Lagunitas Cruising with Ruben and The Jets

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

Bomber. Poured medium brown with a short cap of tan head. The aroma picked up alcohol-fueled molasses and baker’s chocolate with fresh grassy and earthy hop accents.. smelled stronger than it should have with unpleasant character. The flavor was along those same lines with molasses and black patent malts on the sharper-than-necessary core with earthy bitterness and fusel notes surrounding.. finished strong and warm. Medium-bodied with about the right carbonation on the palate, but poor balance.. drinkable but kinda disappointing.

Bomber, $3.99: still priced admirably low for a good brewery. Pours dark brown with ruby shine. Aroma is murky, and entirely unappealing. Maybe some chocolate, spice, and wet soil. Flavor is equally muddled. I understand that pepper has been added to this brew, but really, if the goal is a tasty and novel flavor, this beer falls well short on the former. As it warms, more of the milk chocolate comes through, but not in time for me to rate this anywhere near its current 3.5 on RB.

A nice and unique stout. I didn’t read the commercial description before drinking and I kept asking , what is this spiciness? Tastes like pepper? Well lo and behold there is pepper in the beer and it is a nice twist. Aroma was a little metallic, but mostly chocolate. Pour was a nice deep dark brown with amber hues and a thin tan film for a head that left quickly. Taste was all chocolate- somewhat on the thick side, but with decent carbonation. The peppercorns come out on the back left and right parts of the tongue. At first it is apparent with every sip. A peppery bite on the cheeks. After half the bottle it just comes out in the aftertaste. Very nice.

Not fully black, but rather a dark brown with a tan head. Roasted grain and some fruityness in the aroma. Slightly sweet malt flavor, roasted grains. Smooth and full odied.b

Literally ripped some flesh from my hand trying to twist off the cap on this bomber. Looks like the beer created a glue about the ridges between the bottle and the cap. Lightly hazed chestnut colored liquid. Modest head that diminished to a lid of tan bubbles. Toasted grains and light fruit dominate the aromas. Just looked at the style and I would have guessed strong ale, certainly not stout. Rich silky feel. Just a bit of zip. A Thick and slightly chewy. This is the way I like a stronger brew to feel. Sweet malt start, with some caramel, milk chocolate and fruit. I seem to catch stewed prunes and raisins. I am not sensing the alcohol in the flavors, but my stomach has a light fire starting. Flavors of mild green peppers and the linger as a more traditional pepper bite along with just a touch of toasted malt. Not enough roasted malt for a stout in my book, but a decent strong ale.

Dark brown color with a tan head. Aroma of sweet, fruity and toasted malts. Flavor of sweet toasted malts, some berries and with a hoppy finish. Unusual.

Sampled at tronraner’s Xmas Eve^3 tasting. Reminded me of more porter qualities than a stout. Notes of molassis and chocolate and caramel. Creamy and roasty. Fairly pleasant actually. Gotta love the album label.

2008 Bottle - Pours a cloudy brown with a medium tan head...aroma is malty, a bit of citrus, fruity, caramel...flavour starts like most other lagunitas, piney hops, but this one evolves into something else, sweet sweet malty finish, unique bitterness that isn’t char or hop...this isn’t like most other stouts with the coffee and the tobacco and the hey hey...fun though...like a dark malt strong ale...