Redemption - Russian River Brewing Company

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.01/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(on tap at Russian River, Apr 2013)

A: cream yellow hue with a Kräusen-like foam top.... notable lasting haze.... more of a blonde ale than a "pale".... a few strands of lace stuck at the top of the glass.... love those blondes...

S: doughy, lemon peel yeast aromas hit first... some pale malt seems to slowly poke through... pretty straight-forward, though, like the rest of the beer

T: balanced between butter cookie dough malt and softly spicy banana esters.... delicate overall.... fruit and malt accentuates in the finish, but still mild and dainty

M: sort of a fluffy, open texture across the palate - low gravity + ample carbonation?.... a smooth silky flow establishes itself once the initial head dies away.... quite a light feel, though "effervescent" I'd call it not

O: a solid, pan-appealing blonde ale... nice "session" opener

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2013 23:24:06 | More by Bouleboubier

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Context: Had this on tap at the Belgian Cafe in Philly on 4/5/2013. Prior to this, I had 2 pints of Pliny the Elder, 1 Damnation and 1 Delirium Tremens. The scratch I wrote on a napkin is all I'm going on, so bear with me until I have the chance to drink this one again.

Aroma: I remember smelling a lot of spice, yeast with a bit of banana, which would be typical of a Belgian Pale, which I think this one is. Smells appetizing like it was food. (4)

Colour: Perfectly hazy gold body with a 1cm white head that dissipates over the course of several minutes leaving a white film over the surface and a thicker white collar. Lacing is spectacular as I drink this beer down. Beautiful. (5)

Flavour: Spice, banana and the characteristic Belgian yeasts are dominant here. There's a little bit of citrus sweetness, like someone just squeezed a fresh small slice of lemon into the beer. Very enjoyable to put this beer down. (4)

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, somewhat resinous and coats the tongue with spice and banana. Reminds me a bit of a German hefeweizen. Easy to drink, well carbonated, and an aftertaste is mostly the Belgian yeast flavour. Pretty nice. (4)

Overall: This was my second non-IPA offering from Russian River. It's a very enjoyable rendition of the Belgian Pale Ale style (at least if I'm right in thinking this is a BPA). Looks great, tastes great and it is definitely an above-average example of the style. (4)

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2013 03:47:13 | More by Stevedore

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap probably at Monk's

Pale golden beer, clearish, with a fluffy white head that retains well and leaves nice lacing on the glass. Lots of trub and floaties if you're pouring it from the bottle. Citrus and yeast in the nose, fruity esters and floral hops. In the taste: pale malt sweetness, bready yeast, pear and banana notes, citrus zest, floral and slightly earthy hops. Light-medium mouthfeel, generously carbonated, quiet pleasant overall. RR rarely disappoints.

Serving type: on-tap

12-13-2012 01:55:04 | More by Rifugium

elNopalero

Texas

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This pours a cloudy straw white color. I get a delicate aroma with hints of coriander and orange peel, full of yeasty esters. It is a delicate and light drinker, with a slight “musty” estery finish along with the coriander and orange notes. Pleasant.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2012 08:33:28 | More by elNopalero

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in sample glass at the brewery. From notes. Reviewed 14 April 2012.

A: Incredibly pale, clear, with some head and lacing.

S: Belgian yeast, cloves, and some light fruit (pear?).

T: Grainy and plain (straightforward?) but a great Belgian Pale Ale. Style points! Incredibly refreshing and drinkable, even if the only really noticeable flavour is the spicy-pleasant yeast.

O: An exemplar of the style. Highly recommended. Will be drinking again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2012 21:34:12 | More by AgentMunky

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.65/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on-tap during a visit to Russian River in Santa Rosa.

Such a light yellow colour that it's almost colourless, and perfectly clear, with zero haze: this is an interesting beer from the get-go. Head is white and a touch too coarsely bubbled, which is a shame, because otherwise it looks phenomenally interesting.

Round Belgian aromas constitute the nose, with a big-ass yeast note walloping everything into order. Slight pepper spice and a hint of astringency. But that's about it. It's nice in the style, but it leaves me a little empty.

Very light entry on the palate, with almost nothing until near the back. Even the mid palate only picks up a little earthy yeast. On the finish, we get some roundness, peppery earth and a hint of astringency like rosemary. But it's a little bit like too little, too late. No, that's not true, it's nice enough, but just not as exciting or spectacular as I'd expected.

Feel is light and clean: again, it's fine, but I want something more.

Overall, yes it's good. It's light, truly Belgian in style, and drinkable. But it's not that complex, and has a few things that I'd personally change.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2012 04:18:35 | More by lacqueredmouse

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap served in the brewery in a shaker pint glass

A - Pale straw, slightly hazy, with 2 finger froathy white head with excellent retention and clingy lacing.

S - Bready, wheat, some lemon zest.

T - Very fruity, bready and a bit of earthy funk yeast tones. Has a very creamy character and a sweet slightly sour finish.

M - Medium body, moderate-high carbonation, creamy.

O - A really fantastic summer beer. It would be so nice to live in Santa Rose just to drink beer like this on tap every chance one could get.

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2012 20:00:25 | More by williamjbauer

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at The Surly Goat in West Hollywood, CA.

Pours a slightly murky orange with a beige head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, and yeast aromas. Taste is much the same with a slight bitterness with each sip that quickly fades from the palate. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with some solid aromas and flavors that make this one quite easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2012 04:50:22 | More by UCLABrewN84

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

Draft pour into a 10oz tulip for $5.75. Sampled 2/24/11.

A: Served with a 2 finger bright white foamy head. Decent retention. The body is yellow-orange - very light in color - mostly clear with just a touch of haze. Very little carbonation can be seen on the inside. Excellent lacing.

S: Dusty, spicy, lightly bretted. Background notes of lemon zest and orange peel.

T: The taste follows the nose closely and is slightly more appealing. The brett induced dry finish is offset by a light candi sugar sweetness front to mid palate.

M: Medium-light and a little thin. Lacks the crispness and prickly carbonation but as a result, the texture is very smooth

D: [DRINKABILITY] Very easy to drink but the lack of complexity keeps my interest from being too high.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2012 13:46:45 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On draft at the brewpub.

Pours a bright golden color with a fluffy white head that has nice retention and leaves rings of lacing. Very fruity aroma, more so citrus than yeast, with pale malt, banana and mild floral hops. Flavor is similar to the nose, citrus and ester sweetness over a light malt body and a hint of floral hop bitterness in the finish. Nice light texture on the palate with medium carbonation. My favorite of the regular rotation non-BA -tion beers.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2011 19:55:46 | More by yourefragile

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the brew pub

A: Pours a hazy yellowish, with a brown twinge color. Provides a thick white foam head with excellent retention. There is tons of lacing down the side.

S: Some citrus, mostly lemon and pink grapefruit with some wet hay and grass.

T: Starts off with some barn yard funk and some wet hay. In the middle there is a lot of lemon and bitter grapefruit flavors. On the back end, there is a mild undertone of cut grass. Brew reminds me of a Saison.

M: A nice medium bodied brew that was not as crisp as expected but it was nicely carbonate.

O: A well designed Belgian Pale Ale. Another success by RR. Would certainly drink this again!

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2011 01:35:09 | More by IronCitySteve

dgilks

Australia

4.43/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy pale straw colour with an almost white colour. Great, small creamy white head with good head retention.

Bready, citrussy and dried fruit aroma. Stunning balance and nicely complex.

Fresh and fruity with moderate dried raisin notes. Some clove and very mild lemon. Well balanced fruit and spice flavour. Great.

Medium-light body with moderate carbonation. Great.

A really tasty ale with yeast notes that almost don't match the appearance. Very tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2011 06:32:47 | More by dgilks

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: golden, hazy body, solid finger head, decent lacing.

S: fresh belgian yeast, firm malt aroma

T: sweet bel. yeast front, solid malt throughout,
crisp spicy finish

M: light/med body, partial dry mouth

O: Quite nice, not world class, but great
session/summer brew. I have had much
better Belgian Pale Ales, but this was
rather enjoyable and would get it again.

QUITE NICE, WORTH A TRY!

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2011 15:55:36 | More by BeerLover99

patreely12

Maryland

4.3/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at Memphis Taproom in Philly. Served in a standard pint glass.

A - hazy, dull golden brown. pretty good sized head, retains it's size for most of the drink leaving some nice lacing.

S - belgian yeasty malts. lots of fruity and spicy notes floating around. some pear and citrus as well as cloves and cinnamon. really a great smelling beer with inviting aromas.

T/M - lots of freshness and sweetness. the back bone is the spicy, sweet and sour belgian malts complimented by the equally spicy hops. the hops bring an added floral characteristic. the overall spiciness is cleaned with the refreshing sweetness of the citrus and pear. medium bodied, light carbonation. clean, refreshing mouthfeel.

Overall I was really pleased with the flavors from this one. Coming from California I was surprised at how fresh this tasted. I'm looking forward to trying more of what Russian River has to offer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2011 15:01:38 | More by patreely12

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

on tap at pope in philly

Pours a hazed golden straw color with a thin white head, collar of lacing left along the glass with little retention.

Light fruit with pear and apricot, slight funky yeast and sweetness. Soft hoppiness as well.

Floral hop bite right up front with dryness. Fruit flavors with banana, pear, and apricot. Slight citrus juice with corriander. Biscuit and straw malt base, very light and easy. Finishes sweet and dry.

Lighter medium body, higher carb, tingly and refreshing, dry. Really nice example of the style, great flavor, another hit from RR.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2011 23:58:38 | More by xnicknj

LittleDon

Texas

4.47/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12 oz. in a squatty tulip at Downtown Johnny Brown's, San Diego.

Golden, clear, lots of tiny carbonation bubbles. Head quickly disappears. Left in its wake is a film atop this beer with what's left collecting at the edges. Aroma has green apples and spice (cinnamon?) in it. Light up front with a light middle that has apple and light smoke characteristics. Very light finish with subtle bitterness. Light body and very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2011 01:25:46 | More by LittleDon

patm1986

New Jersey

3.18/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

thank you, hulmeville inn, for the great RR tappings on 1 march 2011

a- translucent. dilution. no head apparent and no lacing evident. looks like a tall glass of white tea. very watery, almost completely clear.

s- apples, nutmeg, mild banana, more like banana peel. very faint aromas of said elements.

t- sort of bland. mealy fruit flavors. with some spice, it tastes of mildly cooked apples. metallic aftertaste.

m- very thin, watery. lacks a crispness it seemed it'd have. sort of soft on the palate, too.

d- if the flavor is there for you, this is highly drinkable, quaffable actually. there just isn't enough flavor to keep me satisfied or to pursue another serving.

to be fair, this was consumed after Younger, Elder, and Sanctification, so there's a great chance it was underwhelming in comparison to those strongly conceived flavors. if anything is delightfully subtle in this beer, it was probably lost due to its placement in the tasting. sorry, redemption, it wasn't planned that way. we shall meet again. you shall receive your namesake.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2011 05:53:23 | More by patm1986

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

On tap at TJs. Reviewed from notes. An appropriate beer to drink after work when I stayed at the damn office too late to land a pint of the Younger. This was poured into a tulip glass.

Crystal clear body, I can see right through this. Not a touch of haze or murkiness at all. The color is light amber, almost the same color as an AAL. Topped by foam that reaches 1cm in height before it disappears quickly. Despite the lack of retained foam, each sip produces some solid delicate spiderwebs.

The aroma is complex for such a light beer. Spices...coriander, white pepper, and a hint of clove. Fruity esters of pears, peaches, and lemon zest. There is also a touch of dry funkiness. The flavor is very good, but much less complex, in my opinion, than the aroma. The spices fade to the background leaving mainly citrus notes as the pears and peaches are somewhat dominated by lemon zest and the funky dryness.

Redemption is refreshing, light on the palate, nicely carbonated, and crisp on the palate. The dry finish adds a nice capstone to an enjoyable beer. Easy to drink, this is a very solid BSA.

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2011 01:46:34 | More by NittanyBeerFan

Blanco

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

beer was poured on tap in traditional tulip with very little head. Color is golden and clear with some carbonation. Smell is of belgian yeasts. Very inviting. Taste is similar. Hard to describe, but definitely sweet and fruity with nice belgian yeast flavors. Mouthfeel is traditional belgian...lively. Nice drinkability. This beer is one that I would venture to call very sessionable. My only wish is that this was Summer right now so I can sit on the porch and drink several of these.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2011 04:15:53 | More by Blanco

Kadonny

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from tap into a stemmed tulip/chalice glass at TJs in Paoli.

A: A hazy yellow straw color with a half finger white head. Full glass lacing lingers.

S: Fruity with lemon, apple, pear and nice yeasty notes. A bit funky but very restrained.

T: Fruity flavors jump out with lemon, apple, pear. Fruit mixes in with some nice yeasty flavors that don't go over the top. Very subdued with some spice and pepper creeping in. Finish is crisp, dry with slight hops that leaves a bit of sour in the mouth. I'm not getting any brett flavors.

M: Light, crisp, clean and a little funk.

D: High, real high. Very drinkable beer.

Overall I was actually a little underwhelmed by this beer. In terms of BPA their damnation is better. I know they are meant to be different, but this one just didn't "wow" me like most of the RR stuff does. It's almost trying to be a sour and a BPA both at the same time and never quite is either. Still a solid drinker and I'm glad I got to try it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2011 21:39:45 | More by Kadonny

victory4me

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a fluted chalice at TJ's in Paoli.

Pours a hazy straw yellow with an effervescent one finger head. Smell of hay, mild lemon, wheat, and a very subtle tart and funky character in the background.

Taste is much like the smell. Initial flavors of a rather ordinary Belgian Pale Ale - light yeast and hay, then finishes with sour undertones of lemon and tartness. Mouthfeel is slightly acidic and light. One glass was enough to get the full picture.

I strongly believe Russian River is the best brewery in the US, but even the best has an occasional dud. Solid, but unspectacular, with RR we've gotten so used to spectacular.

Will purchase a bottle to sit on for at least a year and see what some age does to it.

Not a bad beer by any means, just not up to Russian River's exemplary standards.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2011 05:59:19 | More by victory4me

BerkeleyBeerMan

California

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

Appearance: Very light golden yellow. Crystal clear and filtered. Little head.

Smell: Pale yeasty malts interact with a slightly bitter hoppiness.

Taste: Banana esters. Balmy. Mild hops. Slightly bitter feeling on the tongue.

Mouthfeel: Light.

Drinkability: This a nice beer with some delightful qualities but I would probably opt for a a slightly heartier beer in exhange.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2011 05:18:51 | More by BerkeleyBeerMan

benclimbs

California

3.38/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

look is off opaque with a 1 finger head

smell - big time wet dog smell, this mixed with a bit of spice and skunk but can't shake the wet dog character - really dissapointing nose

taste - nice pleasant blonde character with a bit of lagery taste, fniishes with some lemon and some dry hops

overall this is probably the most dissapointing RR beer i've had

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2011 18:31:41 | More by benclimbs

GilGarp

Colorado

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at the Falling Rock, into a wine glass.

Redemption is a pale golden yellow color with a slightly hazy appearance. The head is thick and white with good retention.

Aroma is slightly sweet with a nice lemon citrus character.

Flavor is really nice and refreshing. There is the same fresh lemon citrus from the nose but also some more bitter orange zest and hoppy bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium-light bodied with moderate-low carbonation.

Overall a very good version of the style. Hopefully it will be available in bottles (in Colorado) soon.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2010 04:36:30 | More by GilGarp

drabmuh

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Side by side at the brewpub with Sanctification. Both were awesome.

Beer is hazy shade of summer, yellow with a white head of medium and small bubbles that fades slowly, leaves some lacing on the glass. Moderate to high carbonation in this one. Looks good.

Aroma is bready with good yeast esters and some lemon / spice, almost black pepper. Interesting.

Citrusy in flavor, some hoppiness to it too. The finish is some wheat grains and the esters come out in the middle a lot. The beer is relatively light in body (although next to the Sanctification its not that light) and the carbonation is appropriate in the mouth. Its not distracting at all, just really present. It drinks easily and I really enjoy it. I'd have ti again. Maybe I'll pick up some bottles of it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2010 19:02:52 | More by drabmuh