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Wilco Tango Foxtrot

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Malty, robust, rich and chocolatey, smooth and dangerous. A big imperial brown ale meant to carry you into springtime; the name is a joke about a jobless recovery, not in the red and not in the black, so in the brown. It runs at 8.1 %. Lagunitas, founded in 1993, brews it in Petaluma. Life Is Uncertain (don't sip) is one of the brewery's three simple truths.

ABV
8.1%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
deep amber20
PaceSipper
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltychocolateroasted
malty
chocolate
roasted
toasty
nutty
caramel
Aroma
The nose opens with rich chocolate and roasted malt notes, supported by subtle caramel and toasted grain undertones.
also:bready
not found:hoppy,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Wilco Tango Foxtrot

◎ Appearance

Deep chestnut brown with amber highlights, displaying the full color intensity expected from a 20 SRM beer. The head is substantial and creamy, clinging to the glass in fine lacing patterns that persist through the drink. Carbonation is moderate, creating a gentle effervescence that complements the beer's robust character.

chestnut browncreamy headpersistent lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with rich chocolate and roasted malt notes, supported by subtle caramel and toasted grain undertones. A gentle nuttiness emerges alongside quiet spice from the noble hops, creating a complex yet cohesive aromatic profile. The 8.1% ABV is just noticeable as a slight warmth beneath the malt-forward character.

chocolateroasted maltscaramel sweetnessnoble hop spice

◐ Taste

The palate is full and enveloping, opening with deep malted sweetness that carries notes of chocolate, toffee, and toasted bread through the mid-palate. Bitterness is restrained at 24 IBU, allowing the complex malt character to dominate without becoming cloying. A warming boozy presence builds smoothly, adding depth and a slight peppery edge that balances the residual sweetness.

full-bodiedchocolate forwardsmooth malt sweetnessrestrained bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and medium-long, with lingering chocolate and roasted grain notes that gradually fade into a subtle dry maltiness. The warmth of the alcohol provides a gentle, lingering fade that invites another sip.

lingering chocolatewarming fade
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
85
Appearance
80
Finish
78
Serve at 10–13°C

Serve at 10–13°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 Wilco Tango Foxtrot

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About Brown Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Brown Ale?

Brown 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 Brown Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, rich, chocolate character as Wilco Tango Foxtrot will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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