I have yet to see it roll out onto shelves around me in the Bay Area, but know that it has at least been bottled. If you go onto their website it says they will be bringing it back "in a big way" (not quite sure what that means; more produced, new recipe?). So I went on read some reviews that were all dated within the passed day or two (assumed that they were drinking the 2012) and they all said what a huge hop presence it had. Was wondering if anyone has had this years, did it taste different? Do you know if they changed the recipe? Is it typically just a hop bomb right when it is released? That is all.
I haven't tried this years or heard about any recipe changes, so I won't speculate. However remembering back to my first brown shugga experience, I'd have to say I thought it was pretty hoppy...we are talking about Lagunitas.
I had a bottle the other night and it seemed pretty much the same to me. I really prefer Brown Shugga with age and think it's always been a bit too hoppy fresh. At 6 months or more, though, it turns into a wonderful brown sugar nectar. I've got a 2 year old bottle that I can't wait to try side-by-side with a new one.
I had it less than an hour ago, and it tasted like I remember it tasting like last year.... Delicious.
The beer I had two years ago was super sweet, and I dont remember much hop bitterness (but I was relatively new at craft beer), this years was pretty hoppy out of the gate.
It was not brewed last year, they made the Sucks in place of it. I still have a 2009 and 2010 bottle in my cellar that I am looking forward to tasting alongside a fresh bottle this year.
I guess it's been two years..... either way, my memory is just good enough (and just bad enough) that after 1 or 2 years, I'm only going to remember the basic flavors, and whether I liked it or not.... I bought it today because I recall liking it last time I had it, which, as it turns out, was probably 2 years ago!
From my review of the 2010 Brown Shugga'... "Taste - starts out sweet with a good bit of citrus thrown in before finishing sticky sweet. Burps are hoppy, nice!" As far as the 2012 Brown Shugga'... I can't wait to try some.
Could be the small bottle format. Was it always in 12oz bottles? I only had it on tap pror to last year.
It was in 12oz bottles in 2010 (maybe 2009 as well?). I remember having a 22oz bottle several years ago the 1st time I tried it.
Only other one I can think of is their Imperial Stout but I do recall my first Brown Shugga being ridiculously hopped, biting, and piney. With some age it's still a beast of a beer. I don't think I can even recall a more "piney" hoppy beer they make. Every other beer seems to be citrus delicious.
