Willettized
Lagunitas Brewing Company

WillettizedWillettized
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From:
Lagunitas Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #454
ABV:
12.4%
Score:
96
Ranked #966
Avg:
4.33 | pDev: 6%
Reviews:
337
Ratings:
949
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 23, 2024
Added:
Aug 20, 2017
Wants:
  25
Gots:
  152
Our friends over at Kentucky’s own Willett Distillery have one kind of barrel: wood. And they put two things in them: Bourbon and Rye. We were fortunate enough to get some of their Bourbon barrels, and we put our Imperial Stout in them. It’s a chocolatey, coffee-y, smoky, Bourbon-y beast of a barrel-aged thing. Word.

ABV varies from year to year.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bound4er:
Photo of bound4er
Reviewed by bound4er from Wisconsin

4.12/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Dark brown appearance with a dense, tan head of two fingers. Smells quite earthy initially. Then heavily roasted coffee, chocolate and barrel influences kick in. Taste mirrors nose with roasted coffee, chocolate, bourbon and an earthy, lingering hop bitterness on the finish. Alcohol is well hidden. Rich, creamy mouthfeel is the most noteworthy aspect of this beer. Great QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) here as with all Lagunitas beers but not to the taste standards of last year's High West-ified.
Mar 31, 2018
More User Ratings:
Photo of nwalke16
Reviewed by nwalke16 from Michigan

4.86/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
I tried the Willettized at Ales Beer Hall in Royal Oak and I was not disappointed in the least bit.
L: Jet Black with little to no head.
S: Dark coffee/espresso, a little nutty, and chocolate flavor with some slight hidden booze.
T: Absolutely incredible! It reminded me of a good strong black coffee in the morning with some chocolate notes with the alcohol wonderfully hidden. Masterfully done.
F: Excellent coffee notes, medium to full bodied, but hidden alcohol.
This was just about as good as Plead The Fifth BBA Stout if not more.
Mar 23, 2024
Photo of Whyteboar
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan

4.47/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
One of my favorite BA Imperial Stouts
Pours stout black with a light brown head.
The coffee is present yet subtle. Same with the barrel affect. All works together for a seriously good stout that might be a little too easy to drink.
The feel is viscous enough to suggest sipping, but the flavors overwhelm and I really just want to gulp it.
Mar 22, 2024
Photo of Pegasus
Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Appearance; Pours a dark amber, utterly impenetrable to light, with a small, somewhat coarse tan head, with very good retention. The lacing is very finely-beaded, covering the glass wall in a quite thin but unbroken sheet.

Aroma: Very strong bourbon-like notes and dark fruit dominate the aroma; the alcohol notes are quite pleasing and without any harshness. Also notable are licorice, espresso, wood, caramel, vanilla and molasses.

Taste: On tasting, there is a surge of whiskey, dark fruit and licorice, and soon after, a very pleasant warmth. As the taste advances, there is burnt caramel, molasses, bitter cocoa, cold coffee, vanilla and wood. Late in the taste, wood notes and caramel dominate. Finishes with lingering notes of wood, char and a lingering medicinal bitterness.

Mouth feel: Soft thick and almost syrup-like in consistency, with a bit of gentle carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: Just unbelievably good, by itself or with a rich dessert. It would also be an outstanding finale to a beer flight or beer dinner. In this age of expensive, overhyped beer, Lagunitas Willettized is one of the last great bargains at $14.99 for a six-pack.

Presentation: Packaged in a custom stubby twelve-ounce brown glass bottle with a pry-off crown, served in a La Fin du Monde tulip. This is the 2023 release.
Mar 16, 2024
Photo of DimlyLitQuonsetHut
Rated by DimlyLitQuonsetHut from Virginia

4.73/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Outstanding pour at an amazing price. Stout and whiskey lovers will adore it, those sensitive to woody or smoky flavors may not feel the same.
Feb 25, 2024
Photo of rankandfile
Reviewed by rankandfile from Maryland

4.88/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
2023 edition - aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels. I am assuming this is a less sweet, more spicier version than prior Bourbon years. I genuflect to the higher ups; the people who don't have problems finding this beer year and year out.
One word: OUTSTANDING. The rush I felt of randomly finding it in a store I haven't been to in a very long time was akin to finding that rare BC BA private reserve circa 2010. That feeling was only supplanted by the exquisite and perfectly balanced stout.
BC's are now dime a dozen and they just don't taste the same anymore, KBS's never hit right with me, Willitized is perfection.
Feb 23, 2024
 
Rated: 4.52 by MikeZim

Feb 18, 2024
 
Rated: 4.76 by bengben from Minnesota

Feb 18, 2024
 
Rated: 4.27 by SlightlyGrey from Minnesota

Feb 17, 2024
 
Rated: 4.58 by 350havok from Texas

Feb 12, 2024
Photo of LeRose
Reviewed by LeRose from Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours black with a foamy half inch beige head. The head lasts a bit before falling to a ring at the edge and some thin islands of bubbles. The ring coast the glass nicely on swirl or sip.

The initial smell is coffee and chocolate, followed by roast malt, a little woodiness. There's a sharper note which I assume is rye since it's on the label that rye barrels were used, and some woodiness. There's a fruit note that is like plum and cherry.

The taste is bigger, but still under control. It's got a fair amount of sweetness - chocolate and caramel-like. The coffee is prominent and very fresh tasting. There's plum and more of a raisin/fig taste than the cherry aroma. Spicy rye the build and some vanilla. I'm not getting any bourbon to speak of, and there's a mild woodiness. It's got a decent bitterness, and some char taste lingers.

Feel is a bit less than medium, nicely carbonated. There is a kind of chocolate tasting chalkiness on the back end of the swallow. Alcohol is warming but not intrusive. Smooth and a little creamy.

Overall, very good beer I'm glad to have tried. The price point is a a huge "value boost" for this beer. It's not the best in class in my opinion, but it's very good for the price point.
Feb 05, 2024
 
Rated: 4.32 by Tree_powers from Indiana

Feb 01, 2024
Photo of Amboularozzo
Reviewed by Amboularozzo from Texas

4.9/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Tastes like youre smoking a cigar. Rich fresh spicy tobacco notes from the rye. Super thick, coats the lips and palate, making the spicy balanced finish last forever
Jan 25, 2024
Photo of The_Snow_Bird
Reviewed by The_Snow_Bird from Michigan

4.02/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours jet black with a caramel head that goes away quickly. Gives off a coffee with cream and sugar smell. Taste is of light coffee flavor with sugar added.
Jan 21, 2024
Photo of Beers-es
Reviewed by Beers-es from Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From a bottle, pours pitch black with a beautiful dark tan head. Smell has chocolate, coffee, raisins, cherry, vanilla, oak and rye. Taste follows. Feel is smooth without being either thick or thin. This stuff deserves the world-class rating.
Jan 19, 2024
Photo of guitarguyny
Rated by guitarguyny from New York

4.48/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
One of the best stouts I’ve ever had… not to sweet and not too bitter.. damn near perfect!
Jan 19, 2024
Photo of benandemmiboo
Reviewed by benandemmiboo from Maryland

4.68/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
It's impossible to find a better-tasting, 12 percent ABV stout where you can buy a six-pack for $13 dollars or so. In terms of taste, I might even prefer it to Founders KBS, as the alcohol is a little less hidden. Somewhat reminiscent in overall taste to the Chop House Bourbon Barrel Stout, but stronger. If it ages well, as some suggest, all the better.
I bought a case.
Jan 16, 2024
Photo of seakayak
Reviewed by seakayak from Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
-Look: Beautiful black-coffee color with a creamy tan cap.
-Smell: Swirling coffee-rye, then chocolate and toffee.
-Taste: Head-spinning mix of chocolate, rye, and coffee - wow!
-Feel: Medium and coating, creamy and smooth.
-Overall: Unbeatable world-class stout for the price - don't pass it up!
Jan 14, 2024
 
Rated: 4.34 by cabsandking from Ohio

Jan 10, 2024
Photo of idResponse
Reviewed by idResponse from North Carolina

4.87/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
You want a wood barrelled stout? You want some coffee with that? You creaving something sweet but not cloying, heavy as hell ABV but not noticed at all? You're there with this brew.
Fantastic in every fathom, everything I could ask for in a brew of this kind... They nailed it!
Also, I got lucky and managed to score a couple six packs at half the price it's supposed to sell at when Whole Foods forgot to change the price of the seasonal barcode.... EVEN BETTER!
This is one of the best things Lagunitas has ever done and I wish it could become a regular brew that's year round at a normal price. Give us more!!!
Jan 08, 2024
Willettized from Lagunitas Brewing Company
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 949 ratings