Beer Review: Ruth by Hair of the Dog Brewing

If you are a beer drinker (if you’re reading this review I would bet you are) you may have from time to time woken up with that nasty thing we call a “hangover”. Hundreds of cures have been suggested and believe me, I’ve tried most of them. For me nothing seems to work as well as a little hair of the dog. This week a beer was given to me by a friend for review. As always with any free beer, it gets reviewed.

This beer is brewed by the Hair of the Dog Brewing Company out of Portland, Oregon which has been brewing since 1993. Of the several beers that this brewery puts out, the one called Ruth will be reviewed today.

Appearance: This American Pale Ale appears as a hazy gold when poured into a pint glass. The foam is mild and white and not long lasting.

Smell: Ruth has a strong smell of citrus and a back drop of hops. This beer had a pleasant smell to it that is very inviting and had me looking forward to the taste.

Taste: The first taste I have to admit was a bit surprising. A very strong bite of citrus dominated the initial flavor. If I had a bad hangover this might just make me feel worse. Crystal hops and smooth malt flavor hang in the back drop with a “kick you in the butt” flavor of grapefruit citrus up front. The unexpected citrus punch caused me to question this one at first. Not being one to give up on any beer, I dove back in and found a beer that I ended up enjoying. If you are a fan of dropping lemon in your beer, you may find this one ready to go without any further fruit needed.

Alcohol: Ruth has a 4.5% which brings it in slightly above your domestic light.

Cost and Availability: Are you ready? Since I got it for free (thanks Matt) I had no idea until after I wrote the review. According to Brewforia, this beer costs $2.37 a bottle! That is a 12 fluid ounce bottle……wow! Maybe you can find it cheaper but for me, that’s a bit expensive. Looks like I will be only drinking this beer when my cool buddy Matt comes over!

Final thought: Ruth started out a bit strong mostly due to the surprise of the citrus punch. Have to admit that I soon found the once strong taste calming a bit and becoming pleasant. If you’re a fan of citrus backed beer, then this one is a must try. For the average beer drinker, the grapefruit punch and hop backing may prove to be a bit much. Ruth will most likely not be a tailgate crowd pleaser due to its sharp taste, but overall a good beer that I not only enjoyed but makes me want to search out the other beers that Hair of the Dog Brewing puts out. Of course with the price of this beer I suppose I will have to wait until generous friends kick it down to me.