Russian River Blind Pig IPA

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

Pours a light orange color with a large foamy off white head. Nose is definitely fresh and tempting, strong citrus, resin, grapefruit and pine. Initial taste is resin citrus similar to the aroma with touch of grapefruit and sweetness. Resin hop character is delicious, a medium IPA, balancing malts are light. A very drinkable IPA for more the common palate, since my girlfriend like it, haha. Head retention and lacing is out stating with a above average palate duration. Light body.

Bottle from Liquor Mart in Boulder. Pours a hazy gold with super-fine suspended sediment and a fluffy, pitted, white head, and patchy lace. The nose is outstanding: a beautiful blend of "juicy" citric and mildly resinous hops and a candy sugar-like supporting malt note. Medium-bodied and tongue-coating with a significant bitter hopped finish. Citrus hops hug your tongue along with just enough malt sweetness to keep the hops from destroying your palate. The finish is a nice, lingering, slightly resinous, bitter/hoppy parade across the back of your tongue. This is a damned fine IPA. I wish we could get it locally.

Pours a slightly hazy bright golden amber with a big fluffy white head that hangs around for quite a while leaving big clumps of lacing. The smell is huge on floral and citrus hops - grapefruit and pine just jump out of the bottle when it’s opened. The taste is hops galore with grapefruit stinging the tongue with bitterness up front and pine resins lingering on the palate at the finish. There is a hint of the bready hop background, but the hops steal the show here. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, creamy and sticky with hop oils. This is one of the best IPAs I have tasted and especially enjoyable for hopheads like me.

500th rating, and it’s a good one. Bottle from South Bay Drugs. Pours a clear orange-gold color with some haze and a white head. The aroma is perfect for an IPA. I could smell this all day. "Pine and pot," as described by one guy smelling it, the aroma has spectacular floral notes, citrus, pineapple, pine hops, caramel malt- wow. Pine, citrus, hops, and malt all show up in the flavor as well, which has a nice bitter bite to it along with some fruit and caramel sweetness. Light-medium bodied, so easy to drink, and refreshing any time of year. Get one of these fresh and enjoy.

Clear golden yellow pour with a thin white head. Peachy floral aroma with lots of citrus. Very good - similar to Pliny the Elder but not quite intense. Good fruity grapefruit and peach flavor. Very mild (I drank the Pliny right before this!). Bitter hop finish. Malty and balanced. Very good IPA.

500ml bottled on 11/19/08 from south bay drugs. poured into a pint glass. pours a bright, clear light yellow/orange, almost peach color like an authentic IPA, with a short, bubble white head. aroma is simply wonderful. huge, fresh hops, pine, floral notes of rose and tulip, and citrus with a touch of spiciness. flavor is equally delicious. big, juicy hops uf front with flavors of orange, lemon, apricot, and a touch of honey with solid bitterness. flavor is full bodied yet seems a bit delicate with a balanced roasted and sweet malt finish that lasts long after the swallow. palate is very smooth with light carbonation and perfectly easy to drink. great example of an IPA, just wish we could get it here on the east coast.

I was a bit shocked at how light in color it was.... Just an absolutely fantastic beer. Top notch IPA.... Easily one of the best i’ve ever had...

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.