Russian River Happy Hops

On tap at the brewpub. Pours pure gold with off white head and spotty lacing. The mild aroma hits with citrus and spice hops with a modest background of sweet malts. The taste is fresh crisp delicious hops right up front with spice hops and some grapefruit. The hops move toward grassy-leafy by midway. The bitterness increases as the finish approaches but allows for a moment or two of sweet malt to rise up and be heard. It ends dry with a bit of sour mouth pucker sensation.

On tap at the Falling Rock for the Russian River kickoff in Colorado, this was described as a hoppy blonde ale. It smelled like serious west coast hops. The flavor was also very hoppy but it didn’t make me think pale ale or IPA, very strange style-wise. There was also a soapiness to the flavor but it wasn’t a detractor as well as an earthy stink. Many folks around me described this as an IPA but I disagree. It almost seemed like a heavily hopped redemption but at the same time it didn’t seem like a belgian-style. Weird but good as is the case with RR. Serving type: on-tap Reviewed on: 08-21-2008 01:36:18

On tap at Russian River. Happy hops will make you happy. Yellow color with a small white head. Almost the whole aroma and taste is fresh hops. Not much of a malt backbone, but I didn’t really miss it. Palate is really crisp.

Draft at O’Brien’s Russian River night. Pours deep gold with an orange hue. A small white head was present with some lacing left on the glass. Nose was hoppier than expected with a some light citrus and grassy notes. Finish was fairly light and crisp.

Tap @ O’brien’s RR night 15th Anniverssary. Pours orange with a bright white ring. Nose is nice and rich, with a big resin punch. Taste is resiny, and hoppy and nice.

On tap at the Russian River brewpub in Santa Rosa. Gold colored pour with a white head, the beer had some grassy hoppy notes

Tap at RR. Pours a translucent golden with a medium creamy white head that left great lacing. Aroma of floral and citrus American hops, bread, tea, cereal grains and a touch of wheat. Flavor of fesh American hops, mostly citrus and floral notes, bready, pleasant hop bitterness and flavor.

Pours golden with a white head. Clean mild hops smell and some lighter malt. Taste is sweet honey smacks cereal and light floral hops with a lightly sweet lingering finish and a smattering of mild hops that stick with you as well. Med body and soft carbonation.