-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Brown Shugga'
Lagunitas Brewing Company
- From:
- Lagunitas Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Strong Ale
Ranked #87 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #9,086 - Avg:
- 4.03 | pDev: 11.17%
- Reviews:
- 1,685
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 17, 2024
- Added:
- Dec 13, 2001
- Wants:
- 316
- Gots:
- 1,481
IBU 51.1
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Damian:
Reviewed by Damian from Massachusetts
4.83/5 rDev +19.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.83/5 rDev +19.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Drank from a 12 FLUID OZ bottle purchased at Crazy Bruce's Liquors, West Hartford, CT
Poured a gorgeous, crystal clear, dark crimson-orange with a tight, creamy, two-finger, light saddle head that slowly faded to a thick ring of froth. Lots of spotty lacing stuck all along the glass.
The aroma was intense and enticing. As the name suggests, brown sugar was immediately noticeable. Rich, caramel malts also came through strong along with hints of Christmas cookies and a touch of alcohol. A nice mix of sweet and spicy.
The flavor was full, rich and incredibly well balanced. So smooth and creamy. Tons of bready, rich, sweet malts came through up front. Brown sugar and gingerbread were noticeable in the center. Juicy, ripe fruits (peaches and apricots) came through as well. Sweet, citrusy hops (some orange peel) appeared in the finish along with indications of orange liquor. A sweet, sticky coating of this orange liquor-like flavor lingered in my mouth (as well as on my lips) long after the beer was finished.
Mouthfeel was creamy, smooth and medium-full bodied with a fine, mild carbonation. Silky smooth on the palate. Syrupy and sticky.
Drinkability was simply off the charts. The alcohol in this beer is hitting me hard but where did the liquid go? I simply cannot believe I am almost finished. I have labeled other beers as being "dangerously drinkable" but this one puts them to shame. 9.9% ABV? This certainly must be a typo.
Simply put, this is an exceptionally well-rounded beer. Its sweet, sugary aspect is apparent, yet it never becomes cloying or messy. (This beer borders on being a sweeter version of a barleywine, and a damn fine one at that.) Brown Shugga' actually reminds me a great deal of Lagunitas's own Sneak Release Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale, but slightly better. I advise you to seek out this magical beer at any cost.
Jun 13, 2008Poured a gorgeous, crystal clear, dark crimson-orange with a tight, creamy, two-finger, light saddle head that slowly faded to a thick ring of froth. Lots of spotty lacing stuck all along the glass.
The aroma was intense and enticing. As the name suggests, brown sugar was immediately noticeable. Rich, caramel malts also came through strong along with hints of Christmas cookies and a touch of alcohol. A nice mix of sweet and spicy.
The flavor was full, rich and incredibly well balanced. So smooth and creamy. Tons of bready, rich, sweet malts came through up front. Brown sugar and gingerbread were noticeable in the center. Juicy, ripe fruits (peaches and apricots) came through as well. Sweet, citrusy hops (some orange peel) appeared in the finish along with indications of orange liquor. A sweet, sticky coating of this orange liquor-like flavor lingered in my mouth (as well as on my lips) long after the beer was finished.
Mouthfeel was creamy, smooth and medium-full bodied with a fine, mild carbonation. Silky smooth on the palate. Syrupy and sticky.
Drinkability was simply off the charts. The alcohol in this beer is hitting me hard but where did the liquid go? I simply cannot believe I am almost finished. I have labeled other beers as being "dangerously drinkable" but this one puts them to shame. 9.9% ABV? This certainly must be a typo.
Simply put, this is an exceptionally well-rounded beer. Its sweet, sugary aspect is apparent, yet it never becomes cloying or messy. (This beer borders on being a sweeter version of a barleywine, and a damn fine one at that.) Brown Shugga' actually reminds me a great deal of Lagunitas's own Sneak Release Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale, but slightly better. I advise you to seek out this magical beer at any cost.
More User Ratings:
Rated by weseaststream from Alabama
4.08/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
rich with enough bite to be interesting
Aug 02, 2023Reviewed by DrOfGolf from Delaware
3.58/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.58/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
Local beer store had this as a single and I took a chance. First of all, I couldn't find any dates or date codes anywhere on the bottle.
Poured cloudy brownish color with a tan head. The smell is sweet and almost of a maple syrup. The flavor is sweet and has a warmth boozie feel. A decent beer, if you like sweetness in your beers. Not my kind of beer but hey, it was a one off shot.
Aug 08, 2022Poured cloudy brownish color with a tan head. The smell is sweet and almost of a maple syrup. The flavor is sweet and has a warmth boozie feel. A decent beer, if you like sweetness in your beers. Not my kind of beer but hey, it was a one off shot.
Reviewed by izraelc from New York
4/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a hazy amber. Thick foam. Malty aroma. Big flavors. Bitter hop body followed my syrupy malt sweetness. Light brown sugar finish. You can taste the alcohol. Complex but well balanced. An excellent strong ale.
Mar 05, 2022Reviewed by chum_husk from Minnesota
3.25/5 rDev -19.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.25
3.25/5 rDev -19.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.25
12oz bottle
One of my old favorites, this is a big boozy sugary drink with a decent scent and look, and dangerous drinkability. I used to get sixers of this for $8 back in college, and many a blurry night were spent in its embrace
Jul 31, 2021One of my old favorites, this is a big boozy sugary drink with a decent scent and look, and dangerous drinkability. I used to get sixers of this for $8 back in college, and many a blurry night were spent in its embrace
Brown Shugga' from Lagunitas Brewing Company
Beer rating:
90 out of
100 with
6036 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!