First sip is spot on what I remember from imperial stouts of the past, and that's not my favorite. It has the bitterness of the hops, but none of the taste. It has a metallic twinge that remains in the mouth for far too long. There are subtleties of caramel, chocolate, cappuccino, and coffee. The acidic underbelly reminds me of imperial stouts like Storm King that I've had in the past that have made me distrust the whole style.
I'm going to give it a few good swigs. It needs a fighting chance.
Tip-in is a carbonation and metallic bite and a bit of coffee. Not really what I look for in a beverage. Then, the middle comes along with a surprisingly mild toffee and cappuccino taste. I wasn't expecting that middle, and it changes the beverage pretty considerably; it's sweet and smoky - the middle is pretty good. Then the finish launches with a whiplash of carbonation bite, a bit of oatmeal and a slight hint of metal.
All told, the worst Lagunitas beer I've ever had.
1.5/5