Lagunitas Brewing Co: Wilco Tango Foxtrot

I like drinking beer. It tastes good. In addition to the fine flavors produced from this sweet nectar, one of my favorite aspects of this beer drinking 'hobby' is learning about new and interesting facts of the brewing process. Sometimes this knowledge supplements my tasting and I'm better able to drink and enjoy a fine brew.

Recently, I learned some interesting facts about beer coloring. Something that never really crossed my mind before. Specifically, I read that beer color is usually measured via SRM (Standard Reference Method) or the EBC (European Brewing Convention). Both of these color rating techniques take into account that each grain type used in a recipe has a lovibond color rating ultimately contributing to a particular weight to a beer's hue. When I read this, I found it interesting but thought really nothing of it. However, just the other day I snagged a handful of beer from the liquor store and noticed Lagunitas' seasonal release.

In Lagunitas fashion it had a fun name, a crazy description, and an interesting label. "Wilco, Tango, Foxtrot" is described by the brewers as "not quite in the red or in the black...does that mean we're in the brown?" This and other financial references seem to encourage the purchaser to drink away their financial problems associated with the down economy by sucking on a fine Lagunitas brew. However, this label reminded me not of sagging funds but of the lovibond color ratings assigned to each grain used in a beer recipe. Somewhere in the brown. The label describes this as in between red and black and somewhere brown. Hmmm. What does that mean color-wise? Funny how the brain works. All I could think about after reading the beer lit is how the liquid would look liked when poured. As you can see in the photo, it is packaged in a brown glass bomber. Thus I had to purchase and see for myself. Well, when poured, this beer does have a cool hue. At first glance it has a maroonish brown color but changes to an organy-red when held to the light.

I think the beer is described as an imperial brown ale and tops out at 7.8% abv. Spending so much time looking at the beer color and label I just assumed this would be a heavy and boozy brown ale. But 'WTF' is anything but that. It's super light, well carbonated, and has little hint of alcohol. Despite the 'double' rating of over 7% ,it's a very drinkable beer and I easily went through the first 16 oz of the beer. As you sip this otherwise thin beer you get hints of sweet fruit and brown sugar and definitely hits with more malt flavors than hops. Overall very drinkable and pretty tasty.

So WTF for the win. Color me pleased. Cheers.

Laguinitas Brewing Co.: Cappuccino Stout

As all my good friends know, coffee and stouts are basically my two favorite beverages. The coffee stout is becoming a pretty common sub-genre at this point, which is just fine with me.

Lagunitas's take on this variety is pretty solid. It's pretty heavy on the malts and actually kind of light on the hops as stouts go, which means that this is actually a lot less bitter than you might expect for a coffee stout. The predominant flavor is a sort of sugar/vanilla malt, but the hop kicks in nicely at the end to give it a crisp finish. It rates remarkably high on the drinkability scale for a stout--I put away an entire bomber without really noticing, and I was even still craving a little bit more when the bottle ran dry.

This one doesn't quite manage to crack into my top 5 stouts, but it is certainly a cut above average and a stout that I'll be keeping an eye open for in the future.

Lagunitas Brewing Co: a Little Sumpin' Sumpin' ale

It seems these days like people's tastes shift as often as do the winds...

If you've been reading my posts for awhile you may have guessed that I didn't create that last sentence. Laguintas Brewing Company spawned that proverb. While, I didn't write it, I generally agree with the sentiment. People's preferences these days seem to change on a whim. Beer preferences included. And I'm not immune to this global phenomem. I find myself obsessed with pale ales and then a week later won't drink anything but an amber lager.

And then shortly after, I'll drive 'cross town just to get my hands on a good American blond ale. Why? I'm not really sure. But breweries understand the concept.

Lagunitas Brewing Co, is one of the best California breweries at producing a wide variety of 'seasonal' and 'limited relase' beers. To match the tastes of the season and simply to mix up the traditional tastes they provide for the consumers, Laguintas always, and I mean always, has a seasonal beer on the shelves. On my latest beer run I noticed, "a Little Sumpin' Sumpin' ale", "Hop Stoopid", and "Undercover Investigation Shutdown ale" all in the beer aisle complimenting the traditional Laguinitas offerings. And I gotta say, I'm a fan of this trend. While it can be annoying to grow attached to a seasonal beer that is only available for 4 months outta the year, the anticipation of waiting for that brew and the ability to sample new creations far outweighs the cons.

As for "a Little Sumpin' Sumpin' ale", I picked up this brew because I had simply never tried it before. Not surprising, I enjoy sampling and reviewing new beers. I'll pretty much try any offering from Lagunitas as I love most of their beer. Sumpin' Sumpin' is a pale wheat with a ton of bite. While the wheat flavors are present, Lagunitas manages to work in incredible amounts of pine flavors and alcohol tastes. To be quite honest, it wasn't what I was expecting from this wheat based brew. Most American wheats are thin, mellow, and weak and this is anything but. On a blind taste test you could easily convince the drinker that it was a double IPA. Even with all the pine resin and booze bite there are some candied sugar flavors and a prominent wheat aroma to cut the strong kick.

While I'm not sure I agree with Lagunitas' decision to make this 7.3% ale a summer seasonal, it's a nice change of pace. And seeing how my beer tastes change frequently I might grab another sometime in future. Cheers.

Lagunitas Brewing Co: Censored Rich Copper Ale

My wandering eye noticed on a friend's computer that he had an email in his inbox from Lagunitas Brewing Company. I thought this to be strange and after I inquired into the matter we struck up a conversation about the the email and the brewery in general. To summarize, apparently Lagunitas is pretty good about responding to questions and comments about its beer if you contact them. All this talk about a cool local company made me realize I had not reviewed on of their beers in a while. So here goes.

This Lagunitas offering is entitled 'Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale'. It might be one the most misleading of beer titles out on the market. First the six pack literature indicates that the Lagunitas marketing team named this beer after its copper color and nothing else. Apparently they invented the 'rich copper ale' tag. On further tasting, it's pretty clear the brew resembles an amber ale. In addition to the style confusion, the real name for this beer appears to be covered by the 'censored' label graphically stamped over the title. (see picture) After a quick scan on the Internet, there seems to be a consensus that the original name was "The Kronic" (and that could fit the outline of a couple letters that are visible behind the stamp). I'm not sure if this censoring was an intentional marketing technique or mandated by the Alcohol Beverage Commission. But either way that's the name of this brew.

As for the product itself, it does have a coppery hue with an orangey - yellowly lining. So I'll agree with them there. The smell is surprisingly more like a Belgian ale than an American ale but the taste is pretty standard for an American Amber. There are a lot of caramel malt flavors and a hint of a hop backbone. Hops come through more as the beer warms. The malt flavor lingers and provides a sweet aftertaste. The beer is also rather crisp and is quite drinkable despite the fact it is an ale. As I generally am a fan of ambers, I could easily put this in my regular rotation.

While the taste I can figure out, the name will leave you guessing. Since, I've heard that Lagunitas responds to emails I might just inquire into the reason for the strange name. If I do, I'll be sure to let you all know. Cheers.

Update on 5/22/09: I haven't emailed Lagunitas yet. But I do have proof. At my favorite beer bar in San Francisco (Toronado), I found an old Lagunitas tap bearing the true name. While I didn't have my camera on me, I wanted some evidence, and my cell has a decent photo option, so if you don't believe me click on the photo.

Lagunitas Brewing Co: Kill Ugly Radio

Word.

That's the last printed sentence on the bottle's label.
And that's the last sentence you'll mumble after finishing this beer.

Kill Ugly Radio is an IPA similar to the Maximus Rojazz posted on earlier. But since I was gonna do it anyway, and Rojas made a follow up request, here we go:

Technically, Kill Ugly Radio is a double IPA or imperial IPA since it's over 7% alcohol (7.8%) but it by no means has that alcohol flavor you get from 9% beers. Which is doubly cool with the fact you can get it at most northern CA safeways for cheap and it will be more than an apt pre preparty and still taste delicious.

The color is a light pumpkin organish and fits into what you'd expect color-wise for most double IPAs. The most overwhelming taste is grapefruit citrus, I kid you not. Thus making this Lagunitas distinct from the Maximus, pale ale, and the traditional IPA. And obviously there is a ton of hops.

While in the midst first sip, I thought to myself 'this beer is amazing'. I pondered why all beers didn't taste like that. Kill Ugly Radio only comes in 22oz bottles, and on further drinking I backed off from my initial reaction. Still spectacular beer, but didn't keep up its initial shock value. Also, I thought they could have carbonated it a little less. That kept me from ranking it super high. But that could be my bias towards cask conditioned ales speaking. Unfortunately its a limited release that only comes in 22s.

Also what's kinda cool is that the beer label is the old record cover of a Frank Zappa Album. Which you don't see that often. This beer is the second in a series of tributes to FZ (I missed the first). Although not the biggest fan of his music, the idea of getting his family trust to allow Lagunitas to use an album cover for a beer label is pretty sweet.

Anyway, Beer Speaks, People Mumble. Dirnk Lagunitas. No matter what brew you grab it'll be good. Word.

Lagunitas Brewing Co: Maximus

Once every few weeks, while out traversing our great nation's Eastern seaboard, I get a sharp and desperate urge for a taste of home. Sometimes it's home-style Mexican food, sometimes it's a Tommy's Chilicheeseburger (with milk!). But nothing puts me in my place like a bottle of Lagunitas Maximus. Previously only available during the spring and summer months, it's now under 'unlimited release.' To those of you unfamiliar with bottling terminology, means MORE FOR ME.

So instead of the normal review, I've written a sonnet in honor of this stupendous occasion.

Oh Lagunitas you know me so well
But your Maximus brew knows me the best.
While the green cap at your top rings a bell
In my head, which reminds me of the west.

From your cloudy yet defined orange pour
To the sweet aroma that fills my nose.
Your brown bottle bounds from the liquor store,
And your label makes me take off my clothes.

Together we romp through wide fields of hops.
Your citrus aftertaste tickles my tongue.
But the real reason I give you such props:
You deflower'd my senses very young.

Lest my speech doth become slightly less slurred,
I'll drink your brother, Arrogant Bastard.