Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale

Brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Petaluma, California USA

Bottle. Hoppy aromas, citrus notes, reminds me of a DIPA. Taste is yummy; citrus, hops, slight molasses, and hardly a hint of the strong alcohol. Easy on the palate.

Bottle... Beautiful, toasted amber ale with a small, creamy, off-white head. Terrific retention. The earthy, malty aroma supplies heaps of caramel, tons of pink grapefruit and a touch of damp leather. Tastes like bitter grapefruit rind blended with caramel, Novocain and ethanol. Full-bodied and creamy with moderate carbonation. Lightly bitter, extremely astringent finish. Not a whole lot of subtlety here. Kudos to growler for splitting the bottle with me!

Appearance: Pours a clear, orange-brown body with a foamy, thick off-white head. Smell: Aroma of lightly toasted grains amidst heavy hop scents of resin, grapefruit, and flowers. Taste: Sugary caramel sweetness flush against the torrent of hop flavors and bitterness. Pine, grapefruit, and even some freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Finish acidic and bitter with some peppery ethanol lurking in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderately carbonated. Sticky, oily mouthfeel. Drinkability: Another simplistic strong ale, and though its well priced, it just isn’t my cup of tea.

22 oz bottle. Pours a dark copper with a fluffy head. Powerful hop aroma, really enticing. Taste is a little thin but a huge explosion of hops in the mouth. The hops even linger on the palate after. This is really interesting and a nice change of pace.

22 oz bottle purchased at Monaghans. Poured a fantastic looking clear reddish amber with a nice foamy whiteish head. Aroma was very sweet with nice floral hoppiness, caramel, molases, and something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, figs possibly. Palate was medium with a nice touch of carbonation and a slight bit of alcohol warming on the back of my throat from the 9.28%. OVerall a nice beer that everyone enjoyed.

Bomber. Pours a clear copper color with a 1 cm thick light tan head. Aroma is a light meld of spicy malts and some floral hops, maybe a hint of dark fruit wanting to come out. Taste has a spicy/citrusy combination in the beginning from the balanced malt/hops, with the finish having a nice crispness and subtle hop buzz. I liked it because of its balance, doesn’t try and overdo the hop load. Could have a livelier aroma, though.

22 oz bomber. Dark amber color. Aroma of nice hops and citrus. Taste is citrus - mostly orange and grapefruit - and great floral notes. Very hoppy and great finish.

I was told this was a barleywine, but it had a thinner mouthfeel. Decent hop aroma. Dark amber pour with a thin head. Taste is rose petal, orange, and strawberry. Very delicious. Quality hop finish. It sold out quickly at the event I attended, and for good reason.