Price
Meter
Low!
I haven’t had Lagunitas DayTime IPA yet, but despite that I can still tell you that the difference between it and Lagunitas Night Time Fear the Dark Ale is, well, like night and day. That’s because Daytime IPA is what beer geeks today call “session IPA”, although Lagunitas calls it “fractional IPA”. I call it American Pale Ale, and of course that is the correct name for it.
Anyway, it’s a pale IPA of 4.65% ABV. Compare that to Lagunitas Night Time Fear the Dark Ale, a double India Dark Ale. Its jet black in color (see, I told you day and night) and at 8.2% ABV is almost twice as strong. Night Time Ale has 65 IBUs for those of you keeping track.
Really, this beer is one to be respected, though not really feared. As with most Lagunitas beers, there’s no reason to fear the price, either. At $4.49 for a 22-ounce bomber bottle, it’s hard to beat for quality and value.
Lagunitas Night Time Fear the Dark Ale pours to a jet black color with a thick rocky head of towering foam and a thick hoppy nose of passion fruit and resiny pine. Taking a sip, I get well, not a lot in the body up front, some light roastiness and subtle coffee, but nothing here to be afraid of. Wow at the fruitiness from the hops here though! I get passion fruit and pineapple for sure and lots of them, and maybe just a bit of resin at the last.
This is the first India Dark Ale I’ve ever had with tropical fruit modern hop flavors, and I have to say, it’s tasty, but I do prefer the classic resiny pine and grapefruit. I think they work better with the coffee and chocolate, and this beer could use more of those too. But at $4.49 who is complaining? Not me. It’s delicious. I’d give this beer three and a half stars for style (as I said, it doesn’t work as well for me as a double IDA with the modern hop notes). Tack on a half star for hedonistic enjoyment, though, and another for the dirt cheap price and Lagunitas Night Time Fear the Dark Ale gets 4 ½ over all from this reviewer.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft