Lagunitas B3K

I don’t know, I am going to guess they made this once for their 3000th batch and that it is 4 years old and needs to be retired by now. It was shared by beerguy101, thanks Mitch, at the RBSG’09 Grand Tasting. This was one of the few non-sour beers there that I rated and really looked forward to beforehand. I kept bothering Mitch to break it out til he finally did, I may have been the first pour. This is really funny because usually I couldn’t give a rats ass about Lagunitas but I wanted this and I was not disappointed. The pour give me a nice dark brown copper color. Aroma is sweet raisin, not sugary though, just sweet raisin with straight up Russian tea behind that, I swear I am smelling tea that I would get to try on the train in Russia with about 2 cubes of sugar in it. I like it and it really sucks me into the beer and makes me disregard the craziness of RBSG around me. The flavor losses some of that sweet tea and comes off more like a barleywine. However, the alcohol is extremely well hidden, I would have been even more sensitive to it at this point but I could not find it, I loved that part. And the age was not coming through it if was indeed that old. I only had 2 other aged Strong beers that night (HW BAOS and FFTW RB edition) and this was surviving much better than both (almost definitely b/c it is not barrel aged) and was the best of the bunch. It was also not slick or heavy like a lot of Strong Ales, made it very easy to drink especially that night. My first really good experience with Lagunitas in a while.

Bottle shared at the grand tasting, thanks a lot. Copper color. Very aged aroma and flavor. Dark fruit with old hops. Getting a little passed its prime, but still pleasant to drink. Lagunitas has mastered the art of making a high quality american strong ale.

Bottled, Rating #3400. Poured rich coppery-amber with a short cap of beige head. The aroma picked up rich toasted caramel, toffee, and brown sugar notes with mild herbal and spicy floral highlights.. rather syrupy with definite degradation (but in a decent way).. alcohol was present only as a tickle on the back of the nose. The flavor was centered around aged caramel and brown sugar with molasses and lesser anise rolling outward.. dry leafy and herbal notes at the edges that probably used to be bitter hops.. tobacco joined at the finish along with some citrusy notes. Heavier-bodied, still with lively carbonation on the palate.. very dry at the end.. tasty, but a bit past its prime.

From bottle. Pours hazy orange with a lacing off-white head. Smooth and slight earthy touch. Yet also caramel malty. Nice and slight yeasty. Smooth and flavourfull. Fruity and malty finish with a solid yeasty note.

650 ml bottle

Thanks to hezron for cracking this open. It might just past its prime so if you happen to be sitting on any bottles I would open them as soon as it is convienant for you to do so. If you hadn’t told me this was lumped into the ’American Strong Ale’ category at the time of rating it I would have called it a cross between a barleywine and an old ale.

Aroma / Appearance - The cherry body was graced by a mocha colored head. Maple syrup, cinnamon and muted hops floated from the glass. It was pretty lifeless but thick.

Flavor / Palate - The initial impression is underwhelming. A flat mouthfeel leaves bitterness on the tongue combined with malts and a hint of caramel. Tea leaves follow soon after. The experience is dull and boring for the most part though this is very sippable for an 11% ABV beer. Either it was flat from the start or it is starting to decline. Regardless if you have a bottle drink it now.

Date: 06/18/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Noog I

dark amber, sweet carmel malt aroma with lots of earthy hops, sweet malt flavor with tempored hops
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Date: 08/24/2005

more hops and bitterness in the flavor, well balanced, dry carmel malt flavor but hops are the dominant flavor profile, nice long bitterness upon warming, touch of peppery alcohol,

Aroma: 9/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Score: *4
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The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Pours a cloudy reddish brown color with a ring of tan lace. Good aroma and flavor of figs, roasted malt and caramel. The body is medium to full with a creamy texture and soft carbonation. Very interesting.

Bomber bottle and served in NB worthy glass: Deep russet brown highlights with a light foamy off-white head and excellent lacing. The nose detects beautiful toffee and burnt malts, very English earthy yeast esters, crab apple, prune, dates, a little black Cavendish pipe tobacco as it warms, and a ever present vapour of sprucy and grassy hops. I like it even if smells more like an English Olde Ale than an American Strong Ale.

The taste starts with a heavy dose of caramel malting and a supported cast of old oxidized earthy components. Followed by a hit of sweet fruits and some mild spice undertones of cardamom and pepper like flavors. The finish is surprisingly roasted and dry. The mouth feel is lush and smooth, a sipping brew for sure, the alcohol is hidden very well.

I love this brew but it REALLY needs to be listed as an English Strong. Try some and be ready for something not hop driven but led by a malt base. The year and half of bottle aging has done wonders IMO.