Supplication - Russian River Brewing Company

GuzzLah

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - pours a hazy amber with a standard head that dissipates and forms a ring around the glass. No lace. Too hazy to see bubbles.

S - relatively soft aroma. Pedio/lacto sourness, sour cherry, oak, soft malt and pinot noir.

T - is similar to the aroma. Sour cherry dominates upfront, but not intense like a Kriek. Pinot noir and oak follows the cherry in the finish. Very nice flavor!

M - medium body. Creamy, bubbly and slightly oily. Quite acetic with a long and really pleasantly warm winey finish.

O - absolutely delicious. The pinot noir barrels compliment a sour cherry ale very nicely.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 21:15:02 | More by GuzzLah

wyatt13

Illinois

4.46/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Received this bottle in a trade with PlinyElderTouchesYounger – thanks again! Bottle is dated 12/17/12. Poured from a 375 ml. bottle into my Lost Abbey teku glass.

A – Pours a deep red, almost bordering on some purple notes. A frothy white head quickly fizzles away, but plenty of energetic carbonation keeps running all around. I was careful with the pour, so it is perfectly clear without any stray yeast floating around.

S – Big sour grape and apple aromas careen around my sinuses. Whoa momma, this smells nice and tart. A vinegary and funky blend that is amazingly complex. Absolutely mouthwatering.

T – Holy man, this has wave upon wave of flavor, with definite shifts in the flavors that come out during each sip. Tart and crisp acidity transitions to a mix of the red wine barrels and funkiness of the Brett. This is shockingly balanced.

M – The abundant carbonation is a bit harsh, detracting from the mouthfeel a bit in my opinion. A medium-light body that is slightly drying.

O – This is a beautiful beer – brilliant complexity and balance in both the smell and the taste. This was my first Russian River sour – I hope the others are on the same tier because I will most certainly be seeking them out now.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 03:35:25 | More by wyatt13

tectactoe

Michigan

4.4/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Jeff for cracking this with me, the last of the "regular" Russian River sours for me to try. Supplication pours a mildly translucent copper color with some very deep orange-ish hints throughout. Much like the rest of these sours, the off-white head wisps away fairly quickly without leaving anything behind to tell you that it ever existed.

Calling the aroma of Supplication "sour" or "tart" would hardly do it justice - it is extremely tantalizing to the saliva glands from the very first whiff. Sour, black cherries, grapes, apples, huge amounts of vinous notes, most likely from the Pinot Noir barrels. Secondary, yet still integral aromas include vinegar and a solid brazing of wet oak. The funk certainly hanging about, too; very light horsey aromas, along with some musty cellar, wet hay, and faintly cheesy funk. Highly complex, and a wonderful aroma overall.

Up front, big-time vinegar and vinous flavors immediately jump out and start thrashing my tongue right away. The oak and barrel flavors are also amplified much more on the palate than they were on the nose, coming out heavy with some large grape skins, cherries, and apple. A huge collage of a nearly fifty-fifty split of juicy fruits and more sophisticated vinous flavors. Supplication is exceedingly tart and puckering with a lasting and somewhat acidic sourness that will keep your palate on its toes the whole time.

The tartness may be dominant, but the funk is not to be forgotten. Lots of Brett shines from the middle into the finish; cork, wet wood, light barnyard, and a super dry funk to close everything out. Though it's only 7% ABV, some alcohol characteristics become noticeable upon warming, more so adding another layer of complexity rather than being a nuisance. The mouth feel is dry and crispy with heavy carbonation; thin-medium bodied, wet and slick.

Wow, yet another fantastic Russian River sour. Drinkable beyond belief, as long as you don't mind a stomach ulcer or two. I'd put this one right around the middle of the pack of their regular line-up of sours (which is saying quite a bit, because even the bottom ones in my opinion are still damn good). I prefer this to Consecration and Sanctification, it's a bit more complex and has a better balance of tart and funk. All these sours make me upset that I don't receive Russian River distribution.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 02:38:58 | More by tectactoe

SHODriver

California

4.75/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A: poured into a Russian River 'tion' glass to a deep reddish brown with a small bone colored head that fades quickly to a collar around the glass
S: smells of sour fruits, some oakyness and tanins, and some slight funk
T: sour cherries up front with some good acetic courness, a bit of vanilla and oak with lingering sourness throughout the drink. swallow brings some tannins and solvent flavors with a bit more vanilla and oak
M: medium in the mouth with soft and slightly prickly carbonation with a slightly dry finish
O: probably the gold standard of american wild ales and sour beers. very good with a great amount of sourness and great flavors. top notch across the board

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 06:40:33 | More by SHODriver

Doc_Hops

Pennsylvania

4.69/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A- Supplication pours a wonderfully deep amber/ brown hue with hints of dark red around the edges of the glass. The head is off white lingering on light tan and it is quickly disappearing.

S- The pinot noir is very evident and dominates the nose. Dark, sour cherries are quite present as well. Absolutely no hop aroma to speak of. Some residual fruit sweetness on the back end as well.

T- Just like the smell, the wine is very present. Sour grapes and cherries shine through. It's almost squint worthy. It's a little yeasty but not too much.

M- Quite tangy this one. Its lip-smackingly good but it also makes my right eye squint at times. The pinot noir resonates more than anything and I'm loving it. Very easily drinkable at 7.75% as well.

O- Spectacular beer. It's bitey, tangy, sour, a little sweet, and complex. Awesome, unique take on a style that is constantly changing. Good stuff from RR.

Serving Type- 12oz bottle poured into an oversized wine glass. Thanks for reading.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 04:06:46 | More by Doc_Hops

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

4.95/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottled 8/27/12

Appearance: Cloudy amber with a 1/2 finger of white head that eventually recedes down to a small layer.

Smell: Intense! Definitely some barrel character, cherries, Brettanomyces, strawberries, tart sugary sweetness.

Taste: Tart cherry/strawberry sweetness hit the tip of the tongue right away. The second wave of flavor reveals the deep, complex and delicious barrel character, where the Noir notes really stand out. After the second wave passes, there is some subtle cherry remaining, but it cuts off very sharply and leads into a crisp and dry finish. It's almost like your palate is in such shock from the intense experience, that is has to reset itself for revisiting the intensity of the next sip. It finishes so clean at the end with this sudden cutoff; it's almost like someone flips an off switch at the end of every sip.

Mouthfeel: Perfect balance of weight and carbonation. Wow.

Overall: This is hands down the best sour I've ever had. Would love to get my hands on more of this. Does that sum it up?

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 01:38:13 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.54/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to ??? for this bottle. Probably leschkie, but it might be crushedvol or some other amazing BA...

A: Pours a beautiful red/amber with a half finger of off-white head. The foam settles fairly quickly, leaving only a velvet lining around the edges of the glass. Spotty lacing as it drinks.

S: Not to be surprised. The nose is sour with a big helping of sour cherry. I also get mild vanilla, some lacto, and a small floral component.

T: It starts out sweet, but only for a fraction of a second. The tart cherries take immediate control of this beer and refuse to let go. It's sour and tart, smooth and puckering. There is huge red cherry in the middle as it tightens up with a mild vanilla presence. The back end is super tart, drying, and palate wrecking.

M: Medium bodied beer. It's sweet to start, tart and sour in the middle, and super tart and drying in the back end. It hits the palate fast with taste-bud destroying tart, but it mellows out in the middle. It's coats the palate, is sticky, and lingers for quite awhile after the beer is gone.

O: Wonderful. This is a perfect wild ale for cherry and/or sour fans. There is a ton of fruit flavor and a good bit of mellowing oak sensibilities. I don't get a lot of brett out of this beer, but the lacto is quick intense. I prefer some of the other Russian River sours to this (not a big cherry fan) but it's undeniable that this is a world class wild. It's a sipper for sure, and I'd be through the roof to have a few more bottles of this in the future.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 21:56:13 | More by trxxpaxxs

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.85/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

375ml C&C bottle dated 12/17/12, popped and poured into a Russian River snifter glass and quaffed today, 4/23/2013. Thanks to powz87 for hooking me up with this amazing wild.

Aroma: Lots of tart cherries and sour + sweet wine grapes, all in a fantastic way. There is a sickly bittersweet scent that reminds me of a good red wine but somehow different- maybe more of the sweet rather than the bitter. A little bit of oak too. Altogether, it's a funky, sour and sweet beer that smells great. The first whiff of the nose made me excited to drink this one. (5)

Colour: Pours a hazy dark red-brown, almost a very dark amber with a thick 2cm off-white head that sticks around for about a minute before it bows out, leaving a foamy collar. The lacing is quite sticky and pretty. Overall, a very good looking beer. (4)

Flavour: Damn! This thing is sour as hell. Its got that tartness of cherry, but also that funky sourness that I've come to associate with wild yeast (thank homebrew infections). But its also got a delicious underlying sweetness that seems to come from the underlying malt- it's cherry, grape, raspberry all in one. So if that makes sense, its sweet and sour all at once and in an almost overwhelming fashion. I really love the tartness as it sticks with you the entire time, but its complemented very well by the fruit sweetness. Freaking amazing experience! (5)

Mouthfeel: Thinner medium bodied brew with excellent carbonation. It's somewhat resinous and coats my tongue in pure sourness along with the fizzy carbonation. The aftertaste is of course sour, with some sweetness all at the same time. It's a true pleasure to drink. (4)

Overall: I'm amazed at how good this beer is. It disappeared so quickly- it's that easy to drink and appreciate. Smells great, tastes great and overall deserves its reputation as probably the best AWA out there. Sour as hell yet has its sweetness that makes it an incredible sensory experience. If you hate sours, you should still try this beer. If you love sours, chances are you've already had this beer. So I don't know if my review will contribute anything to this site, except to show how much I love drinking this Russian River brew. World class stuff. (5)

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 01:02:09 | More by Stevedore

pkalix

California

4.99/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

$14 for a 12oz bottle of beer....
pours exactly as the last guy stated...."hazy amber, thin head, minimal lacing"... exactly....
smell is awesome. sour cherry. i really like the sours; love the belgian petrus. this one has the twist of the cherries...
really like the sour taste. but it isnt a 'sipper' as far as i'm concerned. i prefer a full gulp to slosh around inside my mouth and let all my taste buds enjoy.... it is a cherry flavor, and there are other 'berry' flavors seemingly in there and i can definitely drink these continually throughout the evening... but once you get the 'sour' you kind of need to continue with the sour as it throws the flavor off everything else... which is the best reason of all to pop that petrus i've been saving for the last six months....
there's a tingly kind of small-bubble carbonation and overall i really really like this brew. i dont want to abuse the 'straight 5' review and i dont want to be intimidated by the super high price i had to pay to try this brew, but i honestly feel it is worthy of 5s across the panel. for me, as much as i absolutely LOVE the sour beers, this one is a complete winner and as close to nirvana as i plan to ever get; thus, the marks.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 23:53:45 | More by pkalix

brstls4drmrs

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A - It pours a hazy amber color with a thin head and minimal lacing. Its slightly translucent but the haze gets in the way on certain angles.

S - Fruit forward with sour cherries and hints of raspberries, grapes and brown sugar. You can definitely smell the sourness but its not overpowering.

T - Cherry sourness all around with a sweetart aftertaste. Very nice.

M - Coats your palate and lingers a bit afterwards but very pleasing. Definitely a sipper.

O - A very nice brew. Would love to get more.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 02:41:42 | More by brstls4drmrs

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.64/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

a slightly hazy burgundy in color (deep red!) with a slight hint of foam that quickly dissipated. smells of cherries, wine grapes, bubble gum, funky yeast, cork. WOAH YEAH that is exactly what i want in a sour. a fantastic sour ! lots of wild yeast flavors, very tart cherry.. definitely getting some oak wooden flavor.. holy crap though, it's just a very tart delicious wine-like, champagne-like blend of funkyness mixed in with such a tangy sourness that wrecks your mouth in one shot. i love it. medium body, high carbonation. very sour and tart.

i can't even come up with words to describe how delicious this is. i will leave it at this: i am fairly new to the world of sours, but was spoiled from day one, having such things as fou foune, la femme fatale, sonderho hipster ale. i've had plenty of other sours since, and they just haven't had that tangy sourness as fou foune.. even the cantillon kriek was good, but not on par with fou foune. THIS, however, supplication is just as acidic and sour.. not as fruity, more vinegary-acidic with cherries and grape flavor.. but still. a completely delicious, cheek wrecking, dimple giving sour beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 02:55:12 | More by facundoCNB

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

HopHeadCnK

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

To date I had tried duchesse, monks cafe, petrus sour blonde, dissident, and odio equus. I knew the hype was all around sours and had always thought of them as more of a novelty thing, not really understanding where the craze was coming from. Tried my first supplication from russian river...i absolutely get it now. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:01:32 | More by HopHeadCnK

Resuin

Massachusetts

4.31/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

375 mL bottle poured into a Teku Glass. Bottled on 12/17/12 which is about 3 months ago, as of this review.

Appearance: Pours a medium brown/cherry color and leaves a finger or two of off-white head.

Smell: A good amount of funk, some cherries but not overwhelming; quite sour just from the aroma

Taste: Funk, vinegar, cherries, apple cider. A good amount of sour, but not too much. Some oaky woodiness as a background flavor as well. Tasty.

Mouth-feel: Well carbonated, and the lactic acid/sourness makes it not exactly smooth, but it's not rough going down either. However, what is interesting to me is that this one is nearly 8% alcohol and there is no hint of that.

Overall: Definitely a quality sour. I expected the cherries to come out a bit more than they have, but I think they definitely help this one, and leave it well balanced, especially for the slightly higher ABV for a sour.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 01:59:15 | More by Resuin

raynmoon

California

4.45/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Looks nice. A good amber color with a slight hint of red, small head that slowly disappears.

The smell is very deep. Sweet tart cherries, some funk, sugar/ candy. Smells great. Not very potent.

Tastes wonderful. Tart, but not sour, lots of carbonation, sweet, vinous, acidic and funky but rounded out. I like

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 05:32:08 | More by raynmoon

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Batch #4. Poured from a 375 ml cork n cage bottle into a Bell's tulip.

A- pours a dark copper with a 3" light tan head. Big trails and patches of lacing remain on the glass.

S- huge vinegar, tart cherries, oak, vinous notes

T- tart cherries, vinegar, vinous notes, oak, earthiness

M- medium body and high carbonation. Huge pop of the cork. Effervescent and dry, with a palate wrecking sour and dry aftertaste.

O- 8/10 sourness, amazing sour! From the nose I expected more cherry but being 4 years old it makes sense the the cherries may have faded. Just enough cherry to balance the vinegar and sourness.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 02:56:17 | More by kawilliams81

Jparker37

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

375ml corked bottle. Batch 010 Poured into an oversized tulip.

A - Light tan head has an orange tint, tight bubbles. Good clarity from a gentle pour. Amber in color. Minimal lacing left on the glass.

S - Little bit of brett character in the glass that had more sediment. Candied valentines day hearts. Tartness is hard to identify but it's present in the background.

T - Puckering sourness is all over this beer. The fruitiness seems like unrippened cherry/raspberry with a little bit of bitterness to it. The finish is cleaner from a pour that has less sediment in the glass. Little acetobacter/cider vinegar flavor. Small amount of sweetness dries up quickly.

M - Medium to medium-light body, tingly medium carbonation, pretty dry feel.

O - Enjoyed the complexity in the aroma, many things going on here. Stark contrast to the taste portion. Flavor-wise this beer shows a lot of harder to find dimensions/flavors. Feel was what I would look for to compliment.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 20:30:20 | More by Jparker37

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

4.58/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

62212 batch...not too old at all

A - this one pours a nice red burgundy with some nice fuzzy loving at the bottom; the head is rimmed with solid lacing; plenty of funky chunks settled at the bottom

S - I get the cherry right away, with some white grapes, musty oak, and subtle Pinot hints

T - the cherry musty tart thing is what this beer is all about; the grape notes persist as well; there are some lemon hints with some tangy notes...like a liquid version of a sweet and sour

M - the mouth on this one really shines...it's near flawless in the feel; carbonation is perfect, and at 7%, this'll pack a punch while still hitting light and easy; awesome on the mouth

O - I'm still not a huge sour guy, but this beer is top notch; the flavors are light, refreshing, and crisp...while still maintaining complexity. Love the cherries, oak, must, lemon tart elements...awesome beer and at the top in its style!

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 03:29:29 | More by SkeeterBoganski

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.63/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Acquired in a trade from chalupa_batman, thanks man!

A- Pours a vibrant maroon colored, slightly hazy body with a fizzy 1" white head that rises and reduces pretty quickly to leave a tiny white ring. No lacing. Some settling.

S- I get tart cherries, granny smith apples, white grapes, a musty woodiness, fermented pears, slight funk, and some slight red wine notes.

T- Wow. This is blowing me out of my chair. Starts off robust and sour with sour cherry, green apple, and vinegar notes, further evaluation reveals a leathery woodyness that really compliments the acidic character of this beer. Wine-like aftertaste, particular a dry astringency that's typical of a dry red wine.

M- Medium body, crisp and perfectly carbonated. Hard to put down.

This is quite a beer. I'm honored to have been able to taste one of the best sours out there - and I was highly impressed. It's complex, robust, and balanced. The acidity is not cloying in the least bit and works well with the wine/barrel notes. A must try for all beer advocates.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 03:31:21 | More by gcamparone

falc0n2600

California

4.95/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I was incredibly spoiled for this to be the first sour beer I ever tried, on New Year's Eve 2012. $12 for a 12 oz bottle, and worth it. Dark red in appearance with incredible champagne-like bubbling that didn't stop. The bubbles felt great without being overpowering. The various yeasts combined to create a not-overpowering sour flavor mostly of cherries and wine grapes with some slight wood flavors from the Pinot barrels. Such an awesome beer. Having now tried a bunch of Russian River sours, this is still my favorite, although Consecration tastes very similar and is somewhat stronger.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 06:01:19 | More by falc0n2600

steeb

4.83/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a copper/brown with a thin white head. Slight opacity

S: Grapes, cherrirs, and sourness. Like grape candy.

T: Tart. Deep robust wine character. Cherries. Amazing

M: Light bodied really let's the flavors shine.

O: Just another great Russian River sour. Cherries and pino noir are a very nice touch

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 06:53:16 | More by steeb

MCain04

Illinois

4.66/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

375ml bottle, Batch 010, split with a friend, poured into a snifter glass slightly below cellar temp.

Appearance: Hazy dark orange/red with creamy white head, great retention and lacing.

Smell: Sweet tart fruit, a lot of sour cherries, a little of the pinot peeks through nicely.

Taste: Sweet, tart, cherries, the taste lingers and coats the tongue pleasantly. If the pinot was a little more forward it'd be a 5/5.

Mouthfeel: Smooth with moderate carbonation. sticky finish.

Overall: One of the best AWAs you'll ever have. A real pleasure to drink. Pretty close to perfect.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 20:26:39 | More by MCain04

brewskis

Indiana

4.46/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy, dark brownish ruby color with a half finger head that dissipates very slowly and leaves a blanket of lacing. Tons of sediment, but that is expected with the amount of yeast added. Smells of funky, sour cherries, oak, vinegar, grapes, lots of funkiness. Lots of dryness that really does give it a wine-like smell. Smells almost like a cherry warhead. Taste starts with a very astringent, dry, sour cherry flavor, as well as some oak and funkiness. Then get some of the brown ale qualities: slight breadiness, maybe some cocoa (but i could just be imagining that), some carmel malt. Then the astringent sour notes from the brett and bacteria come back even stronger, along with lots more cherry, grape, funkiness, vinegar, oak, some carmel. Extremely dry finish that blends the wine and the beer qualities nicely. So sour, yet extremely balanced. High medium body with a creamy mouthfeel. Very lively carbonation from the refermentation that does give it a very champagne-like crisp finish. Very complex and so delicious. Just getting into this style, but I have a feeling I won’t come across many sours better than this one. Hope to try this again someday.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 02:46:59 | More by brewskis

ElSid

California

4.73/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

The Beers of California

#64

Batch 008

A: Gorgeous deep amber to burgundy with an off white head of foam which dissipates quickly to a faint cling to the glass.

S: Mostly balsamic vinegar and wood with some tart cherries with touches of sweetness.

T: The base is wood, leather and earth, which loses itself in notes of acetic acid, cherry tartness, green grapes, sprinkles of sea salt, and sour funk from the yeast and bacteria. The pleasant sour bite is the focal point of this brew which is the base for the complexity from the Pinot barrels, cherries, and yeast / bacteria blend.

M: Medium bodied with a nice syrupy linger that is at the same time smooth with faint carbonation and almost no lace on the glass.

O: The melange of flavors sums to an indescribable concoction that grays the area between beer and wine. The product is a sour ale with flavors that are boldly distinct yet combine together with synergism. A wonderful brew that is a must try for all beer lovers out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 04:08:06 | More by ElSid

Immortale25

Florida

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

Poured into a snifter. Label says 082712

A- Pours a rubyish light brown color with a 1/2 inch tan head that bears little retention time before fizzing away to a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a small patch of surface foam. Non-resilient lacing slides quickly down the glass.

S- Bright fruity nose with some lactic acid sourness. Notes of cherries, grape juice and plum. Slightly effervescent.

T- Semi-heavy sourness plays off the cherry and other fruit notes well with some vinegar in the aftertaste. Not much else going on but there doesn't need to be. Very straightforward.

M- Prickly and crisp with a tartness that causes the mouth to salivate after every sip. Medium-low carbonation is a surprise but doesn't detract from the overall experience. Medium body.

O- Finally starting to truly develop a palate for sours. This one isn't my favorite, but it drinks well and has enough sweetness to balance.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 02:13:39 | More by Immortale25