Lagunitas The Hairy Eyeball Ale

Bottle. First had this almost exactly a year ago at The Ginger Man in Austin and sought it thereafter. Barley wine-ish, malty, sweet, though I taste no pineapple whatsoever. Strong hoppy aroma, but overwhelming malt flavor. Hearty brew - lasted several months in the fridge with no ill effects. When I first had this beer the thick, sweet, powerhouse ales were something I was exploring ... but today I am moving away from these powerhouses and sticking with my favored hops. Still, a fine muscular beer.

Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball is a red-brown ale with particles afloat. It has a small, dense, sand colored head that leaves tenacious lacing. It has a sweet, malty aroma with a grassy note. It has a smooth medium body with a slightly sticky finish. It’s pretty sweet and resiny. It’s reasonably bittered; the green, fruity bitterness shows up at the finish and provides the aftertaste. It’s a touch heavy for a session ale.

Deep birch-amber color with suitable head. Aromas of malt, citrus hops, candi sugar, and notions of cotton candy. Hefty in ABV, but manageable at the same time. You feel the strenght underlying the malt and sugary features, but it is mostly well-balanced.

On draught at RnH (NYC): Simply put, this one tastes of two ingredients- brown sugar and pineapple. And there’s a sour or bitter, lingering finish. This one doesn’t do it for me. It’s too sweet and bitter at the same time, and the presence of alcohol in the ale is too much. Not too drinkable, but as a taster is okay.

12oz bottle. Pours copper in color with foamy brown head. Aroma sweet, malty and hops. Taste sweet malt, pinnapple, hops and brown sugar with bitter finish.

Poured from Bottle into Pint glass. Pours a clear, but dense, dark copper color with 2 fingers of rocky, creamy light tan colored head that never fully disappears. The aroma is very malty and heavy with toffee, molasses and a touch of hops. The flavor is sweet malt, some citrus hops and finishes very strong with brown sugar and a very noticeable alcohol presence. Its full to medium bodied that is a touch sticky. I would say this beer is a pretty cross between a scotch ale and a malty barleywine. Overall, I’m just not impressed with it. Alcohol is a little too noticeable.

12 ounce bottle from Wine Warehouse in Charlottesville, VA. Pours a clear ruby color with a medium head. Average head retention and lacing. Aroma is toffee, brown sugar, pineapple and resiny hop notes. Taste is strong toffee and brown sugar with an assertive hoppy finish. This is very much like a barleywine. Full bodied.

Aroma is deep molasses and or brown sugar. A deep amber pour with off white head and lace. Flavor of sweet malt, abv, with a pleasant finishing bitter. A tad thin but overall an excellent offering.