Lagunitas Brown Shugga: taste discrepancy, will aging solve it?

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by PathofChaos, Jan 16, 2020.

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  1. PathofChaos

    PathofChaos Initiate (0) Oct 20, 2019 Maryland

    I've had about a dozen bottles of Lagunitas Brown Shugga this winter season, but only 2 of those bottles have really wowed me. I'm operating under the assumption that the amazing 2 bottles I had are what the brewer intended.

    The rest are okay... but nowhere near the godlike explosion of molasses flavor I had in those two perfect bottles (the ones which I based my BeerAdvocate review on).

    I was so determined to figure out why there was such a disparity in flavor between bottles that I called Lagunitas in CA. I spoke to a lovely woman with a soothing radio-talk show voice named Jen. She explained how to interpret the Julius Calendar dates printed on the bottles, and advised that Brown Shugga is meant to be experienced fresh. She explained that they're also meant to remain refrigerated.

    Problem is, even the new arrivals at the store here in Maryland are already 90+ days old by the time they arrive. And that means three months of careless, un-refrigerated storage with possible exposure to light on trucks passing through various climates; which I'm assuming is what weakens 80% of them.

    My query is: is there anything I do on my end to ensure optimal flavor? Or am I doomed by virtue of being on the opposite side of the continent? Will aging them help?

    My local liquor store is very friendly and despite putting in a new order, the cases that arrived were marked Bottled on Day 265, but they arrived on Day 345ish. I yearn to re-experience the heavenly flavor of a real, untarnished, Lagunitas Brown Shugga Ale... but alas, it seems impossible :-(
     
    #1 PathofChaos, Jan 16, 2020
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  2. officerbill

    officerbill Pooh-Bah (2,228) Feb 9, 2019 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Unfortunately you only have three choices
    1. Be content with diminished flavor and be happy when you find the occasional good Shugga
    2. Stop drinking Brown Shugga
    3. Move to California
    You identified the problem (age + warm storage) and, sadly, there's nothing you can do to correct it. As you get into the habit of checking dates you'll find more and more beers on the shelf that are past their prime.
    There's a freshness thread going on now, the posts will answer explain it further.
    https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/beer-freshness-question.631475/
     
    #2 officerbill, Jan 16, 2020
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  3. SudsDoctor

    SudsDoctor Pooh-Bah (1,739) Nov 23, 2008 New York
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Hate to say it, but you're probably out of luck. If you shop for beer frequently (weekly) all you can do is keep checking different shops until you find reasonably fresh bottles.
    Oh, and aging Brown Shugga won't help, IMO.
     
    #3 SudsDoctor, Jan 16, 2020
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  4. Hoos78

    Hoos78 Maven (1,327) Mar 3, 2015 Ohio

    Aging won’t help the situation. Brown Shugga should still be OK with a bit of time on it. 90 days might see some fade, but still pretty good. It is classified as an old ale, but don’t be fooled, the hops are a huge component to this beer. This isn’t North Coast Old Stock Ale.

    For me, I have realized that palate sensitivity is often responsible for differing experiences with hoppy beers. I try to never drink two different hoppy beers in a row. When I do, the second beer nearly always tastes waaay off. If I’m in for a multiple beer session, I’ll usually mix in a Pilsner or Helles between hop-forward beers. I find that usually brings out the best flavor in the second hoppy beer. Actually, I think that goes for nearly all beer styles. If having a few, and trying to enjoy each individual beer, two different beers of the same style consecutively can muck things up.

    A lot of other factors can affect your palate as well. Food that you’ve eaten or a even the slightest cold/sinus issue can make things taste off.
     
    #4 Hoos78, Jan 16, 2020
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  5. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,811) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I agree with @Hoos78 : if properly stored, Brown Shugga isn't going to be a bad beer at 3 months. It's a big, malty, boozy beer, and the hops add a ton of flavor, but they're not going to cause the beer to be a dude that quickly.

    It's entirely possible that individual bottles wind up bad, for lack of a better term - this happens. So I wouldn't rule it out, but 4 out of 6 seems less likely.

    I'm glad Hoos brought it up, as well, because your palate is the most likely variable in this whole equation, ultimately, especially within the same batch. Drink an IPA before Brown Shugga? It's going to taste very different (likely more herbal and bitter, less sweet). High ABV stout, liquor, or eat anything spicy? That'll dull some flavors (and bring others out, in the case of peppers). Some salt on the palate? That'll likely enhance what you're drinking, to an extent.

    Don't rule out your own day-to-day variance, is what I'm saying. :slight_smile:
     
    #5 Roguer, Jan 17, 2020
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  6. PathofChaos

    PathofChaos Initiate (0) Oct 20, 2019 Maryland

    Thanks everyone, for your input. I will content myself with the occasional wild-card amidst a diminished but otherwise perfectly good ale. I'll be sure to enjoy the 3 bottles I have left instead of saving them for next year.
     
    #6 PathofChaos, Jan 17, 2020
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  7. PathofChaos

    PathofChaos Initiate (0) Oct 20, 2019 Maryland

    @Roguer I have a tendency to drink every beer the same way: when I'm alert, well hydrated, and haven't eaten or drank anything but water, so as not to sully the flavor (unless its a nice dry stout or other, more traditional beer which a typical meal cannot overpower). I got a 3rd six pack of Brown Shugga---y'know in the name of scientific inquiry! And all six, under near identical circumstances, lacked the mind blowing flavor of that one lucky bottle I got. Hence, I humbly contest that my pallet is probably not the inconstant variable for this specific phenomenon. I believe it must be the months of haphazard storage on trucks as they make their steady way to the opposite end of North America to reach me :-D
     
    #7 PathofChaos, Jan 24, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2020
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  8. Skabiski

    Skabiski Maven (1,252) Feb 2, 2010 Maryland
    BA4LYFE Society Trader

    I would agree with others that the disparity in flavor has something to do with your palate. Brown Shugga is one beer I purchase by the case and enjoy it over several months. I do keep it refrigerated and would not recommend cellaring it. I am in Maryland also,so I know how frustrating it can be to find relatively fresh West Coast beers.
     
    #8 Skabiski, Jan 24, 2020
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  9. PathofChaos

    PathofChaos Initiate (0) Oct 20, 2019 Maryland

    Haha yeah I hear ya. What's your favorite Maryland beer so far? I think mine is DuClaw's Dirty Little Freak
     
    #9 PathofChaos, Jan 25, 2020
  10. mogulskier

    mogulskier Zealot (690) Feb 3, 2019 California

    Agree. I live in California and we get Brown Shugga fresh. It is a good but not world class beer. Still, I always grab a 6-pack, been drinking it for awhile. Based on personal experience, aging won't help.
     
    #10 mogulskier, Jan 25, 2020
  11. guinness77

    guinness77 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,554) Jan 6, 2014 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Aged Brown Shugga basically turns into a barleywine. I’ve enjoyed aged bottles. I prefer it fresh but it’s still a decent enough beer with some time on it.
     
    #11 guinness77, Jan 25, 2020
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  12. micada

    micada Grand Pooh-Bah (3,960) Jul 13, 2015 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yep. History alleges it was a barleywine recipe gone astray. I’ve had the same hit or miss experience...lots of variables, but when it’s on, it’s a nice beverage.
     
    #12 micada, Jan 26, 2020
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  13. ESHBG

    ESHBG Pooh-Bah (2,099) Jul 30, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Yep Brown Shugga came about from messing up a batch of Old Gnarleywine.
     
    #13 ESHBG, Jan 26, 2020
  14. Prince_Casual

    Prince_Casual Savant (1,236) Nov 3, 2012 District of Columbia
    Trader

    This is laughable on a lot of levels

    The date is impossible to read, if it's even there at all.
    Why not just print a clear "BBD: xx/yy/zz" if fresh is so important?
    I've never seen a brand so UNCONCERNED with stale beer being sold

    I used to love Sucks, but honestly f*** Lagunitas. I for one, am not wasting my time with impossible to read dates, been burned WAY too many times with their crap. Their beers are good when fresh but are some of the worst when you get stuck with something 5 months old. They do not give a damn about fresh beer- don't waste your time IMO.
     
    #14 Prince_Casual, Jan 26, 2020
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  15. Hoos78

    Hoos78 Maven (1,327) Mar 3, 2015 Ohio

    ...and didn’t Sucks come about due to problems with Brown Shugga?
     
    #15 Hoos78, Jan 26, 2020
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  16. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,966) Mar 12, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Sucks was their "apology beer" when they didn't reserve enough tank space to make brown sugga during an expansion.
    That first batch was quite possibly the best double IPA I'd ever had at the time. So clean
     
    #16 unlikelyspiderperson, Jan 26, 2020
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  17. ESHBG

    ESHBG Pooh-Bah (2,099) Jul 30, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    The Julian date is a pain to read and what's annoying is when the Born Yesterday stuff comes out there is a very clear born on date so they have the capability, why not just make the changeover? It may be a little painful at first but then you're all set afterward.
     
    #17 ESHBG, Jan 26, 2020
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  18. Eddiehop

    Eddiehop Pooh-Bah (2,122) Jun 28, 2014 Texas
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    The downside of most big beer companies now (yes, Lagunitas is in that category) and even larger craft brewers is that that their IPAs are staler than a piece of rye bread that been petrified since the ice age. I'm lucky if I find any Lagunitas, Firestone or Stone < 2-3 months old. It's a rarity.
     
    #18 Eddiehop, Jan 31, 2020
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  19. mogulskier

    mogulskier Zealot (690) Feb 3, 2019 California

    Could not agree more.
     
    #19 mogulskier, Jan 31, 2020
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