Russian River Blind Pig IPA

In short: A fantastic very crisp and dry IPA. Amazing.
How: Bottles. Many times from many people (Kegbear and others). Thanks a millon to you all and keep these coming!!! Always consumed fresh immediately upon reception.
The look: Clear golden blonde body topped by a medium white head
In long: Nose of orange peels, citrus fruits and distant pine-needles. Taste is focussed on high-drinkability. Side-by-side with Pliny the Elder I thought the Pliny was a lot more resinous while the Blind Pig was a lot more on the dry side with cedar and sawdust flavours. Sweetness is more on the crisp honey/caramel while the Pliny had a rich caramel. Side-by-side with the Pliny Elder the Blind Pig clearly didn’t have the complexity or the Elder but its dryer character almost makes-up for it. A very nice beer I can really relate to, although I’ve never been called blind before.

From a 0.5L bottle purchased locally poured into an imperial pint glass. Resiny hops fill the nose with citrus and pine. A golden color with a small white head. Flavor is forward with the hops followed by smooth malt. Crisp lingering bitterness. Carbonation is low and the finish is dry making this beer very drinkable. I could drink this all day long.

Bottle, thanks to Bob. Pours a strangely-light clear straw with a quickly receding head. Not the burst of hops I expected. Really subdued. A bit watery in the mouth, with a strange, harsh finish. Some nice characteristics, certainly drinkable, but absolutely below-average. I’ve had a dozen better IPAs in the last week. I have really enjoyed Russian River, but this is a strange offering.

Bottle I had recently made my appreciation for this beer grow. Seems to always be on tap where Elder is, thus I never pick it. enjoy the lower Alc and how nice this drinks. Big hops, pine, bitters are a bit sharper than Plinys. When looking for lower alc RR’s I’ll go for this, maybe at home more with the bottles being available. Bottle notes consistant with that from tap.

Bottle courtesy Bman1113VR. Pours a clear dark gold with a frothy white head. Really nice citrus, grapefruit, pine aroma, thick and resiny. Hoppy, resiny, citrus pine taste with a nice malt balance. The malt is just enough to let the hops shine through. A really nice well balanced IPA and very easy drinking.

bottle from Whole Foods. Bottled on 11/19/08. Amazing sweet fruity complex hop aroma thats almost sweet like Belgian candi sugar. It all fits together very nicely. Nice dark golden color verging on amber with a good white head thats dense, holds and laces. Not in your face hoppy, but so smooth and balanced and flavorful - grapefruit, lemony citrus, pine, cali bud, doughy bready malt. Medium to light body, but I have to give this a 5 on palate because it is so silky smooth and so juicy feeling from the hops.

Growler - slightly hazy golden pour, with a soapy lace - crisp, grassy, wet hop aroma, with loads of pine, grapefruit, orange peel - earthy pine/grass and tangy citrus flavor - medium-bodied, but nice and crisp/clean - very lean maltiness allows those hops to shine - a really nice ipa.

Hazy beautiful gold with a restrained and tight white cover. Basically, we have a spot on, archetypal Californian IPA loaded with flavours. A tasty earthy, sandy and especially orangey, fleshy IPA with no alcohol noticed and the tightest malt profile. Expressive hops have all the room they deserve, the presentation is classy, the drinkability is optimal. What more can one want besides having more bottles in the cellar?