From the Brewery: 

“Lagunitas IPA was our first seasonal way back in 1995. The recipe was formulated with malt and hops working together to balance it all out on your ‘buds so you can knock back more than one without wearing yourself out. Big on the aroma with a hoppy-sweet finish that’ll leave you wantin’ another sip.” 6.2% India Pale Ale

Purchased from Bevmo in Fresno, California.

The Pour: 

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into my Libbey “Craft Beer” glass. The color is honey-golden, with crystal-clear visibility. An off-white fluffy head is poured, which has decent retention and leaves light lacing. Ample carbonation is visible in the glass.

The Nose: 

Upfront hoppy aromas of grapefruit citrus and pine notes are the main characteristics here, with milder grainy/cracker malts.

The Mouth: 

A medium-light bodied ale, with moderate bitterness and carbonation present in the mouthfeel – certainly not difficult to drink. Not too much flavor is given off initially, as most comes through in the aftertaste. Again, the grapefruit citrus and pine hops are dominant, but the grainy malt is also there. It is the grapefruit bitterness that lingers on the palate.

Final Thoughts: 

This IPA has a very good balance to it. It keeps its hop-forward characteristics, but doesn’t over do it, and has just the right level of malt characteristics. This is probably one of my favorite traditional/regular IPA’s to have on hand for when the hop mood strikes and I don’t feel like writing up a review. It’s 6.2% ABV seems just about right for the style and the feel. Everything about this brew is solid; the aromas, the color, the mouthfeel, and the taste. 8/10

Lagunitas Brewing Company – Petaluma, California