Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga Substitute Ale - Lagunitas Brewing Company

DarthKostrizer

California

4.3/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Look: Orangish yellow in color with a 1/2+ inch head and great retention

Smell: Very strong hop aroma. Lots of floral, pine and resin on the nose

Taste: Based on the nose the flavor is a bit of a let down. Still has the good hop flavor but just a tad bit muted compared to the nose

Mouthfeel: Just under a medium body and mildly carbonated and slightly bitter

Overall: A very good dipa especially for the price and availability to me. This one just lacked just a touch in the flavor department to make it a great dipa. Highly recommended

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 02:16:35 | More by DarthKostrizer

BeerMaverick

Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Light golden color that doesn't suggest a Double IPA, but a lighter lager. Minimal head that fades almost immediately. Having trouble believing that this beer is a DIPA at this point.

S - And here is where the style is given away. Tons of fruit and floral aroma radiating out of the glass. Hard to specify the fruit at this point, but definitely some expected citrusy esters. Minimal piney notes that often dominate this category.

T - The citrusy character is much more overwhelming here suggesting plenty of lemon and lime. The pine taste is slightly more pronounced and is complemented by some sweeter fruits such as pear and apple. Faint orange notes are present as well leading to an extremely well balanced flavor.

M - The previously mentioned fruit lingers from this surprisingly lighter-bodied brew. Although the fruit presence shows fortitude in terms of sweetness, the furtive hops do their job.

O - Fantastic name for this beer, and Lagunitas...you don't suck. For "screwing up this badly", as you suggest on the label, you've still obtained insanely high ratings for this beer. I do miss Brown Sugga', but this is a fantastic substitute that many breweries would strive and fail to obtain.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 00:35:42 | More by BeerMaverick

dogfishandi

New York

4.08/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle a little above fridge temp poured into an SA perfect pint glass. no freshness info.

pours a clear golden color with a super retentive white head, stayed at about 1 fingers worth till it was gone. also some nice sticky lace left on the glass.

a nice dank, floral hop aroma with hints of citrus and pine. a nice light bready malt is noticable behind all the hops.

again dank, pine, and floral hops mostly, a little candied citrus. a very nice bready malt flavor is noticable, although very hard to describe.

a nice resinous feel, very smooth going down, slightly lower carbonation which compliments the rest of the beer nicely. easy drinking.

definatly a good IPA, something i would buy again. id like to see this as a year round as well. one of the better lagunitas IPA's ive had.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 20:09:29 | More by dogfishandi

bosox941827

North Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into an imperial pint glass
A - medium rough pour throws off a decent, tiny-bubbled head that thins down fairly quickly. Beer itself is a gorgeous light orange color.
S - Pour this one rough as you dare and stick your nose right in there, as you're not going to smell too many beer better than this one - Sculpin, Hopslam, Pliny (maybe) and that's about it. I get a ton of fruit - mango, guava, pineapple too. Just great.
T - As it smells, pretty much. Nice bit of sweetness up front, and I get some roasted malts just a bit as well. Then comes in the real nice bit of bitterness which is perfectly balanced with the sweetness and is quite complex; again getting mango and guava, maybe some stonefruit and pine as well. The dry bitterness hangs around for as long as you can wait before you take the next sip. Alcohol, near 8%, is completely non-existent.
M - Just a bit on the heavier side, which a low-medium amount of carbonation.
Got this as a gift from a buddy or else never would have tried it - this beer is fantastic, though. Have tried other Lagunitas (but not the "real" Brown Shugga) but am really blown away by this one. Can't imagine Brown Shugga is better than this....they need to make it year-round. Get this while you can though - it's great.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 19:45:32 | More by bosox941827

tdm168

North Carolina

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

Pours a pale orangish-amber with a mountain of thin, loose head that has decent retention. The nose is incredibly floral with some citrusy undertones. The flavor is citrusy and mildly bitter. The malt character is lightly bready. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with some heavier than usual carbonation.

This is an awesome IPA. It's got great hop character and a light malt character. This is no Brown Shugga so I'm still a little disappointed, but I won't take it out on this beer. I love it!

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 02:57:46 | More by tdm168

tankg

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this first at Fathead's in Southside of Pittsburgh - had previously bought some in bottles at D's in Monroeville. Knew if it was like Brown Shugga that I would dig it the most - correct. Alcohol burn more prominent in the bottle format but excellent both ways. Maybe my favorite DIPA - 2X is excellent as well. Two thumbs up for Lagunitas...and Happy New Year

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 00:04:29 | More by tankg

AleWatcher

Illinois

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

Served in shaker pint.
Orangey golden color. Nice white head. Great lacing and decent retention.
Smells dry- bready/toast malt, big hop notes.
The hops hit mainly with pine and citrusy notes but there is a little melon I pick up that works well. Luscious and juicy. Dry bitter finish. Well balanced. Great flavor.

Body is medium and has good carbonation.

Overall-- this is a great beer. I hope this becomes a year round brew from Lagunitas! Just delicious.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 22:30:33 | More by AleWatcher

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.83/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow....I never realized that Sucks Holiday Ale could be so awesome!!! This beer is Zombie Dust on Steroids. The beer pours a golden clear copper with thin white head that is lacing quite nice. The smell is citra hops and subtle spice. The taste brings a great mixture of pine and citrus with enough malt to balance the beer which leaves a nice coating on the tongue....which Semco hops usually do nicely. The mouthfeel is a full body with good carbonation. Overall this is a fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 22:16:17 | More by WoodBrew

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.29/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a clear gold with 3 fingers of fluffy head that dissipates quickly leaving behind nice webbed lacing. Light-moderate carbonation. Very impressive color.

N: Orange, pine needles, lemon and light caramel aromas.

T: Orange and lemon citrus and resinous pine upfront. Mid-palate brings in some thin caramel with the former hops really shining through. Finishes with resinous pine and bitter citrus.

M: Medium-full bodied, creamy, sticky and dry.

O: I'm not a huge fan of extreme West coast styled IPAs (hop-water) but this is fantastic. Akin to a fresh hop ale. +2 to Lagunitas. This one is ALL about the hops!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 16:58:16 | More by justintcoons

NiceTaps

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer should have everthing going for it , but comes up a little short in my book.

A - Nice pour and golden color but no head whatsoever.

S - Strong citrus hop aroma, almost too strong.

T - Bitter hop taste with notes of citrus and spice.

M - hangs around well.

O - not their best but it sure doesn't suck.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 04:23:32 | More by NiceTaps

PerHops

California

4.22/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This one pours a very light golden color that is very translucent. Almost no head and low visible carbonation. It is as far away from a christmas beer as I could imagine. Great aroma of mango, pineapple, pine and floral notes. The flavor is fantastic. Huge burst of tropical fruit followed by orange and some white pepper and a bitter finish. Great level of carbonation makes this dangerously easy to drink. I really like this beer, yeah Lagunitas sucks...

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 03:57:45 | More by PerHops

flagmantho

Washington

4.45/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 22oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: light golden hue with a tiny touch of haze and plenty of effervescence. Head is a thin finger of frothy white foam. Not bad.

Smell: huge, funky, citrusy and fruity hops with a sweet backdrop. Complex, bright, and overwhelmingly appealing.

Taste: rich and fruity malt; it almost tastes like it was fermented with a Belgian strain. The hops remain bright with a little bit of a funk to them. This beer has some of the best hopping I've ever tasted, plus a je ne sais quoi that makes me think of a saison. Great.

Mouthfeel: medium-thick body with a big carbonation and bodacious creaminess. Fan-damn-tastic.

Overall: this is one excellent beer. An uninspired appearance is completely atoned for by being an awesome freaking beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 03:38:12 | More by flagmantho

lukester

Washington

4.3/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I gave this beer a little less than stellar reviews simply because it doesn't taste like a xmas beer. It is a nice IPA as these guys know so well how to brew. It is not a Holiday Ale. As far as I can tell this is their regular IPA in a different bottle. I have yet to have one of their beers that I didn't love.. however again this isn't categorized properly.. You guys might have pulled it off a bit better by adding some more color.. That said, keep up the good work!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 02:45:23 | More by lukester

suspect

New York

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

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Dogfish Head Signature Glass.

A: Crystal clear golden color with some amber hues. Relatively aggressive pour leads to a small one-finger pure whit head that retreats slowly leaving behind a whirlpool look of white swirling foam. Lacing is consistent and thick. It's the lack of good head that knocks down the number here.

S: Hoo boy...this was an unexpected punch in the face delivered by a fist full of hops. Piney hops hit first followed closely by grapefruit rind. Malt presence is there but definitely overpowered by the hop goodness. This brew has one hell of a nose.

T: Dee-lish. Extremely hop-forward full of zest and flavor. Grassy bits of lemon and grapefruit zest along with some mango. It's a really wonderfully flavored IIPA. Malt again takes a 7th row seating back seat to the mix of hops that come in this brew. It's there, but a total hindsight, yet it's not unbalanced, quite the opposite.

M: Crisp finish with creamy coating. Perfectly carbonated. Hop oils coat the mouth and make me pucker like the elite IIPAs on the market.

O: I swear that if this beer was brewery release only and didn't have the distribution Lagunitas does, it would be getting oodles more hype than it currently does. This is one of the best IIPAs I've had and I'm excited that they're re-releasing it as Holiday Leftovers. BRAVO Lagunitas. Bravo.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 01:54:38 | More by suspect

jdanyeur

Oregon

3.15/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

To start, I have not tried Lagunitas' Brown Sugar yet. I picked this up after reading a lot of hype about it. It is definitely an interesting beer; if someone told me it was a grapefruit lambic, I'd have believed it. I can't say it's a bad beer, the carbonation is good as is the color (nice golden yellow). If you haven't tried this yet, be prepared for a citrusy, hoppy, grapefruit flavor. I cannot say that I would try it again, but as it is the only year they will make it (supposedly), it was worth it.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 00:03:10 | More by jdanyeur

Phelps

Arizona

4.1/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I have a list of favorite winter brews, and right near the top is Brown Shugga. I love its origin story, which goes like this: Something went terribly awry when the brewery was attempting to make a batch of its Olde GnarlyWine Ale in 1997. To rescue the batch, a bunch of brown sugar was added to the boil, and the hoppy, sugary-sweet Brown Shugga' was born. I also love its flavor -- every year the dank, grapefruity, syrupy goodness had me holding up the bottle and demanding, "How come you taste so good?!"

So when Lagunitas announced that they wouldn't be making any this year, I was not a happy camper. All work and no Brown Shugga' makes Zach something something.

They have an excuse, at least. According to Lagunitas' owner Tony Magee, the expensive ingredients, lengthy time in the brewhouse and extra time in the fermenters led to its demise this year. For every case of Shugga' made, Lagunitas was shorting three cases of its better-selling regulars.

But Lagunitas' brewers recognized that Brown Shugga' had a solid fanbase, so they offered a one-time holiday ale in which to drown their sorrows. They named the new brew Lagunitas Sucks to beat the haters to it, and were further self-deprecating on the beer's packaging. "There is nothing cool about screwing up this badly and we know it," the beer's label declares. Also, in the corner, straight from the little doggie's mouth: "We suck."

Poured into a tulip, Sucks shimmers dandelion-yellow and perfectly translucent. Nickelodeon-style spatters decorate the glass as the off-white head slowly recedes. The aroma reveals notes of each ingredient used in the beer's making: A medley of cereal grains -- barley, rye, wheat, and oats -- made their way into the mash, and the brew was then dry-hopped, making it "full of complexishness" (Lagunitas' words). The result is a nose that's super-duper dank, like a bag of sticky weed. Tons of mango, passion fruit and pineapple are also stuffed in there, along with touches of hay and lightly toasted biscuits.

Lagunitas Sucks tastes like Christmas -- if you celebrated Christmas in the Bahamas. Tropical notes continue into the flavor, with sweet and delicious pineapple, apricot and mango accompaning grass while the malt lends a little sweetness and a touch of crackers. The smooth, medium-light body breaks into a bit of fizz before the crisp, clean finish.

I have to admit, I went into this tasting a little biased against any brew that attempted to make up for the loss of my dear Shugga', but Sucks is bright, dank, sweet and drinkable. While Lagunitas may suck, the beer does not. Though Magee says it'll only be around around for this one year, the brew's been well-received even by the wrathful masses. I imagine it'll make an appearance under a different name someday soon.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2011 19:04:29 | More by Phelps

avalon07

South Carolina

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

A: Poured from a bottle to a tulip glass. Had golden yellow color and a clear consistency. There was an inch of foamy, long-lasting head. Excellent lacing.

S: A nice, hoppy aroma, with a lot of citrus thrown in as well.

T: Tasted of a lot of hops, a big shot of grapefruit, and a little bit of malt. It's a vibrant, complex, likeable flavor. This is what a West Coast DIPA should taste like.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a sweet, bitter finish. Medium-bodied.

O: In spite of its facetious name, this is a fantastic, easy to like beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 15:04:15 | More by avalon07

monkeylovebeer

California

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

The hop fanatics at Lagunitas feel really, really bad about not offering their usual seasonal knock-out punch Brown Shugga’ this year, so bad that they’ve printed “We suck” on the carton and labels of their consolatory offering, a really fine double IPA billed (just in case you didn’t get the message) as Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale.

This tasty late-inning substitution pours deceptively like a pilsner, all wheat straw gold and perfunctory tight white head with very little lacing. A light carbonation suffices to lift its volatile dry-hopped aroma.

On first sip, a surprising sweetness reveals itself in the hop profile, possibly Citra closing out its incredible year by gracing yet one more great beer. An artful balance obscures the higher alcohol numbers, yet the beer does finish with some heat, which is nice for a winter seasonal.

As it warms, delicious hints of tangerine and grass develop alongside the requisite Lagunitas pine and grapefruit notes. There is a nice spice hit from the rye in the comprehensive grain bill, which also includes barley, wheat, and oats.

If an ale of this quality drives its brewers to proclaim that they “freaking munch moldy donkey butt,” then what chance to the rest of us have? If it makes them feel better, I didn’t really miss the Shugga’ this year. The Lagunitas brewers, as a rule, always respond well to having to think on their feet. Let’s hope that 2012 throws them a couple more curveballs.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 07:26:36 | More by monkeylovebeer

mactrail

California

3.63/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Attractive golden color, topped with white foam. Great floral fragrance. Overall, this is seriously sharp on the tongue. Malt is pretty subtle, though there is a sweet touch that is subdued by all the hops. Not all that bitter. This is a real festival of aromatic hops.

If only they would make a "Wild" version. This could use some Belgian extravagance. This is just too acidic to be totally enjoyable, in spite of the nice aromatics and clean flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 04:46:46 | More by mactrail

Sideswipe

California

4.47/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle

Pours a crystal clear amber color with a finger of white head. The foam recedes leaving sticky lacing and a thin coaster. The nose is big citrusy hops. Orange and tangerine predominate with notes of pale malt in the background. Taste opens with bitter, citrusy hops. flavors of orange, pineapple and mango intertwine with a sugar cookie malt backbone. The finish is semi-dry with a lingering bitter aftertaste. The beer is medium bodied with a medium level of carbonation. Overall this beer is proof that Lagunitas certainly does not suck. This is a very nice DIPA and I wish they would scrap Brown Shugga altogether and just make this from here on out. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 03:25:24 | More by Sideswipe

stakem

Pennsylvania

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

Big thanks to Kegatron for gifting me with a bottle of this. Poured into a tulip shaped pint glass, this brew appears a clear golden yellow to copper color with slightly more than a finger of yellowish stained head that is composed of rather large bubbles. A stream of carbonation keeps the cap maintained for a pretty decent duration. As the cap recedes, some patches and strings of lacing stick to the glass. When held to the light, there is some fine particulate stuck in suspension that keeps this brew from being perfectly clear.

The smell of this brew initially is quite bright with hops that smell fresh and a bit lemony. Some fruited aspects emerge that are mildly tropical mixed with rinds and a bit of pine. The alcohol comes across with a mild solvent touch that warms the nostrils and brings the whole character of the aroma together. As it gets warmer, a bit of an herbal element emerges. All in all this is a pretty fine smelling brew. As it warms up and the brew is swirled, a bit of mineral inclusion comes forward that was previously hidden.

The taste of this is bitter as expected but with a pretty solid arrangement of hop flavoring. Fruity rinds present themselves with a bit of zesty grapefruit bitterness that blends into tropical fruit qualities. A bit of herbal inclusion through the middle comes to rest in the backend of the flavor as more of a catty quality that is lightly musty with its grain quality and somewhat cheesy into the aftertaste. Alcohol is present with a mild solvent inclusion that is not out of place for nearly 8%.

This is a medium bodied brew with a moderate amount of carbonation. Overall I thought this was a pretty solid offering especially since I was not expecting much based on Heath's description of his experience and the dating of the bottle. I found myself presently surprised by this and unfortunately quite curious what this brew was like fresh out the gate. This offering pretty much sold me on the 7.5 - 8% abv range being a sweet spot for hoppy brews.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 02:26:45 | More by stakem

ely2000k

California

4.47/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark orange color, tons of lacing and head. Smell of grapefruit pine, mild malt. Full, biting sort of mouth feel. Really good carbonation. Overall what I would expect from Lagunitas, another super solid, really fresh tasting beer, that is distinctive and also comfortable(if you have had them before), and goes down pretty easy for the high alcohol percentage. Glad I got to try this.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2011 21:52:21 | More by ely2000k

HopNelius

New York

4.2/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance-dark brown, not overly carbonated.

Smell-West Coast hops come through, which is refreshing for a Christmas/Winter Brew. Spicy holiday aroma's also are present.

Taste-Drinks like an IPA. Well balanced hops,I would guess it would be Centenial and Cascade but not sure. Hints of citrus balanced with spice.

Mouthfeel-not overly carbonated.

O-Great beer for the holidays, many winter and holiday beers are too spiced for my taste, I love how this beers stays true to its brewery with some nice hoppy flavors shining through.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 19:59:02 | More by HopNelius

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