Hair of the Dog Ruth

Brewed by Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Portland, Oregon USA

(Bottled@Oliver Twist) Paleish amber/copper color with almost no head. Aroma of oaky whisky barrel and some hops. Some acidity. A mild, low-malty, oaky flavor with some lingering, oaky bitterness. Light to medium-bodied, dry and oaky-ashy palate with low carbonation. Not very enjoyable or refreshing. Quite a disappointment from HotD.

(12 oz bottle: Hi-Time Wine Cellar in Costa Mesa, CA) Self-described as an All American Ale, HotD is being very modest here. It’s much more than that, showing a lot of obvious Belgian characteristics, and frankly, I think it’s bordering on a light Belgian Golden Ale. Very flavorful and balanced, fairly grainy, and yeasty. The tart citrusy hops are spicy and moderately bitter, and the spiciness features a mild amount of coriander toward the finish. The aromatic nose is sour, grainy, yeasty, and spicy. Medium bodied with a tangy palate and zesty, well-carbonated mouthfeel. Medium yellow color and slightly hazy, the mass of carbonation bubbles can be seen rushing to the surface. Large off-white head is very bubbly on the pour, but the plentiful carbonation bubbles help keep the head tight and sizeable. If Ruth is an All American ale, my name is Alan Sprints.

Pours to a hazy golden body with lots of visible carbonation and a thick white merengue head and good lacing. if the color were different, I’d give another point on appearance. The aroma is very different than anything I’ve ever smelled. Lemon, pepper, peaches, light wheat and barnyard. Overall, the aroma is weak but discernable. The flavor is yeast, flower hops, light saison-like characteristics. Very light and refreshing flavor. The palate needs to be brighter and lighter. It’d be really good for hot summer days if that were the case.

This beer makes me think, style infusion. I can see qualities of lambic, pale ale, and wheat beer. Surprisingly complex for the style. Mild barnyard aroma with yeast. Cloudy orange, with a creamy white head. Flavor sour citrus and followed by bitter hops. This is kind of weird, but a nice change and enjoyable.

Feeling a little sick, so aroma is difficult, but this poured completely headless. Looks pretty hefe/wheaty. This is very unique. Has a caramel (rum?) flavoring that grows towards the end. It also seems a little old (could explain lack of head), but even so, it isn’t too much to make it bad. Faint apple overtones also. Finally, its pretty grainy and hoppy, like a nice IPA. Its thickness keeps it from being the best of its class.

This beer lacks in aroma, but makes up for it in flavor and appearance. Cloudy yellow color. Nicely balanced hoppy flavor with touches of Grapefruit and citrus. A good summer beer.

Bottled. Pours a hazy yellow color. Aroma is sweet and somewhat grainy. Sweet grainy flavour. Has some qualities of red wine for some reason. Bitter finish.

Pours cloudy grapefruit. Malt dominated aroma isn’t overly sweet and balances nicely with the light hops. A splash of lemon upfront in the body is neutralized instantly by the doughy and earthy malts. Fresh baked bread, caramel and butter blend beautifully with more earthy, rustic notes. The light carbonation is refreshing, lending to an easy drinkability. A great summer drinker.