Lagunitas The Hairy Eyeball Ale

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

On draft at the GL. Pours a clear dark burgundy with a small beige head. Aroma of candied sugar and sweet malt. Taste of malt and light candied sugar. Has a tangy finish.

Pour was chestnut amber with a three finger head which left some nice lacing. Aroma was caramel and pine. The flavor was a caramel malt backbone with hints of chocolate and a piney/resinous finish. Pretty good flavor, but with a lot of these Lagunitas brews, it just lacked a little oomph to take it over the top. The mouthfeel was really carbonated and tingly...really was reminiscent of something hairy. All in all, I liked it.

12 oz bottle from Whole Foods. Dark brown pour with decent head. Aromas of dark fruits and raisin. Some dust and touches of chocolate. Flavor fell off a bit with similar flavors, but somewhat reduced. A bit of cardboard in the flavor surprised me as I had not expected any oxidation in this rather fresh beer. Not bad, Just OK

Dark brown pour from the 12 ounce bottle. Minimal head with plenty of lacing. Good aroma, chocolaty scent. Flavor was chocolate malt followed by an enjoyable bitterness. Nice full palate, very smooth. Good amount of hops for a dark beer. I had no problem with the abv. as this followed a 7% IPA so it tasted O.K. in that respect. I enjoyed the full bitter finish. Good stuff. Not normaly a big fan of dark beers. I was a bit nervous due to the wierd name but no worries.

12 oz. bottle. Pours a beautiful dark brown with a touch of ruby. Small white head subsides quickly. The aroma is very boozy with a touch of sweet fruitiness. The alcohol is strong in the flavor also, but not unenjoyable. It’s tangy and a little bitter,, but is counter-balanced nicely by a fruity plum note with a touch of chocolate on the backside.

I can definitely sympathize with those who offering a contrary opinion on this beer, as I was not a fan either. It had a significant liquor presence that I did not care for that came off very medicine-y. I finished it, and it wasn’t terrible, but it definitely is not an experience I will be seeking out again. My bottle poured a copper color with minimal head. Color was nice, beer was admirably clear, and brilliantly bright. Aroma was a combination of cereal/grain with some diacetyl and and a liquorice/medicine smell. Flavor and was caramel-y and harsh. It had a real cereal/grainy element combined with a lot of liquor/medicine flavor, but not in a good way. For some reason, it felt like there was some grain in the beer other than barley, like maybe oatmeal. Mouthfeel was unremarkable. I can’t say I’ll be seeking out this beer again, nor recommending it to others. I bought this bottle as a 12oz single at 3 Cellars in Franklin, WI.

12 oz bottle-pours a clear amber color w/a moderate head & good lacing. Roasted malt aroma. I guess I’m in the minority, but this one just didn’t do much for me. Strong alcohol flavor w/ overtones of flat cola & maple syrup. I tried to let this warm some & mellow out but that just didn’t happen. Reminded me off cough syrup-Vicks 44D to be exact. Mom used to make me drink that shit when I was a kid; I didn’t like it then & I don’t like it now. Maybe some age would help this mellow, but for me it was a drainpour.

Well, this is weird because I got a sixpack of this stuff from 2001-2002. So I don’t know if it improved or degenerated in that time. I am guessing that the high alcohol content made it stay pretty much the same. Pours with an ok sized tan head and a deep red body. Whiff of raspberry at the front along with other fruitiness. Kind of bitter maple syrup taste, but ends with a roasty finish. Hops are present, but malts make up the bulk of the taste. Medium to full body. As far as I could tell it wasn’t bad at all.