Supplication - Russian River Brewing Company

beertunes

Washington

3.9/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review #600 for me. Bottle numbered 04x2. Poured into crystal tulip. Poured a coppery orange amber color with just a trace of tan head that didn't have much retention or lacing.

Some fruit hides behind the upfront vinegary scent, with a bit of yeast adding some funkiness. The flavors were similar, just magnified. The dry bitterness was dominate and the flavors lurk in the background.

Body is good for the style, although I found it a bit thin. Drinkability was good, depending your tolerance for sourness. Overall, a good beer, worth a shot for anyone and a must try for sourheads.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2010 22:57:56 | More by beertunes

airohead2001

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Part IV of epic RR tasting including Tempt, Sancti, Beati, Suppl, and Consec. I'm re-reviewing this one because I feel that my initial review was done too early in my BA days, prior to tasting any other sours, and prior to having a more refined palate.

Dark copper, reddish brown with a persistent haziness. Supplication pours with a one and a half finger head that quickly fades to a thin film that remains for the rest of the drink. Sour cherries, musty wood, vines, slight malts, dark chocolate, raspberries, and booze. Sour cherries and ripe lemons up front followed by a funky mustiness and some alcohol heat. The aftertaste is rich in bread, sweet cherries, a touch of cinnamon, and a lingering sour must. A drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2010 19:19:21 | More by airohead2001

JamnesCameron

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a MJ tasting glass.

Pours a ruby hue with orange highlights around the edges of the glass. About a finger of head that drops rather quickly. But a very effervescent brew.

Aromas of lactic sourness, oakiness, cherry stones, vinegar, and cherries.

First sip is of a slightly puckering sourness. A bit of a carbonic bite. Sour cherry juice, untoasted oak. Vinegar and lactic sourness. And cherry pits.

Mouthfeel is thin, tart, and a drying puckerness.

Drinkability is fairly good. A "classic" american wild brew. Missing some intangibles from a belgian sour, lack of "earthiness." Overall good, but nothing to get too excited about. Not getting the hype.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 00:29:43 | More by JamnesCameron

wvsabbath

West Virginia

3.9/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Serving Type - Bottle

Appearance - Tan/brown, not much of a head, not much lacing

Smell - Tons of smells, Ginger Sour apples, minty, hop overtones, yeasty, cinnamon. Smells like them sour patch gummy bear chews.

Taste - Wow, insane sour bitter beer face from first drink. Very tart. Lots of different flavors espically sour apples. Not much more can be said

Mouthfeel - Incredible sour bitters whole mouth. Small drinks, sip this cause mouth is wrecked! First drink kills.

Drinkabilty - This is a sipper, once a year session beer. Its very good for the style but hell, i didnt even want to finish my glass let alone whole beer. Its too intense, no way i could drink 2. Its good experence, and i will drink again, probily next year.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2010 05:40:25 | More by wvsabbath

GratefulBeerGuy

New Hampshire

3.93/5  rDev -14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bgramer for this bottle!

Batch 003

The color is a beautiful orange-hued amber, the center of the crown is eruptive and avtive as hell with quick streaming bubbles, a good sign of lively yeast.Not much of a crown as it rises and falls quickly but plenty of bubbly foam remains.

The nose has a sharpness, very bitter and tart cherries, dry-earth scent, subtle, spicey hop, slightly medicinal.

The flavor is a wild-yeast tartness that brings along sour cherries, citric and acidic fruitiness, much like young, wild concorde grapes. The ending dry and slightly bitter, but earthy bitter...not hop bitter. This is a light feel, crisp and Belgian-like smoothness at the end.

I'm all for pushing the bounds of yeast!

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2008 19:21:33 | More by GratefulBeerGuy

jgasparine

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev -14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Sampled a 12.68 oz. bottle from Batch #04X1.

A- Poured from the bottle with a 1/2" light khaki colored head, which slowly receded to a haze layer, leaving impressive dollops of lacing behind. The body was was predominantly clear, with a touch of haze from agitated sediment... and an actively carbonated dark amber color.

S- A wonderfully complex nose, ripe with brett, pedio, and lactobacillus, without being overpowering with aectic notes. Oaky and vinous notes are also dominant on the nose, with lesser nuances of stewed malt and stone fruit.

T- Starts out on the palate with wonderful flavors akin to the nose... but then the acidity and intense tannins cut-through sharply, with vinegar and astringent tannic notes overtaking all other flavors... and lingering unpleasantly into the dry finish. The overboard vinegar and tannins keep this from being a 4.5 in the Taste department.

M- Thin in body... highly attenuated... and slightly slick on the palate. A wonderfully soft carbonation, which creates a faint illusion of creamy texture in the beer. Unfortunately, the moderately strong astringency keeps this from being a 4.5 in the MF department.

D- Don't get me wrong, I like acetic notes in wild ales... but not to the point that they destroy the complexity of the beer. I don't dislike this Supplication... I just wouldn't go through such lengths to acquire it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2010 00:31:45 | More by jgasparine

andyfrancis

California

3.93/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

darkish, yet bright red. casts a reddish pink when light beams through it. highly carbed in this tiny bottle. White head fizzed up and quickly dissipated.

smells like a cherry truffle...also a bit of the wood on the nose.

Bubbles like an alka seltzer in my mouth. Nice sour cherry flavor...bit of a bite and a hint of the oak at the end.

Astringent mouthfeel and so carbonated.

Good sour, though this 375 ml bottle is plenty for me...would gladly share it.

I like it, but Consecration is still tops for me when it comes to the RR 'tions.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2010 04:26:29 | More by andyfrancis

Urbancaver

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Batch 5, Barrel 3
A- orange/golden with great head that sticks around for quite a while
S- very very sour... not sure what else to say
T- sour sweet tarts with a hint of malt...
M- smooth, well carbonated
D- Sharp and bitter making it tough to do more than sip a bit. Definitely couldn't drink a whole bottle

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 16:32:19 | More by Urbancaver

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle (batch 005X3) into snifter glass. Pours murky brown / hazy amber with a minor, then dissipating head leaving very thin lacing throughout the session. Nose is big and soft, lots of vinous type notes. Cherries are still vibrant in this one. Funky, oaty, lactic acid, oak, vinegar, tart cherries, wild yeast, and sour nose. On taste, this is how to do a cherry sour. Softened acidity. The oak comes across to prop up the cherry notes. Medium body with some graininess and some sharp, but soft carbonation. The finish is very tart and dry. This is a great sour beer for sour beer lovers. Top 50 material for me? Not for me, but wow what a beer! Respect.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 01:33:49 | More by CuriousMonk

birchstick

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to KevSal & gcphilli for sending this one my way!

A - pours a dirty brownish red, more brown than red

S - the nose has some cherry notes (not as much as I was hoping), mixed in with some caramel malts, and a whiff of funky Brett round it out

T - Starts off with tart, sweet cherries up front. These fade to a nice vinous flavor from the noir barrels; at the same time, I am getting nice citrus sour flavors. The brett shows up in the end, leaving some light mushroom that lingers after the exhale. It is hard to tell, but the citrus or the cherries are also on the finish. Over the top of all of this is a bit of a dry tannic vinous flavor akin to the taste that would be present about 5-10 minutes after one finishes a glass of wine.

M - a little thin throughout and finishes very dry from wine barrel treatment

D - this is a really nice, complex brew from RR. It is a very good beer, but didn't "wow" me as much as I was hoping for. It is almost like a more complex Consecration but not as powerful. That being said, this was an awesome beer, I just think it falls a little short of other Wild Ales I have had (and other RR brews for that matter). Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 03:45:25 | More by birchstick

Koufax21

New Mexico

3.93/5  rDev -14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I acquired this one in a trade from solomongrundy. Awesome trader, thanks again!!! Poured from 375 ml bottle into a chalice. It pours a beautiful pinkish orange with a fizzy white head that disappears rather quickly. Very Tony bubbles of carbonation. It smells of sour cherry and musty yeast. Mild scent of oak is there as well. Wow... Very tart. I'm not really a big sour fan but I've had a few and have begun to appreciate the style. Lots of sour cherry and wine flavors. Mild oak flavors hang on the tongue. This is a palate scrubber. It will obliterate any beer you've had throughout the night. One of the better ones I've had. Very acidic and dry. Tasty, but just not my favorite style.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 00:53:20 | More by Koufax21

tarheels86

California

3.93/5  rDev -14%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375mL Batch 4 at Carolina Goes Sour thanks to SpencerDB! Pours a cloudy orange with a very nice nose buttered waffles, oak, spices, almost whiskey barrel notes instead of wine barrels. Taste is a powerful lacto/pedo sourness that sits in the back of the throat. Not too much else. I was really unimpressed. Will need to try this a few more times.

375mL Batch 4 courtesy of ajm. Pours a cloudy blood orange with a towering, rocky, tan head that leaves insane lacing. Aroma of cotton candy, lacto, sour cherries, baked cherry pie. I’m still not too keen on the taste here. The body is thin and spritzy. And there is a massive oak dryness, tannin, leather quality that distracts from the cherry and sour elements. It’s damn good, but I would take Beatification, Consecration, or Temptation over this any day. 3/22/2010 9/5/7/4/14=3.9

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 17:45:09 | More by tarheels86

BitterBrian

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this as my thanksgiving dinner chaser. Bought it from Blue Dog Tavern Lansdale.
Poured it into a weizen glass. Beer was a copper color and head started at about 2inches and was cream colored.
Taste was a dry mixture of malts, wood and cherries. yes, cherries. The dry texture of this beer is considerably more like a wine to me. But make no mistake, it is all beer. The finish was very woody. Like I just chewed on a wood popsicle stick.
The smell is cherry. I was sitting in a dining chair with the glass near my lap and that was all I could smell.
Not bad, but I wouldn't call it a drinker. Definitely has alot of craftsmanship involved. I would have it again on another special occaision.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2005 16:03:24 | More by BitterBrian

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a hazy deep red color ale with a medium foamy slightly off-white head with average retention. Aroma of sour cherries and oak are clearly detectable. Taste has a clear sour cherries feel to it with some distinctive note of acidity and oak. Tartness was delectable but could have been more present. Even though this is an excellent Flemish sour, I though it could have had more tart and more complexity in general (i.e. De Dolle Oerbier Reserva). I’d definitely take more RR Temptation over this any day.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2006 20:33:57 | More by Phyl21ca

Realale

Missouri

3.95/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Gorgeous onion skin with amber highlights. Creamy off-white extremely fine head peaks at a solid half inch and settles slowly to a complete cap that leaves nice lace.

Extraordinary nose of deep, fleshy sweet cherry intertwined with racy sour notes. As it warms, the brett aromas appear adding horse blanket, and dark spice. There's an earthy maltiness rumbling below it all. Just stunning.

The palate is a relatively big let down from the nose (but almost anything would be). Much simpler with the flavors that are so distinct on the nose becoming muddy. It's on the full side of medium, and the malt plays the predominant role in the mouth. The cherry moves to a bit role, and it's surprisingly no where near as sour as the nose promises. Medium length, with a touch of acid coming through with a whack of oak on the finish.

Lovely bottle-conditioned mouthfeel. Really velvety and attractive. Smellability is off the scale, but drinkability not so much for me as the oak is a bit much, and the palate just isn't that interesting. Some additional cellar time might allow the sourness to build and break through the palate adding balance and interest. We'll see. Regardless, an inspiring effort and one hell of a nose. Batch one.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2006 02:04:12 | More by Realale

robwestcott

Indiana

3.95/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

batch 4x03. full disclosure - this is my first introduction to sours...

poured from a 375ml bottle to my trusty dogfish head signature glass. it pours a deep copper brown and results in a 1/2 finger foamy beige head that lasted til the beer was finished. after each drink, a fair amount of lacing was left all the way to the rim of the glass..

cherries and tart apples in the nose lasting til the glass has been finished.

sour indeed - a lasting shock to an unexpecting palate. a very interesting sipper, with each sip alternately exciting the tongue and then leaving the mouth conspicuously dry and ready for another drink.

a second bottle is in the closet and I suppose I'll let that one age a bit.

a somewhat confused thumbs up on this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2010 23:38:09 | More by robwestcott

writerLJBerg

Oregon

3.96/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

375mL bottle from Belmont Station. 121712 batch.

A: A darker reddish brown with an inch of foamy off-white head. Leaves moderate stains on the glass. Bright and clear with carbonation running throughout the body.

N: Lots of wine grape, vinegar, grapefruit sourness, sour cherries, and rhubarb. I'm getting a whisp of the wood and there's a distinctly cheesy funk (think irish cheddar for the saltiness). Has a sour doughiness and a fair amount of wet leather and peppered earth from the pinot noir.

T: Moderately sour with a touch of vinegar and acid over the top of a light, fruited sweetness. There's a touch of salt here which I attribute to the vinegar. Does tend to muddle together a bit.

M: Very well carbonated and it's very assertive on the mouthfeel. Medium-light body with no alcohol presence.

O: I really want to like this one more than I do. It's got a lot going for it, but in the RR pantheon, I prefer Consecration, and in the grander scheme, for fair comparisons, I'd probably go with a Rodenbach Grand Cru for about half the price.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 03:57:07 | More by writerLJBerg

3.98/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375ml bottle

Hazy, orange/brown fluid. Modest, light tan head. Some sediment. Relatively still. Some legs, minimal lacing.

Scent is of cherries, and comes across as very tart. Complemented by citrus and acidic notes.

Taste is sour, but not dominatingly so. Reminds me of vitamin C tablets. Cherries snuck in there. Overall, very much like a dry, white wine. Touch of sweetness as I worked through it, grapes? Maybe the Pinot Noir barrel influence?

Medium body, at best. Carbonation is medium. Fairly dry.

I enjoyed this sour beer. Not my favorite style, but very tasty. An excellent change up from the hop trip I've been on. As a warning, stay away if you don't like tart flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2008 15:12:20 | More by

pkeigs

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 6 poured into a Great Divide snifter, I love this beer and have been lucky to be able to drink it around town on tap all summer.

Pours a ruby red brown color with a nice inch of lingering sticky head. Cherries come through on the nose followed by a little brett funk, and red wine oak. Can't wait to dive into this one. Tastes like sour cherry, little wood, little funk, great acidity. Finishes with a lingering tartness, not quite pucker sour but definitely leaves me wanting to take the next sip.

Great beer, stoked to have access to it.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2011 18:50:04 | More by pkeigs

HardTarget

Texas

4/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle Inspection: Corked and caged warning of 7% abv. Odd sized bottle, batch 001

Aroma: Rich vinegar balanced by mild cherry and vanilla notes.

Appearance: Hazy brown with some chunky floaties. Thin collar and cover gives touches of lace.

Flavor: Vanilla front going funky Lambic sour quickly with some hints of cherry skin and a sharp lemonish finish. Very unique.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, mild carbonation

Overall Impression: Sour, but not overwhelmingly so. Tart. Wild.
A good flavor, but I didn’t do a great job capturing it here in my review. It came late in a session. I recommend it.

Thanks to Eric for hand carrying it to Texas for me!

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2006 07:00:05 | More by HardTarget

Pegasus

Texas

4/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Hazy light amber in color, with a small white, and scattered, patchy lacing.

Aroma: Sharp vinegar sourness up front, with a malty, honey-like sweetness beneath, and a pronounced note of dark cherries.

Taste: Opens with sharp, tangy vinegar notes, followed by dark cherries, vanilla, lemon, and a musty, old cheese note. The finish is quite dry, with a wood note.

Mouth feel: Smooth, soft, quite full, pleasing.

Drinkability/notes: A difficult beer to review, certainly possesses a daunting complexity, but in a positive sense. Try it if you are able. Thanks to my friend and fellow BA HardTarget for sharing this rare example.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2006 14:46:56 | More by Pegasus

maximum12

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 3

I bow in a westerly direction towards swnicholson who boxed, swathed, & shipped this brew into the great Midwest.

Brew pours out golden with racing carbonation & a filmy appearance. Smells of funk & cherries.

Wow! Holy James Brown in a green suit! This has some serious funk, my first close encounter with the UFO that is brett. Plenty of pine & funk, with a mild undertow of cherries. I'm not sure if it's the brett or the carbonation or what, but the stuff puts a charge into the roof of my mouth, numbing it, & my lips start to tingle. This is either potent stuff or I better seek immediate medical attention.

Drinkability isn't there. I split this small bottle with the wife & the small pour was enough. I lick my numb lips to get the last drops. I guess that's a good sign.

I don't feel I need another, but already I'm wondering about the Avery Fifteen in the cellar & the Riserva that's headed my way via FedEx. I need to try more of this Wild Ale thing.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2008 03:05:20 | More by maximum12

DrDogbeer

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a goblet. Pours a clearish orangy-brown color with a think wispy white head. Lots of champagne type bubbles that fade quickly. I don't know if i have ever seen a color like this before, either.
WHOA- the smell is pungent. As soon as I open the beer you can get a whiff from across the room. I get a lot of vinegar, some musty red wine, some alcohol and the barnyard as well on the nose. Smell is consistenty strong throughout.
Tast is similar. I get the huge pucker of the sour cherries, vinegar etc. right up front. Aftertaste mellows it quite a bit and makes it even more enjoyable. Bit of alcohol on the end.
Nice champagne fizz on the mouthfeel.
Fairly drinkable for the style- has a lot going on throughout the beer and my mouth is pretty puckered after this one.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2008 12:30:27 | More by DrDogbeer

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Acquired from mikesgroove courtesy of the I Want That IV BIF, so a big "Thank you" goes out to him. Poured from a 375ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a light reddish golden brown color, with a large off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is full of cherries along with some yeast, light malts and a touch of hops.

T: The taste is very tart and sour up front with a strong cherry flavor. There's a thin malt character and a mild hops presence. After-taste is also quite sour. If you're into the sour beers, this is a good one for you.

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

D: Flavorful, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, even though I'm not a big fan of the sour beers, I can appreciate the fact that this is a well-made beer. It's well worth drinking for a while if you're in the mood for the sour style.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2008 23:37:11 | More by TheManiacalOne

brdc

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 003, thanks muenchnerkindl for this one.
Small corked bottle, opens with a very loud pop, poured into a tulip.

Dark golden, medium sized white head good retention and lacing.
Aroma is tart and acid, fruity, funky, with a hint of oak and vanilla.
Medium bodied yet refreshing; tart and acidic notes dominate the flavor. Fruitiness, some spiciness, with faint vanilla and oak.
This is a very nice beer, but IMHO, not nearly enough for the top 50. Certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2009 22:46:38 | More by brdc