Lagunitas Hop Stoopid
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Tasting Notes
The aroma leads with a dense wave of resinous pine, grapefruit pith, and dried tropical fruit that signals the hop load to come. On the palate, bitterness is assertive but not punishing — there's a caramel malt backbone that keeps things from tipping into harsh territory. The body is medium-full, with a slight stickiness that coats the tongue. The finish lingers long with pine resin and a faint earthiness, fading slowly rather than cutting clean.
About the Brewery
Lagunitas is based in Petaluma, California, founded in 1993 by Tony Magee, and built its reputation on hop-forward ales with irreverent branding and outsized flavor. The brewery became a major national presence through wide distribution and a loyal following around its IPA, which remains one of the top-selling craft IPAs in the country. Heineken acquired a majority stake in 2015 and full ownership in 2017, though the brewing approach and product lineup have remained largely consistent.
Food Pairings
Spicy Thai or Vietnamese food works well here because the malt sweetness tempers heat while the hops mirror lemongrass and citrus notes. A cheeseburger with sharp cheddar gives the caramel malt something fatty and savory to play against. Strong washed-rind cheeses like Taleggio hold up to the bitterness without getting steamrolled. Carnitas or other slow-roasted pork benefit from the beer's resinous quality, which cuts through rendered fat cleanly.
Style Guide
American Double or Imperial IPA is essentially a supersized version of the American IPA, pushing hop bitterness, aroma, and dry-hop intensity to extremes while using a beefed-up malt bill to keep the beer from becoming undrinkable. The style originated in the early 2000s as American craft brewers began competing to push hop character further, with Russian River's Pliny the Elder becoming a defining benchmark. ABV typically runs 8–12%, distinguishing it from standard IPAs, and the malt presence is strictly in service of balance rather than flavor — this is a hop-first style that tolerates sweetness but is not built around it.