Whether we (people in general) are looking for a new movie, magazine, or album, the word CENSORED always makes our ears perk up and piques our interest. The same can be said for a beer label. I have been a fan of Lagunitas not only for their brews but for their witty names as well. One example is the classic “Lagunitas Sucks”. When they couldn’t recreate their beer Brown Shugga’ due to capacity issues, they made this as a substitute. To show their fans that they know they screwed up, they renamed the beer “Sucks”.
Censored has a similarly hilarious story in the fact that they just didn’t get what they want, and in a self-deprecating manner they fixed it for the better. The original name for this beer was “Kronik”, but they were rejected due to the word’s marijuana ties. So they slapped on a censored label over the word “Kronik” (which you can still see in peeking out from behind the label) and sold this copper ale as Censored. Why not?
Appearance:
Censored pours a stunning red-copper color. The beer is fairly clear, but by no means transparent. The head was a thin, off-white band of carbonation floating on top of the brew, but dissipated before I could even take the first sip.
Aroma:
Even through a cold-ridden nose, I can smell the sweet, sweet malt of this beer. It smells almost saccharine with a huge caramel nose that makes me wish I plopped some vanilla ice cream inside. I also get some bread-like aromas, but almost no hops in this malt-heavy ale.
Mouthfeel:
Censored has a medium body. It isn’t thick, but it isn’t watered down either. It’s perfect for a beer of this maltiness. The carbonation is a little on the high side, which I actually prefer. The bubbles dance, sizzle, and sting the tongue, awakening my taste buds. After swallowing, this beer still coats your mouth with a think layer of caramel-goodness.
Taste:
This is one of those beers that tastes almost just like it smells. I would say the smell is slightly sweeter, but there are huge caramel notes, bready flavors, and just a slight balancing from bitter/citrusy hops. Surprisingly, at only 6.7% ABV, I am left with a boozy warmth with every sip. I would expect this from a beer upwards of 10% abv, but not 6.7.
Conclusion:
Censored definitely lives up to the name of a “Rich” copper ale. It’s sweetness and thickness make this a bold example of a copper ale, which is in the red ale family. I would have liked it to be slightly less sweet and less boozy. I’m also going to give into Ron’s way of scoring (out of 100 instead of 5 like I was) and give this beer an 80, or a B-. I enjoyed my glass of Censored, and would probably order another one if there wasn’t something I know is better on tap. Where they lost points for me is in the sweetness, alcohol, and head retention.
I would recommend drinking Censored with something spicy and grilled. A well seasoned steak, charred, and straight off the grill would be a great compliment to the sweet breadiness of this Copper ale.
Cheers!
Written By
