Lagunitas IPA 6Pk

Lagunitas IPA 6Pk is a West Coast India Pale Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company, packaged as six 12-oz bottles at 6.2% ABV. Scored 92/100 by Craft Beer & Brewing and rated 87 on BeerAdvocate from nearly 10,000 reviews, this flagship IPA helped define the hop-forward California style that shaped American craft brewing.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.2%  |  IBU: 52  |  Origin: Petaluma, California  |  Style: West Coast IPA  |  Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Lagunitas Brewing Company was founded in 1993 in the small Marin County town of Lagunitas before relocating to Petaluma, California, where it remains headquartered. The IPA is built on a grain bill of English Crystal, Caramel, and Munich malts, layered with Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Simcoe hops — a four-hop combination that covers citrus, floral, resinous, and piney territories. Lagunitas employs a condensed dry-hopping schedule of roughly four days rather than the more conventional one-to-two-week window, intensifying hop aroma while keeping harsh bitterness in check and preserving the beer's drinkability at 52 IBUs.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with assertive pine resin and fresh citrus peel, moving into grapefruit and orange blossom. A light bready sweetness from the kilned malts lingers underneath.

Taste: The first sip leads with bright grapefruit and orange peel, followed by a resinous, piney mid-palate that gives the beer its earthy backbone. Caramel malt sweetness surfaces just enough to round out the hop intensity, with a touch of lemon zest at the peak.

Finish: Medium-long and drying, with lingering pine and citrus bitterness that invites the next sip. A faint grain sweetness keeps the close from turning austere.

How to Drink Lagunitas IPA

Pour into a standard pint glass or an IPA glass at around 45–50°F to let the hop aromatics open up fully. Straight from the bottle works well in casual settings, though a glass noticeably expands the citrus and pine on the nose.

• IPA Shandy: Mix half-and-half with fresh lemonade — the grapefruit and pine notes play off the tartness for a refreshing warm-weather drink.
• Hop Drop 'n Roll (Beer Cocktail): Combine a shot of gin with Lagunitas IPA and a squeeze of lime — the shared botanical and pine notes create a cohesive pairing.
• Michelada Riff: Swap in Lagunitas IPA for the standard lager, adding hot sauce, lime, and Worcestershire — the hop bitterness stands up to the spice and acid.

Best For

• Stocking the fridge for backyard barbecues and cookouts
• Introducing a friend to classic West Coast IPA style
• Pairing with grilled or smoked meats on game day
• Building a craft beer tasting flight alongside other West Coast flagships

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Lagunitas IPA taste like? Lagunitas IPA is hop-forward with prominent grapefruit, orange peel, and pine resin flavors balanced by caramel and biscuit malt sweetness. The bitterness is assertive at 52 IBUs but stays clean and drinkable rather than harsh.

How does Lagunitas IPA compare to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale? Both are foundational California hop-forward beers, but Lagunitas IPA runs higher in ABV (6.2% vs. 5.6%) and IBUs (52 vs. 38), delivering a more aggressive pine and resin character. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale leans more toward floral, herbal Cascade hops with a lighter body.

Is Lagunitas IPA good for beginners? It works well as a gateway IPA because the caramel and Munich malt backbone tempers the bitterness, making it more approachable than many modern West Coast IPAs that run north of 60 IBUs. The 6.2% ABV is moderate enough for sessionable drinking.

Where is Lagunitas IPA made? Lagunitas IPA is brewed by Lagunitas Brewing Company at its main facility in Petaluma, California, about 40 miles north of San Francisco. The brewery was founded in 1993 and has been a flagship name in the West Coast craft beer movement.

What foods pair well with Lagunitas IPA? Spicy foods like buffalo wings or jalapeño burgers match well because the hop bitterness cuts through heat. Grilled tri-tip or smoked brisket complement the beer's caramel malt notes. Sharp cheddar and aged Gouda echo the toasty grain character. Fish tacos with citrus slaw mirror the grapefruit and lemon qualities. Pizza — especially with pepperoni or sausage — is a natural pairing, as the carbonation and bitterness cleanse the palate between bites.

What sizes does Lagunitas IPA come in? Lagunitas IPA is widely available in 6-packs of 12-oz bottles and cans, 12-packs, and single 19.2-oz stovepipe cans, as well as larger format options like 12-oz 12-packs and draft.

Is Lagunitas IPA worth the price? Lagunitas IPA positions as a mid-range craft beer, priced competitively against other nationally distributed West Coast IPAs. Given its 92/100 score from Craft Beer & Brewing and consistently strong community ratings, it represents solid value in the craft IPA category.

Why Lagunitas IPA?

Lagunitas IPA stands on a production detail that meaningfully shapes the drinking experience: a compressed four-day dry hop that loads the aroma with citrus and pine without piling on palate-fatiguing bitterness. The four-hop combination of Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Simcoe covers a wider aromatic range than many single- or double-hopped competitors. With a 92/100 from Craft Beer & Brewing and nearly 10,000 ratings on BeerAdvocate, it has one of the longest and most consistent track records of any American IPA still in production. For anyone looking for a reliable, well-constructed West Coast IPA that hasn't chased haze or pastry trends, Lagunitas remains a benchmark.