Lagunitas Freak Out

Formerly brewed at Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Petaluma, California USA

My Bottom Line:
This frank IPA isn’t as freaky as Frank himself, but its citrusy hoppiness and accompanying resinous bitterness do complement its crunchy cereals rather well.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A veil of foam shrouds the light golden clarity.
-Soft effervescence comptently lifts the comfortable biscuity maltiness.
-Alcohol is not a factor in the flavor profile.
-Tame spiciness gives some complexity to the hoppiness.

Bottle; no date.

I am a huge fan of Frank Zappa. A huge fan so I am impressed that Lagunitas dedicated this to this album. It is a fairly good IPA but the overall hop profile I was hoping for wasn’t present hterefore doing Frank a diservice.Suzie, Suzie Creamcheese???

I thought this IPA was very unusual due to its orange color and orangey flavor, but quite good and different than the other IPAs I’ve had lately. I would definitely recommend it. I had this on draft at Roman’s in Milwaukee. It poured a rather bright and hazy orange color and smelled rather piney to me, rather than the more typical citrus aroma I’ve become accustomed to in my favorite IPAs. Flavor was truly unique; it was very orangey, like an orange cream soda but still very beer-y. Quite good. Mouthfeel was pretty thick and sticky, as I’d expect from a "big" IPA.

22 oz. bottle. Pours a copper/orange color, with the hazy complexion that previews good things to come. Nice citrus and herbal notes balanced by the presence of just enought malt. Not quite complex but very satisfying.

Pours an pale orangey copper, lightly hazy with a frothy ivory head, that dissipates to a thin but persistent head. Some sparse lacing. Smells of floral hops and lightly fruity, crisp pale malt. Hints of honeysuckle? Taste is dominated by the herbal, bitter hops but is nicely balanced by the malt. Not a ton of malt presence but just enough to keep the beer from feeling to thin or too harsh. Admittedly, it’s on the edge of leaning to hard on the hops but the malt pulls it back from the precipice and allows the hops to shine quite pleasantly and tastily. More cirtusy in the finish and the hops linger on your teeth after the liquid disappears down the gullet. Mouth is medium, a bit of driness form the hops (or the 7.3% ABV, not sure which). Aftertaste is all hops as stated before. Tasty stuff, if uncomplicated.

Alone in the hissing laboratory of his wishes, Mr Pugh minces among bad vats and jeroboams, spinneys of murdering herbs, and prepares to compound for Mrs Pugh a venomous porridge hitherto unknown to toxicologists which will scald and viper through her ’til her ears fall off like figs, her toes grow big and black as balloons, and steam comes screaming out of her navel. (Cakes! Cakes! Cakes!) Cheers to my buddy Bert who sent me this brew and Dave from work who loves Zappa as much as me.

Lagunitas event at the Brickskeller. Pours a clear, medium yellow; white head with strong retention. Piney and citrus aroma; some wet malts. Chewy citrus and pine mouthfeel: dank, grapefruit; maple syrup malt background. Medium, sweet finish.

Bottle from Hi Time: Malty aroma with a slightly bittering hop hint, reminds me of a grapefruit. Overall, presents a nicely balanced nose. Pours a clear, golden color with a small, lasting white head- looks very nice in the glass. Flavor is moderately bitter with a very nice hop profile noticeable through-out. Slight malt notes come through at the end to balance out the beer very nicely. Smooth and slightly creamy on the palate.