Lagunitas The Hairy Eyeball Ale

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

Name: Hairy Eyeball Ale
Date: 04/14/2001
Mode: Bottle
Source: Belmont Station, Portland

Appearance: dark brown, fine light tan head,
Aroma: rich malt aroma,
Flavor: strong malt flavor, well balanced, low bitter finish,
-------- /> Name: Hairy Eyeball Ale
Date: 08/06/2005

Appearance: muddy brown with a wispy tan head,
Aroma: sweet carmel malt aroma with good rich earthy hops,
Flavor: rich malt flavor, lots of earthy bitterness, a bit oxidized, a touch of ripe fruit trying to break through,
Overall: big and rich but needs a bit more distinctive character
-------- /> Name: Hairy Eyeball Ale
Date: 02/18/2007
Mode: draft
Source: brick store
Score: 2.7 to 3.5

Appearance: clear dark burgandy, frothy beige head, lots of lace,
Aroma: sweet brown sugar aroma with lots of dark carmalized sugars and a touch of earthy hops,
Flavor: lots of sweet dark caramel malt flavor, touch of ripe fruits, earthy bitterness that borders on astrengency, alcohol esters add rather than subtract from the experience, sweet sugary and fruity to the end,
Overall: a big improvment over prior batches, sweetness does get to be too much after a while
-------- /> Name: Hairy Eyeball Ale
Date: 03/04/2008
Mode: draft
Source: brick store

stilll the big sweet brown sugar beer, lots of caramel sweetness,
-------- /> Name: Hairy Eyeball Ale
Date: 03/04/2008
Mode: bottle
Source: brick store
Vintage: 2005
Score: 3.8

Aroma: sweet fruity aroma with a winey character, heavily oxidized but the sweet winey sherry character overcomes the oxidation,
Flavor: sweet brown sugar flavor is still evedent but the fruity sherry character comes out to add a whole new dimension, bitter finish is all but nonexistant,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Pours a hazy dark brown colour with a medium beige frothy head. Aroma is floral hops, cookie, and lots of dark fruits. Initial taste is malty and sweet. Plum and other dark fruits really make their appearance when instantly become smacked with some bitter hops for the finish. The 9%abv makes it presence along with coco & caramel. Finish is dry. Mouthfeel is sticky, lips are covered with a candy finish. Some head retention. Excellent.

A ruddy burgundy pour full of densely packed carbonation produces a creamy beige head, well retained and nicely lacing. The nose is powerful and affable, with notes of orange rinds, floral hops, sweet caramel malts, apricot, coffee cooler milkiness/roastiness, toffee and grass. The fruit is in control and is quite comforting to the senses. Alcohol is modestly concealed. The flavor is even fruitier and grassier, with mild bitterness, mild acidity that interplays wonderfully with the hop resins that surround the malt. Sweetness is variable but mostly high, alcoholic notes more available surely contributing to this. Finishes very fruity, drying, with lengthy apricot and sugars wavering around. The mouthfeel is enjoyable, smooth, highly but pleasantly carbonated and a touch tingly. A very well made, innovative and delicious beer, showcasing influence and inspiration from a multitude of recognizable styles. This is a fun one.

This bottled brew from a Durty Ellies in Chicago poured a small sized head of foamy finely sized tan colored bubbles that were quickly diminishing and left behind a and a fair lacing. The aroma was brown malt. The mouth feel was tingly at the start and strongly tingly at the finish. The well covered vinous flavor contained notes of hops mildly vinous and brown malt. An excellent brew I would love to have again.

Pours a dark brown color with strong alcoholic aroma. Tastes of dark malt and winter spices, corriander especially. Great marketing, another good one from lagunitas.

Notes of caramel and brown sugar on the nose. Pours a dark amber, brown with a white head. Very smooth malty flavor with a noticable hop presence. Lots of caramel malt with spicy hops.

Bottle, from Barley Wine, Cph. Pours a deep brown with a small head. Aroma has a definite similarity to Belgian Ales more than American Strong Ales, but there is also a load of hops - so perhaps fair enough... Flavour has dried fruits to begin with, then some powerful bitter hoppyness.

Brown. Nutty malty aroma. Smooth and slightly nutty. Good medium creamy body.