Russian River IPA

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

On tap at the brewery. This orange amber ale poured with a tiny beige head and a pine aroma. There is an excellent caramel malt base with some resinous boppy bitterness striking fast and ending with a bite.

Tap at San Clemente. Tastes like a double. Very sharp hops in nose and flavor. Vaguely piney, spicy, slight apple flavor, tart citrus. The malt bill is staunch and biscuity like an English beer.

On tap in the sampler at the brewpub. Nice golden pour with a very thin white head. Very nice mix of pine and grapefruit in the aroma but the pine is much more prominent than the citrus in the flavor. A very solid IPA, but very much pales when compared next to Blind Pig, Elder and of course Younger.

On tap @ O’Brien’s: I had arrived the day after the Russian River night in hopes to try few beers left over from the night before but was left with only a few choices and this one of the two. Minimal amount of hops in the aroma but some citrus is apparent. Created a firm layer of head and a solid brass/bronze color beer. Plenty of bittering hops and pine dominate the flavor which was a surprise considering the low scent in the smell of this IPA. Finishes clean and refreshing but that doesn’t mean I would suggest RR to bottle and distribute this.

Had this at a Tria Fermentation School event in Philly awhile back. Although this was draft only at the time, the beer was bottled for this event and I assume brought from RR. The beer poured a clear golden color with a virbrant but thin white head. The aroma was a nice piney, citrus hop nose but I compared it next to the Elder and Younger and I would say that this is their little brother, in aroma and taste as well. The taste is very hoppy and probably more so than most you could find out there but for a RR beer it was tame but stil very enjoyable. It had some nice piney, citrus notes, a touch of pinnapple. Just overall an enjoyable and drinkable IPA.

On tap at Russian River. A little lighter style IPA compared to Blind Pig and PtE although it has a slightly higher ABV than Blind Pig. Similar in style and perhaps better balanced than Blind Pig but less hoppy and bitter.

On tap at Russian River. Their worst IPA, but it’s still really good for the style. Golden-amber color with a medium white head. Piney hop aroma with some sweet malt. Caramel malt and C-hops on the taste. Medium palate. Think Blind Pig or Pliny toned down a bit.

Nice IPA, see it at O’Briens SD all the time and for years thought it was just posted at Pliny or Blind Pig, didn’t realize they make a "regular" IPA. A step / knotch back from the Blind Pig. Nice pine and acidity, maybe pairs better with food. For me it gets lots with other IPA’s. Not as seemless as other RR beers. Should explore and try this more often, maybe I’m missing something.