Blind Pig IPA
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Tasting Notes
The aroma leads with pungent citrus and tropical fruit — grapefruit, tangerine, a thread of pine resin — with a clean, slightly doughy malt backdrop that keeps things grounded. On the palate, the bitterness is assertive but not punishing, layered over flavors of orange pith, fresh mango, and a faint grassy hop character. The body is medium-light, dry enough that the hops stay prominent through the finish. It finishes long and resinous, the bitterness lingering without turning harsh.
About the Brewery
Russian River Brewing is based in Santa Rosa, California, with a second location in Windsor, and has been a defining force in American craft brewing since the early 2000s under brewer Vinnie Cilurzo. The brewery is best known for Pliny the Elder, which helped establish the double IPA as a mainstream craft category, and for a celebrated lineup of barrel-aged Belgian-style sours including Consecration and Supplication. Their beers routinely place at the top of enthusiast rankings, and the Santa Rosa taproom draws visitors from across the country.
Food Pairings
Spicy Thai curry works well because the bitter, resinous hops cut through rich coconut milk while matching the heat. A charred burger with sharp cheddar plays off the malt backbone and lets the citrus hops contrast the fat. Fish tacos with a lime-spiked slaw echo the beer's citrus notes without fighting them. Aged gouda or a firm white cheddar pairs cleanly, the caramel edge of the cheese balancing the dry finish. Grilled chicken with a citrus marinade reinforces the tropical hop character rather than clashing with it.
Style Guide
The American IPA took the hop-forward English India Pale Ale and pushed it toward the bold, aromatic end of the spectrum, favoring New World hop varieties that deliver citrus, tropical fruit, pine, and resin over the earthy, floral character of traditional British hops. Bitterness is prominent — typically 40 to 70 IBUs — but the style relies as much on hop aroma and flavor as on bitterness alone, with a dry, moderately light body that keeps the hops in focus. It sits between the more restrained English IPA and the bigger, higher-alcohol double IPA, making it the workhorse format of the American craft hop movement. West Coast breweries, Russian River among them, were central to shaping what the style means today.