Lagunitas IPA - Lagunitas Brewing Company

JG-90

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into glass gives a medium, creamy, off white head. The beer is golden-straw in color, clear with noticable carbonation. Head recedes to leave a small amount of bubbles on top, with moderate lacing down glass.

Smells of grapefruit and orange, with bread and pale malt. Taste starts with citrusy hops - grapefruit, orange, pinnaple, and a bit of lemon. Finishes with pale yet assertive malts and a hint of hearty bread. Has a clean finish. Medium/light body with high carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 20:19:29 | More by JG-90

Bowdoinbeerboy

Maine

3.81/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 120z bottle. This beer poured with a solid one finger of nice frothy head, it dissipated within about a minute of pouring the beer.

The beer itself is a very clear pale copper color, not a whole lot different looking than a typical BMC.

This beer, like most of the Lagunitas that I have had, smells like a grapefruit. For me, this is good, as that is my favorite IPA smell/flavor. It is not as pronounced as other Lagunitas I have had, such as Maximus, but it is very distinct.

The tast is also quite grapefruity, almost like there is some grapefruit juice in there. There is some slight malt character in the background too, but mostly this is fruit forward.

Overall a very, very nice beer (if you like grapefruit IPA). I would buy this again, but I think I would prefer Lagunitas Maximus a bit more solely for the reason that it would have a more assertive grapefruit character.

Love the LAGUNITAS!

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 20:29:20 | More by Bowdoinbeerboy

RyanTeeter

New York

3.99/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

a: A nice lace rapidly appears and remains for several minutes and even leaves a nice thin layer for the remainder of the drinking experience. A lighter copy color that is quite transparent.

s: Very pleasant bready sweet (honey) bitterness.

t: The bitterness is extremely wonderful. This beer has a sweetness that is honey yet going back to the bitterness it is completely balanced. I would not call this a sweet beer, yet I would not call it over hopped - it is a perfect blend of the two.

m: A light tingle with a lingering hop flavor.

o: This is right at the top of my list of favorite IPA's. Great job Lagunita's. I will buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 01:52:25 | More by RyanTeeter

Mojo

Alabama

4.14/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle -> World market Tulip glass

This one pours up a slightly hazy medium amber with a foamy one finger off white head. Lacing and retention are minimal. Smell is very floral and earthy. Taste is hoppy as expected and the citrus notes were grapefruit and orange. Mouthfeel is quite nice with a goodly amount of carbonation. This can easily be a go to IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 05:15:44 | More by Mojo

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium golden amber with a finger of white head with great retention and lacing. Aroma of citrus hops, grapefruit, sweet malt. Flavor is light citrus and tropical fruit, citrus and piney hops, sweet bready malt with an intriguing very light spicyness. Light to medium bodied. Flavors are not assertive, but well balanced. I would like a bit more hop assertiveness, but perhaps I did not get an absolutely fresh bottle (dating please…). A pleasant, low key American IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 03:18:17 | More by LiquidAmber

Hibernator

Massachusetts

4.21/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Lagunitas IPA
12 oz brown bottle
Served in a 20 oz tulip glass

Pours a bronze color with an orange tint. Little carbonation bubbles race to the top of the glass. Webbed trails of sticky lacings are all over the glassware.

The nose is strong with whiffs of citrus fruit, specifically a freshly cut grapefruit.

A fruity and sweet IPA with flavors of orange, lime and a grapefruit bitterness. The malt profile is rather understated with a biscuit mouthfeel. An aggressive IPA, packed with flavor and quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 23:39:29 | More by Hibernator

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.04/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a Lagunitas Mason glass.

A: Brilliantly clear golden-amber. Two fingers of creamy white head retain extremely well. A thin blanket of lacing coats the glass.

S: A vibrant nose bursting with tropical hop aromas. Tangerine, melon, pineapple, sugary white grapefruit. Mild tropical esters. Hop oils. Grainy and doughy malts underneath.

T: Melon, tangerine, hint of lemon, dank and oily. Touch of passion fruit. Slight tropical esters. Modest bitterness. Grainy malt base. Dry and somewhat understated finish of oily hops and thin grain.

M: Medium bodied. Ample scrubbing carbonation makes it seem a bit lighter than it is and adds a biting crispness. Slightly creamy.

O: In my book this beer goes down as one of the best flagship beers on the planet. Vibrantly hoppy and infinitely drinkable and quenching. The bitterness rests at just the right level. It's enough to keep it approachable but still challenge a green palate and introduce it to what a real beer can be. Excellent quality for the price too. Lagunitas built itself on this beer, and it's a rock-solid foundation.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 00:35:31 | More by ryan1788a5

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance – The beer pours a hazy golden amber color with a one finger white head. The head has a moderate level of retention, fading over time to give a good level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma is big and bold of the citrus hop smells. A large grapefruit hop smell is the heaviest and is mixed with some orange and lemon smells. Mixed with these are some smells of tropical fruits of mango and pineapple as well as smells of a bready and malty nature.

Taste – The taste begins with a moderately malty and bready flavor mixed with a good dose of grapefruit hop. Upfront there is a decent caramel sweetness mixed with the hop and malt. As the taste advances the grapefruit hop bitters more in nature as some of the caramel gets lighter and the grapefruit gets a bit more intense. Toward the end some piney hop flavors bring another hop dimension to the beer and mix with a lighter tropical fruit flavor of mango and pineapple as well as the stronger grapefruit and bready flavors to leave a nice bitter but not overly bitter flavor on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the average to just above average side in terms of its creaminess and thickness with a carbonation level that is a bit on the lower to average side. Both the slightly thicker body and slightly lower carbonation suit the hop flavors well, but still allow the sweeter flavors to be detected and help balance out the malty and hoppy flavors.

Overall – A tasty IPA that is fairly easy drinking without any one aspect being too overpowering producing a fairly well balanced brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 00:57:08 | More by Darkmagus82

chrisgalvin

California

5/5  rDev +28.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

There's always a 6-pack of this in my 'fridge. This American IPA utilizes Belgian yeast to provide a smooth and robust American IPA. It's almost like a Belgian-style IPA. Fantastic Lagunitas signature style hops and malt character. Smooth and a nice clean finish.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2013 05:18:45 | More by chrisgalvin

RuEXP1

Illinois

3.96/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured from bottle into standard pint. Has a nice amber color with decent amount of carbonation coming from the bottom of the glass. Minimal white head with good amount of lacing.

S - Smells like a forest (in a good way) - i.e. pine and floral notes. Very pungent and strong aroma.

T - Strong taste of hops and a slight citrus tone. Nice bitter kick to it as an IPA should have.

M - Nice level of carbonation to spread out the flavor. Produces a nice tingle as it goes across the tongue. Would like a little bit more head to soften the sips, seams kind of oily without it.

O - This is a very solid IPA. There are better out there but this one is sure not to disappointing, and doesn't come at a bad price either.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 02:44:07 | More by RuEXP1

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.38/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Lagunitas Brewing Company - Lagunitas IPA

Look - Pours copper amber clear with a smaller, soapy head. Decent lacing. Minimal carbonation.

Smell - Pine, citrus, and floral hops, quite pungent. Signature Lagunitas style. Mild sweet malt rides underneath.

Taste - Snappy citrus and pine, grapefruit apparent as well. Crisp. I absolutely love the hops that Lagunitas uses.

Mouthfeel - Very subtle, hops are smooth, as a good IPA should be.

Overall - Great brew, Lagunitas scores another win. If you like this style of hops in this brew you NEED to try Lagunitas SUCKS, you won't be sorry!

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 13:21:28 | More by JMScowcroft

Roman5150

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle given to me by friend, no glass to pour in or time to actually give a solid review, will probably pick some up and re-review it later as this is off memory.

Aroma: VERY piney hoppy with some citrus and grapefruit notes

Taste: west coast ipa for sure, tastes very hop forward and piney, lots of weed taste, and the aftertaste is decidedly bitter, VERY grapefruit like towards the end. wow, this was my first one and will def buy again, wild ride of an IPA. On the bitter end, but it is well enough balanced that even for someone like me who doesn't always prefer really hoppy bitter IPAs, it goes down smooth.

Overall, a pretty damn good IPA, i will def be buying again, possibly on a semi regular basis as my local Krogers stocks them. One of my top 5 IPAs, but still no two-hearted...

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 09:34:29 | More by Roman5150

Bauzen

New York

4.53/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

This is a solid go-to IPA. Some would call it a benchmark by which other IPAs should be judged. Excellent floral notes in the aroma, and clean finish with every swig. The only thing keeping me from giving it a higher review is that I feel the flavor profile could benefit from a slightly higher alcohol content to give those aromas the extra punch they deserve.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 20:39:37 | More by Bauzen

AmitC

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Color is golden. Very clear. About two fingers thick off white head with excellent retention. Awesome lacing on the sides as well. A few bubbles seen rising up.

Aroma is of weed. Pungent weed and some citrus. A bit of caramel sweetness. Some flower character. Overall strength is good.

Taste is pretty much the same. A very ordinary taste with some hoppy bitterness upfront. A good malt base in the middle. Some nice ground and earthy hop flavor. A bit of piney notes can be felt as well. Finish is mildly bitter.

Mouth feel is medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. A comparatively balanced IPA.

Style Rate: 4
Personal Rate: 4

It is not bad at all. However, I was expecting something better.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 03:13:06 | More by AmitC

JaredM

New York

3.81/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

A: Copper color with a quickly dissipating one finger head. Mostly clear with a slight haze and good carbonation. Just the kind of color you'd expect from an IPA.

S: Awesome punch of citrus right off the bat. Grapefruit and orange. Citrus dominates the profile but there is a touch of pine as well. Smells delectable, my mouth is watering.

T: No surprises in the taste. Hop forward with bitterness overwhelming the bit of caramel sweetness coming from the malt. Not very balanced IMO but still nice to drink.

M: Medium body to this with a bitter (but not lingering), dry finish. Feels resiny/sappy to me and becoming more so as it warms up. Not very appealing to my palate.

O: Well it started off great. Both the look and smell are fantastic on this beer and I couldn't wait to take a swig but the weakest part of the beer comes in the taste and mouthfeel. The taste isn't very balanced to me but still has a great hop profile that saves it. The mouthfeel needs some work as it almost kind of coats the inside of your mouth. Odd but this has the makings to be a stellar offering from Lagunitas.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 22:50:45 | More by JaredM

Bosoxfan20

Oklahoma

3.69/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Poured from 12oz bottle into Speiglau IPA glass. Pours a translucent copper. Big 2 finger off white, thick and creamy head. Good lacing. Lots of carb bubbles and stick retention.

S- Wow. As usual, Lagunitas slaps you in the face with the hop aroma! Lots of citrus- orange, grapefruit, pineapple. Big floral profile as well. Touch of pine. More fruity than earthy. STings the nostrils. Also has some bready smell in the finish.

T- A little more balanced than i expected based on the smell, but the hops still reign supreme. Hop forward with a sweet caramel and biscuit malt base that pokes its head out just enough to give it some balance. Still very hop forward and hop heavy that may not be enjoyed by all palates.

M- Very dry and bitter finish as expected with this west coast ipa. Mid bodied. A little thin and oily/slick. Weakest part of this beer IMO.

O- A hop head's dream is what we have here. Not the most complex, but fairly balanced despite the huge hop presence. I truly amazing hop profile and a delight to drink. Would certainly have again. Just missed a little on the taste and feel for this to be a world class beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 22:59:28 | More by Bosoxfan20

Burkbom23

Connecticut

3.99/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Copper in color, and clear. Pour to a 1/2" white head. Lots of visible carbination. Light lacing not very sticky. S- Hops are the first aroma to hit the nose, followed by hints of citrus and some grain as it warms. Smelled great as soon as opening the bottle. T- Like the aroma tasted the hops up front followed by some breadiness. Bitter finish with some lingering hoppy flavors. M- Medium light mouthfeel, can feel the carbonation. O- Not overally hoppy, pretty good balance. Not very complex, but definitely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 01:15:12 | More by Burkbom23

flydudehsv

California

4.45/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle. Clear copper pour, thin off white creamy head and lots of sticky thick bands of lacing ... Aroma is citrusy grapefruit and light piney hops with a touch of caramel malts ... Taste is bitter and rindy with light piney and citrusy grapefruity hops, light sugar, sweet caramel malts and a nice punch of ibu’s ... Finish is dry with a lingering bitter dry hop and malty. .... Solid sessionable ipa abv hidden well ... Mouthfeel is lightly slick and oily.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 07:47:35 | More by flydudehsv

MisSigsFan

California

3.33/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

After all the hype I finally decided to try this beer, and sadly, it was a bit of a let down. Smell was slightly faint, but had pine and citrus aromas. Your typical west coast IPA, just not as bold. The taste was most of the same. It started out pretty well but sadly the taste dies too quickly. The balance between bitterness and flavor was definitely on the more bitter side, and I wouldn't even consider this a very bitter beer. It reminded me of a bitter, piney version of Corona, which isn't a particularly good thing. I think I'll just stick to Stone and Green Flash.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 21:28:16 | More by MisSigsFan

dar482

New York

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

It pours in a lighter gold color. The aroma is a lot like of West Coast IPAs. Fruitiness and big hops.

The flavor has a decent amount of grapefruit and citrus fruits. It isn’t too strong and doesn’t last for too long. It cuts a bit too quick for me and doesn’t have that big juiciness that I love from some IPAs from the region.

One of the better “standard” easy to find IPAs out there, but does not stand out for me.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2013 04:01:28 | More by dar482

mtboozeaddict41

Montana

4.29/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured a 22oz bottle into a pint glass

A: off the bat it has large scale retention on the head, looking off-white. Transparent orange color, very interesting.
S: Aromas of big and bold tropical fruit and strong hops. More than just citrus, but pineapple an mango creep in also. Piney and mellow intriguing spices. Awesome nose!!! magnifique
T: Breadiness and citrus fruit dominate the palate. To be honest, the meal I had before this might have ruined it. Nice hops though, Beautiful finishing hops. This IPA means business. Nice little spicy note on the finish.
M: Medium to full bodied. Highly carbonated but not overdone, finish is dry. Not bad dry, more off dry
O: Killer IPA, one of the better ones I've tasted in a while. Everything is in balance from aromas to fruit and hops. Everything this hophead needs. thx Lagunitas

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 03:19:31 | More by mtboozeaddict41

BeerWizard

Colorado

3.64/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Visually, the bottle looks like it came out of some brewery in a South American jungle. Big "IPA" in the center of the label that looks to be painted through a stencil, set on a tea-stained label with some red text that gives it flare and danger. Makes me think of palm fronds, machetes, machine guns, and cocaine production. Poured into a glass, it has a nice, almost-white head over an amber body. Fresh pine and tropical fruit on the nose. It smells clean and simple. Hops and fruit on the palate, grass, simple and not big, and a clean finish. Nice carbonation. It's not a huge beer, but it's nice and clean for the style, with really no bitter aftertaste, and the 6.2 ABV is nothing to balk at. I could see getting another sixer of this and doing some BBQ-ing. Goes great with pizza and hot wings, too!

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 05:38:27 | More by BeerWizard

spoony

Colorado

3.79/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

From a 355 ml bottle into a globe glass.

A-The brew pours with one fat finger of yellow-tinted, off-white foam. The foam drops quickly to a thick cap, but never fades entirely. The brew is golden and mostly clear.

S-This is a tropical fruit style IPA with mango, pineapple, and citrus fruits and little in the way of dank pine or sage.

T-The taste is also on the fruity end of the hop spectrum. I taste mango, lemon, some pineapple, and some grapefruit. I also get a bit of soapy spiciness. Malts are mostly missing, as you would expect.

M-The feel is creamier than many IPAs with medium body. The oiliness factor is medium to low.

O-I like Lagunitas brews and I like fruit-forward IPAs, but this one fell a little short for me. It wasn't a bad brew, but the tropical and citrus flavors felt more muddled than complex, and I just never got into it. Perhaps I had an old bottle because the whole thing tasted a little stale?

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 03:47:10 | More by spoony

scottfrie

California

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle into snifter. Probably should finally review this one.

A: Pours a clear light honey color with a couple fingers of thick off white head that slowly faded into a thick scum leaving large patches of sticky lace down the glass.
S: Dominant fresh cut grass hops, light pine needle, maybe citrus rind, but mostly cut grass and leafy hops. Not overpowering like their dipas, but a powerful hop punch none the less. Sweeter malt undertones.
T: Leafy grassy hops, pine and caramel malt are well balanced together. Maltier than I remember in years past, but I think my palate has just shifted. The finish cleanly bitter and piney and thankfully not overly sweet, and the aftertaste is full of fruit nectar sweetness drizzled in caramel.
M: Medium body, refreshing mouthfeel, drying but not crazy, with soft scrubbing carbonation.
O: One of my old time sessionable ipas. Definitely not my favorite, nor the best, but an old reliable standby.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 05:29:26 | More by scottfrie

DrinkMoreBigBeers

Michigan

3.83/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Could not find a date on the bottle. Looked on the neck where they are normally but it was not there.

A - poured out a rich golden slightly hazy body with a creamy 2 finger white head. Looks well carbonated.

S - On the nose is a nice sweet hoppiness, which smells nice and fruity like orange, with a heavy dose of caramel melding with it. Has a thick syrupy smell to it, almost like orange rock candy.

T - The bitterness hits right away and fades slowly. Also there's a pungent lemon rind, citrus flavor, tangyness with a hint of the buiscuit malt tones coming through in the finish. This is definitely a hop forward west coast IPA with a strong hop forward profile. Slight alcohol on the finish of this one.

M - It is light bodied, with an oily slickness, and a rather high amount of carbonation. It's on the dry side and leaves you craving another sip as you mouth dry's out and the flavors disappear.

O - For a easy to drink west coast IPA this one is rather enjoyable. I'm not totally in love with the hop profile of this one, with its slightly tangy and the lemon rind flavor it proves a little to much for me. But that is just being picky, so if you like a hoped forward west coast easy drinking IPA this one is for you . Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 00:01:30 | More by DrinkMoreBigBeers