Lagunitas Nuevo Noir

Bottle from Belmont Station--Poured a deep brown body with a medium whitish head. Dry, citrus bitter, estery nose. Bready dark fruitiness. Not sure what to think of this beer. Not horrible, but very unattenuated and yeasty. Not my thing necessarily.

Sampled April 2007
Notes of toasted chocolate, and browned bread crust greet my nose as I pour this beer. This is quite a bit more aromatic than I was expecting and, without yet inspecting the aroma, seems to even have a lightly funky edge to it. The beer pours with a two-finger thick, amber-tinged, tan colored head and the beer is a brilliantly clear, concentrated amber color that is quite pretty to look at in the light. Upon further inspection, the aroma is quite a bit more fruit focused; notes of caramelized raisins and figs are quite prominent. Underneath the fruitiness is that initial note of malt. Really the aroma is quite sticky, and a bit too fruity smelling for me.

Lightly sweet up front, it picks up more sweetness as it moves across the palate. The sweetness makes me think I am drinking something like raisin, or even prune juice. Underneath this fruit character are notes of caramel malts, lightly toasted grain and a browned crusty bread character; This malt character is not really noticeable enough to balance the over the top sweet and fruity notes though.

This beer certainly mimics many Belgian beers, it just happens these are the ones I don’t like. They are too sweet and syrupy for me, and they are lacking in the yeast-derived complexity of the truly great Belgian Ales.

i THOUGHT THIS was an awesome version of a brown ale. Dark brown with a reasonable head. Great malt and hop flavors along thje palate. Notes of nuts and caramel.

#975, Bottle at the Champaign-Urbana private tasting held at Radio Maria. Clear brown (really brown) thin white head that is quickly discipating, nose is weak but salkty and coppery. Almost nutty. Taste copperish, laggerish malty and salty. Hints of nuts and cashews.

Big Bottle- The head is probably the most interesting thing from this beer(Nothing Belgian in this style)Small hints of honey roasted nuts, and a bit of hops with a bitter dry finish to it. Some caramel, and cinnamon characteristics.