Lagunitas Maximus

Brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Petaluma, California USA

On cask at Toad. Brassy color with no head. Large but mellow floral hop aroma that carries into flavor. Sweet and thick malty base with flavor of shellac in aftertaste.

The appearance gives this one away. It is a light amber color and offered little head or lacing. The over all flavor is OK, but this beer lacks the punch I expected from a "pumped up IPA".

Beer trade with nearbeer. Aroma: Lovely hints of quinces and hop resin. Pleasant malt background. Flavor and palate: Very nicely balanced. Dry bitter finish. Overall impression: A very nice Imperial IPA. Thanks a lot nearbeer!

courtesy of Allen - clear amber colour with a fair off-white head; aroma of quinces and cream; good malt body and with a regular carbonation; solid bitterness before a long aftertaste of quinces, apricot and cream - a very nice one which brings some balance between malt and hops

Light copper orange with a thin whipped milk white cover. Lightly syrupy, sticky, sappy pine hop aroma, some toffee and caramel malt. Taste is more pine hops over a thin caramel body with a slight alcohol bite.

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.