Russian River Blind Pig IPA

Brewed by Russian River Brewing
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Santa Rosa, California USA

Clear light amber body, white head that fades, leaving lots of webby lacing on the glass. Nice crisp hop aroma, not overly sweet, herbal, gassy, dank, pineapple and lemon. Dry bitter flavor, slight sweet balance, bet lets hops dominate. Finishes clean and dry.

Pours a transluscent, oragey-copper color with a moderately full, white, creamy, pillowy head which lasts fairly well leavinga small amount of lace. Nose is intense and wonderful with lots of citrus noting tangerine, apricot, and orange zest; other notes inlcude some resinous pine and maybe hints at grass. Flavor is not the same with the citrus disappearing a bit; notes include tangerine, light pine resins, and very dry grass. Very high bitterness comes through drying the beer out in a long flavor progression; by the finish, the dry grass and high bitterness almost become bark-like. Palate is DRY, moderately full, a bit sticky, and not quite lively. The nose was great but the bitterness is overdone, it dries the beer almost completely out. If you like them bitter and dry, this will be a favorite of yours but not my style.

Nice hazy golden color with a white head. Nice aroma of hops, citrusy flavors, and flowers. Taste is of very bitter hops and oranges. Nice carbonation. Bitterness lingers after each sip. Overal, I was unimpressed. Though it was a quite refreshing beer.

On draft at O’Brien’s. Appearance is a clear amber hue, thin white layer of dense head, big thick lacing all over the glass. Smell is huge hops --grapefruit, pine resin, grass, lemon zest--, sweet bread malt tones linger in the background. Taste is moderate-full hop flavors, sweet grapefruit and citrus balance out the more bitter pine resin, hints of bread and grain malts are barely perceptible, finishes dry and bitter. Palate is full-bodied, thick and oily texture, moderate carbonation. Overall great flavor and body for a single IPA at 6%, solid throughout, no glaring shortcomings for this style, definitely a favorite and repeat performer, this ranks on my short list of top single IPAs

Pours a straw colored gold in color. About half a inch of head develops on the pour. Smell is very citrusy and juicy. Wonderful. Taste is even more citrusy and juicy hops than appear in the nose. Light, bitter, but exploding with juciness. I love this. It’s an overused expression, but, I could drink this all day long and never tire of it. I might even go out on a limb and say that I’m enjoying this more then the PtE. Would love to have this around regularly.
Many thanks to golubj for sending me this bottle.

I can think of at least three IPA’s (West Coast) that are as good as this one. Two things stand out from those other exceptional American IPA’s. First and foremost this is the most aromatic IPA ever for me. Second, the overall smoothness and balance. The hops are big and bold like many others but the orange/ pineapple and piney resinous hops along with enough sweet malts make this one a wonderful brew. From a 500ml bottle. date of bottling: 7/13/08.

Great session beer!! Had this one back on my 21st birthday. Doesn’t come around often, but a nice beer to get someone used to these big ass west coast ipa’s. no doubt. very well balanced, a great beer all-around.

Bomber thanks to Jim. Bright gold with a small white head. Nice hop nose. Taste is overall a hop bomb with very little/no malt profile. Very fresh taste. A bit thin on the palate and it leaves a dry taste on the end. Overall a good beer but not groundbreaking (like it was when it first came out).