Sanctification - Russian River Brewing Company

trevorwideman

Manitoba (Canada)

4.47/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle bought at City Beer, SF. Shared at a tasting with oakbluff and fisherman34. Poured into a snifter.

Pours a yellow-peach colour, lots of lively carbonation, pretty lacing, and 1 inch of head that subsides fairly quickly. Aroma is funky and fruity with a bit of peach and some spice. Subtle yet full of life.

Taste is very fruity and and sour and peppery, and it all melds together to an almost mellowness. Peaches, unripened apples, herbal, spicy, and cheesy. Wow, complex with so many subtleties. Mouth is dry, dry, dry, sticky, medium body, feisty carbonation. This is an outstanding beer, and one that I could honestly drink over and over again. It may never pass my lips again, but at least it did, once.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2007 03:14:06 | More by trevorwideman

Ctrauty

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%

05-20-2013 01:36:39 | More by Ctrauty

GuzzLah

Illinois

4.14/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A - pours a hazy blonde with a standard head that disappears and forms a ring. No lace. A few bubbles.

S - relatively mild aroma. Leather, white grape, pineapple, green apple and oak.

T - is similar to the aroma. White grape, green apple with a lemony and soft oaky finish.

M - light-medium body. Creamy. Nicely tart and somewhat astringent, but not quite sour.

O - despite being fermented with 100% Brett, I wouldn't call this a funky ale. It's more fruity and tart than funky. That's fine. It's a tasty beer, but it's my least favorite RR sour.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 20:28:42 | More by GuzzLah

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%

05-19-2013 15:27:43 | More by ShawnMH

jakeox

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -19.4%

05-19-2013 00:54:38 | More by jakeox

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.51/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

375ml c&c dated 11/27/2012, poured into a Russian River stemmed snifter and quaffed today on a 80 degree afternoon in Wisconsin, 5/18/2013. Cork popped hard, forboding great things for this beer.

Aroma: I get tons of Brett funk along with very tart cherry and vinegar. Tons and tons of it all. It reminds me of a funky chardonnay- its got that sweet tartness along with that earthy funk. A bit one-dimensional but definitely brings its game. (4)

Colour: Pours a hazy straw blonde colour with a ton of head- even as I pour slowly it throws up a massive >3cm head that slowly recedes into a supremely thick white film that is about half a cm. And stays that way. The lacing is spectacular on this Russian River glass. Absolutely amazing and appetizing blonde. (5)

Flavour: Woo! Lots of sour funk up front that makes me pucker up a bit, followed by a more subdued tartness reminding me of cherry and grapes along with a sweet breadiness ending in a vinegary and lemony funk. Very unique flavour profile that I cannot help but savor. Delicious combination of Brett funk, tart vinegar and malt backbone. I've never tasted anything quite like this and I'm very impressed. If this kind of beer was its own category rather than an AWA, I can't imagine anything being much better. I actually would like a bit more tartness on top of the funkiness, but honestly it's world class. (4.75)

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied ale with incredible carbonation that isn't too over the top. A bit dry but stings the palate everywhere it comes into contact with a nice tart funkiness that lingers as the aftertaste briefly. It's very quaffable and refreshing- perfect for a 80 degree day in May. (4.25)

Overall: Russian River does it again. I feel they pretty much own the AWA category at this point in my young sour appreciating life. Very quaffable, full of complex flavours that satisfy my palate without overloading it while not being too heavy on any one particular characteristic. I am a big fan and will continue to seek out the Russian River offerings whenever I can get them. And you should too. (4.5)

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 00:03:37 | More by Stevedore

chossboss

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-17-2013 04:53:29 | More by chossboss

OctopusPrim

Washington

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-17-2013 04:17:03 | More by OctopusPrim

deekyn

California

4/5  rDev -7.8%

05-16-2013 04:07:50 | More by deekyn

twenty5

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-15-2013 17:41:23 | More by twenty5

Zbeetleman

California

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%

05-15-2013 03:33:59 | More by Zbeetleman

Absolut

California

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-13-2013 18:44:40 | More by Absolut

funkyaudio

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +9.4%

05-13-2013 17:40:46 | More by funkyaudio

Bonko_the_sane

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +9.4%

05-13-2013 06:15:36 | More by Bonko_the_sane

FranzBC

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%

05-13-2013 02:07:23 | More by FranzBC

bigcat101

California

4.75/5  rDev +9.4%

05-13-2013 00:40:18 | More by bigcat101

PlinyBeMiney

California

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-12-2013 23:22:05 | More by PlinyBeMiney

lpayette

Vermont

4/5  rDev -7.8%

05-12-2013 20:19:27 | More by lpayette

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-12-2013 17:22:19 | More by mikeburd1128

ipas-for-life

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-12-2013 15:45:01 | More by ipas-for-life

HopsHopenstein

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-12-2013 01:26:23 | More by HopsHopenstein

MinorThreat

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-11-2013 21:08:26 | More by MinorThreat

rolandboy

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-11-2013 14:11:12 | More by rolandboy

logicerror

California

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

05-11-2013 05:45:13 | More by logicerror

chinchill

South Carolina

2.7/5  rDev -37.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.25

12 oz bottle. Not counting a couple of collaboration beers, this is my first R. River - too bad it has to be a Brett beer. I have a very limited tolerance for Brett and even less for vinegar. With that in mind:

Pours light amber, hazy, with a small head. The aroma bodes poorly: Brett/wild ale with some vinegar. Intimidating. Given that, the taste was a bit better but still too funky. Nicely sour with a hint of old bread. Fine medium-light feel.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 03:09:23 | More by chinchill