Lagunitas Cruising with Ruben and The Jets

Formerly brewed at Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Petaluma, California USA

Serve in Snifter

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

A vigorous pour into my 25cl tulip glass produces a fat-two-finger thick, lightly browned, tan colored head. The beer is quite dark, but shows some clear, deep red notes to it even as it sits on my desk. When held up to the light it shows a brilliantly clear, dark cherry red color. The aroma is quite fruity smelling with ample berry notes (blueberry, and blackberry are noticeable), but these are most definitely, at least partially, from the chocolate character as the finish has a rich, bright chocolate note to it. There is also a touch of tartness here that accentuates the berry notes, a touch of up front roast character as well as a touch of solvent like alcohol and some toasted bread crust character. This has a very interesting nose to it; it can be quite intriguing at times.

The beer is soft and creamy textured up front, but this is somewhat cut by a prickly carbonation, but then it finishes with a velvety texture again. There is a strong roast character here that provides a lot of burnt bitterness. The beer is sweet up front which accentuates a bright berry character, and there seems to be a fair amount of hop character here as well; some of the berry notes come from this, there is also a touch of pine, as well as some grapefruit like notes as well as a herbal bitterness to the finish. The sweet chocolate notes get mixed in with the roasted grain character; the chocolate flavors are actually somewhat hard to pick out and if I didn’t know this contained chocolate then I would not guess it. Also the pepper is almost non-existent, I get no zing, subtle or otherwise.

Not a bad beer given that the bottle advertises nothing about the beer on it, so to say I am disappointed in the chocolate and white pepper character seems a bit disingenuous. This is actually a pretty good beer, it definitely has a hard time fitting in a style description (which is, I suppose, fitting) as it is not really roasted enough to be your typical strong American Stout. Certainly interesting and a beer that I can easily spend an evening sipping my way through a 22oz bottle of.

Purchased: Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ

Bottle. Dark mahogany/brown with minimal lasting head that quickly went to a ring. Aroma was chocolate nibs, some sweet toffee, and some dark fruits. Taste was mild chocolate, I am still getting a little bit from the peppercorns perhaps, toffee. No real signs of oxidation and was quite surprised on how smooth this was.

(Bottle) Pours dark brown to black. The aroma is dark bready and chocolate malty with some sweet caramel notes. Light hoppy. The flavour is medium to heavily sweet and light to medium bitter with tones of liquorice, coffee, syrup and dark bread. Lots of residual sugar. The mouthfeel is round and syrupy. Roasted coffee tones lingers. Full bodied.

A - dark brown pour with little tan head. S - burned malts delux, dark dried fruits, molasses. Very strong aroma. M - medium strong body, creamy feel. T - dark fruits on the nose dates prunes. Toffee, carmamelized sugar, chocolate on the palate. Lingering bitter coffee ending warming alcohol. O - very good, strong bold bodied stout. A little less fruit and it would have been fantastic. 7-/7

Poured black with a thin light-tan head. Aroma has chocolate, nuts, and brown sugar. Taste has lots of milk chocolate with good roasted flavors. A little bit syrupy, and sweet, but still a decent balance. Some brown sugar and creme as well in the taste. Finish has lots of chocolate and coffee flavors with some more milk chocolate. Aftertaste is pretty nutty. Overall quite good.

22 oz. bottle from TheBeerSommelier- thanks, Matt! Pours a muddy brown color with some amber highlights coming through and a small tan head that settles quickly into a ring. Aroma of milk chocolate, fudge, peppercorns, wood, and a little bit of oxidation. Flavor was equally chocolaty, with some earth, wood, caramel, cream, dust, and brown sugar. Light-medium bodied, with mellow carbonation and a chocolaty mouthfeel. Has thinned a bit from the age. But it’s still a really nice, smooth, chocolaty imperial stout.

Bottle shared by baby Patricious purchased from Lone Hill Liquor. Pours a murky brown pour with only a few tiny bubbles for a head. Aroma is dark figs, roasted oak and some spice. Taste is chocolate, molasses, alcohol, dark fruits and toasted bread. A little thin for a stout but I like the taste.

Bomber. Twist-off cap??? Boooo...Pours dark red, very dark brown in the glass, with a small brown head. Aromas of tamarind, toffee, mocha, and milk chocolate. Very malty. The flavor is tart tamarind flesh, buttery and nutty toffee, caramel, mocha, and brown sugar and sugar cane, with a burnt caramel finish. ABV well-hidden. A sweeter example of the style, but good stuff. [821]

16th May 2009
Very dark brown cloudy beer. Soft palate, almost creamy. Light airy beer. Malty chocolate. Repressed ginger and cherry. All hangs together very well.

Bangin’ outta the bottle - though, thout it could be a barleywine at first; the nose is a touch misleading. nonetheless - outstanding beverage! the taste is def rich in chocolate, but also has a very silky texture, which really adds to the inviting nature of the beer. the pepper is a touch subdued, but it wasn’t the first beer on the menu either. paired up with some chimay grand reserve cheese pretty well.

Tasted on 1/28/11 from a bomber bottle purchased at Discount Liquor, I think this beer is around two years old. Pours cloudy dark brown with a thin tan head that leaves a very thin collar of lace after a quick recession. The nose is tons of creamy chocolate and caramel malt along with coffee, dark chocolate, and hops bitterness. The flavor is creamy milk chocolate, caramel, toffee, slightly burnt brown sugar, and it is dusty with bitter coffee, dark chocolate, and hops. The body is full with a creamy texture, light carbonation, and a long bitter and milk chocolate finish.