Damnation - Russian River Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cloudy yellow with a little head. Lace. Yeasty aroma, not substantive. Aggressive carbonation. Taste is delicate zesty yeasty, tad of grain, crisp, and satisfying.Moderate bitter aftertaste. No sign of alcohol. 6 ounces at Mondial 2006. Had a bottle brought by Dr.Jay six months later.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2006 15:05:32 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Batch 003. Ripe lemon chock full of fine particulates and multiple streams of languidly rising bubbles. The head is a thing of near unrivaled beauty. At least half the glass in size, polished alabaster in color, lovely moonscape surface of glittering, diamond-like bubbles. The foam is also impressively sticky, depositing thick patches of abstract-patterned Belgian lace all over the upper reaches of the glass.

The nose is excellent and contains all of the requisite elements of the style. The most striking thing is how well-balanced it is. Nothing is permitted to overplay its hand. The centerpiece is golden fruit (pear and green apple especially) with a complementary amount of warm, spicy clove and cardamom. It's also reminiscent of white wine.

Damnation is a good version of the style that doesn't quite deliver the everlasting depth of flavor that the best 'bona fide' Belgian ales do. That's not to say that it's anything other than wonderful beer, just that it has some seriously tough competition. The fruit is less prominent than the nose suggested and the spice is a little more prominent (white pepper especially). The beer is also much more dry than anticipated.

The white wine character isn't so much Chardonnay (no oakiness) as it is Sauvignon Blanc (acidic, crisp, tongue-tweaking). I'm sure the bitterness of the hops is contributing mightily to the anti-sweet nature of the beer; it's a saliva sucker of the highest order. Great use of floral, grassy noble hops. Gotta be Saaz.

The mouthfeel suggests that the beer contains a pretty fair amount of malt, which makes the lack of sweetness all the more surprising. This may be the most lush, mouthcoatingly sticky, dry-bitter beer that I've ever had. The finish is anything but clean, a characteristic that I think makes for a much better mouthfeel. The amount of carbonation is on the high end, in accordance with the style.

This is unquestionably good beer from what is clearly a world-class brewer. I can't wait to try whatever other Russian River offerings I can lay my hands on. Damnation's only 'fault' is that it doesn't fit my preferred profile for a BSPA. Make no mistake, though, it's a very nice domestic version of a sometimes hard to duplicate style. Authentic and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2006 22:03:11 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml Corked and Caged bottle poured into several Snifters

A – Poured a very hazy and cloudy, and very bright yellowish-amber with a large three to four finger high head of white frothy foam. This settled down, somewhat reluctantly to just a thing layer across the top of foamy white lace. Very nice side glass presentation and more then adequate carbonation yielded a very lively looking brew that kept itself afloat from start to finish.

A – The smell here was very bright and alive. A very dominant yeast presence was accented perfectly by very bright hop notes in the back. A nice range of fruit from peaches, to pears, to even a hint of lemon all presented itself rather nicely and gave a very nice uniformly light feel to the smell. As it warmed some more subtle hints of grapes started to come through and gave it the slightest note of possibly being a bit sour.

T – The flavor was great, extremely big frothy yeast filled goodness would be adequate. Now let’s elaborate. First thing I noticed was a profound hoppiness which seemed to poke its head up in the beginning, settle down and then dry out the finish very nicely. This was a very fresh and light, almost lemon sort of hoppiness, very west coast, and very nice. The middle of it was comprised primarily of light fruity yeast flavors, with lots of hints at pears and apples with a little bit of peach added in. Some light earthy, cereal grains were making up the back and added some balance to it. Overall a quite complex and yet light flavor. This was definitely very interesting.

M – Very nice, I had thought it might end up being a touch on the thick side, but the nice carbonation help to alleviate this thought. A nice light to medium body yielded just the right amount of creaminess to allow the flavor to roll over the tongue and really create a nice finish.

D – A wonderful sipper this really was a nice light goodie that I thoroughly enjoyed. The flavor was crisp, the ABV low enough to not be a factor and the feel full enough to make it a fine bottle.

Overall I thought this was really fantastic. My first real goodie from Russian River in a long time I can see why people pine over these the way they do, (well Pliny showed me that anyway) this was a fine example of both the brewery and the style. I would not hesitate to turn this one down if it were offered.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2007 09:47:52 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Finally getting around to reviewing Damnation. How it's taken me so long, I'm not sure.

Batch 053

A: The pour is a nice looking golden color with a massive white, pillow like head.

S: A distinct Belgian yeastiness with plenty of spice--mostly coriander and pepper. Plenty of fruitiness in the form of apples and pears, and a nice bit of honey to provide some more sweetness.

T: Up front, this one is definitely sweet and malty. The apple and pear flavors show themselves, but are a bit subdued. The finish has a light floral hop bitterness to contribute a touch of balance.

M: The body is medium and slightly sticky and sweet. The carbonation is moderate and, despite the sweetness, is actually a bit dry.

D: Sort of the flagship of Russian River's Belgians, and with good reason. A well balanced and really flavorful beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2010 22:14:18 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Russian River in August 2009.

A: Pours a cloudy straw-yellow with a nice white head and plenty of carbonation; good lacing as it goes down.

S: Quite a bit of pale malt lines up behind Belgian yeast with a little bit of spice. Also present is some pepper and a little bit of fruity sweetness.

T: A little bit of sweet grain flavor comes in underneath some spicy yeast with a little bit of hop character.

M: Medium bodied with a good deal of carbonation.

D: Pretty drinkable, but a little off for being a go-to beer. Not one of my favorites from Russian River, but a good beer nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2009 15:51:19 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a bright, neon yellow body with a frothy white head. Light lacing.

Smell: Yeasty, fruity aroma of bananas, apples, and citrus.

Taste: Light, doughy maltiness with bananas, lemons, pears and little to no hop bitterness. Dry yeasty finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. High carbonation; this one's fairly fizzy.

Drinkability: I doubt I'd reach for this again anytime soon, as I had a hard time getting fired up about this beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2006 22:32:40 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Arrives at the bar with a hazy honey color and a modest head that re-forms with a swirl and leaves nice swathes of lace

Smell: Banana and bubblegum, apple and pear, and a smidge of clove

Taste: Opens with banana and clove flavors, with the apple/pear underneath; white pepper arrives by mid-palate; after the swallow, the clove and pepper join with some lemony hops to provide a balanced finish

Mouthfeel: Mediun to full body with buoyant carbonation

Drinkability: Nicely balanced and a spicy, hoppy example of the style; very nice

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2009 00:02:02 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Tony's Darts Away in Burbank, CA.

Pours a slightly hazy orange with a foamy tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. A nice latticework of lace forms down the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt/grain, spices, yeast, and citrus aromas. Taste is of malt/grain, citrus zest, and some spice flavors on the finish. There is a mild bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is quite tasty and super easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2012 03:15:22 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle courtesy of Moejuck: Poured a deep yellow/whitish color ale with a big foamy head with some great retention and some lacing. Aroma of pear is quite intense with some light spices and light candy – definitely not what I was expecting but very interesting and particular. Taste is dominated by the pear and even peach like taste with some subtle spice in the background and nice creamy texture. Body is above average with some low filtration and some adequate carbonation. A bit too much sweetness overall for my own taste but quite enjoyable nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2007 18:33:26 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.35/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Damnation. The name basically sums it all up. This beer has all of the Duvel and Leffe components, but in a much more aggresively malted, hopped, and fermented way. It's basically amped up Pale Belgian. The difference here is that the balance remains firm and unwaivering. A very tart Belgian berry-like vineous (chardonay) flavor is balanced with big perfumy hop additions and a soft nectar-like quality-- kinda like you'd expect to find in a Mead. Then throw in some peppery spices, basic pilsner maltiness, and fresh tropical fruits (pineapples, apricots, mangos) and folks, we have a super complex beer. Quite dry and warm in the finish with a lingering numbing effect. Not that it's better than those beers metioned before, but it's a good choice if you want more strength with a similar profile, but don't want to sacrifice unnecessay fusals or phenols.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2008 17:54:22 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch #072.Poured into a tulip glass a hazy lemon yellow with a large blooming white head that settled slowly into a frothy mass,aromas of pithy lemon hops,alcohol,and light yeasty spice.Flavors are citric and somewhat medicinal hop flavors up front on the palate,light yeasty phenols actuall mix well with the hop profile wich makes for a well rounded palate.A great beer for the style wich I expected from RR,somewhat refreshing even with a higher ABV.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 23:55:18 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Thanks to AleWatcher for sharing this bottle!

Batch #054. Another unnecessary, though greatly appreciated, extra bottle at the tasting. Right on. It pours a cloudy straw topped by a finger of off-white foam. The nose comprises wheat, light lemon zest, light coriander, and a tough of Belgian yeast. The taste holds notes of wheat, lemon zest, orange rind, lime zest, and a very light touch of caramel. The body straddles the border between hefty light and light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a kinda dry finish. Overall, a fairly solid BSPA, but a bit on the boring side. It's good, but it doesn't bring anything special to the table. Bit of a disappointment, if you ask me (and clearly you did).

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 22:24:57 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Another strong golden Belgian-style ale, whose name is spun from the best known and original, Duvel. Beyond that, hopes are high, as I've not yet had a Russian River that failed to impress. Uncage, uncork, into the St. Bernardus goblet and away we go...

Hazed, bright yellow coloring, shortish white head, though it lingers long enough...good, good...

Lovely aroma. Yeast, light spices, lemon and other citrus fruits, orange, pear, ...very nice.

Taste/texture: a blast of sour at the front, then smooth and slides down with ease. Peppery spice slide in and ride sidecar all the way through. Fruit and hot spice maintain dominance in the flavor, body is a light/ medium, finish is soft, but leaves a fuzzy, and bold texture on the palate. Abv is light for the style, but peeks through and squeaks a bit, but is no bludgeon.

Very tasty, and I'm more impressed as I get further in, for it's a subtle, sophisticated ale, not a head-banger, no wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am. But zesty, and rewarding, with a unique character.
Wicked.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2005 08:52:14 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

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

The beer pours a hazy pale gold color with a towering white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a nice pale malt scent along with a earthy, yet fruity yeast aroma. The taste is good as well. It has a smooth pale malt flavor that goes down easy and finishes earthy with a slight lemony zest. This is quite dry on the finish. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a low/medium bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a damn fine Belgian style brew. It has a smooth and tastey flavor; a good drinker.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2005 00:53:05 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

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

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Beer is yellow and hazy with moderate to high carbonation made up of tiny bubbles that rise through beer rather quickly. Forms a thick white head of small and medium bubbles that falls away leaving a lot of lacing on the glass.

Smells almost like a witbier, citrusy, brightly bitter in the nose.

Medium bodied, surprisingly low carbonation on the tongue. Beer is fuller than I thought it would be. There is some yeasty esters in there and a bitterness with a citrus / lemon like character to it. Mouthfeel is good and drinkability is fine.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2010 03:08:41 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was my first Russian River beer and I was not disappointed.

Pours a cloudy yellow with a small white head. The aroma is a mix of yeast as well as some citrus and fruit flavors. Very inviting.

The flavor has quite a bit of lemon and citrus notes to it. The hops come through in the end of the taste and make it very refreshing.

The beer is medium-to-high carbonation, which is what I expect with this style of beer. Very drinkable for a beer of this alcohol content.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2009 00:20:44 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.13/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very hazy light yellow in color. It poured with an eighth of a finger high white head that died down but never completely faded away, consistently leaving a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There ar aromas of yeast in the nose along with some notes of orange citrus.
T: Like the smell, the yeast flavors really take center stage in the taste of this beer. There’s also a slight amount of sourness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. It definitely coats your mouth.
O: This is a very interesting beer that has a complex taste. It’s a lot easier to drink compared to some of the other beers in the style, especially since there are no traces of alcohol in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 16:32:03 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

4.08/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a clear, golden-yellow color with a small, white head of bubbly foam. It left thin rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of grains, dried fruits and yeasty/estery notes.

T - Good spicy presence upfront. It had nice grainy flavor with caramel and dried fruits. Some sour notes.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

D - This is a very tasty ale. No surprise that Russian River made another great beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 03:15:46 | More by zeff80

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 002, Sampled April 2005
As I pour this beer I get sharp fruity notes of pears and apples as well as a note that reminds me of wildflower nectar. The beer pours a lightly hazy gold color that is topped by a frothy three-finger thick pale head that is held aloft by a persistent carbonation. As I go in for a deeper smell of the aromatics I notice that the nectar quality of the aromatics has increased. There is also a light spicy quality to it that reminds me of orange peel, coriander, a hint of and ginger. The aroma is soft and floral yet has some astringent notes that one might pick up from a hearty flower on a weed.

As this beer hits my tongue for the first time it almost disappears because this beer is fairly soft and also because the carbonation causes it to foam up as it flows across my tongue. This beer is fairly dry with a hint of sweet grain character that rounds out the middle and finish of this beer. The taste is quite pleasing and quite quaffable, I get soft notes of lemons including a bit of acidity, some notes of pear, vanilla, chamomile, and soft ginger. There is a soft astringency in the finish that is a combination of hop bitterness and yeast derived characteristics. There is a definite soft herbal component to this beer, from the soft spicy overtones up front to the light astringency in the finish. It reminds me of the balance that a good fresh cut basil makes, though I do not pick up much in the way of basil actually in this beer.

Overall this beer is very soft, and oh so drinkable, which is certainly the definition of a Belgian Golden Ale. The flavors are really well integrated, and there is certainly a very good balance between the soft flavors of malt and fruit and the notes of spices, astringency and hop bitterness. The more I sit and sip this beer the more impressed with it that I become. At first I did not think that this beer had enough huza/ oomph to it, but in the end this lack of over-the-top flavors is what makes this beer so enjoyable. If one looks to the prototypical Duvel, it certainly does not bowl one over with flavor. Damnation is a wonderful interplay between the simple malt & hop notes and the soft, sometimes sharp, yeast fermentation characteristics. Vinnie this is a classic example of this style and it is done quite well, I am not sure which one I prefer Duvel or Damnation, I guess I will just have to do comparison.

Sampled June 2004
Pours a hazy deep straw color and is topped by a creamy off-white head. This has a spicy aroma that has notes of apple. The nose is both fruity and dry at the same time. Paradoxally the taste is dry but sweet in the finish (usually this is found in the reverse order in most beers). This has a very nice herbal character in the finish. The front and middle of this beer evokes notes of apple. This goes down quite well, with a bit of astringency in the finish that balances the fruitier components of this beer quite well.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2004 19:59:15 | More by Gueuzedude

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.53/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Nice to finally get to try something from this touted brewery!

Pours an effervescent gold wit 3+ fingers of white head. After the carbonation fades this beer takes on a viscous appearance. Hazes up towards the bottom, duh. Good head retention & lacing

S: Intense blast of pears, apricots, pineapples, & a bit of rubber band. Also whispers of citric hops

T: Lemony & grapefruitty hops, white pepper, along with apricots & pears up fronts. Dryness, honey sweetness, pineapples & some citric hops as this warms. Finishes dry with more fruittyness (passion fruit & pineapple), & a great citric hop bite

Drinks easy, a nice American hop slant on the style that doesn't go too far. Complexity & the style slowed me down a bit. My highest rated beer this style

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2008 06:39:54 | More by russpowell

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 011, acquired via trade from BeerBeing, so a big "Thank you" goes out to him. Poured from a 750ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a light gold color, with a large white head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of Belgian yeast, sour apples, citrus, spices, light malts and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a burst of sourness but quickly tones down into well-balanced flavors of Belgian yeast, citrus, bananas, apples & spices. There's a good hops presence and a thin but hearty malt character. The after-taste is slightly bready and slightly sour.

M: Smooth and very crisp, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, clean and dry finish.

D: Very tasty, goes down quite easily, not too filling, good kick, excellent representation of style, this is a very nice Belgian beer with good complexity to make it intriguing and well-worth drinking for a long time.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2008 02:54:49 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew poured out as a nice looking orange color with a fluffy white head on top. The smell of wheat and some citrus flood the nose on the beer. The taste of the brew has some interesting floral and fruity flavors going on in it. The mouthfeel of the beer was smooth, silky and easy to drink. Overall I feel this brew it quite impressive, much like everything from Russian River. I like that this one isn't a sour because everyone just raves about their sours so much. This one is really good and it's something a little different from them.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 21:27:13 | More by Knapp85

emerge077

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Batch 020

Pours a high-clarity orange tone, with streams of rapid carbonation, into an Oerbier tulip glass. Foam settles to a skim, leaving minute spots of lacing. Lively and effervescent.

Earthy hop impression leads off the nose. Aroma of malt, cookies, fruity pear and banana. Mineral water too.

Prickly carbonation hits first, with a bouquet of sweetish malt, fruit, and a light alcohol presence. Bone dry aftertaste, various fruit essences remain, with the
lingering earthiness of aged hops.

Very lively carbonation, champagne-like at times, super dry finish. Mild astringency. Rivals it's Belgian doppelganger, Duvel.

Very drinkable, in sips or gulps. A 750 was no problem in one sitting, it allowed more time to contemplate it's nuances.

Thanks to drseamus for the trade!

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2007 01:48:46 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

3.53/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

25.4 oz. bottle, from the Huntington Beach BevMo,

A: Pours a translucent orange with a full rocky white head, good retention, some lacing.

S: Very yeasty, orange, coriander spice, pepper.

T: Yeast esters dominate, sugary pear and Granny Smith apple. Spicy as well, coriander figures heavily, light earthy hops at the end.

M: Carbonation is a little too heavy at times, lightly alcoholic, phenolic.

D: A good BSPA, but the amount yeast character can get in the way at times, it's kind of the Allagash White of this style. Still it's a good version, and quite cheap compared to Belgian versions at the store.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2008 01:34:27 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: golden color with a one finger head that lasts a bit. Some mild lacing develops.

Smell: malt sweetness, yeast, grass, and a bit of floral bitterness are detectable.

Taste: nice malt base with some yeast, pepper, green grapes, grass, and a nice bitterness make up a well balanced beer.

Mouthfeel: crisp throughout with a bit of dryness near the finish. Medium bodied. Long aftertaste as the flavors linger on the tongue.

Drinkability: easy to quaff this one. It is easy to have a few glasses of this in a session but alcohol will quietly sneak up on you.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2009 22:02:50 | More by Gavage