Willettized
Lagunitas Brewing Company

Not as much coffee as I was expecting.

A: opaque; very dark brown - almost black; with a fairly aggressive pour, a 1 finger light brown head that receded to a moderate tight collar; very little lacing;

S: vanilla, bourbon, bittersweet chocolate, smoke, and a hint of coffee;

T: vanilla and bourbon up front; from the middle through the finish, semi-sweet chocolate is dominant; moderate bitterness at the end;

M: medium to full bodied; moderate carbonation; moderately dry finish that continues drying out in the aftertaste;

O: this made me very happy;

 

 

Not much carbonation on this 2022 bottle. Big body and boozy notes abound. Chocolate and coffee on nose and taste. Great finish that stays on the palate for a while.

At the brewery during our California RV trip

Review: 2354
Name: Willettized
Brewery: Lagunitas
Location: Petaluma, CA
Style: Barrel Aged Stout
ABV: 13.1%
Canned: 2020
Date: 4 April 2025
Going back to my cellar, I opted for another Covid beer. I am using a tulip glass and serving the beer at 50 degrees. The pour created an airy, half-fingered, light tan head with poor retention. The quick dissipation left a ring around the liquid. The color is jet black with a dark rusty brown hue, charting at SRM 36, and is opaque. I was disappointed to see the head disappearing so fast. The overall appearance of the beer is about average for this style.
Nosing the glass, I smell coffee, dark chocolate, spicy rye, caramel, brown sugar, floral esters, oak, Maillard, char, bourbon, raisins, and a hint of smoke. I do not notice much else except some earthiness.
Sipping the glass, I taste the dark-roasted coffee, dark-roasted malts, char, bourbon, brown sugar, floral esters, oak, char, bourbon, raisins, dried cherries, tobacco, soy sauce, a skosh of smoke, and earthiness. The spicy rye adds a lovely complexity to the overall flavor.
The mouthfeel is coating and thick, finishing slightly warm and dry. The body is heavy and has low carbonation.
The beer is brimming with coffee, chocolate, bourbon, and wood flavors. A char and smoke flavor builds as you keep sipping the beer, distracting from the overall experience. It is an average stout; nothing about it makes me want to revisit this beer.

This is a really nice BBA Imperial Stout.
Nice fullness / mouthfeel. Not boozy. Pretty viscous, but not syrupy. I really dig it!

Black color. Medium-sized, beige head. Coffee, roasted malt, and bourbon in the aroma. Well-rounded taste with nothing sticking out. Moderate roasted bitterness, perfectly hidden alcohol.

 

 

 

 

 

The pour is jet black with a tan & frothy head of carbonation. The taste is coffee, roasted malt, bourbon barrel, along with some hints of rye, toffee, & tobacco char. Moreover, the 12.7% abv drinks more like a 10% abv beer. Overall, this was a good bargain price barrel aged stout with a depth of flavor. Cheers! A (World Class)

 

12oz bottle (2024) into a tulip. Pours a deep dark brownish black with a 1-finger mocha head that subsides to a thin collar around the inside of the glass.

Aroma is bursting with roasty chocolate and coffee. Smoky oak char as it warms. Rich and complex, tantalizing.

Taste is likewise incredibly well balanced and satisfying. Bitter espresso, dark chocolate, roasted malt, silky smooth bourbon, more smoky barrel char. Subtle hints of vanilla and caramel. Dangerously drinkable.

Mouthfeel is exquisitely balanced, completing the complex flavor—coats the palate without ever being heavy or sticky. Good carbonation keeps it relatively light and crisp for a 12%+ imperial stout.

Overall just an outstanding beer—I’m having a hard time finding any flaws here.

 

 

L: Pours a dark chocolate, forming a thin tan head that is quick to fade. A faint film of retention is noticeable, and a distinct khaki lacing is present around the edge of the snifter. Held to the light, a very thick carob/chocolate hue. Opaque.

S: Strong notes of coffee, vanilla, oak barrel, and charred malt. Lighter notes of bourbon, dark fruit, cacao, and molasses. Boozy.

T: Bourbon and whiskey, with loads of coffee in the front. Toffee, dark chocolate, and roasted malt. Burnt sugar, molasses, caramel, and raisins. Some light char in the finish.

F: Full-bodied. Smooth, viscous, heavy mouthfeel. Some light carbonation. More of a sipper.

O: Marvelous coffee stout. No weaknesses. A rarity to find but well worth your time.