Lagunitas Lucky 13.alt
An alternate Lucky 13Is it an Altbier or an American Strong Ale? Whatever it is, Lagunitas have thrown a pile of hops at this latest seasonal release. The 8.9% ABV beverage has the solid malt backbone of both styles, but the brewery has done what it knows best — load up the hop profile of the beer, taking your palate in directions it wasn’t planning on going.
Appearance
Light amber in color, the brew sits with a massive head (due to a vigorous pour on my part). The sticky foams faded slowly to excellent lacing along the sides of the glass.
Aroma
Loads of resiny, piny hops, lightly toasted malts, caramel sweetness and hints of tropical citrus all come together wonderfully.
Taste
The light malt sweetness that starts this beer off transitions smoothly, but quickly to a fairly strong hop presence that has elements of pine resin and citrus fruits. At 76 IBU, this beer has a healthy dose of hop bitterness that lingers for a good long while in the finish. The mellow mouthfeel makes for a smooth drinking beer as the alcohol presence increases as the beer warms.
Overall
Regardless of style, Lucky 13.alt is another hoppy addition to the Lagunitas line of beers. I only wish I had picked up a couple bottles of this one for the remainder of the Summer.
Rating: 3.75/5