Lagunitas SUCKS by Lagunitas Brewing Company
Trying one of the brews from Lagunitas Brewing Company tonight, that beer is Lagunitas Sucks. An interesting name for them because it is mentioning a negative connotation. Usually when you here sucks that means that it was terrible and something you would never have again. Let's see if it is the opposite and something just being a play on words. Lagunitas Brewing Company can be found in Petaluma, California and Chicago, Illinois. Getting back to the beer which is not my strong style beer. Lagunitas Sucks is a Brown Shugga Substitute Ale, but if you look it up on Beer Advocate, it is a Double India Pale Ale or a Imperial IPA. This beer has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 8.0% and an IBU of 63. To some people Double IPA's are India Pale Ales jacked up on steroids, for me I want to see what this Double IPA is all about.
Glimpse of Lagunitas SUCKS
Lagunitas SUCKS aroma is an aroma I typically run away from in a brew. The aroma I picked up in this beer was the bitter hop note. Typical for an India Pale Ale. There was another subtle aroma I began to pick up on after swirling the beer around. That aroma is a fruity or citrus aroma. The citrus aroma I think is from an orange peel. The aroma is blended between the citrus and the hoppy note, which makes me think or hope I can still enjoy this beer fully. The color or appearance of the beer is a cooper color and clear. Looking at the head or foam, I became intrigued because I noticed how thick the foam was at the top of the beer. I have seen head of a beer like this before but most of the time it is on a Stout or a dark beer style not an India Pale Ale.The foam or head a good retention and hangs around while you enjoy this beer. There is some lacing on the glass as you begin to drink the beer.
Tasting this Double IPA or Brown Shugga Substitute Ale is something I am nervous about because I do not usually have or enjoy IPA's. I dove in to try the first sip to see what I could pull out flavor wise. This ale's taste follows the aroma of the beer. There is a strong bitter note in the taste of this ale. I will say that the first sip I tried of this Double India Pale Ale, I did not mind or dislike. I think the malt the brewers used did a nice job of cutting the IPA harsh bitterness, but you get some of it back because of the dry-hopping. In terms of mouthfeel this beer is a smooth and sharp. The body of this brew is between medium to full because there is a noticeable thickness to the beer.
Now as not a big India Pale Ale fan, this is something I could enjoy. I may not have an entire case of it but I would have one if it was on tap at a bar. This ale is a nice brew and a very interesting/complex beer. It appeals to both the non-IPA drinker and the IPA enthusiast. The thing that I would say about this beer is that when you have this ale make sure if you are having more than one that you do not drive. After one you begin to notice the ABV and the 8% is not something to mess around with. I will say that the name aspect of the beer throws you off in the beginning but towards the end, it leaves you wanting another. Wondering why you ran out and cursing that you do not have anymore, saying Lagunitas SUCKS.
Lagunitas SUCKS by Lagunitas Brewing Company
Price point of this ale or any Lagunitas brews are considerate to the quality of brews. I think for a six pack you are looking at around $11 bucks for one. I have not looked at a case but I would say if you were looking to buy a case it would run you around $50 dollars, which is what you are paying for in terms of quality. As far as distribution sense they are paired with Miller-Coors, to spread their product nationwide. I noticed this when I used to work at a bar the Miller-Coors distributor would be the person we would have to talk to when trying to bring in Lagunitas. Medium size craft beer companies have to pair up with the bigger guys, because most times they are using that pairing to help them grow and become a bigger brewery.
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