The Russian River Blind Pig IPA is the Roger Maris of the Russian River Brewing lineup. Pliny the Elder Double IPA is their Mickey Mantle. Don’t like the Yankees? We can go with Willie McCovey and Willie Mays. Don’t like baseball? We can go with Steve Young and Joe Montana.
The bottom line is that they are both remarkable beers. And if you’re an astute sports fan you’ll notice that the players we used as comparisons were all remarkable athletes in their respective sports.
Now take it one step further and you’ll see that, while they are all Hall of Fame players (except for Maris), one out shined the other.
The case is the same with Russian River Brewing. Everyone knows about Pliny and everyone nows how awesome it is. The fact is that the Blind Pig IPA is deserving of the same attention, but rarely gets it. I’m here to tell you that the Russian River Blind Pig IPA is deserving of more attention. More headlines. More love from the craft beer drinking masses and more room in your beer fridge.
Russian River Blind Pig IPA
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.25%
Availability: Year Round in bottles and kegs locally, limited otherwise
MSRP: $5.50 for 500ml bottle
Brewer: Russian River Brewing, Santa Rosa, CA.
Nose: Plenty of hops and bitterness. Bright citrus and earthy pine notes balance things out.
Appearance: The Russian River Blind Pig IPA pours crystal clear and copper in color. The foamy white head starts out about two inches thick, but dissipates quickly and settles in at a half-inch or so.
Flavor: The palate is hit with big and bitter hop notes right off the bat. Crisp citrus and tropical fruit mingle with notes of pine and a mild “bready” yeast. The finish is hoppy, bitter and it lingers. There is a mild fruity sweetness on the finish as well. The Blind Pig is packed with big flavor, but I find it rather easy drinking.
Overall Thoughts: I always liked Steve Young better than Joe Montana. I felt like he had something to prove and I loved watching him play. I feel the same “underdog love” for the Russian River Blind Pig IPA. The balance of flavor in the Blind Pig is perfect. It is, without question, one of the best IPAs I have ever had the pleasure to drink. I’ve rated the Blind Pig as a Boba Fett 5.0. That is the highest score we have here on Mixed and Mashed. Does that mean the Blind Pig is perfect? No, but it’s damn close!
