Salvation - Russian River Brewing Company

GuzzLah

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - pours a dark brown with almost no head and poor retention. No lace. Light bubbles.

S - low intensity until swirled. Raisin, bready malt, chocolate malt and cherry ester.

T - is similar to the aroma. Mostly raisin and mild chocolate.

M - medium-full body. Oily. Warming, boozy finish, but not harsh.

O - a well made BDSA that is relatively conservative in flavor and aroma. Not nearly as impressive as Rochefort, etc.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 01:22:39 | More by GuzzLah

mikem0487

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

375mL bottled filled on 04/13/2012. Served into a Wicked Weed tulip glass.

A-A deep dark mahogany with a pinkies width off white head.

S-Rasberry, raisins and prunes for the estery nose. Some black peppery notes as well.

T-Dark fruits dominate the taste. Prune and raisin with a finishing spice. Some roasted/chocolate malt taste. Get some heat from the spice and the alcohol is hidden well. Dark cherry licorice is all over the palate.

M-Highly carbonated with a medium body.

O-A good beer for the style. Not my favorite however. To much licorice/prune taste that does not leave a pleasant after taste.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 01:19:16 | More by mikem0487

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A- Cola colored body with some amber and ruby highlights. Tan head that lingers around as a layer of thin bubbles with good lacing.

S- Bready Belgian yeast, faint caramel and chocolate, raisins, slight hint of cherry, hint of pear.

T- A lot of unexpected Tripel flavors come through, with just enough darker malt flavor to let you know this is a dark ale. The darker flavors include the malt along with raisin bread, while some pear and spicy yeast flavors come through as well.

M- Medium to full bodied, but extremely drinkable. Not alcohol presence in the feel and good carbonation.

O- A very good offering, like all of the Russian River -tions. Solid and worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 22:49:54 | More by stephenjmoore

brodericksloth

Oregon

4.05/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

tasted on tap at RR and from bottle at home

thick creamy three finger head; deep brown color; good carbonation from refermentation in bottle. Nitro look

molasses with black fruit and plum scent

COFFEE with subtle chocolate, cherry and toffee. becomes figgy with time

no hop or alcohol noticed; very well balanced with enough dark fruits and all full palate secondary flavors of such complexity that you keep looking for more

Not a overly malty flavor; fruits carry it. Go ahead and pour the dregs; no yeast taste everything else covers it up

tastes a bit overcooked in the bottle; odd aftertaste; bought at RR; shouldn't be cooked. will try to age and see what happens; may mellow out

on tap a much nicer brew; not so figgy fruitcake

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 23:52:49 | More by brodericksloth

TheSixthRing

California

4.24/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - Pours a near black, deep cola brown with a light tan, 3 finger head. Phenomenal retention, leaving behind a thick layer of bubbles on the surface. Lacing is spotty, with fair stick.

Smell - Dark sugared sweetness and an equal note of sourness, like black cherry.

Taste - Follows the nose- moderate dark sugary sweetness, also touching on chocolate, coffee and toffee, mixed with a light cherry sourness. Wonderful balance, finishing a touch more sweet than bitter, and with a bit of sourness too.

Mouthfeel - Medium in body with live, but fluffy carbonation, leaving a light, dry finish.

Overall - A lovely beer. Nice, complex flavor that, unlike several of it's Dark Belgian counterparts, doesn't fall victim to an oversaturation of sugary sweetness. Great balance. This is one I'll definitely have to revisit when I make it up to the RR pub.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 06:28:55 | More by TheSixthRing

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Nearly black body, thick tan head has good retention and lacing.

S/T - Candied dark fruits, light roast, dark chocolate powder. Subtle spice.

M - Medium body, high, yet delicate carbonation level. Mostly smooth, with a bit of boozy heat.

O - I feel like this is a very good representation of the style with good depth of flavor. However, style is just not for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 12:27:20 | More by garuda

laituegonflable

Australia

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a vibrant red colour, hints of floaties and haze. Head is beautifully dense, foamy and nicely packed with great retention. Specks of lace left around the glass; good.

Smells quite pleasant, but a little subdued. Malty, with some peppery spice, toffee, bourbon and a slight acetyldehyde maybe. But quite sweet, yeah, hint of cinnamon, which I could use more of. What's there is nice.

Taste is quite sweet mostly, with toffee and caramel malt, a touch of tartness - just a hint - that turns it slightly fruity on the mid, then finish is a little bit toasty, and still sweet, with characters of coconut, vanilla and crême brulée, but also a hint of burntness late, like overcooked toffee. Slightly nutty, yeah, it's a mélange of flavours I like, but it doesn't quite reach the heights of sweetness, roastiness or anything, and so it seems a little directionless in some ways.

Decent body, bit of foamy texture to it, slight boozey sharpness on the back. Yeah, alright.

Quite a subtle brew in some ways, and well balanced. Yeah, everything gets a look-in here, and it's very nicely crafted. Doesn't really sing to me, and yet I feel like there's a lot of love in this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 10:57:58 | More by laituegonflable

TotallyHosed

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Stogies.

Large tan foam sits atop a very dark red color. The carbonation is evident in the appearance despite the nearly opaque brew. There's lots of lacing around the glass.

The nose is largely sweet dark fruits, such as raisins and figs, when the head is dominant. As the head dissipates to a veil, there is much more of a toasted grain aroma mingling with the dark fruits.

The flavor begins with a typical Belgian yeast flavor found in strong ales and dubbels. In the middle is a bit of an alcohol burn that does not last more than a few seconds. Finally, the flavor ends with a combination of toasted grains and slightly sweet figs.

The feel is right in the middle and does coat the mouth. There's just a little bit of tingling from the carbonation.

Overall, this is a solid example of the style. What I enjoy the most about this brew is that it has better than average balance. For example, the Belgian yeast does not overpower. It's great to be able to taste the malt backbone. My only critique is that I would like the alcohol to be better hidden. At the same time, it's not as off-putting as I have experienced from other Belgian Strong brews.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 01:01:51 | More by TotallyHosed

Lucho

Florida

3.76/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Served into RR tulip

Appearance: dark but translucent when held to light

Smell: some dark fruits but mostly malts and Belgian style yeasts

Taste: similar to the nose with sweet malts with a good amount of carbonation and medium bodied mouthfeel. There are some fruits, maybe figs or dates/grapes.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied with good carbonation.

Overall: A good beer for the style. not my usual but a good all around beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 08:33:17 | More by Lucho

metter98

New York

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: The beer is very dark brown in color. It poured with a half finger high beige colored head that died down and consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There are aromas of dark malts and Belgian yeast in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of dark fruits (such as prunes and plums), dark malts and Belgian yeast. The yeast is more promint than the fruits. Slight hints of spices also become detectable in the finish as the beer warms up. No sweetness is detectable, except for some faint hints in the initial taste.
M: It feels medium-bodied and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer has a nice mix of dark fruits and yeasty flavors. No traces of alcohol are detectable.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:21:28 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.71/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a slightly hazy but opaque dark amber in color with some light orange, ruby red, and amber highlights as well as a moderate amount of visible carbonation. The beer has a half finger tall dense foamy beige head that slowly reduces to a thick film covering the entire surface of the beer with a couple of small patches that are slightly thicker and a thin ring at the edges of the glass.

S: Moderate aromas of dark fruits and dark malts - plum, raisin, and date. Light notes of roasted malts, candi sugar, and Belgian yeast.

T: Moderate flavors of sweet dark malts with some dark fruit notes (raisins and dates) and light to moderate amounts of candi sugar. Light to moderate amounts of alcohol are present in the aroma and there is very little bitterness. The sweetness fades as you drink it with some Belgian yeast and light amounts of spices.

M: Medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Slightly creamy.

O: This is an interesting beer but not one of the best examples for the style in my opinion. I was hoping for a little more sourness in this brew but it did not come through for me in this one. Not the easiest to drink, more of a slow sipping beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:20:14 | More by dbrauneis

brewskifan55

Mississippi

4.06/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a snifter. Thanks, cvm4!

A: Dark brown with a half finger tan head that dissipates pretty fast. Frothy lacing.

S: Dark fruits, particularly raisins, dates, plums. Chocolate. Sweet. Licorice.

T: Follows nose. Smooth. robust. Spices like cinnamon come through. A great chocolate finish.

M: Medium with frothy carbonation.

O: A superb BSDA. One that begs to be sipped and enjoyed. Could enjoy another one soon.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 18:53:01 | More by brewskifan55

phishsihq

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This Russian River Winter seasonal pours a deep, dark brown, and it is capped by a fluffy, off-white head and a good deal of clingy lace. Dark fruit (plum, raisin, and plums), candied sugars, and Belgian yeast create a classic Belgian Strong Dark ale nose. The flavors follow the dark fruit and candied sugar from the nose, with a good bit of breadiness as well. This 9% ABV brew is medium in body with a prickly carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 02:18:27 | More by phishsihq

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Should I be surprised how exceptional this was? Reminded me of Unibroue's Trois Pistoles. Supremely easy-drinking. Hard to tell it's 9+% as well - the way it should be.

The billowy, somewhat spongy tan head died slowly and left some suds atop while the murky, brownish-red lacked a little of the glow I would've liked to see, though there's nothing necessarily off about it.

Melanoidin-rich, dark-malty aromas up front, with a subtle red or black grape in the background. No hops but some alcohol that grows in intensity as it warms, but never gets potent. Almost an allspice or nutmeg-like spice set against a cake-like malt.

Very rich, softly-smooth (Munich?) malt flavor, accented by a moderately-complex but subtle and nicely-balanced array of esters and aromatics including flowers/coriander and hints of anise/licorice in the finish. Mostly lightly-sweet malt going on here supported by a medium body with a bit of a chewy-foamy feel. A little bubbly prickliness on the tongue up front, but it does finish medium-light, soft, and fairly dry. Ultra-mellow, slow-rising warmth rises up from the chest/gut area.

Perhaps more depth in the flavor and finish would really knock this out of the park for me - it's almost there! This is definitely something I would love to drink again. Great balance and that's what counts the most!

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 17:22:03 | More by Bouleboubier

MadScientist

New York

4.53/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: A very enthusiastic head with three finers of light tan foam from a gentle pour. The beer is a dark brown with garnet highlights and great clarity. The head is long lasting and leaves a thick sticky curtain of lacing on the glass.

S: A great balance of dark fruit and tart aroma being mostly plums, prunes and red current with some sour cherries. there is a a moderate malt aroma with a bit of caramel and some toasted grain aroma.

T: Dark fruit and spice with a light sour flavor blended in. Medium-high dark cherry and plum dominate the flavor. The Belgian yeast provides a moderate peppery spice and fruitiness. There is some malt sweetness with a bit of a chocolate flavor. The bitterness is low but there is a moderately-light sour tartness that increases the prescription that is is more bitter than it really is although the alcohol is also countering the malt. The balance is somewhat bitter and tart. the finish is off-dry and the aftertaste is of chocolate and spice.

M: This a creamy, medium-full bodied beer with moderately-strong carbonation. The alcohol brings a noticeable warmth.

O: A great Belgian Strong Dark that isn't very sweet, which I like and has a bit of a tartness which I really like.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 01:14:31 | More by MadScientist

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a beautiful dark brown/red pour with 2 fingers of foamy creme colored head. smells of grapes, chocolate, honey.. kind of a weird faint combination - not getting many scents yet, i'm going to let it warm up and come back to it. the flavor is quite fruity up front.. cherries, grapes, raisins.. with hints of wheat, caramel, toasted grains.. very tasty. medium in body with a high amount of carbonation, slightly sticky residue left behind on the lips. went back to it about 20 minutes later and getting a more profound fruity smell.. very similar o everything i get when i taste it.

overall this is a decent offering from russian river.. one of their weaker beers i've had - hell they're only human!! still pretty high rating for their "decent" beer.. i want to try avery's salvation next since i already had the collaboration ale between them.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 14:52:30 | More by facundoCNB

argock

Virginia

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 375 cL brown corked bottle into a clear pinot noir glass. Bottled on 04/18/12 date at top-middle of label. Purchased at Olive Tree Marketplace (San Diego, CA) for $5.99.

A: Very dark chestnut brown with 1/2 finger of off-white lace which leaves some scraps of lace around the glass.

S: The aroma is largely yeast esters, nutmeg and clove spice notes, and soft caramel with a little cocoa-fudginess thrown in there. There are some fig and raisin notes too.

T: The yeasty nature comes through in the flavor as well with a bunch of interesting but smooth and flavorful esters, clove, nutmeg. The dark fruitiness comes through with more fig and purple grapiness given the slightly tannic finish. There is a hint of vanilla but finishes with subtle caramel and fudge flavors. Interesting -- it reminds me a chocolate tinged Ommegang Abbey Ale with less clove. I didn't really pick up on the sourness until near the end of the bottle, but the more of it you drink, the more sour it becomes in the finish.

M: Exceedingly smooth beer with creamy texture and low carbonation. Body is medium but the ABV is virtually undetectable.

O: I liked this beer except for the price tag. It is moderately flavorful and has an incredible feel but the muted aroma and heavy yeasty nature keep it from being top-tier.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 05:19:44 | More by argock

MarioM

California

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

330 ml poured into RR Steamed glass

A: Dark brownish read with a light tan head made, medium sized bubbles with a creamy looking surface. Good lacing lingers after head is reduced from around two inched down to roughly a quarter inch. Doesn't look too carbonated and slightly cloudy with tiny bubbles constantly rising from the bottom of the glass which created a nice, very creamy island looking patch of foam over the larger bubbled left over after pouring.

S: Wow, this beer smells amazing. Slight chocolate notes with dark fruits as well as some espresso.Alcohol notes are also present but definitely compliments the sweeter fruity, chocolate notes described earlier. I would say this beer has a more roasted character than a dark sugar or molasses like profile common in other dark ales.

T: Very mild and drinkable. Low carbonation makes it seem very subtle and surprisingly smooth. I would have expected more fruit or chocolate since that is the first thing that comes to mind on the nose. To me its almost like I'm drinking a completely different beer than what I smelled, not a bad thing just unexpected. Regardless of my expectations, this is a very balanced beer. Not overwhelmingly sweet or fruity but just right, very drinkable considering its abv of 9%. I'm really enjoying the bitterness and mild overall character.

M: Warm aftertaste with a pleasantly, surprising bitterness for this style. A tad of fruity and sweetness lingers along with the bitterness but it all works out lovely.

O: To my surprise but in a good way, this was totally different than what I was expecting. Low carbonation, great great aromas, and mild smooth taste made this RR brew quite enjoyable. I might have to get a growler next time instead of just a single 330ml bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 07:59:39 | More by MarioM

KajII

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

[Suggested Glassware; Tulip Glass]

The pour was a murky dark brown with some red highlights around the edges and an average (1-2 finger) light brown foamy head that reduced to a thin cap with simply awesome thick foamy sticky lacing.

The aroma was a tad sweet of a dark bread malt and a earthy Belgian yeast with notes of chocolate, caramel, dark fruit (raisons and prunes) and a mild alcohol tinge.

The taste was lightly sweet and extremely malty with a note of caramel and a light fruity ester early on, becoming quite a bit yeastier with a large dark fruit presence and a strong chocolaty alcohol ending. The flavor stuck around for an average time following the swallow, with a decent yeasty, chocolate taste and a mild alcohol warming sensation left behind.

Mouthfeel was medium in body with a dry, creamy texture and a strong lively carbonation.

Overall this was an exquisite tasting brew with a creamy chocolaty, fruity flavor and one hek of a kick. I just love everything this brewer puts out and can't wait till I can sample something else from them...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 16:52:32 | More by KajII

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on April 18, 2012.

Beer is dark brown with reddish hints. Moderately-sized off-white head. Very good retention- head sticks around.

Dark fruit in the nose, plum, prune and raisin. Bready. Brown sugar. A bit drier than the style often is. A bit of spice.

Taste is like the nose. Dark fruit, plum and fig, but fairly dry. Pepper and other spices. A bit of chocolate and candy sugar. Alcohol is noticeable but not overly so.

Full bodied, moderate to high carbonation. A bit bready.

Overall, quite good. Not amazing, but very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 01:01:34 | More by jrenihan

cvm4

Mississippi

3.63/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Batch #11

A - Pours an opaque brown. Literally can't see through it. There's a hint of plum on the outer edge if the light hits it just right. Head is tan & frothy.

S - Smells like the pit of a plum that isn't right, which comes across as sour. Dark fruits & malts compliment this.

T - Brown sugar, caramel, purple grapes & spices.

M - Lighter than most dark ales I've had & somewhat high carbonation.

O - It's great in its own right but I'm just not feeling this. I definitely appreciate Russian River sours a lot more.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 20:15:02 | More by cvm4

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 11 into tulip.

Opaque brown with red highlights. Dinner and a half creamy light tan head. Lacing is good.

Brown sugar, vanilla, dark stone fruits, some cinnamon slight pepper spice.

Dark stone fruits, slight alcohol cinnamon, brown sugar, slight burnt toast and caramel.

Medium body, slightly creamy, good lively carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 00:27:29 | More by korguy123

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

more affordable than some of the othe beers in this series, unless i got lucky. paid just under 7 bucks for a 12.7oz. pours dark brown, thin looking, with a big bubble white head on top with pretty good retention. the nose is like coffee cake or fruit bread or something. lots of interestign spice and fruit from the yeast, which seems to be the dominant smell, in front of a nice chocolatey malt body. the flavor is equally yeast forward, not quite as spicy as the nose, but there is a lot going on here. also quite a bit of sweetness from the malts, roasty and dark, molasses, booze. the mouthfeel is lovely. very active carbonation makes it feel lighter than it is, and the fuller body does not prevent drinkability. i also love the aftertaste on this. overall another real solid russian river brew, but not my favorite from this line.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 17:35:43 | More by StonedTrippin

Etan

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12.7oz bottle into a Hopleaf tulip. Bottled 6 months ago.

A: Pours a slightly purplish dark brown with an awesome spongy light tan head. Amazing lacing and retention.

S: Very yeasty, estery aroma. Banana, raisin, fruit cake spice, vanilla.

T: Dry dark fruits (heavy on the grape), dark candi sugar, a bit of earthy hop leaf, caramel, slightly phenolic finish. Very nicely balanced.

M: Medium-bodied with slightly frothy carbonation.

O: Great balance going on here - not too dry yet not too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 04:00:18 | More by Etan

reto21

South Carolina

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Batch 10 poured into a tulip.

A- pours a dark dark brown with a khaki head.

S- Dried fruits, caramel, pepper, smoke,

T- bananas, dried fruits, caramel, dark chocolate, alcohol, mild coffee, molasses, and pepper.

M- Medium bodied with nice carbonation.

O- A great beer from RR! It's a nice change to see some darker beers in bottles from them. I plan on snagging a few bottles of this soon!

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 16:21:37 | More by reto21