Blind Pig IPA - Russian River Brewing Company

willjschmidt

California

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

On-tap at the Toronado.

A: A very light pale golden color. A nice sized white head. Quite a bit light in color than I'm used to seeing in an IPA.

S: Lots of piney hops and lots of fruit.

T: The first taste to hit the palate is that of the hops. The great thing about the hops is that they are not that bitter, but rather they are absolutely delicious. Following the hops is a big burst of juicy fruit. Probably the most fruit I've ever gotten out of an IPA. Grapefruits, orange, melon, etc. This is simply an extremely tasty beer.

M: Very good mouthfeel: light, refreshing, nicely carbonated.

D: This rates very high on the drinkability scale. It's well balanced, goes down smooth, finishes crisp and refreshing. I highly recommend this brew, especially for IPA lovers such as myself. Is it the best IPA that I've ever tasted? Maybe, a side-by-side tasting would do better to answer that question. I know it's certainly in the discussion.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2007 15:44:43 | More by willjschmidt

mynie

Indiana

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

Thanks to Flexabull for the trade.

Comes in an absolutely wonderful growler that looks like it's from an alchemest's lab.


Very nice pour, though some signs of it having spent a week in a growler are present. Big, foamy white head dissipates fairly quickly and the bubbles aren’t as intense as they might be. Still, it’s very nice.

Very sticky, resiny pine hop smell mixed with an incredibly solid caramel malt backbone. Reminiscent of Masala Mama, though not as intensely fruity with its hops.

Once again, perfect balance. Big west coast hops are fresh, green, a sticky against a very rich caramel malt and wonderful kick of bread dough yeast. Packs quite the bit of punch without coming off as overly bitter or bready. Very nicely done.

The body’s just a little bit weak, but that’s undoubtedly due to its age. In spite of this, though, the beer is still an immensely drinkable treat.

Serving type: growler

05-15-2007 18:43:18 | More by mynie

peabody

Kentucky

4.65/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A big thank you to Talisker.

Pours out a very clear amber orange with one finger of white suds.
The smell is apparent when it leaves the growler.
Very piney grapefruit and orange with caramel and malt in the background. Very strong pine here like in a forrest of pine trees with the sap running all over the place.
Taste is so clean with the hops taking your taste buds for a bitter ride then letting you off in sugarville with the malty sweetness lingering. I put this glass to my lips and I think I am drinking a Christmas Tree~!.
Mouthfeel is clean/crisp and perfect. This is the perfect session beer. Absolutely perfect!

Serving type: growler

05-14-2007 02:07:51 | More by peabody

alohaC

California

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

On tap at the Toronado. What more can you say? It’s the grandpappy of IPAs. Pours a nice, somewhat hazy orange with a surprisingly light, thin head. Big piney and grapefruit hops waft from the glass, so you know what you’re in for. The hops take over your first sip and really show no mercy to the malt in the background. A bit unbalanced. This is straight up, O.G. West Coast IPA style. Lots of grapefruit and pinestraw. Good body with a clean, crisp and pretty dry finish. IPAs have come a long way since Vinnie first brewed this in the mid-90s, but this still holds court with the better ones of today. Cheers to a legend.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2007 09:18:15 | More by alohaC

BlindPig

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- Light golden yellow body with a thin lacing that covers about half of the top.
S- Big pine and citrus hops. Tons of fruits in there along with all the pine. Peach, grapefruit, orange, and a few others I can't pin point.
T- Huge upfront hops. Grapefruit, peach, light orange, and pine all flood the mouth. There is a nice balance between pine and the fruits but pine is winning. Nice decent size malt body. Finishes with a dry aftertaste along with fruits and a strong pine flavor.
M- Medium to full body with medium to low carbonation.
D- This is the best IPA I have ever had. It may be even close to the best beer I have ever had. I would like to have it side by side with some other favorites and see if this one would come through (I believe it would come out VERY close to #1 if not #1. I would give this beer a 4.999 if I could but of course you can't.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2007 07:49:31 | More by BlindPig

flexabull

California

4.58/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at the brewery.

Pours a bright gold color, slightly hazy, and with a decent head.

Aromas are of pine, resin, and a bit of citrus.

Flavors are quite good on this one, a bit similar to Pliney the Elder, but toned down a couple of notches. There is a dry character, some pine, grapefruit, and resin flavors from the hops. The malts are there as well, and provide a nice slightly sweet and creamy backbone. Good stuff!

Mouthfeel is very nice, full flavored, and well rounded.

Drinkability is top notch. This is an exceptional IPA. But what else would you expect from Russian River?

Serving type: on-tap

03-18-2007 21:21:21 | More by flexabull

Matthew

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Russian River.
Poured a slightly hazy golden yellowish color with a 1/4 inch of white head that faded fairly quickly to leave a small covering over the top of the beer.
The aroma is dominated by strong citrusy hops, more lemon in this hoppy nose than in a lot of other IPA's I've smelled. There is still a bit of orange to be noticed along with a hint of pine.
Big hop bite that really smacks my tongue. The same sweet lemony character found in the nose is prominent in the taste along with the large overall citrus character that includes orange and some grapefruit. This is a beer whose malt character is nice and bready but is faint in comparison the massive quantity of hop flavor. Less balanced than PTE IMO.
Nice medium level of body and carbonation. In spite of the big hop bite and lack of any real sign of balance its tasty for the beer drinker who enjoys hops. Bitter but still refreshing on a sunny afternoon.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2007 20:34:14 | More by Matthew

uberabr

California

4.8/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I had this one on tap at RR on Saturday and actually preferred it to the Russian River IPA and Pliny the Elder. Drank from a pint. Appearance is similar to their other IPA's, hazy yellow amber with some gold and some darker reddish hues. No head thanks to the Neanderthal behind the bar. Smells of cascade and a bouquet of floral and piney hops. Taste was excellent. A wonderfully rich combination of bitter pine, fruity hop, and some mouth-watering candy sweetness. It was similar to Pliny but had a rich backbone of fruity syrup that made it stand out. Mouthfeel and drinkability were excellent as with all RR beers. This was definitely one of the best IPA's I've tried lately.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2007 00:24:21 | More by uberabr

Foxman

New Jersey

4.65/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

It pours a slightly hazy orange amber, bright and seemingly backlit. A finger of meringue white head swells and settles in a cycle that runs apace. Swells of lacing wave along the inside of the glass.

The aroma is an homage to edgy dry citrus hops, lightly floral, genuinely spicy, and as crisp as a freshly starched dress shirt. Not to mention, a draft of pine washes in, like a breath from a damp forest. Underneath lingers a sweet malt presence that speaks of caramel and berries, and even a touch of melon.

Upon sipping, the hops make a mockery of any pretension of balance, but oh, are they joyous tilting that scale, with dry, biting grapefruit, freshly sliced from the rind, and a more distant tingle of lemon zest and mandarin orange. And pine again rides behind, with a needle of coniferous spiciness. The malt, while well subjugated, is nonetheless a good soldier, marching in a lightly sweet caramel identity that also hints at a tree-borne fruitiness. The malt goes softly biscuit as the hops divert the flow toward a crisp, clear dryness that offers up a distinctive, impressive bitterness. It may not be balanced, by my is it wonderfully complex in its interplay between hops and malt.

Between light and medium bodied, the malt is almost instantly undone by the scorched-earth bitterness of the hops.

Maybe the location and company influence my new-found love affair with this nectar, but I don't care, I love it, and I'm not going to question my feelings! As good as it smelled, I had no idea the flavor would come across as exceptional as it did. In fact, this beer would be, far and away, my top session IPA were it not so freaking rare in my area. It's so clean that having another is an animal instinct. I almost never have two of the same when I'm at Monk's, but this specimen became one of the rare exceptions. Should I ever get near this again, I really doubt I'll drink anything but Blind Pig. Until it's gone, or I'm gone.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2007 00:01:08 | More by Foxman

SwillinBrew

California

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

Damn i love this brew. It's my favorite IPA. Had it on tap at Hollingshead. Actually, it was served in a pig ie a mason jar which had the RR Blind Pig logo on it... pretty cool. Apparently a 'blind pig' was slang for some brew during the prohibition era. Something like that and i'm sure i'm not doing the description justice.

Poured vibrant golden straw color like pure sunshine on the wheat fields... with a good sticky finger of off-white head. Aromas were incredible. Aromatic in your face crisp mountain pine scent that envelops your olefactory sense like a brisk mountain wind off the himalayas. Very keen and penetrating goodness in the nose finishing with citrus blossoms.

Flavors of sun ripened pink grapefruit fill your mouth as if a wedge was squeezed on your tongue. Bold citrus with a tad of sweetness just dominate and play in your mouth. Very quenching and bold. Light medium bodied and crisp on the tongue. I could just drink this everyday.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2007 23:16:10 | More by SwillinBrew

tooleypep

California

4.58/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had the beer at the brewery. I'm from the bay area, but live in San Diego. The brew pub was a cool place and the food was good too. I had a few beers and blind pig was the my third favorite behind Perdition and Damnation. Blind Pig was an easy beer to drink. I thought it was smooth and full of flavor.Though I am new at being a beer nerd, my taste is more for a seasoned vet. I never enjoyed y yellow macro brews but still drank the more popular dark beers everyone had. Russian River is by far my favorite brewery and they don't have a beer I don't dislike. Blind Pig was not as strong as the other beers I had but I think I drank it faster than the others that I liked more than it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2007 22:23:50 | More by tooleypep

SacoDeToro

California

3.68/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at RR Brewing Co.

The beer was a bright golden yellow with a small white head that quickly disappeared.

The aroma was bursting with herbal, earthy, and citrusy hops.

The flavor of the beer was dominated by intense hops that were a little coarse for my taste. Don't get me wrong, I love mad flavor, but I prefer hoppiness that leans towards the resiny, citrusy side.

The maltiness of the beer was crisp and light.

The carbonation seemed good and the mouthfeel was light.

This is a reasonably solid beer, but a little rough on the edges for me. Pliny (the Elder and Younger) are both superior offerings from RR in my opinion. Still, grab a pint when you see it on tap. This beer's relatively rare.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2006 15:32:06 | More by SacoDeToro

Mebuzzard

Colorado

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

An amber pour with hints of pink and yellow. Fluffly head, good lacing.
Smells of high citrus (gf, lemon) and some leafy flower plants. Hops are in there somewhere.
Taste has the hops; nice crispness and flavor.
Medium body and great mouthfeel, leaves clean with enough taste residue to want more.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2006 00:02:51 | More by Mebuzzard

Morris729

Texas

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

Pours a deep golden orange color with a thick off-white head that recedes into a sticky lace. Spicy hops dominate the nose with strong aromas of fresh pine and even a bit of lemon grass. Hops are, of course, also the key players in the taste with notes of fresh pine, juicy citrus, and grapefruit rind. Definitely on the bitter side, but there is some sweet malt to help provide some balance. A must-try for the hop-heads.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2006 15:50:27 | More by Morris729

stoner420

California

4.38/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Light amber, white head. Aroma is all hops, this is a very hoppy IPA, pine, citrus, etc. Tastes like a strong IPA, big hops out front, followed by some bitterness, with the malt in the background. Nice light crisp texture, very drinkable. This beer exists in the no-man's land between IPA and double IPA. Well put together in all respects.

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2006 17:16:50 | More by stoner420

Phatz

Pennsylvania

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

Thanks to froggyfrog for the opportunity to taste this as he received from the Russian River home bottled mega-trade back in February. Although advised against reviewing it as it is "less than ideal" I am taking it upon my self to review anyway as I have nothing negative to say. If this beer is only improved by getting it more fresh than it is certainly a must.

Appearance: Pours a light golden yellow color and erupts with instant big head.

Smell: The gentle citrus pine hop aroma may have been more bold a few months ago but it is still more than sufficient and quite impressive to ay the least. The Hop character sits nestled in a doughy malt aroma and a light suggestion of fruit comes through as well. brilliant.

Taste: Floral hops and gentle citrus pine flavors lead with a beautiful arrangement of fruits and toasted malts to follow.

Mouthfeel: Light and creamy with adequate carbonation, making this beer an easy drinker.

Drinkability: This might be the reason to set up a home bar with kegorator. Good lord this is easy drinking!

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2006 21:19:22 | More by Phatz

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at the Russian River brewpub. Clear blond color. The smell is strong with hops, intense pine needle aroma.

The flavor isn't quite 1-dimensional hops, I could taste some sweet malts fighting it out, but the after-taste was mostly bitter hops.

A really good IPA, I had it side-by-side with 4 other IPA's at Russian River. I think this is the last best (they're all good so none is really worst).

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2006 13:04:29 | More by TurdFurgison

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

4.53/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

On tap at Toronado. Tasted side-by-side a pint of the Elder. My first impression is shock that this IPA has considerably more about juniper/pine than the 2xIPA from the same brewer. This beer’s aroma is intense, painful even. My tongue is freaking out as if I were about to dip it into a vat of citric acid. The juniper in this aroma is just plain ferocious. Inhaling Blind Pig is like having a bully grind your face into a juniper bush on the playground. My eyes are starting to water. Taste is more about sensation then flavor. It stings, it burns, it pricks, it bites, it kicks, and it growls. Beyond that and the thick pine oils I can taste pineapple and apricot but that’s about it (I don’t mind one but. This rocks). Finish is light, dry, and citric. Body is on the lighter side of medium. Appearance is similar to Plinny the Elder, just a tad lighter shade of golden amber leaning toward yellow with a thinner, shorter lived white head. Outstanding IPA, not for the faint of heart or hops. Just damned adventurous.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2006 19:47:45 | More by DaPeculierDane

audiojon

California

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

I didn't know what to expect from the brewery behind Pliny the Elder, but this was a nice surprise! Turns out this brew got its start at a Temecula micro, but recently got picked up (saved?) by Russian River. Appearance was lovely, very nice amber hue. Smell was also lovely, obviously hoppy. Taste was delicious! It reminded me of a lighter Ruination, not as balanced as Pliny, but lots of great in your face hop character. Insanely drinkable at 6%, this is a must try from one of my favorite breweries.

Highly recommended, this may become a great session beer... where are the bottles?

Serving type: on-tap

04-12-2006 06:35:34 | More by audiojon

carln26

Missouri

4.28/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this beer on tap at Russian River in Santa Rosa. It poured a light copper almost gold very clear, with a light white head. I was pleasantly surprised how light in color this beer was. Big hop nose, grapefruit pine a little floral hop. You can’t really detect the malt in the aroma. Taste has a lot of the grapefruit rind. The pine and hop flower, I caught in the aroma were present as well. This beer really presents all of the hop characters well. It has a light sweetness that lingers throughout. Slick mouth feel Good drinkability. The great brewers seem to be able to deliver a hoppy beer that is still palatable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2006 13:51:16 | More by carln26

brentk56

North Carolina

4.35/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Arrives at the bar with a hazy light amber color and a fluffy white head that leaves great lacing

Smell: Nice citrusy grapefruit aroma

Taste: Grapefruit flavors dominate the taste buds with a subtle amount of caramel malt in the background; the finish is long and resinous

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Very smooth and surprisingly flavorful for a 6% beer; exceedingly drinkable fruity IPA

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2006 13:28:12 | More by brentk56

OStrungT

California

4.1/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer at O'Brien's a few days after the release party. I wish I could have been there.

This beer pours a golden yellow with a thin white head. The head fades somewhat fast, leaving many laces.

This beer has a piney hop aroma. It smells like a freshly fallen pine cone. It also has a slight citrus aroma. Not too much though. It has just a touch of grassy aroma to it also. It is quite appealing.

This beer tastes exactly like it smells. Piney up front, with a grassy finish. It has a slight grapefruit flavor to it, but as with the aroma, it is only very faint.

This beer is surprizingly smooth, leaving a piney aftertaste. It is carbonated well.

I think this beer would make a good session beer. It is only about 6% alcohol, so that shouldnt be a problem. Also, the flavor is great, and not too aggressive. I know that I will have a few more of there in my day.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2006 04:19:07 | More by OStrungT

kmpitz2

Tennessee

4.7/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Hand filled 22 oz bomber using counter pressure filler. The beer pours a nice orange color with copper highlites. Clarity is awesome. A light slightly off-white head sits over top, with a very nice cascade of bubbles keeping things solid over top. Aroma on this one is great. Very solid chunky candied grapefruity sweet hop with a moderate caramel and light spun sugar sweetness in there. Everything about it is sweet. Flavor is nice as well. Hop flavors are dominant, with the same sweet grapefruity citrus, with a light touch of pepperyness over a soild sweet caramel malt base. A few moments after swallowing the beer, a very clean bitterness hangs on the side of my tougue. This one is very much like a baby brother to the PtY. It has all the flavors and aromas of the big boy, but just to a lesser degree. Very tasty and very well balanced between sweet malt, hop flavor, and hop bitterness. The feel is a solid moderate with a very solid carbonation of fine bubbles to keep it from being too thick. As far as I'm concerned, this is another home run. All the flavors play very well with each other, the nose is really full and enticing. This 22 oz bottle is not going to last very long and is going to get me one step closer to planning that trip to California. Awesome.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2006 01:52:16 | More by kmpitz2

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.7/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Received from RedwoodGeorge as part of his recent 'Home Bottling Project'. I continue to be amazed at the professionalism of the labels and caps on this series of beers. Not to mention the flawless re-bottling effort itself. Since this Blind Pig is celebrating his 2 month anniversary today, I though that I'd 'Swig A Pig' before the hops lose any of their brilliance.

Flawless bright lemony amber, a color that is both rich and radiant at once. The tremendous looking polished ivory cap absolutely oozes firm creaminess; it looks great after the pour and even better as it slowly melts. There's a fair amount of thick, sudsy lace beginning to be laid down and I'm fairly certain that a majority of the glass will be coated in the end. It's a lighter, brighter IPA look and a great one.

How does Vinnie do it? How does he unlock the pure lupulin essence of some of my favorite hop varieties and turn them into such stupendous nose candy? I'm tempted to say that this is the best IPA nose that I've ever smelled, but I've said those words before and probably will again. Top 5 at least! The beer smells like sweet and sticky pineapple chunks with lemon, orange and pink grapefruit hanging around the periphery. Tropical and tremendously terrific.

Great, great, great, great beer. I could keep writing 'great' until the pigs come home, but there's more to say. No surprise that the pale malt backbone is up to the task at hand. It lends unwavering support and is in no way overmatched, but doesn't feel a need to be a contributing member of the flavor profile. Blind Pig has that underlying sweetness (that all good IPAs/DIPAs have) that allows the bitterness and the flavor of the hops to shine with blinding brilliance. Could that be the origin of the name?

Obviously, the centerpiece of this fine ale is hops, and I'm thrilled to report that it's absolutely dripping with pure, unadulterated, bitter, citric explosiveness. I've heard Centennial and have no reason to doubt the source. Its a near perfect blend of sweet and bitter, with bitter blowing the doors off the place. Hophead nirvana in a bottle.

I have no complaints about the mouthfeel, not a single one. I defy any brewer to design an IPA (that has no aspirations whatsoever on DIPAhood) that is any more drinkable than this one. It's as lightly creamy as the most demanding craft beer drinker has a right to expect and it disappears with ridiculous ease. I see that I'm going to have to start rationing what little remains.

I have no right to be critical of RedwoodGeorge since he's responsible for sending me some of the best beers on the planet Earth. That said, here's my beef. It isn't that he didn't make this bottle a bomber like the rest, it's that he didn't send me the whole damn keg of Blind Pig. Does everything that Mr. Cilurzo touches turn to brewing gold?

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2006 16:30:41 | More by BuckeyeNation

warriorsoul

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Many thanks to RedwoodGeorge for this one.
A pale copper color with two full fingers of some of the whitest head I've seen in a while...most of it sticks around and what recedes, produces some sticky, web-like lacing.
Real nice in the nose...pine hops, kind bud and a decent caramel malt backbone.
The taste is fantastic...juicy hop oil coats the pallet without being cloying. Malt profile gives it a semi sweet flavor that kills some of the bittering effects that hit you up front.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied...very smooth with just enough carbonation for me.
Goes down so easy...this would be my go to beer if I lived near RR...love the bigger beers, but I'd never be disappointed with what this brew has to offer.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2006 01:13:45 | More by warriorsoul