Damnation - Russian River Brewing Company

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.2/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a goblet. Acquired as an extra in a trade from

A- Pours a golden hazy body with a 1" white head that reduces slowly to a layer of foam.

S- Kinda grassy with banana, citrus lemon-lime, and freshly cut pineapple notes. Aroma is not overpowering.

T- starts off with fruity notes including banana, tropical fruit, and lemon notes. The finish is grassy and slightly bitter with a pine aftertaste.

M- medium body, medium-heavy carbonation. Pretty drinkable.

Another great from Russian river- these bottle conditioned beers never cease to impress. Super complex and flavorful.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 01:55:09 | More by gcamparone

brydeen

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

Batch date 03-11-13

A: Pours a golden hazy color. A massive 2 inch frothy white almost explodes out of the glass, and hangs around for several minutes. Very effervescent carbonation continues in the glass.

S: A nice yeasty aroma. Sweet bready notes. Reminiscent of dried bananas. A faint spicy aroma emerges as well.

T: Sweet and spicy at the same time. A grassy, peppery flavor. Has a dry, nutty flavor, with very little sweetness. Nothing really standing out alone, but integrated together very well.

M: Really pleasant texture. Rich, creamy, and thicker bodied than it looks. Carbonation is about perfect. It's very active, yet smooth and silky.

O: Yet another very solid offering from Russian River. Very smooth and creamy, with a pleasant but subtlety flavored brew. Extremely easy to drink for 7.7%. Certainly worth giving a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 01:22:24 | More by brydeen

kevanb

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375ml bottle, dated 12/5/12, poured into a Russian River Stemmed -tion glass.

The beer pours a nice hazy golden honey color, hues of straw and orange with a nice 2 finger white head, fizzy and soapy in texture. The aroma is fairly straightforward, light funk, belgian yeast, wildflower, light citrus with a bit of banana and clove with some pale grain. Lots of yeast on the tongue, crisp and zesty with some mild lemon citrus, wildflower, pale straw and grain, just a touch of funk with a bit of light fruit and clove. Alcohol just warms the tongue at the finish but is otherwise undetectable. The body is very lively, coats the mouth well, while the finish is overly prickly and lacks a creamy touch.

Verdict: A very solid Belgian Strong Pale Ale from Russian River and one of the benchmarks for American brewers who are trying to replicate this style. The balance is on point and while the complexity isn't stunning, this beer hits the mark, a classic American take on a traditional Belgian style.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 02:43:06 | More by kevanb

StuporJew

Texas

4.14/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into my DFH tulip, leaving the yeast behind... *Sigh*

A - Pours a cloudy, light copper. The aggressive pour produces a HUGE 3-finger rocky head, that hangs on for an eternity. (Pun intended) As the head diminishes, thick, white lacing abounds around the glass. The head is as white as Angel wings, and the carbonation is insanely, over the top, and flowing. Hooray.

S - Wheat-malt, Candi Sugar, and banana/clove esters abound. The smell is more akin to a Hefe, and less to a Belgian Golden ale. Light citrus notes are in there somewhere too. Yummy.

T - Creamy, and smooth on the palate. Bits of banana's foster-esque sweetness hit the front of the palate, with wheat notes and bready yeast notes on the back. The alcohol is well hidden,
and warming, but not hot. A little persimmon hits as well, with some minerality closing out the finish.

M - Again, creamy, without the carbonation overtaking the whole show.
Soft, and smooth, like raw silk in beer form. RRBC scores again!

O - A damned fine beer. The sad part is, I'm in Texas, and will have to wait for another kind soul to send one my way. Needless to say, I'm glad I got to have it, and given the chance, would gladly do so again! If you find a pint of Damnation in reach, DAMN THE TORPEDOES, and DRINK ONE!!!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 03:27:08 | More by StuporJew

smares2

Colorado

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4.5

My Damnation came in a 12.68 oz. bottle with champagne style cork with wire cage. I poured it onto a Stella Artois glass. It recommends a tulip style glass but I wanted to experience this in one full pour and my only tulip glass (delerium tremens branded) is too small.

A: Apricot color, doesn't look cloudy but you definitely can't see through it easily. Not much head but lasting. This style beer isn't usually heady.

S: Not much of a smell palate, but what you can smell is citrusy (yep, that's citrus as an adjective, in lieu of citric) perhaps with a hint of floral.

T: Sweet up front fading into a light spiciness and pleasant alcohol awareness. I could taste apricot, though that could be because I saw apricot so much in the coloring. Also, some banana and clove. I found the taste better when I held each sip in my mouth, letting it coat the tongue. That made for a very pleasant flavor and aftertaste.

M: Very effervescent. It held its carbonation for the whole session and throughout each sip experience. I think that's why it was nice to swish each sip, to spread the carbonation out a bit and let the beer flavor take over at the end. I feel like I'd enjoy the flavor more with less carbonation, but perhaps the carbonation helps offset the strength of the alcohol.

O: I really enjoyed this as a session beer. Patience with each sip was helpful for me and rounded out the experience. The more I reflect as I'm drinking it, patience is perfect for this beer, keeping the carbonation from making you feel full.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 03:06:47 | More by smares2

Abbbp

Texas

4.51/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I hate doing this, and by this I mean that it seems like every beer I review I give an 'A' to, but I tell you thereis no doubt that everyone and anyone that's gotten their grubby hands on this "easy-to-find" Russian River brew (not if you're in texas!!!) will agree...

I first had this on an ABBBP in Oregon, actually at the Bierstein in Eugene. This came through, love, love the taste and smell especially. Extremely smooth for a strong ale, the way they make this beer really comes outin the taste. You can enjoy the refinement of the plums and citrusy notes especially- both of which trigger the brain upon smelling it and bring an expectation of taste.

Giving it a 94 because I just think its better than a 92, and it carries a sentimental preference as it was my first intro to RR... Shout out to Kathy for sending it along with the Pliny, and damn you FedEx for breaking one of them

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 23:47:51 | More by Abbbp

magictacosinus

California

4.15/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I've had this way too much, never in time to give it a proper review. Poured into a tulip glass from a 12.68oz bottle. Bottling date is "01/08/13."

Pours a golden, straw paled color that eventually gets coated by the yeast in the glass and in the process giving in a dirty, hazy looking appearance. Carbonation is initially plentiful, with a glorious 3-4 finger head that reaches the top of the glass. It takes a bit to settle down, and leaves moderate lacing in its path. The bubbles settle down rather quickly as it reaches room temperature, and the half finger of head that remains throughout eventually vanishes as well. When that happens, it still looks strong, albeit quite yeasty and unfiltered overall. Still, while I couldn't give it a high score in terms of beauty, it still appeals to me for its rustic, homemade look overall.

The aroma is quite lively as most top golden ales I've had from Belgium, especially with the yeastiness being the key strength here. Flavors abound such as bananas, apple cider-y phenols, spices, ginger, candi sugar, and more notably, the crisp, golden Belgian pale malts. In terms of being authentic, it definitely wins there, although the yeastiness is by far the experimental backbone of this beer. The intense yeasty banana phenols, in fact, make this resemble a hefeweizen! It's super boozy as well, and the nostrils get a lot of stinging feelings from the alcohol, as well as the lightly dried hops. It's kind of grating in terms of sweetness, but still good.

The flavor continues the oddball yet interesting hefeweizen/BSPA combo going on here, with more emphasis added on the banana flavor as well as sweetness imparted by the alcohol. Other fruity flavors abound, such as peaches and oranges, although at the middle the pale malts began to take control of the flavor. Some light graininess and hoppiness at the finish, complete with a lot of heat from the booze. Unlike other RR beers I've had in the past, none I've had yet has this much of an alcohol burn - not even PtY. Carbonation is lively at first, and even when it dies down, the yeast holds the fort in terms of maintaining thickness. It's slightly watery at first, and when it loses all its carbonation, it becomes pretty syrupy. The flavor is very nice, but the extra alcohol burn makes it undesirable to let sit around too long.

For the price (under $4) and ready availability, this is a very tasty and authentic yet slightly experimental take on BSPAs around here. Honestly, I haven't found a better deal, and when I need a quick fix on the style I go for this one. The alcohol burning sensation removes a bit of the mellowness that I enjoy in these beers, but luckily the flavor is very tasty and juicy as they should be. Recommended a try to fans of RR.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 03:11:35 | More by magictacosinus

clayrock81

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured a pale gold with good looking head on top an of aroma that has typical light Belgian charateristics such as touches of funk, some spices and yeast as well as touches of tropical fruit or at least apples and pears and there is a candi-sugar type sweetness underneath it all. Light-bodied, easy to drink, goes down realy easy and enjoyable and finishes with crisp hop bite that isn't cutting or bitter but a good balance of hops and sweetness so you keep wanting more. Overall, the beer is well-balanced and while drinking it I was not only getting some hoppiness but fruit notes from orangey, citric (banana), to spicy clove as well as some sweet fruits and a little bit of sweet malt. Great beer and did not realize how high in alcohol because it does not bleed into the beer at all and this is a must for any beer "snob".

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2013 14:35:46 | More by clayrock81

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Context: On tap at Monk's Cafe in Philly with another beer appreciating friend on 4/5/13. First of the night before I hit up two consecutive pints Pliny the Elder.

Aroma: Banana, pear, Belgian yeast. It's got that light fruit flavour that I associate with pears- not too sweet, not too overwhelming, but definitely unmistakably fruity. There's something else, I want to call it funk but I'm not quite sure- I wrote down "funk??" on my napkin and can't recall what that was about. Nevertheless, it's a very nice smelling brew with a definite nose presence (4)

Colour: Hazy yellow/gold body, 1cm white head that dissipates quickly leaving a white collar that persists and contributes to a beautiful looking lacing. Looks very nice. (4)

Flavour: Love it! This tastes of pear in the very beginning but as it warms up, I get bananas and more Belgian yeast flavour. Even a bit of sweetness to go along with it, could be from the pear. And as it gets closer to room temp, I taste this unnameable flavour that I smelled before. I want to call it funk but I'm not 100% sure that's what it is- its a bit more subtle compared to other sours I've had. Still, a delicious combination that I really enjoyed. (5)

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, lots of carbonation, aftertaste is of bananas and spice. Really goes down smoothly and quenches the thirst I had coming into Monk's. Easy to drink, and if this is a good representation of the Belgian Strong Pale, I think I'll have to get into Belgian styles after I get bored with porters and stouts. (4)

Overall: Anyway, I enjoyed this offering quite a bit more than the Redemption, which I had later that night. It's a pretty sessionable Belgian pale ale that doesn't come across as too rich or strong, but remains incredibly tasty and thirst-quenching without filling you up too quickly. (4)

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2013 03:47:41 | More by Stevedore

vinny21bal

Illinois

2.79/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

Russian River is one of my favorite Breweries out there. It could be the fact that I love sours but this beer did nothing for me. I think it is stylistically correct. But a over rated beer just for the fact that it is Russian River must help it get better ratings. I am not saying it is a bad beer at all. i personally would not buy it if it was only $2.00.

Russian River puts out so many great beers, this seems to me like a session beer there trying to make and it just lacks a lot.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 18:57:54 | More by vinny21bal

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.29/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served from a 12oz C&C bottle into a Grimbergen goblet. Cellar temp.

Appearance- Clear golden color with quick one finger head that left great lacing. Lots of bubbles shooting upward.

Smell- Pineapple, apples, peaches, grapes. Light Belgian yeast. Mild funkyness. Fruity and beautiful.

Taste- Apples, light fruity hops, bready yeast. Mild bitter finish.

Mouthfeel- Well carbonated. Dry. Clean.

Overall- A well done light golden ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 16:00:42 | More by Seanniek91

NiceTaps

New Jersey

4.09/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap in a goblet.

A-Pure liquid golden color, one-finger white head, rings of lacing. Lively carbonated, clean and clear.

S-Light fruits, pear and banana. Grassy and yeasty. Very fresh with just a hint of alcohol.

T-Citrus hoppy and Belgian yeast. Some light frutiness.

M-Lots of smooth body, lots of carbonation. Very easy drinking with a crisp dry lingering hop finish. The abv takes a low profile.

O- A great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2013 11:19:52 | More by NiceTaps

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

4.21/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the bottle, the ale was a golden color with a generous white head. It left lacing around the sides of the glass in a manner appropriate for the style. In the aroma, one detects an almost grape-like wine aroma. In the mold of wine, it projected notes of a dry wine. In the initial taste, one detects notes of grape, grape skin, wheat, dry biscuit, yeast, and banana. The ale was smooth, yet pleasantly bubbly. When the fruits of the initial tastes evaporate, a dry aftertaste becomes apparent. In my overall impression, this is a complex beer with several tastes occurring at once. Though this is not the most respected Russian River, it holds up nicely against other beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 00:15:52 | More by JohnnyHopps

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

3.91/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on 11/8/12. Purchased at a bar for $18 (my first Russian River beer - decided to splurg)

A - Golden yellos, clear, but plenty of sediment in the bottle due to bottle conditioning so be careful if you want to avoid the yeast and cloudiness. One-finger white head. Nice lacing. Well carbonated.

A - Minimal but hints of yeast and a little funk.

T - Dry, fruity, yeast, hides the ABV well.

MF - Bright from the carbonation. Resulted in quite a few burps (I never say this).

O - Quaffable strong belgian ale. Not to Duvel standards, especially when the price is considered. Obviously disappointing for the price.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 00:19:29 | More by Sludgeman

Mertzy81

Maryland

4.14/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours a nice crystal clear light gold/straw hue with a half a finger of white head that fades to leave light side lacing.

S - Very nice banana notes here, super light funk, and that lovely Lost Abby yeast.

T - Have to agree with an earlier review. It starts off rather underwhelming, but with each passing sip I get more nice elements. Banana, pear, honey, yeast strains.

M - Mouthfeel is very nice here. Good carbonation, alcohol is hidden amazingly.

O - Overall, this was a very, very nice beer. Was actually quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 07:09:49 | More by Mertzy81

mikem0487

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375mL bottle poured into snifter. Bottled on 12/05/12.

A-Golden hazy body with a huge white head. Has nice head retention and leaves the outer rim of the glass with some nice reminents of the head.

S-Defiantly picking up the belgian yeast first. Plum, peach, banana peal, orange zest are all throughout the nose. Hints of dough are in there as well.

T-Orange zest and mildly funky yeasty bread taste that coats the whole palate. Get some clove coming through as well. Extremely intesesting and very hard to pick out all the flavors I am getting. Very good none the less.

M-Highly carbonated. Medium to medium high in the body. Pretty chewy. Finishes mildy dry.

O-A very enjoyable belgian beer. They are not my favorite styles but this one defiantly stands out for me. Highly drinkable and the alcohol is none existent in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 03:43:47 | More by mikem0487

brodericksloth

Oregon

4.3/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

fruity funkiness from bottle refermentation; well integrated yeasts

first sip is really different than most beers; makes you wonder what the flavors are fruits and spice

murky golden amber color; on tap is clearer than bottled. one finger head; good lacing

nice duvel like qualities: but more flavorful. mild bitterness, spice, medium weight; non filling, creamy

nicely carbonated and clean; alcohols well hidden

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2013 23:05:57 | More by brodericksloth

tronester

Oklahoma

3.78/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a slightly hazy yellow with a huge creamy white head. Lacing abound as the beer travels down the glass. Aromas of tart apple and some grass. Taste begins with some tart apple, then some light grain, finishing with an acidic, earthy finish. Mouthfeel is rich. Overall a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 01:09:27 | More by tronester

Kevin73

Washington

3.83/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours the color of lemonade with a dash of bourbon. Head disappears quickly with moderate lacing. Smell is yeasty, grassy. The flavor is malty and earthy. The sweetness is there too but only enough to mask the alcohol which is difficult to detect. Very high carbonation. Smooth and easy to drink. Overall a very nice beer. Not my favorite style though.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 02:55:40 | More by Kevin73

KDawg

Illinois

4.04/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from tap. Pours a clear gold color with a nice head.

Nicely balanced with aromas of creams, spices, some citrus and a touch of cloves.

The fuller bodies feel is really nice and smooth with good depth. Balanced with noted of creams, citrus and spices.

A really nice Belgian strong pale. Very balanced with a creaminess to it on both the aromas and feel.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2013 20:27:09 | More by KDawg

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.11/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottled on 10-08-12
Served in a wine glass

A- Pours crystal clear orange gold with a two finger of a white head. Lots of carbonation. Swirl bottle for haze.

S- Grassy, a lot of wheat, Belgian yeast, hay. A sweeter smelling barnyard brew.

T- A big and bittersweet brew. Undoubtedly brewed with Belgian yeast. A pop of grassy and wheat flavors. A slight sour and herbal quality. A barnyard quality.

M- This beer has a nice thick and creamy feel. It also has very high carbonation and can get foamy. A really live brew. Clean herbal aftertaste.

O- My first Russian river brew and a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 03:01:30 | More by TwelveOunces

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Received as an extra in a trade and poured in to my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a nice crystal clear light gold/straw hue with a half a finger of white head that fades to leave light side lacing.

S - Very nice banana notes here, super light funk, and that lovely Lost Abby yeast.

T - Have to agree with an earlier review. It starts off rather underwhelming, but with each passing sip I get more nice elements. Banana, pear, honey, yeast strains.

M - Mouthfeel is very nice here. Good carbonation, alcohol is hidden amazingly.

O - Overall, this was a very, very nice beer. Was actually quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 00:36:50 | More by rudzud

JimTeal

Nevada

4.79/5  rDev +16%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Despite being abused with poor storage in a non-climate controlled garage for 4 years, this fine beer survived shockingly well. We prepared for the worse, but were delighted when the nose and mouth confirmed that this beer withstood years of poor treatment and thrived. Given the mildness of the taste, Russian River made a fine brew and deserves acolades. The finish is remarkable, just right for a rainy afternoon, dry and hints of citrus waiting in the background. I would suggest this beer to anyone who is impressed with the finished product of the best ingredients.

I just returned from a day, April 2013, at the Russian River Pub where I was delighted to experience a fresh Damnation draft. Forger everything I said before, the fresh draft is nothing short of wonderful and a real flavor experience. So I bought a case of mixed bottles including Damnation (of course a few Pliny Elder to share with friends), but the fresh bottled Damnation is splendid. My regret, why didn't I buy 2 cases?

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2013 00:15:53 | More by JimTeal

AxesandAnchors

Oregon

4.48/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 075 - Bottled on December 27th, 2011

A: Poured a light golden color with very little head. Nice steady amount of carbonation rising through the glass. Just a touch of cloudiness, but pretty damn clear.

S: Huge ripe fruit character at first. Banana, pear, a very light honey note. A little bit of funk, but very subtle. You can definitely smell that Abbey yeast.

T: At first this is pretty subdued, there is nothing that really hits the pallet as a flavor overwhelming another. Don't get me wrong there is quite a bit going on here, but everything is really mild across the board. You get the flavors that were in the nose like the banana, pear, and honey, but you also get a light citrus note as well.

M: Again with the well roundedness, borders on the line between thin and creamy, just enough carbonation to satisfy the palate, and finishes semi sweet/semi dry.

O: I tend to like big bold and complex flavors so at first I wasn't sure I was going to like this, but I really enjoyed it. Vinnie makes amazing beers, and ones that I enjoy quite a bit more than this one, but I think this beer was executed flawlessly. If anything at all it could have had a larger head.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 00:10:49 | More by AxesandAnchors

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12.7oz bottle, batch 63, bottled January 17, 2011. Almost 2 years old. Served at cellar temperature.

Pours semi-hazy gold with a two finger white head with good retention, leaves nice sheets of lacing behind.

Aroma is banana, very yeasty, bready, little musty, some lemon, pear. Very good strength. Yeast & mustyiness subsides as it warms bringing the fruit more forward.

Flavor is banana, lemon, pear, some apple, more fruity and sweet than the aroma, good Belgian yeast character, bready, moderate to good sweetness, minimal bitterness, very mild alcohol. Very smooth.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, semi-creamy, good carbonation.

Really, really good Belgian Golden Ale. Not a style I normally gravitate towards, but this is yummy. Just the right amount of sweetness, very drinkable. Nice one!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 01:39:38 | More by elgiacomo