Russian River Blind Pig IPA

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

It poured an light orange color with a thick white head. The aromas are citrus hops and grapefruit. The taste is initially bitter, lots of bitter hops, like a grapefruit rind with some malt to help balance it out. Overall a very good bitter IPA.

Bottle dated 09/15/09, courtesy of Secret Santa. Pours a pale gold with a 1/2" white head that recedes leaving random lace. Strong citrus hop aroma. Moderate in body with average carbonation. Flavor is grapefruit hop with pine resin. Not much in the way of malt for balance, but very good.

fresh bottle. very fruity hoppy aroma, grassy too. flavor is similar but more one dimensional focusing on the grapefruity hops rather than piney ones. flavor profile reminds me of union jack, which is good, but mouthfeel is less carbonated. i would’ve liked some more malt balance and more carbonation but that’s just me personally. didn’t finish very clean, but at least the 70IBU rating seems accurate. the lack of malt balance irks me more and more as i drink it. very nice but seems overrated, and like another reviewer said, why would you get this when pliny is available for the same price?

Bottle - approx. 45 days old. Nose is fantastic - grapefruit and resiny hops. That it holds this kind of pungency after 1.5 months is a testament to the quality. Flavor is less pungent/oily/fruity than the nose, shows more grapefruit and some toffee and caramel. Finish is a little dirty/ashy for the style. All in all - this is a really tasty beer, but @ the price point, I can’t see why I’d ever buy this if, as it normally is, it is sitting next to Pliny.

Lightly gloudy golden color with a medium white head. The aroma was absolutely fantastic...plenty of piney and citrusy hops...bitter orange, lemon, and aloe vera. The flavor was a little disappointing...somewhat hoppy (not nearly as much as the aroma would make you believe) with some ashy tones, pine tree, with just a touch of toffee. The feel was a little too thin and watery for my tastes. All in all this is a good IPA, but I think with a thicker feel and a hoppier flavor this would make a phenomenal double IPA.

Bottle from Cracked Kettle. Dark orange body with sticky head. Seriously hoppy nose. Taste of caramel, toffee and plenty of hops. A really smooth and delicious IPA. Among the best I’ve ever had. Fantastically rich and smooth.

Bottle from Cavie. Same sickly yellow pour as Pliny, but the head is much bubblier. Aroma is big pine hops and citrus. Taste is a little bitter and off. Some grain flavor and a little hops.

Bottle dated 10/30/09 courtesy of alagnak. Clear orange color. Smells very hoppy with sweet and sour hops present. Taste is large hops. Some sappy elements but mostly rough on the palate. This is really big for a standard IPA.