Beer of the Weekend #611: Lagunitas IPA

No Friday Night Lights tonight. My dad and I took tonight off to enjoy Iowa’s homecoming parade.

The Lagunitas Brewing Company is yet another brewery that recently began distributing in Iowa. Lagunitas brews were widely available in California but I only tried one before moving. I need to make amends (as I did with Mendocino) so I will begin doing so tonight.

The beer of the weekend is Laguintas IPA, brewed by the Lagunitas Brewing Company of (surprise, surprise) Lagunitas, California.


Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. A bunch of numbers are written on the neck but there is no discernable freshness date.

Appearance: Pours a clean, clear, light, golden-amber into a pint glass. Two fingers of eggshell-colored, buttery, dense head dissipates slowly and leaves lacing along the glass and a lot of thick, spotted foam.

Smell: Mmm! Reminds me of California. Lots of fruit and citrus, though it is not bursting with those aromas. Grapefruit, orange, kiwi, lemon rind, a little bit of pineapple, floral hops, pine, and a little bit of fruit and caramel.

Taste: The first sip is a mouthful of creamy, hoppy, citrusy goodness that, interestingly enough, ends with a weed-like floral finish. The mouthfeel is creamy and the finish is dry. The floral and arboreal hops are much more prominent, but the grapefruit, lemon rind, and orange from the aroma are also present. The hops are what shine and they leave a light bitterness on the back of the tongue and tonsils.

Drinkability: This is true West Coast IPA, baby! Quintessential! Needless to say, this is very tasty stuff and very drinkable.

Fun facts about LIPA:

-Style: IPA.

-Price: $8.99/sixer at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City

-Alcohol content: 6.2 percent ABV.

-Info courtesy of the beer’s webpage:

Lagunitas IPA was our first seasonal way back in 1995. The recipe was formulated with malt and hops working together to balance it all out on your ‘buds so you can knock back more than one without wearing yourself out. Big on the aroma with a hoppy-sweet finish that’ll leave you wantin’ another sip.

The Quiet Man’s grade: A.

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