I have the same memory. I like malty beers, but if I'm buying this beer, it's because I expect a hop bomb.
In hindsight this beer was a foreshadowing of the direction west coast ipas were headed. The malt presence was clean and dry and the hops were loud and extravagant. The flavors were more sharp and piney, with the fruity notes being more in that citrus pith realm then the citrus flesh direction. Damn shame to put something out under this label that is anything but a hop slap
From my experience & tastebuds, NOTHING Lagunitas puts out is as flavorful as it once was, pre-buyout, let alone pre-pandemic. NOTHING NOTH THING!
Yeah you’re right. I knew I was making a big mistake buying the sixer as it was happening but the nostalgia got me haha.
After reading posts . Will buy a single . Was hoping this would be great but was expecting what im reading..
I think two years ago when traveling through San Fran airport I had Lagunitas IPA on tap. Super fresh and absolutely delicious.
Ok. This post got me thinking. Sadly, I have never been to the brewery in Petaluma (only 1 and half hours away). I took a look at the taplist and they have both Hop Stupid and Waldo's Special Ale. Add a BA Strong Ale and I need to make my first trip. I want to see if your fresh comment gets me back in the saddle with Lagunitas. Got....to...make...it...happen...
As I think I've sed on multiple posts over the years as far as the stoners at Lagunitas: After the buyout and since pre-pandemic, there used to be only 4 Laguntas brews that came close to tasting as flavorful & worth buying as my (puff, puff) foggy memory recalled: 1. Waldos (although it hasn't tasted as flavorful & punchy as years ago) 2. Willetized, now discontinued, (although it hasn't tasted as flavorful & punchy as years ago) 3. Born Yesterday, although after last years' bad batch/no distribution plus the two years before that when LFK & the region got skipped on distribution, I have a hard time recollecting whether or not the 2022-23 version was as tasty as pre-pandemic but hey, if'n the stoners release it to your area this fall, maybe it might just still be worth a fling? 4. Maximus (although it hasn't tasted as flavorful & punchy as years ago) but at least it's still available as a year-round release. In short, as I've previously sed, NOTH-THING Lagunitas puts out is as tasty as it once was. But I'll always have my memories of 'original' Waldos, Willetized, Born Yesterday, Hairy Eyeball, Gnarlywine, Espresso Stout, Undercover Shutdown, Brown Shugga', Lucky 13, IPA, Daytime IPA, etc......
I'll be curious to hear your take if you make it up there soon. I haven't been in in something like a decade at this point. But that place was an absolute gem back in the 2007-14 years that I was a regular visitor. Genuinely one of my favorite combinations of beer quality and vibe that I've ever encountered. Ever since their beer moved away from my preferences I've avoided the location because I don't want to taint those great memories
Damn, Lagunitas had some absolute bangers at one point and they were always so affordable. When Hop Stoopid was fresh, it was $2.99 for a bomber and was as good as anything coming out of CA at the time. The first batch of Sucks was the best IPA I had ever had up until that point. I miss those days.
Definitely the worst beer I've had thus far this year, and likely the contender for worst of the entire year. Odd to me people are saying this is a malty un-hopped mess. My bottles taste like dry fusel leafy greens, just awful. Only had the choice of a six pack (at $11.99 on sale, at least) but wish it had just been a single bottle.
Hop Stoopid returning to my fridge. I think it tastes good. Real good. $9.99 per 6pk and a person would need a time machine to make an American IPA like this taste like it did 15-20 yrs ago.
Born on date 3/23/26 Stale(ly) malt and deeped freezed hop extract taste a shadow of Hop Stoopid before the buyout
Their stuff got a lot more hit and miss than it used to be. A lot of their hoppy beers had a super thing feel and they went hard on the green Mellon flavora
I'm still keeping an eye out for it here in the Triad area of NC. I'm nostalgic for this beer and a lot of the other old Lagunitas bomber beers like Lucky 13.
