Lagunitas Maximus

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

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

Pours a slightly hazy orange amber with a thick, fine-bubbled, pale orange-tan head. Aroma is strongly hoppy and somewhat fruity. Strongly hoppy flavor is a little bitter and has tones of banana and apple as well as a whisper of sweetness that complements the bitterness rather than fighting it. Texture is smooth, edgy and tingly.

Bottle. Aroma is ruby red grapefruit, dried mango and resinous hops. Appearance is a translucent reddish golden color with a half inch of dense head. Taste starts off with assertive herbal hops and toasted malt flavors followed by grapefruit, caramel, tangerine and pine. Mouthfeel is slightly sticky with medium carbonation and a bitter, tangy finish. The overall flavor is much more aggressively hoppy and citrusy than their regular IPA. While it’s not quite as flavorful and balanced as Hop Stoopid, it’s still a quality DIPA that delivers a strong blast of hops to your taste buds.

12 oz bottle. 07.09.10. Pours a deep golden honey color with a creamy head like melted whip cream. Taste is predominately pine with some mild citrus hops, pineapple, and a nice caramel malt backbone. The nose is spicy, piney hops, caramel malt, some citrus fruits (pineapple and lemon zest), and a hint of orange rhind. The mouthfeel is very creamy, bordering on being mildly chewy. A nice velvety texture. Great iipa for the price. Thanks Lagunitas.

12 Oz. Pours a beautiful golden copper with solid fluffy head. Aroma is of mild floral and citrus hops. Taste is very broad and full bodied amazing citrus spicy hops. Finish is clean and crisp with a full bodied malt and hop experience. Excellent stuff!

355ml bottle. Pours golden orange with average off white head lacing the glass. Strong pine and citrus aromas on the nose, overshadowing anything else. Medium-light body, with moderately assertive, but not upfront bitterness. Flavours apart from those characterized by the hop aromas typically not standing out, however some malty sweetness combines with the lingering bitterness on the medium-dry finish. Alcohol hidden well, Not Bad, but there are better IPA’s out there.

335ml bottle. Pours a slightly hazy bright copper with little head and lace to speak of. Dominant hops on the nose, but not overpowering; kind of lacking I’d say. Very confused in the mouth with a sweet almost wheaty entry but a nice long bitter resiny hop finish. Overall mediocre. Do yourself a favour, drink their Hop Stoopid instead.

UPDATED: JUL 6, 2010 Location: Cask at Whole Foods-Bowery, 7/2/10

Aroma: It has an aroma of orange grass, and pine
Appearance: Hazy orange beer with a frothy white head
Flavor: The taste is both sweet and hoppy, pretty big and flavorful
Palate: Medium-full bodied beer with a creamy feel, and a sticky sweetness
Overall Impression: Pretty surprised I’ve never rated this one before, but somehow it has gone until now without a review from me. That all changed when I wandered into the Bowery Beer room on Friday trying to stumble across one of their tastings, and lucking there was the guy from Lagunitas... This is a really good beer, but I shouldn’t be surprised, these guys never really seem to disappoint.

Thick pillowy head. Golden color in appearance. Great hoppy taste with a sweet finish.