Lagunitas Lucky 13

I'm going to do this my way. I'm not going to adhere to the rules and regulations of proper beer reviewing etiquette. I know that Mike has done it that way, but not I. I refuse. Mostly because I'm lazy. But also because I'm a rebel.

That being said, this review will come off as more of a story. Because drinking beer shouldn't be so clinical. It's an experience. Not something to be analyzed to the Nth degree...

I picked up Lagunitas Lucky 13 "Alt" from Shoppers Vineyard in Clifton, New Jersey. I had heard of this beer before, but not the "Alt" version. I was intrigued, and since the price was right at $4.59, I added it to my cart.

Lucky 13 is a red ale, so I made sure it was fairly cold prior to the initial pour. Like all craft beers, I didn't want to over-chill it and mask the taste. But I didn't know what to expect from this beer, so I erred on the side of caution. Can't hurt.

The pour was nice. Into a snifter I had just purchased, the red, amber beer emptied nicely, forming a thin head that barely lasted. Lacing? There was none.

I let it sit for a bit and smelled it for a few moments. Very fruity. I'd be lying if I knew exactly what I smelled. But "fruit" is the first thing that came to my mind. Apple maybe? Pear? Whatever it was, it was sweet.

And then there was the taste. Maltier than I expected. But smooth beyond belief. And absurdly easy drinking. For an 8.9% ABV I expected an ever-present alcohol burn, but there was none. Sure, I could taste the alcohol, but it didn't leave any lasting effects.

For $4.59 a bomber, that was arguably the best bang for my buck I've ever received. Just a solid beer top to bottom. Did it blow me away? No. Would I drink it again? Absolutely. And again? Oh sure.

Rating: 8.7 (out of ten)

Stone Levitation Ale

I don't have a lot of experience with Stone brews.   I believe the only one I've had was the Smoked Porter.   Although I didn't like it, I could definitely tell it was a well put together beer.  Stone is generally regarded as one of the better micro breweries, so I'm hoping this beer lives up to the high standards.   Right on the bottle Stone lists that Levitation is a gold medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival. 
According to the website, "It's been said that "Gravity Sucks." Simple enough. Well, we at Stone have identified gravitational forces in the beer world. And we have come to the conclusion that they, well, see above. So we avoid these less-than-desirable gravitational forces. We avoid dumbed-down flavor profiles and the vigorous pursuit of the lowest common denominator. We avoid big dollar marketing mentalities. We avoid additives, cheap adjuncts, stabilizers and chemical preservatives. So in the defiance of gravity we bring you Stone Levitation Ale. This deep amber ale has rich malt flavors, a big hoppy character, citrus overtones (courtesy of the hops and our special brewers yeast) and modest alcohol."
Levitation has 4 different hops, Columbus, Simcoe, Crystal & Amarillo.   I'm expecting a complex taste.  The ABV is 4.4% and the IBU is 45.

A:  Solid amber color with ruby highlights.  A one inch off white head sits on top and laces the glass very nicely.  Love the bottle though.   One of the things I love about Stone is the complexity they put into the appearance on their bottles.   It's great stuff.

S:  Pine hops dominate the scent.  Citrus and floral hops are also present.   Sweet malt is present on the back end of the scent.

T:  A very hoppy taste.  Pine and bitterness dominate the front of the taste but give away to a more fruity and smooth finish.   In my opinion there is a bit of a coffee malt present which helps to contrast the hop presence a bit.

M:  Light bodied, almost on the verge of it being water-like.  Based on appearance I thought this beer would be a bit heavier on the taste, and this part of the beer left me disappointed.   I think I would have liked it much more if it had more of a full character to it.   The carbonation is fairly good though.

D:  It's a very drinkable beer.   Low ABV and a pretty good taste.

Grade:   I'll be harsh, even though I didn't dislike this beer.   I'll say one thumb down for the simple reason that I wouldn't seek it out again.   I really felt like it was missing something as far as body goes.   It was a little weak for my liking.  But to actually put that into perspective, I'd probably give this beer a C+/B- rating.  It's definitely not bad. 

In comparison to the only other American Amber / Red Ale I've had to this point.. (Key West Sunset Ale)   This is better.

Key West Sunset Ale

I hadn't had a beer from the local Florida Beer Company up until this point, so when I saw that they were being represented with this beer at EPCOT's Food & Wine Festival, I jumped all over the opportunity. I wasn't really expecting anything spectacular besides your average local beer. Sunset Ale is classified as an American Amber Ale with a tropical twist. Florida Beer Company brews it with pale and caramel malts. They also blend it with hops to create a crisp satisfying taste. FBC describes the beer as "more dark than light" and "more malty than hoppy." I can't find the ABV anywhere, so I have no idea the %.




A - Reddish amber in color, Key West Sunset Ale is easy to see through, as it lacks any type of cloudiness. A small white head and ring form upon pour but dissipate rather quickly and leave no trace.

S - Upon first smell you get a good whiff of citrus and caramel malts. After deciphering the scent more there's a slight presence of grainy malt hidden.

T - The taste actually follows the scent pretty well. The first response to the taste is grapefruit which gives way quickly to what seem like out of place caramel malts. The finish is full of floral hops and grain. In my opinion it's a truly odd pairing of tastes, but it's not bad. (I didn't say it was great either.) It's just unique.

M - Low to medium bodied with low to medium carbonation. It's got a smooth texture to it. Easy on the palate.

D - It's a drinkable beer, definitely. Seems like a good beer to be out on a hot day, which is when I was able to taste this. It's not something I'd want very often. Heck, it's not a bad beer but I'll probably never have it again. It's not extremely appealing to me.

Grade - One Thumb Down.. I guess it's a bit unfair of me to label this as a one thumb down beer, but based on me not wanting to drink it again, albeit it's not a bad beer, it has to have some type of negative grade.