Russian River Hopfather

Draft. Golden beer with a whitish head. Big summer fruit aroma with light grapefruit. Summer fruit and grapefruit flavor with light pine. Medium bodied. Nice bitterness. Summer and light grapefruit lingers with light malt backing.

Tasted on tap at the Bistro 12th Annual IPA Festival on 8/8/09. This IPA pours a light gold color from the tap. Medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is grapefruity and citrusy, and a touch floral. A medium bodied IPA. The malts are fruity and sweet. The hops are grapefruity and floral. Nice carbonation. Lots of hops flavor without a lot of hop bitterness. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

A golden IPA with a thin lacing white head. In aroma, a nice sudued c-hops, fragrant, light citrus. Very nice. In mouth, a nice oily and pinhey IPA, more resinous than blind pig, but still very smooth. Medium bodied. On tap at brewpub, August 17 2009.

Pour is clear gold or copper with a white head. Aroma is pine, resiny, wet hops and earth. Smells like a dime bag for the most part. Flavor is very hoppy with pine and resin. Medium bodied and pretty smooth. Good but not that great.

Big thanks to Robert for breaking this one out at a recent tasting. The growler opens with an impressive pop and then pours a clear golden orange with a small soapy off-white head that leaves spotty lacing and sticks around as a collar. The aroma is big and juicy - with tons of grapefruit, oranges, lemons on the citrus side but with a definite PtE-like floral presence. The malt sweetness is present in the background but it’s really all about the sweet, juicy hops. The taste starts out with some sweetness from the citrus with grapefruits and oranges up front. The caramel malts form a solid backbone to balance the hops and the floral pine bitterness finishes things off and leaves a slightly resinous taste on the palate. The mouthfeel is sticky with hops and had impressive carbonation given it’s a growler. It’s probably on the lighter side of things as in terms of body but in a good way and makes for massive drinkability. Well, there’s no doubt that Vinnie can make one hell of an IPA and this is no exception. Well balanced with lots of citrus and floral hops and exceptionally drinkable.

a lot of hops with less resin than pliny. just a bit of funk. vinnie is great at big and wonderful brews. this hop bomb works even if it doesn’t have the bright luster of his Plinys.

On tap at Toronado 22nd anniversary. This blonde ale poured with a thin off-white head and a strong pine aroma. This beer is nicely made. There is a delicious caramel malt base and a serious IBU count that meld into a very tasty brew. I could drink a lot of this.

Draft at the Bistro’s IPA Fest. I was first in line and this was the first beer i had at the Fest! My rating 2600! They liked this so much Vinnie had to have Guy (savetheales) bring another keg down about 2PM! Nose of citrus and pine and caramel. Clear light amber with a big glass lacing beige head. Flavor was nicely bitter!