Mind Circus
Russian River Brewing Company

Mind CircusMind Circus
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From:
Russian River Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
New England IPA
Ranked #1,179
ABV:
7%
Score:
93
Ranked #3,554
Avg:
4.19 | pDev: 6.92%
Reviews:
49
Ratings:
157
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 16, 2024
Added:
Feb 02, 2019
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  17
Mind Circus IPA has a mild bitterness and a thick, luscious mouthfeel. This style of IPA is what is being called in the beer world a “Hazy IPA” Dominantly herbaceous and grassy, with moderate tropical notes as well as some bright citrus. This unique hazy IPA gains its flavor of grapes and grass from the Nelson hops, and its tropical notes of pineapple and mango from the Strata hops. It is unfiltered leaving a “haze” and some yeast for more texture. Oats were also used to add to the softer mouthfeel and hazy appearance.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by alexsergio:
Photo of alexsergio
Rated by alexsergio from New York

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Jan 11, 2020
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.66 by warp1080

Mar 16, 2024
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

4.09/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
It appears I'm quite late to the game even realizing this, but a hazy at the OG of West Coast IPA hype?? What has the world come to?!

Appearance is mostly but not fully hazy straw yellow with a short off-white head.

It's got a pretty full, fluffy body that recedes to a fine crispness while delivering citrus piths, tropical juices, and a little dank spiciness that's a touch resinous in the semi-dry finish.

As opposed to some other breweries very heavily invested in the West Coast tradition, this was a fairly successful attempt at the style, even as the old guard is returning somewhat en vogue.
Feb 08, 2024
 
Rated: 4.28 by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

Jan 08, 2024
Photo of Offa
Reviewed by Offa from California

3.02/5  rDev -27.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Hazy dull yellow with faint tinge of pinkish orange. Moderate of white head soon thins to foamy ring. Looks a bit like unfiltered grapefruit juice. Aroma fairly strong but vague grapefruit and hints orange and resin. Taste dryish with moderate sweetness and bitterness, fairly balanced. Definitely juicy which is not a good thing for me. Taste a bit like less sweet Orangina with a little grapefruit juice. Finish dry grapefruit rind and a faint hint of white bread. Does not smell or taste like beer. Tastes kind of like a grapefruit Radler, which I don’t like, and with less beer character. I appreciate the idea of a beer with lots of hop character but moderate bitterness even with strong citrus character (like Three tuns clerics cure) but as long as it taste ms like beer and not if it tastes like this. I might as well drink an orangina mixed with limonata San Pellegrino.
Oct 18, 2023
Photo of beercam
Reviewed by beercam from Colorado

4.56/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Unique to find a gem from a brewery most famous for one single beer (pliny the elder).

They are managing their success well, as evidenced here. They took everything I like about big hazy ipas, and tamed what disagrees while amplifying what I seek!

Appearance, aroma, taste, are all top 5%. Feel and flavor for me are top 1%. This beer is easily world class for the style.

Extremely important to get this one in glass. Canned version utterly sucks but i get the need to make a profit.

Mix and drink the lees for best outcomes here. Gratitude. Cheers!
Sep 09, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by NickThePyro from Washington

Aug 15, 2023
 
Rated: 4.1 by btbcolo from Colorado

Aug 06, 2023
 
Rated: 4.41 by QueenSac from Colorado

Aug 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.29 by Humanusfermentum from Virginia

Aug 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4.86 by Gizzardo from Arizona

Aug 02, 2023
Photo of jdhops
Reviewed by jdhops from Tennessee

4.23/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Bottled 6/27/23.

L: Pours an opaque yellow with a short white head that thins to bubbles on top and leaves a ring around the glass. Thin irregular lacing.

S: Aromas of white grape, citrus and pineapple.

T: Follows the smell, with the Nelson white grape up front, followed by the Strata pineapple. Finishes dry with just a touch of bitterness.

F: Medium mouthfeel. Appropriate carbonation.

O: Nice melding of Nelson and Strata. Unsurprisingly, Russian River can do the hazy IPA.
Jul 31, 2023
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

4.22/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Hazy IPA from RRBC…gotta give that a try, and it’s fresh, bottled “6-27-23”

Nice looking hazed up pour. Delicate and widely scattered lacing.

Tropical fruit sniff and again all over the palate, with soft mango, melon and pineapple.

Super smooth in the mouth.

Bravo…mighty fine and well worth seeking out.
Jul 21, 2023
Photo of mothman
Reviewed by mothman from Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap. White head with lace. Hazy yellow gold color.

Earthy, floral, grapefruit, and then some tropical fruit notes. Pine and citrus. Easy drinking. Interesting having a Russian river hazy.
Jul 10, 2023
Photo of Holderness
Reviewed by Holderness from Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottled 3 weeks ago. First Russian River offering in a while for me. Despite fairly low expectations this was pretty good -- the appearance was a dull straw haze but the aromas picked up with a melange of citrus over a biscuity malt backbone. Flavors had a restrained pithy bitterness that flew off the palate fairly quickly.

73/100
May 19, 2023
Photo of snaotheus
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington

3.56/5  rDev -15%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
2023-05-06
16oz pour on tap at Chuck's Hop Shop Seward Park.

Pours either heavy haze or light murk, darkish gold, with a small head and plenty of carbonation. Smells bright, unripe mango, lemony freshness.

Taste is different than I expected. Not at all juicy, not piney either. More earthy hops with a light, vaguely grainy background.

Mouthfeel is lively, fairly light, quite dry. Overall, it's all right.
May 06, 2023
Photo of sweetbrew82
Reviewed by sweetbrew82 from California

4.49/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This has become my favorite IPA and my go-to beer as of late! If you like hop-forward tropical IPAs that maintains a smidgen of malt balance then this will be your jam.

Pineapple and peach right upfront along with some mango, guava and grapefruit that emerge more as it warms. Definitely some grassy undertones with a biscuity malt base for the hops to use as a springboard. Very mild bitterness and extremely drinkable. The mouthfeel is superb too as it blossoms with the perfect amount of carbonation to wash all of the flavors across the palate. This is just such a juicy tropical fruit smoothie of a beer I love it!
Apr 17, 2023
Photo of DaveMaciolek21
Reviewed by DaveMaciolek21 from New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Billed as hazy, this beer is slightly hazy. Was surprised at its clarity, truthfully. Many oat-based beers have a brightness to them, which could explain the visual. Taste was a blend of tropical and citrus flavors, but very mild with little of the complexity I normally associate with Russian Rivers IPAs. It's pleasant, but it's no Pliny.
Jan 19, 2023
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.99/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16oz can. Canning date on label is '22 NOV 2022'.
Cloudy straw colored body. Thin white colored head. Partial walls of lacing.
Aroma of pineapple and peach.
Taste is orange, pineapple, and melon. Cool fruit in the aftertaste.
Medium mouth feel. Smooth texture. Very good carbonation.
Fruit forward IPA with solid malt backbone.
Dec 12, 2022
Photo of Captain69
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
great new england ipa nice hop flavor smooth drinking
Nov 21, 2022
Mind Circus from Russian River Brewing Company
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 157 ratings