As I meticulously make my way through the Lagunitas (Petaluma, CA) lineup, I've noticed that its strong beers tend to be rather stylistically vague and at times taste like a Double IPA, a Barley Wine and an American Strong Ale. Brown Shugga' was born when a failed batch of Olde Gnarleywine Ale had to be salvaged by boatloads of brown sugar. The resulting beer ended up being quite different but equally good and it's now the brewery's October seasonal release.Brown Shugga' (9.9% ABV) pours a clear coppery amber color with a thin layer of resiny head. The aroma is a potent blend of caramel, grapefruit nectar and hop resin. The taste begins with a strong dose of herbal hops and concentrated citrus flavors followed by caramel malt, dried mango, brown sugar, pine resin and alcohol. Mouthfeel is sticky and syrupy with moderate carbonation and a sugary, boozy finish. One 12 oz bottle should be more than enough as this beer is packed with aggressive malt and citrus flavors along with a strong alcohol punch.
Score: 3.8/5
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