Lagunitas Gonzo

Brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Petaluma, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

Pours murky orange with a yeast sediment and a white head. Dry woody and dense caramel malty with a solid citric to orange note. Smooth and yet fruity hops into a slight dry finish.

22oz bottle acquired in trade with DarkElf (thanks!). Poured a deep orangish color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, dark fruits (cherries and plums), citrus, and a little earthy. Tastes of caramel, light roast, dark fruits, and citrus. Smooth body with the alcohol content well hidden.

Deep dark brown beer. Sweet malty aroma, a bit of herbal hop aroma, dill, sweet toffee aroma. Flavour is okay, a bit of meaty, salty flavour. Doesn’t do it for me.

Bottled shared by goldtwins, courtesy of DarkElf: Dark transparent mahogany color pour has a nicely-lacing off-white head. Toasty dark caramel cookie dough aroma has some mild complex butterscotch and piney hoppy presence. Body starts with a toasty sweet caramel maltiness loaded with lots of fresh resiny and grapefruity hops. Very well-balanced and enjoyable and full of bold flavor that hides the abv very well.

Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 2   Light Brown(1)->Dark(5) : 2   Ruby : XX   Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 3
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 2   White(1)->Tan(5) : 2   Lasting: 2   Lacing : 3
Aroma:
Intensity : 3  
Yeast : XX   Bread : XX   Apple : XX   Esters : XX   Banana : XX   Phenols : XX   Leather : XX   Perfume : XX   DMS : XX   Diacetyl : XX
Malt : 4   Biscuity : 2   Toast : 3   Caramel : 3   Toffee : 2   Maple : XX   Molasses : XX   Nuts : 2   Candy : 4   Pumpernickel : XX   Cereals : XX   Fruits : 3   Chocolate : XX   Coffee : XX   Vanilla : XX   Grapes : XX   Blackberries : XX   Dates : XX   Cherries : 3   Plums : 2   Figs : XX
Hops : 3   Noble(1)->American(5) : 3   Leafy : XX   Floral : XX   Orange : XX   Herbal : XX   Spicy : XX   Pine/Spruce/Resin : 3
Notes :   Earth : XX   Wood : XX   Cloves : XX   Smoke : XX   Pepper : 1   Ginger : XX   Peach/Pear/Apricot : 2   Candi Sugar : XX   Anise : XX   Vinous : XX
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 4   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 4   Sourness : 1   Bitterness : 3   Complex : XX   Length : XX
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 4   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 2   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : 3   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : 2   Mineral : XX   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: Quite fruity and very much candied (Jolly Rancher?), malt-oriented, sweet and oily ale with contrasting resinous american hops.

Another gem provided by CaptainCougar! Poured a clear, reddish caramel with a tall off-white head. Rich, deep malty aroma with a whole buncha darker spices and dark fruits... some biscuity malt, too. Toffee and dark berries at the forefront of the flavor with caramel and alcohol highlights... later on came some elderberry, brown sugar, and darker spices. Creamy malts across the middle of the palate with alcohol-fueled hop bitters and spices surrounding. Excellent.

Sampled at Oakes’ ’05 Xmas Party
Clear auburn color. No head, no lacing. Nose of sweet roasty malts, grassy hops and light yeast. Strong and flavorful but not really pronounced in any one area aside from a Tootsie roll flavor.

Bottle, Vail fest, Jan 2006. Body is medium amber. Aroma is lightly malty (roasted grain), lightly hoppy (resin), with a note of sherry. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Yawn.