Lagunitas Sonoma Farmhouse Brett Stout 22OZ

Lagunitas Sonoma Farmhouse Brett Stout 22OZ is a 22-ounce, 11.3% ABV barrel-aged stout fermented with wild Brettanomyces and aged in Sonoma County red-wine barrels. Scored 90 on BeerAdvocate, this limited release represents one of the most time-intensive beers Lagunitas has ever produced, spending up to four years in barrel before release.

Quick Facts: ABV: 11.3%  |  Origin: Petaluma, Sonoma County, California  |  Style: Farmhouse Brett Stout  |  Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company  |  IBU: 41

Production & Heritage

Lagunitas Brewing Company, founded in 1993 in Lagunitas, California, and later relocated to Petaluma, has long been known for boundary-pushing brewing. The Sonoma Farmhouse Brett Stout begins as a rich imperial stout, then undergoes a mixed fermentation with Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, and the house ale yeast. The beer is then transferred into Sonoma County red-wine barrels — predominantly Cabernet — where it rests for up to four years, allowing the Brett to fundamentally transform the base stout. The result is what the brewery describes as "a stout that's not a stout," with the wild yeast converting deep chocolate character into something tart, complex, and vinous.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark chocolate and roasted malt greet the nose first, followed by a wave of red wine grape and baking cherry. A distinct Brett funk and subtle oak tannin emerge underneath, hinting at the barrel time and wild fermentation.

Taste: The entry delivers mild sweetness with dark chocolate and a pronounced red wine character reminiscent of Cabernet Sauvignon. At mid-palate, the Brettanomyces asserts itself, introducing a pleasant tartness that cuts through the richness. Several reviewers liken the overall impression to chocolate port — a dense, layered beer where fruit, roast, and funk coexist in tension.

Finish: The finish is long and drying, with lingering roast, Cabernet-like tannins, and a final flourish of tart cherry. A subtle acidity keeps things clean and invites the next sip despite the considerable ABV.

How to Drink the Brett Stout

Pour this into a tulip glass or snifter at cellar temperature — around 50–55°F — to let the complex aromatics open fully. At 11.3% ABV, sipping neat is the primary serve, treating it much like a digestif. For a beer cocktail, try a Black Velvet variation by floating a small measure over sparkling wine for a dramatic, tart-roast contrast. A Brett Stout Float, poured over a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, plays the tartness against dairy richness. A Stout Flip, shaken with an egg yolk and a touch of demerara syrup, amplifies the chocolate-port qualities into dessert territory.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer collector who appreciates cellar-worthy, limited-release bottles
• After-dinner sipping as a dessert beer alongside a cheese course
• Vertical tastings comparing barrel-aged and Brett-fermented stouts
• Special-occasion pours on anniversaries, holidays, or tasting events

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Brett Stout taste like? It drinks like chocolate port, combining dark chocolate and red wine grape sweetness with a tart, funky edge from Brettanomyces fermentation. A lingering roast and Cabernet-barrel tannin give it a dry, complex finish.

How does the Brett Stout compare to The Lost Abbey Angel's Share? Both are high-ABV, barrel-aged dark ales from California, but the Lagunitas leans heavily on wild yeast tartness and red-wine barrel character, while Angel's Share (brandy barrel-aged) tends toward caramel, vanilla, and dried fruit without the Brett funk. The Lagunitas is also notably more acidic and vinous.

Is the Brett Stout good for sipping neat? Absolutely — its 11.3% ABV, layered complexity, and long finish make it ideal for slow, contemplative drinking from a snifter at cellar temperature.

Where is the Brett Stout made? It is brewed at the Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California, and aged in red-wine barrels sourced from Sonoma County wineries.

What foods pair well with the Brett Stout? Blue cheese works well, as the funk of the cheese mirrors the Brett character. Dark chocolate truffles complement the roasted malt backbone. Braised short ribs match the wine-barrel tannins, while a cherry clafoutis echoes the baking cherry notes. Aged Gouda bridges the tartness and residual sweetness.

What sizes does the Brett Stout come in? It is packaged in a 22-ounce (bomber) bottle, the standard format for Lagunitas limited and specialty releases.

Is the Brett Stout worth the price? It positions as a premium specialty release within the craft beer market — the up-to-four-year barrel aging and mixed fermentation process justify a higher price point compared to standard stouts, and its 90-point BeerAdvocate score reflects strong critical approval for the style.

Why the Brett Stout?

Few American stouts undergo this level of transformation: up to four years in Sonoma County red-wine barrels with Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus slowly dismantling and rebuilding the base beer. The result is a genuine hybrid — a stout with the tannic structure of a Cabernet and the tartness of a farmhouse ale — that earned a 90-point score on BeerAdvocate. Lagunitas has called it one of the most time-intensive beers in their history, and the depth of flavor supports that claim. For drinkers seeking barrel-aged complexity that goes beyond the typical bourbon-barrel stout profile, this bottling delivers a singular, wine-country-inflected experience.