Lagunitas Brewing Company- Lucky 13: Here I Go Again
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at 10:07PM | by Jason 
Damn, I’m still trying to get caught up on reviews and just can’t seem to manage to get any time to do so. I can honestly say that I don’t ever remember a summer that has been this busy where we’ve had so much to do as a family or going out this much with the old lady. This evening is the first in almost a week where I’ve had a chance to sit down and truly enjoy and write about a brew. Since my last review was a Lagunitas Brewing Company offering I decided I’d go back to back and go for another. This evening is their “Mondo Large Red Ale” known as Lucky 13. Lagunitas has been good to me so far, so I feel confident that this trend will continue.
Lagunitas Brewing Company classifies this brew as a Red Ale and their website briefly describes Lucky 13 as, “Our 13th Anniversary Beer in was a Staff Favorite, So We Make it Each Year. BIG on the Amarillo Hops and Rich Dark Malts for a Round and Huge, Smoky Flavor.” Lucky 13 is a June release according to the Lagunitas website.
Lucky 13 pours a dark copper color with a ¾” tan, tight bubbled head with a resiny hop aroma mixed with grapefruit and sweet caramel malt and is 8.3% ABV.
It’s not very often that I get lucky but tonight I did. With as extreme as their Hop Stoopid is to Imperial IPAs, Lucky 13 is that to Red/Amber Ales. This is a beautifully crafted and extreme Craft Beer. If you are both a Hophead and a fan of Red Ales, this is your perfection. It starts with a bitter hoppy bite complimented by some spice characteristics, a citrusy middle and a mixture of a sweet malty/resinous hop finish. This is a bold and complex beer that may be outside the realm of what you know a red/amber ale to be. Some of us remember the infamous White Snake video where Tawny Kitaen danced/rolled across the hood of a car to the song “Here I Go Again.” Well, I have to say that Lucky 13 has the same effect as that once famous red head did…only this time it was my taste buds that were highly aroused. Thankfully I’ll never have to see Lucky 13 on Celebrity Rehab…
ABV: 8.3%
Consumed: New Belgium Globe Glass
Verdict: Buy A Case
