 sunevdj (1347), Copenhagen, Denmark
May 4, 2008
On tap at the brewery. Pours a clear golden with an off-white head. Light sweetness with a heavy bitterness. Hoppy aromas of pine and spruce and a bit of lime. Light alcohol notes. Full bodied with a slightly sticky mouthfeel. Soft carbonation. Slightly chalky finish. Very nice.
thejoeshow (73), Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Jul 25, 2008 22 oz bottle. Pours a nice orange/gold color with an aggressive white head that produces wonderful lacing all the way down the glass. Aroma is of citrus hops mainly, hints of soap and some scents that remind me of cheesy pasta...? wtf? I’m not sure what it is but that is what I get. Anyway, it smells wonderful regardless. Lots of citrus flavors backed with a nice dose of malt. The malt tastes almost like freshly ground grain. It’s the taste I get in my mouth when I walk into the grain room at my local homebrew store. Very nice! Mouthfell is just right and finishes perfectly. This is definitely one of the best IPAs I have ever had the pleasure of drinking.
islay (368), Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Jul 25, 2008 12 oz. bottle, consumed on 7-23-08. Nice, hoppy aroma typical of California IPAs: Pine, soap, citrus (grapefruit, orange, lemon). Other scents include candy sugar, peach, and tangerine. The aroma is quite pleasant, but I’d appreciate greater complexity. Pours an effervescent, clear, dark gold. Large amount of thick, cream-colored head. Good, thick lacing. Very sweet malt taste with aggressively dry, hoppy finish. Lemon and salt flavors. Vegetal: Celery and zucchini. Spiciness from the hops. Sweet dark fruit: cherry, blueberry pie filling. Alcohol taste noticeable. Good, long, dry, chalky aftertaste. Medium body. Soft in the palate. Bordering on oily.
This was the second bottle of Ruination that I had consumed in about a week-long period. I liked it a lot better the second time than I did the first, when I was quite disappointed. The beer is tasty but not amazing. Perhaps part of the problem is one of expectations: This beer really is more of a strong IPA than it is a double. That’s especially noticeable in the body; if I consider this a double IPA, then it’s about the lightest-bodied double IPA that I’ve ever drunk. Therefore, I contend that it’s misclassified on this site. It is a good IPA, but it’s a middle-of-the-road double. Fortunately, those are two of my favorite styles.
TBRussell (2), , Indiana, USA
does not count  Jul 22, 2008 Simply a classic. Great all-around, well balanced beer. Nice piny, citrus, and slightly soapy aroma. Hops are present, but not at all overbearing. Easy finish, alcohol is hidden....... a great beer.
rcweir (78), Massachusetts, USA
Jul 20, 2008 Cloudy yellow, moderately carbonation with medium head. Strong , very fresh hops aroma, mainly grapefruit scents, some pine. Long bitter hops finish. But very drinkable.
kieleszd (76), Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Jul 20, 2008 Very distinct IPA. Hop sensation can only be matched. Taste of plum, clove and cascade hops. It really works your palate and brings wonder to its somewhat of a fruity taste, but an IPA all the way! Something about his beer speaks, it will leave you with an empty glass looking for more.
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