RU-55 - Jester King Craft Brewery

purdueflyguy

Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

12-23-2012 22:22:37 | More by purdueflyguy

lakersfan16

Alaska

3.75/5  rDev -10.9%

05-22-2013 03:43:46 | More by lakersfan16

Pesci

Texas

5/5  rDev +18.8%

05-19-2013 23:23:50 | More by Pesci

JamLand

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-19-2013 21:10:41 | More by JamLand

jl28r1

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-18-2013 16:15:32 | More by jl28r1

dcloeren

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

05-15-2013 12:47:45 | More by dcloeren

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.25/5  rDev -22.8%

05-13-2013 02:34:20 | More by yourefragile

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-12-2013 18:39:38 | More by Bonko_the_sane

kevindp9

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

05-11-2013 21:03:35 | More by kevindp9

Compton25

Texas

4/5  rDev -5%

05-10-2013 17:53:50 | More by Compton25

wreckem8010

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-09-2013 19:59:57 | More by wreckem8010

csfcmitchell

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

05-09-2013 17:11:20 | More by csfcmitchell

tectactoe

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This'll be only my second offering from Jester King. I enjoyed the other one (Das Wunderkind) quite a bit, so I'm looking forward to giving this one a go. RU-55 pours a murky, dark, stained-wood brown with some very, very tepid ruby hints. Completely opaque and capped with a soapy, gray-tinted head that quickly settles to a skin.

The aroma is nice, lively, and "pops" from the glass. Tart black cherries, sour apple skins, and plentiful grapes. Lots of vinous notes coming off with a big lean towards the oak barrel. Some vinegar surrounds the edges and keeps things interesting. Certainly the type of aroma that gets your saliva glands working right away. Funk is low, almost even nonexistent on the nose - the focus is certain on the tart, fruity elements.

One gulp and the vinous aspect of this beer leaps forward ahead of the pack - lots of wine-like grapes, wet oak, and puckering cherries. The tartness spikes quickly and settles on your taste buds, turning into a long-lasting sourness. The middle of the road introduces a very light tomato flavor, not exactly off-putting as it may sound, but rather pretty intriguing.

Vinegar notes are pretty profound and get even bigger with time. The finish contains a heavy dose of sour stone fruits, dry oak, and a very, very light, yeast-funk. Just a touch of corky mustiness, not quite in "barnyard" territory yet. It works, though, as the complexity of the sour profile are strong and interesting enough to stand up on their own. Thin-medium bodied, plenty of lively carbonation for a nice, crisp mouth feel that couples well with the dryness of the oak in the finish.

Again, I am more than pleasantly surprised by a Jester King offering. I don't know if I like this one as much as Das Wunderkind, but it might not be a fair comparison since they are slightly different styles. Either way, this beer was very enjoyable, and it has only reaffirmed by faith in this small-time Texas brewery. I pulled some similarities to RR Consecration out of RU-55. When you're getting compared to Russian River sours, you know you must be on the right track.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 11:43:14 | More by tectactoe

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.04/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poure out as a reddish brown color, the head comes and goes quickly. The retention is very minimal along with a light lacing. The smell is a malty with an interesting sweetness, also caramel or cherry on the nose and lightly toasted. The taste of the beer has a really interesting flavor as well. More malty and dry than sour. There is an earthy grain flavor in the finish with the sourness up front. The mouthfeel of the beer is dry, lightly carbonated. Overall it's a pretty good brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 01:44:05 | More by Knapp85

frogfan

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

05-06-2013 20:25:54 | More by frogfan

Guinnsslvr

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1%

05-01-2013 02:00:24 | More by Guinnsslvr

claaark13

Indiana

4/5  rDev -5%

04-29-2013 21:30:16 | More by claaark13

grittybrews

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +1%

04-28-2013 15:04:27 | More by grittybrews

tswater

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

04-28-2013 06:30:06 | More by tswater

enelson

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5%

04-28-2013 01:13:23 | More by enelson

PaulUH

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%

04-25-2013 03:50:24 | More by PaulUH

Beerontwowheels

Maryland

4/5  rDev -5%

04-24-2013 19:20:29 | More by Beerontwowheels

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +1%

04-24-2013 13:30:32 | More by mendvicdog

MatthewPlus

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%

04-22-2013 13:30:19 | More by MatthewPlus

mreek

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +1%

04-22-2013 02:44:43 | More by mreek