Lagunitas The Hairy Eyeball Ale

This pours a dark, dark red with a minimal head and strong lacing. The aroma smells almost like tea, with an underlying bitterness. The taste is a multilayered one, starting bitter, fading to sweet, and then leaving a bitter aftertaste. Alcohol is well hidden in the flavor, a very enjoyable beer.

clear ruby/purple color. small tan head. hoppy, alcoholic, american barleywine aroma. sticky palate. flavors of alcohol, hops, and sweet malt with a hint of cinnamon in the finish. hint of licorice. too much alcohol.

12oz bottle-pours a foamy tan head that quickly dissipates and mahogany color. Aroma is lots of medium malt-sweet, dark fruit, secondary citrus. Taste is upfront citrus hops-bitterness followed by medium malt-sweet, dark fruit, licorice. Good carbonation.

Pours dark brown with orange/red highlights. White head with good retention. Leaves lace on the glass. Sweet malt up front and mid tongue, then a floral / herbal hop note hits and finishes clean and smooth. Smooth drinking but one dimensional. Does not not taste like a 9% tonic. No real flaws just does not have much complexity.

Courtesy boboski. Dark brown pour with a thin soapy head. Mild floral hop aroma with a malty background. Slightly bitter start to the taste and a dry finish with a bit of the hoppiness lingering. Very drinkable, but not much to set it apart really.

I gotta say. I’m not liking this one. The alcohol is quite present, and the attack is quite harsh. The flavour, or lack thereof, of the hops isn’t strong enough to support the bitterness.

Pour is a very dark brown with almost no head. Aroma is chocolaty with notes of cherry and oily hops. Flavor is sweet chocolate malts with some dark fruits and molasses. The only down side is the lack of hops but other than that this is a tasty brew. Alcohol is hidden well for a 9%.

Mocha coffee roasty chocolate aroma. Tons of dark fruit too. Dark brown in color. Flavor is the same as the aroma except with more discernible fruity sweetness. A heavy body in this ale, yet for being 9% alcohol, I can see this being pretty drinkable actually.