Sierra Nevada / Russian River » Yvan The Great (Belgian-style Blonde)
ABV: 6.3% | IBUs: 50 | Rating: 8.8
This one one of the top 3 beers in the Beer Camp box I was pumped for. Our here on the East Coast and especially Upstate NY, bottles of Russian River are hard to come by, outside of Sierra Nevada's other collab, Brux.
A hybrid brew featuring Belgian yeast and plethora of hops, this pale Blonde has a clear, golden-straw body topped with fizzy, lacy head.
Belgian spice and yeast flavors swirl with notes of peach skin and lemongrass, all wrapped in quick, prickly carbonation ending in a semi-dry mouthcoat and finish.
Crisp citrus hops follow with distinct orange notes and slight tropical flavors. Yvan The Great (reference to Yvan De Baets, of Brasserie De la Senne) is beamingly bright and grows a bit grassy.
I was lucky enough to have this on draft and bottle and the experience was for all intents and purpose identical. While I was hoping for something a bit more groundbreaking and adventuresome from Russian River, this is still one of the standouts of the box so far. Nothing that I'll plead to go year-round, but worth checking out on several occasions.
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