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Lucky 13

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Big Amarillo hops meet rich dark malts for a round, huge and smoky flavor. It began as the brewery's 13th anniversary beer and was a staff favorite, so it comes back every year. At 8.8 % it lives up to its Mondo Large Red Ale subtitle. Lagunitas itself began on a kitchen stove in Northern California in 1993.

ABV
8.8%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
amber14
PaceSipper
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
smokyhoppymalty
smoky
hoppy
malty
roasted
caramel
Aroma
The nose leads with smoky and roasted notes from the dark malts, followed by herbal and earthy character from the Amarillo hops.
not found:juicy,bready,fruity,spicy

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Lucky 13

◎ Appearance

Lucky 13 presents a deep amber to copper hue with excellent clarity and a full, persistent head that leaves substantial lacing down the glass. The color sits in the mid-range of the red ale spectrum, reflecting the balance of dark malts without veering toward brown. Carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, supporting a tight foam structure.

deep amberpersistent headclear body

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with smoky and roasted notes from the dark malts, followed by herbal and earthy character from the Amarillo hops. Behind the smoke sits a subtle caramel sweetness that grounds the profile without softening the grounding tobacco and wood notes. The aromatic intensity is moderate but layered, with alcohol warmth becoming apparent on extended nosing.

smoky, roastedherbal Amarillo hopscaramel, subtle sweetness

◐ Taste

The palate is full-bodied and round, opening with malt-forward sweetness that transitions into prominent smoke and roasted grain character. Amarillo hops deliver restrained bitterness (28 IBU) that balances rather than dominates, while a warming alcohol presence (8.8% ABV) adds depth and body without harshness. The mid-palate holds firm through the finish, maintaining the smoky-malty core throughout.

full-bodied, roundsmoky grain, balanced bitternesswarming alcohol

◑ Finish

The finish is long and dry, with smoke and roasted malt lingering prominently on the palate. A gentle warmth from the alcohol persists without leaving any harsh or bitter edge, tapering gradually into a clean, malty aftertaste.

long, drysmoky persistence
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
84
Appearance
80
Finish
82
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Lucky 13

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About Red Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Red Ale?

Red Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Red Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same smoky, hoppy, full-bodied character as Lucky 13 will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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