Apical Dominance (Hoppy Blonde Ale)
Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, California, United States 🇺🇸
Golden / Blonde Ale Rotating|
Score
7.49
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Since 2012, Natalie and Vinnie have been eyeing experimental hop HBC-692 at the experimental hopyard at Select Botanical’s in Yakima, WA. It particularly struck a chord with them because of its distinctive pink grapefruit aroma. One of the highlights of their annual trip to Yakima for hop selection is “rubbing” or smelling this hop. We chose to brew a hoppy Blonde Ale to really showcase the hop character. This batch also includes Citra, Crystal and Comet hops. Apical Dominance has a beautiful grapefruit/citrus and melon aroma, with mild bitterness, and a lingering finish.
Hops: Tangier, Nectaron, NZH106
Hops: Tangier, Nectaron, NZH106
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7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Poured from a 510 ml bottle dated April 21, 2023. Aroma is hop forward with loads of grapefruit, orange, tangerine and tropical citrus notes with moderately strong notes of dank, piney resin. Light bready cracker malt notes and light alcohol notes. Pours a clear, brilliant, yellow-gold with a medium sized, thick, fluffy, white head that recedes slowly to a small film that lingers in clumps on the edges. Moderate lacing and faint legs. Flavor has a light sweetness with medium light bready, cracker malt notes. Moderate bitterness and light alcohol notes. Fairly strong citrus hop notes with lots of grapefruit, orange and tangerine notes with quite a bit of dank, piney resin notes that linger into the finish. Fairly dry finish. Mouthfeel is medium light bodied with medium carbonation. Low astringency and low alcohol warmth. Overall, a really solid IPL. Great, citrusy, dank hop notes that linger into the finish. Light malt profile with moderately strong yet assertive bitterness.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 May 2023
at 05:52
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle. Pours a clear light yellow gold with a white head that dissipates to the edges. Aroma has nice grass and light tropical fruits underlying with a bit of hay in the finish. Flavor has grass and light pine with a hint of citrus and light hay underlying.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Jan 2023
at 00:04
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Pours bright gold into a shaker. Bright white head with excellent retention recedes leaving soapy lacing. Grapefruit and resin aromas. Crisp with sweet caramel and grapefruit upfront turning to resin and soapy lemon joy in lasting finish.
Tried
on 12 Oct 2022
at 01:52
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
On tap at Windsor brewery. Honey gold color. Firm pillowy white head. Earthy, bready malt nose had herbaceous notes. Pleasant citrus hop flavor upfront. Notes of lemon, lime and pineapple. Amazingly well balanced. Clean, crisp and imminently drinkable. Light, peppery finish is unending.
Tried
from Draft
on 25 Aug 2021
at 00:57
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
On tap at Russian River, pours a clear blonde with a small white head. Aroma brings out grassy and piney hops, with biscuity malt. Flavour is vibrant on the hops, with a lot of grassy and piney hops upfront, followed by biscuity malt. Piney and a little resinous on the finish. Excellent.
Tried
from Draft
on 18 Jun 2021
at 23:14
7.8/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 10
Overall 7
Bottle. Pours clear golden, medium white head, good lacing. Aroma is citrus, lemon, lemongrass, hints of passionfruit, pot, grass. Flavor is light sweet, light plus bitter. Light plus body. Quite well crafted, but i am not in love with the hop profile.
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Jun 2021
at 23:34
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Bottle from the Woodland, CA Nugget Market. Pours brassy gold with a large foamy/frothy white head. Aroma of grapefruit - maybe even zest. Med body - almost pillowy. It's rather dry grapefruit in flavor with zest in the finish. Most definitely citrus bitter. Most definitely tasty. Yum it is!
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Apr 2021
at 00:03