Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale

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

Pours amber with active carbonation and a small white head. Aroma is slightly sweet, with a strong piney hop aroma. There is a good balance between the malt and hops, although both are very strong. Taste is mostly a blast of hops with some candy and caramel flavors. Mouthfeel is light, ends sticky. Alcohol is very present but not overpowering, just enough to let you know you’re drinking a serious beer. Serious business. LIke totally srsly. Undercover srs.

Bottle. Aroma shows piney hops, notes of citrus as well as some caramel. Reddish-brown color and pours with a thin off-white head. Spotty lacing at best. Flavors are sweet and malty initially with some toasted caramel, then the hops show towards the finish. Perhaps a tad thin and toned down. Overall pretty good but kind of ho hum and didn’t have the huge hop profile I’d expect from Lagunitas.

Sampled on draft at the Rivertowne Pub this beer poured an orange-chestnut color with a medium sized tan head. The aroma was fairly strong sweetish grapefruit and pine. The flavor was sharp, bitter, sweetish and tangy with strong grapefruit, pine and light nutty malts. The finish was long, tart, bitter and hoppy. Nice.

Draft at the Anvil-Houston TX. Dark copper and clear. Small head. Nose is very aromatic, sweet and slightly hoppy. Taste is syrupy sweet, hints of hops and bitterness. Alcohol is subtle when cold, more presence when warm. Overall this is a decent beer but one of these is enough given the sticky, syrupy taste.

Bottle. Pours a deep amber copper color and a small white head. Aroma is great - sweet malt and fruit nut, some hops included. Taste is sweet, strong palate. Hop presence is lacking, but the malt, fruity sweetness is bigger than expected. A lot sweeter and syrupy than expected, but this lead to a bigger palate than expected.

This one poured a darker red color with a small off white head. Aroma was pretty sweet malts slightly roastged and a hint of alcohol as well. Flavor was very malty and sweet but mild as well. Not much else going on here but hid the alcohol very well

Bottle... Poured amberish with a thick, white head. Big hops on the nose. Nice, foamy palate. Mellow pala ale qualities with sweet natural sugars and passion-like fruit flavors. Nicely balanced with toasted malts and a clean finish.

Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale is a crystal clear, rich amber ale with a dense, frothy, off-white head that thins and leaves outstanding lacing. Sweet, resiny malt and bright, fresh, wooden hops are strong and well balanced in the nose. It’s medium-full bodied and silky smooth with a quick and slightly sticky finish. It tastes sweet, bitter and bold. The flavors are well balanced and blend together to provide a big, fruity (pineapple), wooden, resiny flavor. It’s incredibly drinkable, even at this strength. A very solid American Strong Ale here.