Supplication - Russian River Brewing Company

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.13/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Blue Dog Tavern the other day.

Supplication pours an apricot amber color with fairly good head retention and lacing. On the nose, this beer is quite vinous, showing an iimpressive array of grapes, vanilla, wine and light sour. The flavor profile replicates the nose for the most part, except I'm getting a bit more wine vinegar and sour funk. The sour component definitely dominates the flavor profile, though it's not so over the top as to be unenjoyable. This beer is hugely flavorful with no more than a medium bodied mouthfeel, and the finish is long, winey and sour. This beer has almost an electric component to the flavor profile, at least that's how the sour hits me on the finish. Drinkability is pretty good, with the alcohol nearly unnoticeable. Am not a huge fan of sours beers, but this is pretty fun to drink (though I can't imagine drinking a whole lot of it). However, I confess the sour component does seem a bit more intense on draft then I recall experiencing from the bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2010 15:13:41 | More by johnmichaelsen

calir1

Oregon

4.72/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Probably my favorite sour around. As far as a taste review, I cant name everything in it, it is just sour tart and awesome. It has some great wine characteristics and a go to sour when I am at the pub. Russian River makes some wonderful sours but this one is on the top of them all

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2010 13:51:02 | More by calir1

emmasdad

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

I had been wanting to drink this one to celebrate passing the bar exam, and although I have a bottle ready to go, the opportunity to try it came up, and I didn't pass it up. Pours a somewhat medium brown, with a smallish white head. Aromas of red grapes, tart cherries and wood. On the palated, this one is bracingly sour, with fresh cherries and oak fighting the balance battle. Another nice effort from the folks at Russian River.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2010 03:21:51 | More by emmasdad

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

4.55/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at La Trappe in San Fran $8 for 25cl

A: great velvet head, rosey light brown color
S: great nose, sour with oak and malt backbone - mild to medium
T: great, good balance between sour and malt, oak, spritzy, quenching
M: excellent, spritzy and alive
D: very drinkable even at 7 ABV

Serving type: on-tap

09-22-2010 02:54:09 | More by wisrarebeer

gueuzer

Colorado

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

App- A slightly murky maroon with whitish-pink head. Lots of lactic lacing

Sm- Tart cherries, oak, funk, and a roasted toffee hiding in the back.

Ta- Cherries, but not very pronounced. The tartness is there but is seems to come from the yeast not the fruit. Funk is minimal and comes through with some barnyard smells. The malts are rich and have a some sweet caramel, toffee flavors.

MF- Small bubbles with minimal carbonation. Nice.

DR- Amazing. Another winner that can be savored slowly (because you don't want it to end) over and over.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2010 00:53:46 | More by gueuzer

biggerboat88

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a goblet it had a deep-dark orange appearance, almost ruby, with a nice layer of off-white head with great retention and a moderate amount of lacing all the way down. Sour cherries was the most upfront aroma, some grapes and yeast were also present. I love smelling a beer and already knowing that it's going to be something special. Tasted very similar, lots of sour cherry wang. It's rather sweet at first, every now and then some bitterness came through on the back of the tongue. All sorts of funk going on here, a joy to sit and sip. The carbonation kept things exciting but I didn't find it to be as bubbly as I had expected, still very crisp and light on the tongue. It was a pretty intense goblet of sweet sour funk so it's not something you're going to want all night but it was still delightfully drinkable, almost deceivingly so, drink it slowly.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2010 15:57:15 | More by biggerboat88

Jef59

New Jersey

4.53/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - a deep red-orange with a half inch of white head. The head leaves a lot of delicate thready lacing.

S - smells of cherries and tangy berries with a little wheat.

T - Let me start by saying that I love beer, and I love wine, so this is what heaven is like. Upon the first sip, my tastebuds were submerged into a vinous nirvana of sour cherries, and wheat. As I continued, flavors of berries and jam complimented hints of vanilla with a citrus-like zing and some spice.

M/D - This is like the best of both worlds! It has the rich thickness or wine and the carbonation of beer. A little heavy but I would definitely go for another.

This is one of those beers that you run into that just completely changes your appreciation for beer. Out of all the beers I have had, this is my favorite.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2010 23:51:54 | More by Jef59

oglmcdgl

Pennsylvania

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

Batch 5 on tap at bluedog landsdale.

A- come my way with a small cap of off white head that settles quickly leaving a few spots of lace. A good swirl bring the head right back to its former glory. Orange red in color with a touch of haze.

S- sour cherries and super funky wood. Mildly herbal and earthy. Vinous at times.

T- sour and tart with load of some of the funkiest oak I've come across. A clear herbal hit with rosemary and euclypus. The noir barrels lend a lot of vinous and tannic blows.

M- starts off medium in body but then you pucker and salivate thinning thing out a bit. Nice active carb. Super tannic you can almost feel the wood and grape skins on the roof of your mouth.

D- this is a bug bomb and I love it. If your looking for a complex and layered sour this is for you. Different then years past. I've noticed a very interesting herbal nuance that has been arising in the rr run. Very cool.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2010 00:15:31 | More by oglmcdgl

benclimbs

California

4.72/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On Tap @ RR brewery, was too cheap to pay $12/bottle for this at city beer or toronado - huge glass for $5 at Russian River! so good this beer is so worth $12/bottle though!

This is an almost perfect brown sour - aged in pinot noir barrels, and simply incredible...the best sour from russian river IMO, and probably the best American wild ale i've ever had.

Smell is incredible, super complex, woody, earthy, mineral wine notes, corky, and full of ripe fruit - this thing just exudes complexity.

taste is a bit like a lighter, less winey version of consecration, less woody, which allows the sour and creamy notes to come out more. its full of bad ass ripe incredible sour fruit, berries, winey, woody, leathery for sure.

mouthfeel in rich, smooth and creamy - awesome.

drinkability is 4 cause damn, this thing is intense! tried to drink another and couldn't even have half.

This is truly one of the best sours on earth, let alone in the USA - Russian River just proves over and over that they are the best brewery in the US!

Serving type: on-tap

09-09-2010 00:13:17 | More by benclimbs

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this at the brewery on 2010-08-20 in Santa Rosa, CA and again on 2011-12-03 and 2012-12-08 in Paoli, PA at TJ's.

A - Mahogany with a short tan head

S - Could smell it from two feet away. Cherries and what reminded me of the inside of a spring house on a summer day. So inviting.

T - Amazing. Like biting into a sour cherry while swigging apple cider. Sour, acidic, puckering, brilliant although I slightly prefer the Consecration.

M Light-medium boday and carbonation.

D - You could savor this until you can't walk straight :>)

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2010 18:46:10 | More by Tucquan

mkorpal

Wyoming

4.33/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Choice City Butcher and Deli in Fort Collins, Colorado. I went in for lunch and a high quality beer. But I didn't expect to see something as revered as Supplication on tap. While Older Viscosity tempted me for a moment, the choice was clear, Supplication would be the beer to accompany my fine lunch. Maybe in a few months, a bourbon barrel stout will be a bit more appetizing. Anyway, the four dollar half pint was poured into a red wine glass.

A quarter inch, white and fluffy head sat on top of the beautiful golden orange burnt honey color beer, with just the faintest hint of haze. The head didn't stick around too long, receding to a simple ring of suds around the rim of the glass. Little to no lacing was evident, but who cares. This was one of the best looking beers I have had, ever.

The smell of this beer was light and delicate. There were some hints of tart fruits, like apple and cherry, some wild bug funk, as well as a bit oakyness holding everything together.

Taste was exceptional. The funk and tart dominate the taste, with the fruity and esters hiding in the background, ready to pounce on the back of your pallet. Cherry and apple are the fruits you get, both from the cherries used in the brew, and the esters produced by the bugs. The oakyness, again, helps to hold everything together, and smooth out the tartness of the beer.

The beer has a medium, silky mouthfeel which is held in check by both the tart and the carbonation. The lactic acid and carbon do bite a bit in the back of your throat, but not in a bad way. In the end, this beer was highly drinkable.

Paired with a buffalo, cheddar, bacon, balsamic onion, and red pepper burger on a toasted bun, this beer made for the perfect meal. A bit expensive, yes, but man was it enjoyable. AS a beer advocate, this may be the pinnacle of all beer related experiences.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2010 20:16:16 | More by mkorpal

MasterSki

Illinois

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

On-tap at the brewpub. Served in a tulip glass.

A - Poured with a half-finger of ecru foam that settles to a partial cap and leaves solid lacing. Slightly hazed cherry-wood color, with a nice coppery glow.

S - Sour cherry and oak are the first major impressions. As it warms I get more sweet cherry and other fruits, and vanilla from the wood, as well as some fruity brett notes.

T - Taste is tart and sour cherry, mixed with sharp oak. Less overt sweetness and more wine character. This is a rare case where a touch more malt character would have made things better. Closer to 4.25 than a true 4.5 for me.

M - Initially sticky medium body, that finishes dry and tannic, and with no heat.

D - This is a classic Russian River sour. I could drink this regularly with little complaint other than the holes in my stomach. A must-try for all lovers of things sour.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2010 04:04:48 | More by MasterSki

jeffjeff1

California

4.47/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on tap at Russian River Brewery.

Appearance- brownish color, thin head

Smell- sour aroma, wood, cherries

Taste- sour flavor, cherries, wood

Mouthfeel- medium bodied

Drinkability- This was really good. It's one of my wife's favorite beers.

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2010 19:51:50 | More by jeffjeff1

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.93/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at RR

Nice light amber and orange with hints of ruby. Light head with little to no retention.

Tons of cherry and a sourness. Nice light brown ale scents. Light oak.

Again, tons of cherry up front. The sourness blended well with the cherry to dominate this ale. Light oak through out with subtle hints of vanilla and dark fruit.

Nice medium body and moderate carbonation. Dry through out and in the finish.

This is one of my all time favorite beers. The tap version blew my mind, so much flavor. I am assuming I had batch 5 which is the latest batch.

Well done! This is world class.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2010 04:58:49 | More by hooliganlife

philosobeer

Illinois

4.88/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured into a dessert wine glass at the Toronado. I wasn't prepared for how good this was. I way underestimated Russian River.

Appearance - Reddish brown with a pure white head. The visible effervescence is alluring.

Smell - Wow, that's complex. I knew it was made with cherries, but the nose is mostly funk. The wild yeast is the predominant characteristic. The wood aging also hits the aroma some, I'm thinking french oak. And yes, the detectable fruit characteristics are subtle but all cherry. Think earthy gouda cheese or moldy bleu also and I mean that in a good way. Hard to get my nose out of here for the first sip.

Taste - Nice and sour on the front but in a mild and approachable way. It lingers a bit and loving sours like I do it was one beautiful thing. The cherry flavor is also subtle, it doesn't overwhelm anything. There's also apple here, and apricot. There's a slight vinegar that balances some of the cherry notes. There are also some funky notes that taste somehow earthy.

Mouthfeel - Light bodied, and bubbly. Silky, too.

Drinkability - I could have gone back and ordered only glass after glass of this beer and never get tired of it. The next night I went back to the same bar and ordered one of these again as soon as I got there, and almost ordered another right away, but wanted to try other beers I can't get in Chicago.

Notes: Very easily became my favorite sour beer in the U.S. I was charmed immediately. It's the best thing this brewery does out of the four or five I had of theirs.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2010 10:11:01 | More by philosobeer

klikger

Wisconsin

4.38/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Russian River

A - Medium shade of brown with a touch of red; very little white head, yet great lacing

S - Sour cherries and raspberries with a bunch of funky yeast. I'm drooling on myself.

T - Tart cherries, vinegar, and brett are tasted from the get-go. The middle is dominated by lemon juice, and this finishes like a quality, sour vinaigrette.

M - Medium-bodied and awesomely acidic - makes the sides of my mouth tingle. Good amount of carbonation.

D - Good drinkability - it's sour enough to offset the fruit factor.

Another RR wild, another great experience. I need to move to Santa Rosa.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2010 22:14:32 | More by klikger

Soonami

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A wonderful beer I had on tap at Local 44 during beer week. This was the last beer we had in our session and I'm glad because not much really stands up to the acidity and flavor of this beer. It has beautiful bouquet with fresh cherry and grape notes with toasted oak, barnyard and sharp acid. The taste was very much wine like with an interesting combination of both fresh and aged character, there was low apparent bitterness that seemed to get lost in the tartness, but that was enough to just provide balance.. The grape and cherry fruit flavors dominate this beer, with the bret and wild character providing a background of interest. This was a great beer to share because at 10 oz, I think this is the most I could drink before I would no longer be able to taste the different individual flavors and my palate was shot.

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2010 04:07:55 | More by Soonami

djmichaelk

Florida

4.43/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On draft at the excellent Rose & Crown in Palo.

A - Hazy pinkish-orange, with a two-finger head that doesn't last too long. Thin cap and generous lacing on the glass as it goes down.

S - Cherries dominate the nose, not sweet but very sour. At first there is a bit of funk around the edges, then the sour cherries come right up the middle. I had my nose in the glass most of the night.

T - The cherries are much more subtle than I would've thought from the aroma. They linger in the background, you know they're there but they never really step into the spotlight. Sourness is the king of the ring here. Not just cherries but apple cider and maybe a little bubblegum and brown sugar around the edges. No alcohol that I can detect.

M - Pretty light, which works well with the other characteristics of this beer. Substantial but also dancing across the tongue.

D - A mixed bag... As much as I love this beer, the sourness just gets to me after a while and I need a change of pace. But I keep coming back to it.

O - I sampled six beers last night, and this is the only one I had several of. And next time I go back I'll certainly have more -- hell, it'll be the reason I go back.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2010 12:04:31 | More by djmichaelk

Foxman

New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

It pours a hazy amber brown with a fat finger of creamy light tan head. Tongues of lacing lick the inside of the glass.

In the aroma, the yeast is a force, with a barnyard straw element that yields...well, funk. Lemony tart grain, Bretty sourness, and leather keeps things down to earth.

Upon sipping, a tangy grain flavor is sweet and bolstered by molasses. Sour lemon and pie cherries snug up through the center, along with wet oak and a hint of vanilla. A touch of vinous grapes join with a broader and more vague overall fruitiness as a light blush of alcohol warms the palate. The sourness is countermanded by an equal residual sweetness that leads to a puckering, peppery finish, complete with a gritty crispness and even a hint of coconut. This is simply a tremendous yeasty display of sweet and sour dueling with the best parts of earth and its grains.

Medium bodied, it has a lithe creaminess that intrigues as the glowing dryness puckers the mouth for some time indeed.

No, it is not the beer for every drinker, but if this is what you crave, then it will give up its bounty with glee and make you among the happiest imbibers out there. It's balanced on a knife's edge between the sweet and the sour, with the earthy goodness that damp, fertile soil of a barnyard will provide you. It has a manageable ABV, and it drinks as though it were devoid of anything that would caution you to have a care. Not only do I appreciate the style, I appreciate everything it entails. It's beers like this that make it oh so easy to do exactly that.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2010 18:05:49 | More by Foxman

BigIrishman

New Jersey

4.65/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours dark ruby red with a quickly dissipating head. No lace and like a red wine leaves a gentle coating on the glass.

Smell: Cherries and grapes gone wild. The classic barnyard funk surrounds a very fruity concoction of delicious sour cherry and hints of that vinous red grape that is buried under the cherry.

Taste: Big blast of fruit and sourness. Although powerful, the tartness doesn't overpower this beer at all. The beer develops as you drink it from straight up cherry sourness to a funky undercurrent of fresh red grapes and berries. Overall this beer is so complex just like its sister consecration. I feel like I need a PhD to wrap my head around it. No real hints on the high alcohol content.

Mouthfeel: Bouncy on the tongue from the high carbonation, but overall fairly viscous and smooth. Body is about medium to heavy.

Drinkability: This beer is truely great stuff, while it's hard to really put this stuff down to quickly...It's not hard to finish a glass or two. Like I said about consecration, this is a special occasion type of brew.

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2010 13:25:53 | More by BigIrishman

stewart124

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I got a chance to try this at the Toronado in San Francisco. Poured into a tiny tulip glass with just a whisp of head atop this dark copper colored beer.

The smell is exactly what I would expect from a wild ale. Lots of winey characteristics, floral aromas and just a funky aroma in general.

Suprisingly balanced and a sourness that is sharp but appealing. Very unique flavors of cherry, wood and a light caramel note. As expected this finishes very dry and puckering. While sipping this more complex cherry notes come on.

Pleasing wild ale which seems simple yet complex all the way through. Maybe it just confused my palate though since I haven't had too many wild ales. This is a tasty ale to say the least.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2010 11:42:00 | More by stewart124

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured a clear orange color with a limited amount of white head that dissovled quickly and left a faint amount of lace on the glass. Nose is a fruity sourness that is somewhat reminescent of oranges. Taste is tart, funky, sour and includes a bit of the previously hinted fruitiness. Light bodied and highly carbonated it has quite a dry finish. As it warms my palate becomes increasingly perplexed as I pick up on tastes of funky must coupled with dry fruits nearly apple-like but sour like a green apple candy. Brett is apparent in both smell and taste without being dominating. Each sip is so drying and puckering that it is hard to stop, put down the glass and stop salivating. This is a very interesting beverage that I found enjoyable and another example of a style I'm not quite familiar with but really enjoy and look forward to trying more.

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2010 18:50:42 | More by stakem

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Draft pour into an elongated chalice, I'm guessing 12 oz @ $7.25. Much more economical than purchasing a bottle. (Although I've done that too @ $17 and have seen as high as $25. The bottle is 375 mL, slightly more than 12 ounces...)

A: Pours with a small white linen colored head that never quite forms. Tight knit bubbles with decent retention, but only in the form of a thin crescent moon shaped collar. Some stick is provided from the collar as I sip, but most of any would-be lacing slides slowly back down. Plenty of bubbles float through the blush colored body. There is a slight haze to the body. 85% transparent.

S & T: The aroma is brett dominated, funkiness with a semi sweet and sour fruit quality. Not exactly identifiable as cherries in my opinion, but definitely sour fruit. Wood flavors of cedar and oak. Vinous, lightly tannic and very acidic. Absolutely incredible.

M: An INdisputable, IRRefutable "5" hands down. The mouthfeel is actually a "6"! The sourness is enhanced by the wildly fine carbonation caused by the brettanomyces and other bugs. Completely tongue and throat coating with a desert dry finish.

D:

[BARTENDER] Oh, FeDUBBELFIST, I see you've finished your Supplication. Would you care for another?

[FeDUBBELFIST, with a look as hard as nails needs to say nothing at all, the bartender realizes he's asked a stupid question and serves him another...on the house]

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2010 17:19:19 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

After getting married and moving, I have found my notepad once again. From my wedding/honeymoon in Sonoma, I was lucky to spend and afternoon at Russian River.

A: A brownish tan color, almost caramel looking with some orange hues. Provides a small white foam head.

S: A wonderful cherry tart smell with a hint of oak. The tart cherry scent is the most present and it smells very inviting.

T: One thing I learned in wine country is to sip once, then sip twice and let it linger on the palate. First sip, I was not sure what to make of it, but as I tasted my 2nd and 3rd sips, I began to really enjoy this. A truly great cherry tart is present throughout. Through the middle and backend, the slight citrus and oak flavors come through. I kept drinking and drinking this enjoying it thoroughly.

M: Leaves a slight tart flavor on the palate. Very pleasing and not too over powering. The mouth finishes very dry.

D: I really liked this beer a lot. At first sip I was unsure of it, but as I drank more and more, I came to appreciate this gem!

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2010 20:59:00 | More by IronCitySteve

Vonerichs

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Toronado, SF.

Lighting was dark, but the color appeared to be a red-orange rusty color. Minimal head or lacing.

The smell is like fresh cherries and brett. Sour, but not too sour, and funky.

A rather unique beer, I must say. Cherries, sour and tart, a touch of wood, and funky yeast.

The body is medium and the carbonation reminds me of a sparkling wine. Mouth. Puckering.

This was equally fun to smell as it was to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2010 23:11:41 | More by Vonerichs