Lagunitas Dogtown Pale Ale

Formerly brewed at Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Petaluma, California USA

The Dogtown Pale Ale is definitely one of the best APA’s that I’ve sampled in a long while. This beer had it all. It started with a light amber color and a big off-white head. The lacing around the glass was very generous and sticky. The aroma was a huge hit with me, featuring big notes of pine and grapefruit, with more subtle hints of earth, caramel and floral notes. The body was smooth and plenty drinkable. The flavors were absoutely delicious, with big and spicy notes of hops, pine and grapefruit. Other hints included floral notes, caramel and red pepper. The finish was spicy and dry with a good malty kick. This APA is highly recommended, and has suddenly become a favorite of mine. Now, I’ll just have to see if I can find a case of it around my neck of the woods.

Bottle at Gavlen Bar, Copenhagen. I wrote down it was Pale Ale at 6.4%, but the label was different. Pretty sure it is this. Drank with Reakt sat at the bar and the two of us just stared at the beer in wonder. Gold, slight haze. Ang warned me this was good and it is. Wow. The hop, intense, really flavourful hop. Decent pale malts. Sherberty hop finish. Automatically one of my favourite all time US beers. Stunningly well balanced. Creamy in mouth.

4 oz pour at the Oregon Brewers Festival in July ’09. A classic tasting pale ale from Lagunitas. Hoppy with their signature blend.

Nice and smooth with a great taste. Doggone good Beer.

Bottled. Pours a clear, bright copper color. Ivory colored head. Malty aroma with plenty of hop notes in the form of oranges, grapefruit and lemons. Sweet and malty with a very nice bitterness. Very nice pale ale- one of my regulars.

A nice golden/copper color. Some head but not too much. Nice hoppy flavor and some maltiness too. Not bad!

Nice copper color with an ample white head of foam. Caught some hop spiciness in the aroma, but not overwhelming. Tastes wonderful. I like this beer a lot. I was first impressed with the complex malt, bold and a bit sweet, a hint of roasted flavor too, then it finished a bit dry (but still bold). Complex yet smooth. Then the hops kicked in - spicy and floral. Prickly moutfeel from the hops (which are now citrus and piney). This pale ale is bolder, smoother, and hoppier than many an IPA. More complex too.

solid malty/hopped nose with biscuit nuances; has what seems to be a real cara pils head, not just suds; intriguing sunset color; densely malted (a touch of chocolate malt even?), very complex in mouth; really grows on one, great balance and depth; as Cartman says, ’KICK ASS!’