"A liquid poem to the glory of the hop." - Motto on the bottle. This was recommended to me along with Bell's - Two Hearted Ale (IPA). Ruination poured gold with a light amber hue. The head did not have any retention and dissipated very quickly. The aroma was sharp and hoppy. Compared to Bell's, which I had along with this, Ruination is not sweet but came across as raw. There were some light skunk or fish like notes up front with some light citrus notes in the back. The floral aroma came across as fresh, natural and organic. The aroma also did not hit me in the face like the Bell's IPA but was more subdued. The hops are floral and bitter but not as face puckering bitter as Mendocino Eye Of the Hawk Ale. Mendocino's IPA is harsh by comparison. I also liked how the citrus notes compliment the hops and make for a very bright drink. I also noted there were some subtle vanilla flavors and was the backbone of the beer with hops well integrated on top. The flavors were well crafted and fresh where the hops are featured but the malts are not forgotten. The hops are more floral than fruity in this IPA.
The texture of this beer is smooth and creamy. I was really surprised by that and it seemed to mellow out the carbonation. I really did like this IPA a lot and is an excellent example of the style. Along with Bell's and Mendocino's these are my favorite IPAs for very different reasons. Out of the three this seemed like the middle of the road for bitterness. Bell's was the fruitiest and Mendocino the harshest (in a good way). All three are also potent and the alcohol has a way of sneaking up.
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