bottle.
Score: 92

Bottled 12/30/11 and served in a snifter glass. Enjoyed 01/19/12.

Appearance: Pours a transparent/translucent golden-orange with two fingers of white, soapy-foam head that really sticks around. Excellent lacing that sticks to the side of the glass like glue. A few minutes later, there is still a half finger of head. Excellent lacing. 4.5/5

Smell: Zesty meyer lemons, grapefruit and honey. Floral hops and a little maltiness. Some sweet citrus too. Very fresh and intense if you take deep whiffs. 4.5/5

Taste: Dry, piney and bitter. Zesty oranges and tangerines with a light lemon bite. Lots of tropical fruit -- grapefruit, lemon, tangerine, lemon and pineapple. Some bittersweet hoppy maltiness on the mid-palate. Very dry, slightly bitter finish and lingering orange peel. Very fresh and hoppy. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus bodied, medium carbonation. Very dry, bitter finish. 4/5

Overall: A very solid aroma that delivers more in the nose than on the tongue. A bit overhyped in my opinion. Still a very solid brew worth seeking out and trying.

Recommendation: A delicious imperial IPA than can be enjoyed and appreciated by casual beer drinkers and beer geeks alike. If you are on the fence, try a single bottle at Woodmans.

Pairings: Caramelized onions and steak.

Cost: $9.99 for a six pack.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 08:11:07 | More by jegross2

ZPB

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared a bottle with brother after a long day of holiday partying (love the brie and pear tarts George).

Poured a golden, VERY clean liquid with hardly any foamy head at all. Very little foam sticking to the glass.

Smell is strongly hoppy - some citrusy and flowal aromas. Mangos and a hint of sweet orange.

Taste matches the smell. Bright hops hit the tongue immediately. A citrusy hoppy bouquet for the mouth.

Mouth is full with a nice dry finish.

Overall this is a delicious beer that I would purchase and drink again.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 04:58:55 | More by ZPB

westy66

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

got this on tap at Deagan's in Lakewood Ohio. pours a nice orange/amber color with a little head. i LOVE me imperial ipa's and this one didnt disappoint. it hits you with hops, but that distinctive taste of an imperial finishes it off. lots of citrus, but not too bitter.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2011 17:06:05 | More by westy66

Scotchboy

Idaho

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

From notes, sampled 12/22.

Lagunitas Sucks, on-tap @ Gernikas, Boise ID. Served in a pint glass.

A: Crystal clear golden color, with tons of white lace that recedes slowly and covers the glass. Love the way this beer looks.

S: Awesome hoppy bouquet; grapefruit, mango, tangerine, very tropical...mint, pine sap, bready malt too, but the hops shine

T: Great taste, herbal and piney, pithy, lots of orange, candy sweetness, biscuity malt dryness.

MF: Prickly from the bitterness but smooth in the overall body, light medium feel, lots of hoppy dryness.

O: One of my favorites. Glad I found it on tap. This baby is all about the hops, and is pretty unique in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2011 15:16:38 | More by Scotchboy

HOPPYKC

Kansas

4.2/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Really don't think this is an imperial. Just had to get this of the bat. Now on with the review. This is an amazing brew. Nice color and carbonation. Crystal clear. Lots of carbonation. Fresh. Smell is nice; fruit, pineapple, orange, lemon, pine, a little close to most of the little sumpin' ales. Easy drinker. A great seasonal but overall with the release being winter the brown sugga' has a fuller and warmer feel. I would be happy to have this on the line up all year long. Great beer. But brown sugga' is better with the colder weather.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 07:18:29 | More by HOPPYKC

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Having on draft at the union brewhouse.

Appearance: one inch head reduced to a thin layer and slight lacing. Very clear orange with slight signs of carbonation. More lacing as the beer was drank.

Smell: super citrus and piney notes. Very pungent tangerine and grapefruit. Sweet, sweet caramel and toffee notes.

Taste: citrus way up front, pine and sweet malts in the rear. Malts balance out the hops nicely in this beer.

Mouthfeel: smooth, full bodied, medium carbonation, deliciously smooth.

Overall: a very nice Double IPA. Now I can understand all the good things people were talking about. I will be enjoying more of this in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2011 05:52:22 | More by Flounder57

djbreezy

Washington

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

appearance - transparent and golden, exceptional lacing, moderate retention

smell - floral and citrus, tropical hops

taste - floral hops are forward, some bite to it

mouthfeel - medium body, good even carbonation, dryness in the finish

overall - really enjoy this, the hop presence is excellent and the flavor profile shines on this

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 02:03:25 | More by djbreezy

EnemyWithin

Ontario (Canada)

4.4/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Lagunita Sucks. Bottle into Unibroue glass on Dec 10, 2011.

Appearance: 3.5
Clear golden yellow boady with thin white head, moderate lacing.

Smell: 4.5
Amazing dominate citrus qualities. Oranges, a little bit of lemon in the nose, tons of Grapefruit. Malt provides a slight sweetness to contrast strong aromatic hops.

Taste: 4.5
Starts with a combination of soft tropical flavours similar to the aroma, plus a moderate bitterness. Soft crystal malt adds nice sweetness. Finishes with a mild to moderate lingering bitterness and faint presence of citrus still detectable. Very tasty, but tends to be only citrus elements, but no significant pine in the hop profile. However, this is not a problem as the beer has such a delicious flavour to match its amazing aroma.

Mouthfeel: 4
Mild to moderate carbonation with a soft creaminess. Middle of the road sweetness/dryness with some astringency from the hops.

Overall: 4.5
Lives up to the hype. A great citrus forward IPA. For me, it has a lot of the characteristics I like in an IPA. A touch one dimensional in the hops profil, and the hops aren’t really enamel stripping. That being said, I find it incredibly easy to drink and I wish I could have it year round.
Must try, if fresh!

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 00:56:12 | More by EnemyWithin

StayWounded

North Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Great beer, had this at my favorite pub a few weeks ago on draft after I graduated college.

Very flowery IPA but still had a nice bitterness to it. I was very pleased. I had read a post on the message board about it and it lived up to hype.

I'm more of a stout/dark ale man, but this was fantastic. Definitely would get again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2011 23:52:34 | More by StayWounded

Billolick

New York

4.33/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Been enjoying this one quite a bit these past few weeks..nice Christmas gift from Lagunitas, never a real big fan of Brown Shugga anyway...this was first sampled on tap at the Birdsall House in Peekskill a few weeks ago, during their Lag. event, always good to see Trevor and share a few laughs.

On tap:

Pour lightly hazed yellowy amber, under an off white head, that leaves decent looking tongues of sticky lace. Nose is basted in hops of the minty variety.

Aggressively hopped in a distinctly fresh tasting west coast style. Hops are piney, minty and dare I say it “dank”, with further hoppy flavor waves of citrus shining through..yum

Sticky Icky Cali IPA, complexity added by emerging tropical fruit notes…believe it this is a might tasty and well worth seeking out hoppy brew. Well done

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2011 21:01:04 | More by Billolick

Giovacchini

California

4.75/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Lagunitas sucks holiday ale is a great Dipa. It has a beautiful smell of guava and it tastes like it smells. It has a clear amber appearance and has sticky syrupy mouthfeel. I grew up drinking Kerns guava juice and this beer has a very comforting effect on me. I am a big Pliny the Elder fan and Lagunitas does a wonderful job and I decided it is my second favorite DIPA after Pliny. I want Lagunitas to brew this beer year round and I am sure I am not the only person that wants that to happen. Since I have never had brown shugga this beer makes me want to call it Lagunitas rocks brown shugga permanent substitute. ( or at least that's what I am going to call it untill they rename it )

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 06:39:08 | More by Giovacchini

Jaycase

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a: light golden copper hue. visible carbonation. thin head dissipates quickly

s: citrusy (grapefruit) hops dominate the aroma.

t: Plenty of citrusy hops here as well. Getting some additional piney flavor

m: medium body, good carbonation. finishes slightly dry.

o: glad I was able to get obtain this. Solid 'mistake' by Lagunitas. Not overly hoppy - well balanced this. Very enjoyable. Highly recommended for IPA fans.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 04:06:21 | More by Jaycase

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, the perfect choice for your holiday six-pack needs (especially since at this time of year, I don't feel too put upon to blow 20 bucks on a half-dozen beer...). Party leftovers, shared now on Christmas, with my mom...and poured into her 'vintage' 1960's era Hamm's chalice - oh yeah!

This beer pours a clear, darkish golden colour, with one skinny finger of thin foamy off-white head, which leave a few updrafts of lace around the glass as it quickly abates. It smells of citrus cream and caramel malt, apricot and pineapple the most predominant aromas, with a twinge of pine essence slowly rising. The taste is sub-moderately bitter pine and citrus rind, soft caramel, almost bready malt, faint apricot/peach, a bit of musty weediness, and a distinct lack of any booze warming. The carbonation is moderate, but a tad prickly at times, the body a tepid medium weight, and pleasantly smooth. It finishes off-dry, the fruity hop sweetness more up front than any attendant dry bitterness.

Hoppy? You bet your mistletoe-adjacent ass. Bitter? Hardly at all - Scrooge himself seems to have wielded control over that particular item on this wish list. Anyways, a worthy mea culpa/marketing stunt, whatever, it's good, and way more approachable/poundable than I had been led to believe. Mom (she of the bitter beer face tendencies) said it wasn't bitter at all, and quite nice. Ah, it's a wonderful life...

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 04:07:39 | More by biboergosum

kbnooshay

New York

4.9/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I am so happy to acquired some of this. It is flying off the shelves here in Crotchfester NY.

Poured a clear golden orange color with with a one and a half finger width head that shrunk down within the minute.

The nose is a huge BLAST of tropical sweet fruity hop aromas! There is a dash of pine hop flavor in there too.

Taste is everything I could have hoped from in this beer. Bitterness is relatively low at 63 when you consider how much fresh n' juicy hop flavor is involved. Citrusy and fruity hops dominate with not much detectable malt flavor! That is fine by me. Such an amazing hop profile. This is better than the Pliny I had a month ago!

Feel is moderate to thick because its so sticky! There is a decent amount of carbonation to balance that out.

Theres no way they won't make this again. Amazing.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 03:37:42 | More by kbnooshay

dexterk1

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is a light amber color. Pours with a nice head that diminishes quickly.
Odor is very good. Smell of hops and slightly sweet. Some citrus as well.
Taste is above average but not much. Tastes of pine and pretty green. Some hops and slight spice notes. Sort of like a IPA, but is not all the way committed.
Mouth feel is good. Is not heavy and does not linger long. Overall a very solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 23:58:30 | More by dexterk1

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Wow, heck of a DIPA for being sub-8%—though I tend to like my hop bombs on the lighter side. The aroma is rich with a mix of rye and grassy citrus. The flavor opens with juicy, floral hop notes and progresses back to the spicier, grassy pine of the aroma. The malts, unlike in most DIPAs, provide a distinct, dry bready undertone to amp up the complexity. I gotta say, I really prefer this to BrownShugga'. Grab this up if you can find any more. It's sort of like Southern Tier's 2XIPA, but with an extra kick of malty goodness.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 23:44:01 | More by tempest

larryi86

Delaware

4.33/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle dated Dec. 5th poured into a snifter

A- A clear bright golden copper with a one finger white head.

S- Very hoppy, pine, tropical fruit/mango, citrus, just a lot of hops.

T- Like the nose, lots of hops. Piney finish with some earthy and floral hops, good amount of citrus and tropical hops, not getting too much of a malt backbone, very good.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- This beer does not suck, it is a really nice hoppy IIPA that is easy to drink. Very happy that it finally made its way to Maryland and I was able to get a six pack, definitely will pick up more if it is still around.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 21:57:19 | More by larryi86