Supplication - Russian River Brewing Company

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

seanwilson530

California

4.34/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Had this beer during the same trip that I tried Pliney. Wild beer. So much going on. I'm not too much of a fan of wild ales, however this one was very drinkable. Again, a barage (is that how you spell that?) of flavors going off in my mouth. Yeasty, bready, well balanced with hops and the sublte taste of the wine barrel that it was aged in. Not as good as Pliny, but a very good ale to say the least. An enjoyable pint!

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2013 22:55:14 | More by seanwilson530

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

California

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

BreweryRun

California

4.44/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Ruby color with a small head. Smells strongly of tart cherries and sour grapes and tastes the same. Not an offensive flavor, very tasty. Overall, taste is dominated by a pleasant tart cherry flavor. Of all the sour beers I have had (which is only about 5) this is far and away the best. I would eagerly have a full pint of this which is more than I can say with most sours.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2013 05:47:32 | More by BreweryRun

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

jvillefan

California

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

A: Deep copper color body with an ivory white head.

S: Dar sour grapes with pleasant sour esters.

T: Very rich sour dark grape and sour apple flavors. There is a slight sweet caramel malt character as well.

M: Thick body with a great bit from both the alcohol and the carbonation.

O: Great beer. Russian Rivers best rotational sour.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2013 17:56:16 | More by jvillefan

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

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.61/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

bottle to Ommegang flute

A: Orange to brown in color it has a small tan to brown head that leaves a thick lacing around top of the glass. It is semi translucent but not cloudy, it looks clean and there is some carbonation that can be seen.

S: you can smell the wine from the pino barrels for sure and there is definitely the smell of sour cherries (I only know they are sour cherries because it says so on the bottle) they have a sweetness to them and they become the dominant smell. There is also a little bit of that yeasty funk but you have to really try to smell it.

T: to start you can definitely taste the pino barrels and other yeasts, but then there is a sweetness that kicks in and mixes with that tart wine flavor. Then the sour starts to kick and you realize that the sweetness was definitely the sour cherries as the cherry flavor is apparent. The finish is that sweetness which is then taken over by the pino and yeasts that leads to that wine/champagne flavor that lasts for a good five seconds.

M: It is smooth and somewhat carbonated with the refermentation process giving it a light champagne like feel. Though the thing that makes this goes down really easily is the fact this thing is super oily, but not overwhelming.

O: I continue to be extremely impressed with russian river sours I would go as far as to say I love this beer it is delicious, has so much depth and so many flavors. It pretty much has everything as advertised cherries pino and yeast/sour taste, I can't think of how to improve it. Its not the best beer I've ever had, but its definitely up there I highly recommend this beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 01:18:20 | More by Pinknuggets

bmwats

Louisiana

4.11/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 500 ml bottle into a tulip.

A: Golden amber. Not much head and no real lacing to speak of.

S: Sourdough bread, and raspberry.

T: Flavor follows suit.... bready, raspberry and fermented cherry. A little alkaline

M: Slightly bitter with a dry finish.

D: Enjoy....

Atmosphere is pretty solid. Nice appearance although not much in terms of head or lacing. Nose is a basic but a strong fruity bready combo. Flavor is fruity, but only a little sweet, white bready. Overall, this is a great quaff.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 07:45:42 | More by bmwats

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A-Pours a lightly turbid brownish hue. The body is misty, yet semi-clear. The head retains its stature proudly and doesn't waver much. Foamy lacing patches cling to the glass.

S-When initially served, it was a bit too cold and the aroma was stunted. However, as it warmed I really was impressed. A triad of wine, ale and sour yeast. The tart cherries are eccentric and enticing. The distinct Pinot Noir aroma rises and strengthens as the glass warms. Musty, dusty and oaky. The base ale also lends some pleasant malted aromas as well.

T-The flavor wowed me as well. The initial tartness of the yeast and cherries stunned my palate. As my tongue became accustomed to the flavors, I was able to pick up the delectable offerings of the barrel-aging process. Supplication is vinous and bretty while also staying sweet and ripe. I love the must, dust and oak that is found both in flavor and aroma. Perfect level of sourness.

M-Lighter side of medium bodied. Whizzing carbonation. Off-dry. No hints of alcohol. Supplication drinks with epic ease. I licked my lips and they even tasted tart.

O/D-What a success. One of the best Sours I have come across. Deserves its nearly godly reputation. This could turn any wine lover into a beer lover with one quick sip.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2013 20:48:17 | More by VelvetExtract

Beerandboards

New Mexico

4.08/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

6/2012 vintage

A - Color is a burnt orange somewhat carmel-y colored. Poured a little cold, about 2 inches of foam rises from a down the middle pour and dissipates quickly. Quite a few strings of champagne looking bubbles rise through the glass.

S - Smells awesome. Lots of dry wood, some fruit-y type character that I cant quite pint point. This is one of the first beers I've tried (admittedly not a lot sours) where I get that funky barnyardy type smell. (at least I think thats what it is) just a slight funky-ness to it. Not offputting, really great in fact.

T - First sip is a kick in the teeth of sourness. Lots of tart dark cherry. Some sweet apple cider vinegar type notes as it warms up. Oak. Clean and crisp sour finish on the end.

M - Nice level of carbonation for the medium its working in. Some nice bubbly carbonation. Nice light-medium thickness.

O - This is a really great sour beer. On the sour side of balanced, I think lots of people could enjoy this, as it really plays all the bases well. I'm interested to see what its like after some time in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 22:59:08 | More by Beerandboards

themind

New Jersey

4.91/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

American wild ale aged for 15 months in pinot noir barrels. Well that about sums it up! this brew is an excellent variation of the style. Great aroma, taste and mouth feel I could drink several of these in a sitting.If you love wine and beer then this is right up your alley. Top notch World Class beer worth the trouble of attaining.

Bottom Line: World Class offering.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 15:52:49 | More by themind

tut2528

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a huge shout out to matttYce and beachstrength49 for this biggin'

A: the pour is an awesome amber mixed with ruby hints (moderate transparency). i got about 1/2 fingers worth of head formation on a semi aggressive pour, but it was so carbonated (like cola) that it quickly dissipatated

S: the aroma just spews out during the pour. immediately, i get huge aromas of sour and tart cherries, vinegar, and funky yeasts. there is an aweome wood character in the backbone that holds this brew together. its just an awesome aromatic brew to be honest

T: damn! this brew is simply delicious. there is such an aweome balance betwen the wine/barrel characteristics and the sourness, it is truly hard to describe. there is big tart fruitness in the body, that is well balanced with vingear. i get some funkiness but its so well intergrated into the beer!

M: with each and every sip, the salivary glands freak out. highly carbonated, and on a lighter side of medium bodied. it leaves a delightful tartness yet alcohol-heatness on the palate that consistently provides salivation.

O: this is a brew that I honestly wish I had access to everyday. It is truly phenomenal, and something that I will consistenly seek out. My only wish was that it was bottled in 750ml bottles. i want more!!!

Again, thank you so much matttYCE and beachstrength49 for this brew! you guys are awesome!

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 03:27:32 | More by tut2528