Continuing on with the theme of my early beer reviews on this site, I have chosen another of my favorite breweries. This happens to be the first Lagunitas that I had after deciding to write down my personal impressions. If you would like to find their beers, just look for a label that has a little dog with a black patch of fur around one eye. Sometimes its not that noticeable, but it’s there.
For those of you wondering (since I did at first), it is pronounced “lah-goo-knee-tuss.”
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma, CA)
Name: Cappuccino Stout
Style: American Stout (possibly Russian Imperial Stout)
ABV: 8.29%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the wine fridge and served in a pint glass.
Aroma: Some roasted malt aroma, though not extreme. No burnt character noticed. A little hint of coffee is there as well as a low hop nose.
Appearance: Dark brown with a slight red hue (when held to light). Has a two-finger high tan/café au lait head that dissipates rather quickly. Quite clear and can even see some bubbles rising despite the dark brown color.
Flavor: Strong maltiness with a slightly burnt coffee to bittersweet chocolate flavor. The hop flavor is more prominent than the aroma implies. Slight bit of alcohol noticeable. Some dryness and very slight astringency (puckering) at the finish, which does linger a bit.
Mouthfeel: Medium body (maybe slightly more full) with a bit of alcohol warmth. Low level of carbonation.
Overall Impressions: Gets much better as it warms and the very slight astringency (puckering) lessens. It was actually hoppier and not quite as malty as I expected. The coffee flavor was weaker than I thought going in (that was influenced only by reading the label). Overall it was OK, but not great (looking back not near the top of my Lagunitas brews). I would like to try it again closer to room temperature to see if my impressions change.
Grade: B (somewhere in that range)
Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
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