Lagunitas Maximus

Bomber from Barley Wine in Copenhagen. I had been craving something hoppy all evening and finally I get around to opening this. Clear copper amber colour with a lasting ivory head. Big syrupy piney hoppy nose. Spicey hop with some kind of tangeriney citrus fruit too. I’d been saving this for 5 months to have on a special evening when I could really appreciate it and you know what? It hasn’t let me down. I love this brewery and this is another more than solid beer. They just take the styles and do it so much better. Just so remarkably fresh in its flavours. I mean I love the pale ale and this is just as good. God I love the hops on this. But the mouthfeel is deep and full as well. Really good carbonation. Beats stuff like Great Divide in my opinion. Less malty syrupy and more on the hop side without being stupidly hoppy. No alcohol unpleasantness at all. Bit of heat on end, but not excessive. The pale ale I think is perfect. This is almost as good but not quite as the pale ale I would drink all night, but a bomber of this is probably sufficient, but I would still want a bottle every night. Exceptional. It’s the mouthfeel that I just find so good. God that really is hoppy. Just what I wanted. I’m burping hop. Lovely. The carbonation is both soft and insistent at the same time.

At Volo. Golden colour with a small head. Caramel and pine nose with alcohol there too. Flavour: Toffee, sugar, alcohol and malt, the hops are present but overwhelmed by the alcohol. Not bad though.

A very strong IPA on flavor. Strong hop flavor what help to hide the high level of alcool. Really loved it but 1 bottle it’s more than enough, after it’s too much. Will buy it again for sure.

Bottle. Poured orange with an orange tinted head. Aromas of caramel, pine, and floral. The flavor had floral malts and caramel. Medium body, medium bitterness, creamy texture. A nice DIPA.

(10/31/08) Draught sample at Blue Palms in Hollywood (thanks Brian for the free beer!). Clear deep golden color with a big white head. Aroma of grapefruit and some pine notes. Hoppy flavor with pine, some resin and a bit of citrus in a bitter finish. Medium-bodied.

Very floral malty smell. Taste is sweeter than most IPA’s, slightly bitter, good mouthfeel. Malts, hops and orange rind stand out for me.

Big hop aroma and big hop flavor. Grapefruit and lots of citrus, some, plants, and flowers. Full palate, well balanced and full of flavor.

Pours a deep red amber with a one finger off white head. Good amount of sticky lacings. Aroma is mainly sweet caramel malts, some floral hops. Taste is very sweet malts almost candy like with just a touch of hop bitterness. If I didn’t know better I would judge this an Impy Red or something else on the sweet side. The bottle date indicated it was over three months old. Maybe improper storage killed the hop flavors. I will see if I can find a fresher sample and if it is better I will edit my review. For now though it is not a beer I would recommend to a friend.