Lagunitas Hop Stoopid

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid
Lagunitas Brewing Co., Petaluma, CA
Grade: A-

22 oz bottle poured into standard pint glass. Thin and foamy head disappears quickly with little trace. Gorgeous copper color thinning to pale yellow, with incredible clarity. Citrusy fruits on the nose with a mild floral bite and surprising touches of chocolate (!) The 102 IBUs manifest mostly as juicy citrus, mandarin primarily, with sweet candy and pine atop a supple malty backbone. Thick and rich mouthfeel is almost visible as the beer thins toward the edge of the glass, and finishes with a dry, deep resinous bitterness. I'm really glad this is more than a seasonal or limited offering - deliberately overhopped beers like this often flop gracelessly, but Lagunitas (as always) strikes a perfect balance of boldness and pure enjoyability.

À votre santé,

Andrew