This beer pours a nice golden color with just a slight haziness to it with a solid one finger head. Smell wise it reminds me of an IPA brewed with another buddy plant that California is so well known for. Call me crazy but it kinda smells like pot. Not in the bad "oh what are they smoking" way, but in the "woah, that smells like you are smoking some good pot there man" way. Other than that it has a solid IPA undertone that dominates the smell. A nice sharp hoppy undertone that sets the stage nicely for the taste that is to come.
Taste wise this reminds me a lot of Bells "Two Hearted Ale" that I reviewed about a week ago.
Taste wise it is very much the same, it has a lot of the same flavor backbone that the Bells does, but with this huge hop taste. Like I have said before, I am not a big hoppy beer fan, but this beer hits the spot perfectly. It has a huge hop flavor that will come out and kick you square in the gentleman's sausage, but its not too amazingly overbearing. Sure it is an in your face taste, but they dialed back the aftertaste that leaves you longing for those stale over salted pretzels sitting on the bar to wipe it out of your mouth.
It also laces the glass in a way that it is almost mocking you, saying "ha ha" you haven't finished your glass yet. Seriously it has lacing like the thickest of porters and stouts. The lacing from the first drink is still there when you take your last drink. Now that is some staying power!
It finishes nicely with a quick bite of hops, but not the uber bitter undertone that usually follows with a beer that has this strong of hops in it.
It is slightly nutty, and I think that helps the overall texture of the beer, it mellowed the flavors that need to be mellowed and lets the flavors come out and shine stand up front to be noticed.
High five and a pat on your California tanned butt Lagunitas, good job, I plan on buying this beer again as long as it is still around. Who knows you may make a hop driven beer fan out of me yet!
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