Lagunitas Maximus

Brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Petaluma, California USA

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip glass. light citrus/ apricot flavor. an overall average tasting IPA.

12 oz bottle served in a tulip glass. Pour was deep bronze with one finger of white head. Nose is hops, malt, and caramel. Taste is light citrus, hops, caramel, big malt and notes of apricot. I enjoyed this much more than their regular IPA. I thought that would be rather pleasant with more sweetness, and that’s just what this delivered. A very enjoyable brew.

Poured from the 12oz bottle into a plastic cup: It’s like almost a DIPA, but not quite there(?). Sweet malts, caramel, brown sugar, grapefruit, faint pine notes... Drinkability: a bit too sweet to binge on. Rebuy: prolly.

22 oz bottle. Golden/amber with a fast dissipating off white head. Aroma is citrus, floral and caramel. The flavor is bitter and supported by a big malt base to balance out the beer nicely. The mouth feel is slightly syrupy and thick with good carbonation to balance it out and a long smooth bitter finish. The hops are subdued a bit but that could be due to age. Another great beer from Lagunitas.

Lagunitas Maximus is a hazy deep golden ale with a lot of particles floating in it. It has a huge, dense, creamy, lumpy off-white head that shows outstanding retention and lacing. It has a resinous, citrus aroma that’s fruity and spicy. It’s medium bodied, creamy and smooth with a clean finish. There’s something lightly syrupy about it all the way through. It’s pretty well balanced and quite sweet. There’s a resiny and citrusy bitterness that keeps it in balance, but it’s still just a touch too sweet. I’m pretty certain I got an old bottle.

Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a fluffy beige head. Aroma: Light grapefruit and pine. Taste: Candied grapefruit, turbinado sugar syrup, finishing with earthy bitter hops. Mouthfeel: Thick. Overall: A bit too malt forward for my liking. May not have been a fresh bottle, or perhaps this is something border-lining a Double IPA.

I was hammered at my brother’s bachelor party the first time I tried this, so now I’m trying it again while coherent... the hop aroma is slightly subdued for the style and mixed with malts and hints of candied prunes, raisins, molasses, etc. (an interesting mix). The flavor isn’t quite as bold as I usually like from this style, but all in all it’s pretty tasty.

12oz bottle. Pours amber-orange with a lingering head and good lacing. Very nice aroma of citrus and pine hops. Pleasant hop flavor, as well. An enjoyable IPA.