From the Brewery: 

“An ultra-mega-mondo red ale first made in 2006 to celebrate 13 years of brewing ultra-hoppy-mega-malty-mondo ales. Now it’s 2013 and we’re 20 years in. Whoa.” 8.65% ABV Red Ale

The Pour: 

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a nonic glass. The body of the beer is slightly hazy, and just on the light side of the amber spectrum. A foamy, off-white head is poured, which retains decently and leaves good lacing on the glass. Moderate carbonation can be seen climbing the glass.

The Nose: 

Sweet, syrupy caramel booziness is the foremost aroma. I also get some mixed fruitiness, like a combination of dark cherries and tropical fruit. It carries a bit of a medicinal note due to that semi-peculiar smell.

The Mouth: 

Medium-rich bodied ale; smooth initially, but finishing with light carbonation harshness, hop bitterness, and minor alcohol burn. The sweet, syrupy caramel malts and fruitiness are the main flavor. It tastes pretty much exactly like it smells, with some added earthy hop grit and alcohol presence in the aftertaste.

Final Thoughts: 

This one tastes very similar to another Lagunitas recently reviewed, their Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale (link). A little less syrupy, and a little more hop bitterness, but the same general profile. I’m not a particularly huge fan of the profile, or the style for that matter. I think I like my reds to be a little lighter, less syrupy and more crisp. The medicinal characteristics make it less than a joy to drink, and its 8.65% ABV isn’t helping anything in that regard. I probably wouldn’t pick this one up again. 5.5/10

Lagunitas Brewing Company – Petaluma, California