Name: Brown Shugga' AleBrewer: Lagunitas Brewing Company - Petaluma, CA
Style: Strong Ale
Alcohol Content: 9.5%
Review: A Deep Amber color, solid pour and a couple fingers of head. You know, I didn't give this beer a fair shot at first. It has a sweet biscuity aroma that, along with the flavor, comes to life as it warms up to about 50 degrees or so. It's not highly carbonated but tingles the tongue a little while it's going down. And for an ale, the finish is not at all dry. The brown sugar is strong and maybe a bit too overpowering. The sweetness of the beer overpowers the alcohol, but somewhat clumsily in my opinion, unlike my favorite - the 90 minute IPA. The flavor also contains hints of fruitiness and grass. I applaud this beer for being well-developed, and I found it to be rich and tasty while almost a little difficult to finish. As the beer warmed, I found it to be more drinkable and much more enjoyable. I had certainly not let it set long enough before I started making my opinion.
I made my way to East End Cafe later in the evening to support my friend's new band, (unsolicited shout out) Human Sounds. Give 'em a listen. If for no other reason, to check out the bassist. He's sick. Well, while at East End I sampled the Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA (review to come), and made a 4th quarter decision - the brown shugga' ale is quite excellent. Say what you will about the 60 minute being somewhat of a confounding variable, it helped me better judge the Brown Shugga' for what it is... a solid strong/Imperial ale.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend? YES
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