Lagunitas Cruising with Ruben and The Jets

Brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Petaluma, California USA

22 oz bottle
I picked this up as the Zappa series has been fairly solid to date. Lagunitas often puts out a solid beer. This one is no exception. Very drinkable for a 8.5% beer it is also priced reasonably. I highly suggest picking it up soon.

Aroma / Appearance - A half finger tan head bobbed above the fluid black body. A trace of lacing gave it a nice presence. The aroma of bittersweet chocolate, smoke, and black coffee was a good blend of malts with hops in the background. It reminded me a bit of a fresh Old Rasputin.

Flavor / Palate - The hoppy bite yielded to a smoky chocolate base. Coffee, cocoa, black cherry, and dry roasted malts complete a satisfying experience. Since it doesn’t try to do too much this beer comes across just right.

Bottle. Dark toffee colored beer with a small tan head. Rich malt aroma. Rich toffee malt flavor with chocolate and light coffee. Medium-plus bodied. Toffee, chocolate, and light coffee lingers.

very little smell, alcoholic, milky; pours opaque brown/black with some hints of red/orange. pours thickly and without a head. tastes like coffee, anise, molasses and has a smooth flavor. very little hops (replaced by a strange spiciness). a little burny (there’s very little carbonation, so i assume it’s from the alcohol). smooth and thick in the mouth; creamy and milky.

A very tasty imperial stout. Nice balance of chocolate and coffee. Strength is just right. Pours near pitch black.

Rotten Apple tasting. Very dark brown, almost black, with a small tan head that forms a patchwork as it fades. Smoky fruit aroma with coffee. Very nice flavor. Coffee, chocolate, and dark fruit flavors. Nice zest with a medium body and a thick oily feel. I liked this beer for its complexity and for just being delicious.

Bottle: Dark brown pour with a thin tan head. Light bits of lacing. Aroma is roasty and dry with a light cocoa presence. Taste remains roasty with a little more of the cocoa than before. A subtle amount of pepper is noticeable. The balanced roastiness and cocoa really take over as it warms making the pepper even less prevalent. Lingering roasty and slight bitters in the tail. Very drinkable.

Bottle from Safeway in Davis, CA. This one poured dark with small head. The flavors were of cola and chocolate. I didn’t really notice the pepper at first. Maybe it was like Dr. Pepper. Anyway, this beer was quite unique, but not awe-inspiring.

Solid , but lighter roasted aroma,delicate hints of rich chocolate and cola, seems like it want s to burst out,but never does, even as it warmsA very intriguing flavor of Bosco chocolatemalt and a little hint of spice, presumably the pepper,yes there is a slight burn in the finish. Its all just one level from being a spectacular gem. Lagunitas is deserving of such Kudos of turnig out such a spectacular brew at the most reasonable of priceses. Consumer Reports would label this a Best Buy. Fotr the price ,it is one of the best brews out there