Blind Pig IPA - Russian River Brewing Company

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

4.24/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

10oz. pour into a Duvel Tulip at Hawthorne's Cafe in Philadelphia.

A: Translucent amber body with no tones. Thick, white, frothy head that lingers and produces tons of spotty lacing.

S: A perfectly build, slightly citrusy IPA.

T: Grapefruit dryness jumps out heavily as undertones of Lemon back it up.

M: A slight dryness and relaxing level of carbonation in the forefront with nothing overdone and an easy tingle from hop resins.

OVERALL: Blind Pig is a beautiful IPA. It's easy on the stomach, has great head, and is very juicy, but not overbearing. This is what IPA's were like before the "Hop Bomb" era. Thin, balanced, and drinkable with a perfect amount of citrus spiceness and all of the tonal flavors you'd expect from a West Coast IPA and the IPA style in general. Very 2007-2010.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2013 20:46:14 | More by RobertColianni

clayrock81

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured a seethru auburn-tinted brown with two-finger white head that died quick with lace patches and had a very hoppy nose; pine and citric hops along with grapefruit and touches of breadiness and caramel malt. Light to medium bodied and easy going down the hatch, the hops are dominant and have a great earthy, citrusy and grapefruit taste along with minimal fruit sweetness. Beer is balanced by sweet and dry malty backbones, and finishes not bitter but dry and crisp and makes you want to have another drink. Skirts the edge between overly hoppy/DIPA and just a right balance for an IPA between hops and malts and is an excellent brew.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2013 15:18:32 | More by clayrock81

brodericksloth

Oregon

4.51/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tasted side by side with pliny the elder at russian river yesterday
Less piney than pliney more tropical nice summery yellow color; very clear. ample long lasting head. Great pub beer on draft.
Good balance of hops and malt; hop dominated blend of Chinook, Cascade, Amarillo,Simcoe, and Centennial hops. not overpowering easy to drink
Lighter style than pliney...both excellent in there own ways. pliney more suitable sipper
Good spring beer. well hidden alcohol. not filling nice lingering aftertaste
Very impressed by how good all of the beers were; no losers. the sours were the big surprise; consecration truly amazing

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2013 14:10:34 | More by brodericksloth

NiceTaps

New Jersey

4.41/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap in a pint glass.

A- Poured a dark golden-amber color with a 1-plus finger head, fluffy white leaving nice lacing.

S- Citrusy, earthy, woody.

T-Malt forword ahead of some citrus and piney hops.

M-Very solid body and feel. Nice carbonation, abv is well concealed. The malts carry the body and flavor of the brew, but it's hoppy enough, lingers.

O- Lots of hops, malts and balance in a drinkable big IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2013 22:33:03 | More by NiceTaps

writerLJBerg

Oregon

4.01/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Apex bar.

A: Bright orange with a lazy eggshell colored head. Slides off the glass.

N: Loads of hoppy goodness. Grapefruit, pineapple, spruce. Very tropical. Some light sweetness. It's tempered and inviting.

M: Very dry. Does a number on the palate.

O: An excellent all-around IPA. As with Pliny the Elder, it never overextends itself, leading to a brew worthy of drinking time and again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2013 17:44:29 | More by writerLJBerg

lsummers

California

4.2/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear straw yellow/orange with a two finger head. Smells of floral piney hops with a touch of sweetness. Taste is well balanced and hits upfront with the bite of the sweet piney hops and a touch of citrus lemon. A touch of the nutty malt comes through on the end. Mouthfeel is pretty stellar with its upfront bite and clean chewy character that keeps it drinkable.

Overall Blind Pig is a fantastic example of a west coast ipa. It may be a bit hard to find but it's worth the trouble.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2013 20:55:56 | More by lsummers

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.84/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

not sure why this one is so hyped up. was dying to try it, finally did, and was rather unimpressed as far as russian river goes. to me, pliny is just such a better beer, more hops, better feel, more alive. this one pales in comparison in almost every respect. same color but maybe a little less sediment and a little less carbonation than the pliny. less resinous nose, although the hops appear to be equally fresh and pungent. citrus notes and pine notes in equal proportion, although this isnt oily at all. bitter finish after a balanced american style pale ale. lighter biscuity malt doesnt overshadow the hops, but the flavors just arent as forward and assertive as the pliny. i know its a different beer entirely, and i shouldnt compare like this, but i couldnt help thinking the whole pint that this was the inferior little brother. good feel, crisp finish, plenty bitter, drinkable as hell, but just not a standout to me. especially since we all know what russian river is capable of. good ipa, not memorable for me. ill try ti again in the future though.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2013 20:32:35 | More by StonedTrippin

fatmusic14

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Falling Rock. Written from notes 12/27.

A - rich amber, tons of lacing, head that keeps hanging around. A really inviting look.

S - cinnamon, lemon zest, earthy - really brings out that hop and forest element, but not overpowering. Swims up into your nostrils as you drink it.

T - tastes of the scent, in a very pure way. Pine, citrus, hint of spice and chili. Just enough bitterness to remind you its an ale. Top notch.

M - leaves a tremendous aftertaste. Great carbonation and drinkability.

O - close to perfect.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2012 23:12:37 | More by fatmusic14

RaulMondesi

California

2.8/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On tap at tha joint: Hollngshead in Orange, California.

Uh uh! No way, no how! Like the last ten years of R. Kelly's career: Raul not feelin' it.

Going into this bad boy, you might b thinkin' that you b gittin Pliny's lil brotha - yeah, maybe if lil' bro still had his braces on and only showered once a week. Not only is Raul not diggin it, he ain't even feelin it in tha average sort of way! Too hoppy. Just tastes like nasty nasty.

For the hype, I do not suggest. Try Russian River IPA instead if you can't get Pliny.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2012 05:09:49 | More by RaulMondesi

silentdonkey

California

4.83/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Beachwood BBQ in Seal Beach CA.

A: Poured a beautiful crystal clear golden orange. Has a nice one finger frothy white head. Leaves a beautiful lattice lacing.

S: Smells similar to Pliny. Makes you just want to dive in and bathe in it. Smells of citrus and pine. Lots of hop resin.

T: Perfectly balanced IPA. The hops and malt pair perfectly. There is a nice earthy floral start to the hop bitterness that transitions into a citrus and pine finish. A subtle malty sweetness rounds it out.

M: It has a very nice creaminess with an excellent crisp finish. Mild carbonation.

O: Another stellar beer from RR. A really enjoyable IPA. Perfectly balanced, yet extremely complex hop profile. Get this one fresh on tap and you will be blown away.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2012 16:32:24 | More by silentdonkey

elNopalero

Texas

4.93/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This pours an amber tan color with tremendous white foam. The aroma is full on orange and orange marmalade. So fresh and vibrant. Eminently pleasing flavor. Makes me think of orange and grape blossoms with some grapefruit citrusy notes. All through the miracle of hops! Nice body on this, piney and hoppy, with a rounded bitterness and a dry finish. Delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2012 08:31:47 | More by elNopalero

Nay

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Over the top west coast ipa. Pale, American 2 row with dextrine malt simple flavor and body. Aroma strong clean citrus rind hops. Strong hop flavor, like distilled grapefruit essence. What it lacks in balance it makes up for in deliciousness and real
coast style.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 03:02:08 | More by Nay

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Well this was a real nice treat. I was out to dinner and saw this one the draft list. I made sure I ordered as many as I could handle in one sitting. The beer poured out as a nice golden color with a brilliant white head on top. The lacing is nice a sticky on this one. The smell of the beer is piney and full of citrusy hop aromas. It smells so refreshing. The taste of the beer is also very nice, hopped up like crazy with a clean malt backbone. The mouthfeel is very sharp and crisp with a strong carbonation to it. Overall this beer was very good, I'm glad I finally finished the trio from Russian River. All were excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2012 03:00:07 | More by Knapp85

cfrances33

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Monk's Cafe in Philly (6/22/12). Served in a shaker.

Pour: Golden orange with minimal cloudiness. Finger of fluffy white head. Decent lacing.

Smell: Pine and citrus nose. Not much malt to be found, maybe a little towards the bottom and it warmed up.

Taste: Citrus at first, followed by pine in the middle, and a bready, light caramel malt at the end.

Mouthfeel: Hops are juicy, but overall pretty light and dry. Very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2012 18:23:13 | More by cfrances33

magine

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tap at Teresa's - hazy orange minimal head lots of lace. Brew has big hop nose, citrus and grapefruit maybe. Brew has big hops, crisp start, pineapple, corriander, some slick oil in the finish. Real good crisp finish that has some tart bitterness. Very drinkable brew here, a standout . Great stuff; An exceptional IPA here.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2012 00:38:46 | More by magine

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.33/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from tap into pint at falling rock in denver. Pours a clear golden amber with nice foam head and good lacing. Smells of nice candy hops. Taste is really smooth candy like hops with a super crisp malt finish. Really well balanced and full of nice flavor. Such a well crafted IPA. Well worth a visit from anyone!!

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2012 00:07:12 | More by DrinkSlurm

Spider889

Ohio

2.05/5  rDev -53%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

On draft at the Mountain Sun brewpub in Boulder on 9/24/11. Assuming it was fresh since it was draft and the week of GABF...

A - Appears cloudy and unfiltered. Kinda ugly but some of the best IPA's are unfiltered (usually they smell better anyways) so I wasn't too worried. Has a short cap of white foam atop a thin looking beer of super pale wheat color.

S - Tangerine peel and wheat with some pithy citrus rind. Not bad, but nothing that impressive either tbh.

T - Oi, this was bland as hell. Same mild citrus that I found in the aroma plus a little pineapple to mingle with the tangerine. There's just no body or depth here to carry the positive aspects of the beer through to the finish though. No malt flavor at all.

M - Zoinks, Scooby... it's a mystery why this beer is so widely regarded. This was WAY over carbonated. Drinking it was painful... like a freshly opened bottle of Perrier mineral water except on steroids (pretend you somehow managed to dissolve several of those mini-CO2 cartridges in the beer before serving it).

O - This was unpleasant to drink. I wanted to dump it but we had to consume this outside the restaurant was so damn busy. I really wanted to like this, but hell... it was terrible. The main issue was the carbonation (which I will assume the local tap lines are to blame, not RR). But the flavor was dull and muted, with a lackluster aroma.

All I can think is that this was an old and severely mistreated keg of beer which was then hooked up to improperly functioning tap lines. I definitely want to try this again (preferably from a fresh bottle), but I don't hold super high hopes right now.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2012 10:02:26 | More by Spider889

vkv822

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

on-tap at Belmont Station.
from notes.

Clear golden, foamy bone-white head.

Big, juicy citric and lightly tropical fruits.

Citric upfront, with a bitter, pine finish.

Medium-thin body with active carbonation.

A well done IPA, interesting contrast between big citric fruity nose and more of a pine emphasis on the palate.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2012 05:28:33 | More by vkv822

WeedKing4

Ontario (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this at Toronados in SF. Pours a dark, clear orange with a little lacing of foam. Tastes of citrus, floral hop bitterness. Not a overwhelming flavor, but it makes for a very session able beer. I would have no problem making this a go to beer if I could have the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2012 03:15:44 | More by WeedKing4

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap and served in a pint glass at Capone's.

Russian River's Blind Pig pour a crystal clear orange, with light tangerine highlights. A finger's worth of bone colored foam caps the beer and displays both good head retention and lacing. The nose is one note, but intense. The aroma of straight pungent, bright grapefruit creeps from the glass and reaches my nose well before the glass does. Every sip greets me with a touch of candy sweetness, before a robust, perfectly dialed in bitter bite comes in mid palate. There's plenty of grapefruit, as promised by the aroma, on the back end, and it's joined by a secondary orange flavor. The mouthfeel is picture perfect. The body is light and lean, with just enough heft to support the bit of malt flavor that's present. The carbonation is bubbly and expressive, aiding in the massive impact the hops have. Blind Pig doesn't get as much attention as the other IPAs in Russian River's portfolio, and that's shame, because it's a hell of a beer in its own right.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2012 03:39:23 | More by axeman9182

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap served in a pint glass

A - Clear golden amber with 1 finger white head with good retention and good lacing.

S - Citrus and floral hops, fantastic bouquet. A bit of malt bread.

T - Very rich hop bouquet full of citrus notes of grapefruit, orange and pine hops with a nice balance bitter dry finish. Masterful hops-works.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation.

O - This could be the best IPA at a lot of breweries and Russian River has 3 or 4 that I think are better. You have got to be kidding me. This is a solid IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2012 21:10:19 | More by williamjbauer

ajramirez1

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap. Color was golden color with a clean look. Smell is a bit hoppy but not overwhelming. Taste is very good with just the right amount of hops. Not too much hops but just the right amount...very good ipa. Not complaints, but not same tier has Elder...
A-

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2012 05:23:46 | More by ajramirez1

mfavoino

Washington

3.95/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Apex in Portland, OR on 2/20/12.

Appearance: Poured into a pint glass and shows a yellow-gold color with a one finger head that receded quickly. Looks like a lot of carbonation.

Smell: Reminds me of a more subdued Elder with citrus and pine notes.

Taste: Soft citrus and pine flavors typical of a West Coast IPA on the front end. Bready and sweet malt flavors balance it out quickly. Flavor is very subtle compared to other RR beers.

Mouthfeel: Easy to drink and smooth. Above average carbonation in this one.

Overall: A good, straightforward IPA. A more simple and less complex IPA from RR.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2012 04:31:00 | More by mfavoino

quaybr

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pretty beer. Big foam head that leaves modest lacing. Body is amber with an orange hue. Carbonation remains active, and the relatively transparent body allow you to watch bubbles rising throughout.

Smells of grapefruit hops, with little hints of sweet malts sneaking out every now and then.

Hops taste sweet on the front of the tongue - quite refreshing - before transitioning to bitter on the back. Sweet caramel malts provide structure to the flavor, but the hops are unmistakably the stars of this.

This medium body carries well. Carbonation is great.

This is a delicious beer. Nothing out of the ordinary, but a lot of simple makes a little great.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 19:21:13 | More by quaybr

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-light yellow orange color with a small white head and a little lacing

S-tropical fruit and floral notes with hints of pine

T-nice tropical and citrus fruits with pine and some light floral hints

F-medium body with nice crisp moderate carbonation

O-a very nicely balanced and tasty IPA

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2012 02:43:16 | More by MDDMD