Beatification - Russian River Brewing Company

FosterJM

California

4.23/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

1260th Review on BA
Bottle to 5oz taster
Not sure batch

@Beachwood's BBQ Long Beach- Ode to Lambic

App- A very cloudy light to medium yellow with a good density and particle behind it. Zero head on it. Flat pineapple juice that really looks like Campbells soup to me.

Smell- A fresh field of hay in a glass. A lot of backing lemon and a bit of wheat. Not overly sour smell, more tart.

Taste- A small sour note to say the least and at 5.5%, dangerously drinkable. A good balance is struck between the lemon, wheat, tart, funk wheel of flavors.

Mouth- Punchy lemon flavors abound in this one with a light to medium body and a fairly light crisp carbonation level. A bit damp on the finish.

Drink- It's good, but didnt blow me away. I can see what the fuss was about though and very glad I have another bottle at home.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 19:40:07 | More by FosterJM

grittybrews

Washington

4.55/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 01/10/12, consumed 5/5/12. Poured a hazy straw gold with a thin slick of head. Bright aroma of sour apple and lemon.

High-ish carbonation and a light mouthfeel. Dry up front with lemon, lime, hints of wheat and pepper, and a puckering sweet tart finish.

Really good -- reminded me a bit of Temptation but much more sour and intense. Had a hard time picking up on any barrel characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 19:11:27 | More by grittybrews

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.28/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer is a light yellow with tremendous carbonation. It smells like sweet acetone sourness. The taste doesn't disappoint at all with intense sourness. The beer is incredibly drying and has a dank aftertaste that lingers. It definitely lives up to the hype with it's sourness... whoa. Tasty beer and I would compare it to a bottle of cantillon any day.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 02:44:41 | More by ThePorterSorter

sukwonee

Washington

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

Batch 5, obtained through a trade. Thanks!

375ml bottle poured into RR Tulip

A: Golden Yellow, half finger head, lots of bubbles. Looks delicious!

S: Very similar to Temptation, imo, but stronger funk and fruit notes.

T: Holy hell! Mouth puckering sourness, sour apple, lemon, funk, I don't get much oak, but damn, this is one of most sour and puckering thing I drank.

M: Sharp carbonation, light body, awesome. Dry finish, as expected.

O: I love this one. The closest thing I can compare this to is Temptation, but this one packs more punch and sourness and a bit more complex as well. My favorite sour to date.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 02:11:44 | More by sukwonee

GJ40

North Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Sampled from a 333ml bottle in a chalice. Bottled on 011012.

A - Gold with a slight haze. A small head of large bubbles that dissipates quickly. But a slow steady stream of rising bubbles remains for some time after.

S - A nice mix of funk and sour fruit. Just enough to hint at what's to come.

T - This beer packs a very intense sour bite! There's a nice fruitiness (green apple in particular) too and a perceived sweetness though it's actually pretty dry.

M - Moderate consistency with a low to moderate carbonation.

O - A fantastic sour! But then again, I wouldn't expect anything else from Russian River.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 18:53:21 | More by GJ40

Gobzilla

California

4.68/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: poured a golden yellow in color with orange higlights and a very thin head which left barely and lacing sticking to the glass.

S: lot of lemon citrus and appla were noticeable on the first whiff alongside musty barnyard bretty funk, some acidity, but with twangy character.

T: the lemon citrus accompanied b the apple falvor did help on the sour punch but with bretty musty funk, a touch of pineapple, and acidic accents.

M: the brew was medium in body with a low amount of carbonation which had a citrusy, slight fruity, acidic, sour, and dry finish.

O: definitely one of the most sour beers I've had in a while and was glad to revisit this monster again. Another RR success.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 07:46:31 | More by Gobzilla

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.55/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

375 mL bottle poured into an RR -tion glass. Batch 5, bottled 1/10/2012. A celebration beer. Robotics National (International?) Champs.

Appearance - Pours a hazy golden-orange body. No much of a head. Small bit of white foam that settles to a ring of bubbles. Not really lively looking.

Smell - Nice tart fruit aromas. Citrus orange and lemon. Good dose of white peppery funk, but it's not anywhere near as strong as the best Belgian lambics.

Taste - First sip is tart, quite tart. Loads of lemon tang to it. Fades quickly, though. Wheat and hay permeate the flavor as it fades to a peppery funk in the end. Again, it's not moldy cheese funky or nasty sweaty feet sock funky, but it's a touch funky.

Mouthfeel - Finishes crisply and without a puckering sour flavor. It actually retains a bit of a sweetness. Just a hint. Lingering flavors are excellent. This is a well crafted beer. Finishes with just a touch of bitterness.

Overall - Really pleasant sour. Easily the best from RR and definitely one of the best American Wilds out there. Compared to a true Belgian lambic, though, it's not up with the best. Lacks a bit of complexity and definitely missing the funk that I crave. I'm being picky, though. This is delicious and a worthy celebration beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 01:04:48 | More by Alieniloquium

s1ckboy

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 5.

A - Orange/yellow body. Hugh 3-4 finger white head.

S - Oak, lemon, orange, sour.

T - Wow, easily the most sour beer I've tried so far. After the sour blast I can pick up some lemon, orange, green & white grapes, white wine notes. A lot of oak in the finish

M - Light and dry, good amount of carbonation.

Awesome beer, this has actually turned me on to sours.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 22:20:19 | More by s1ckboy

Treebs

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

C&C bottle served in a Deschutes tulip. Batch 5. Huge thanks again to Andrew (nasty31).

A: Pours with a light golden haze and frothy, airy white head. It recedes to a similar ring that leaves some splotches here and there.

S: Tartness and mild sourness. A mix of fresh tart fruit, mainly green apple and lemon grass with restrained funk.

T: Gueuze-ish with a slight restrained funk. Tart green apples, lemon grass, mild funk and some oak with a finish of vanilla sweetness that mixes with a little white grape sournes.

M: Zesty and spritzy. The body is light with a refreshing clean finish.

O: Delicious beer that borders on a gueuze IMO. If the funk wasn't so restrained in the backbround I'd say this wasn't a wild ale, but very good none the less.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 19:23:32 | More by Treebs

WeedKing4

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed a bottle at the brewery. Pours a golden, clear yellow. tastes very sour with notes of apples and other fruits. A little lemony as well. This makes your mouth pucker. really good stuff. this brewery's wild ales are rocking my world. I might have to see if try have another bottle before leaving town.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 03:18:35 | More by WeedKing4

PerHops

California

4.55/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A- Bright golden orange with a beautiful head, but that quickly dissipates and leaves almost no head. There is, however, plenty of active bubbles.

S- Funky, fruity, oak, wine.

T- This one is REALLY sour. Does have a lot of other flavors going on, as well, but this very well could be the most sour beer they make. The oak is definitely present, along with some fruit (cherries, pineapple, I think) and some funk. Again, VERY sour.

M- Maybe my favorite aspect of this beer. Unbelievably smooth despite the extreme flavors. Carbonation is medium low which works perfectly and give it a creamy mouthfeel.

O- The hype is well deserved. Grab as many as you can, while you can!

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 00:33:42 | More by PerHops

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

375 ml bottle, batch 5 graciously sent to me by smarcoly. Thank you for the hook-up as always! Served into a Lost Abbey tumbler.

A: Semi-hazy golden orange colored body with a modest finger worth of white head. Not much lacing and only a minor ring of bubbles lined the edges of the glass. For the style, this isn't unexpected at all.

S: Lemon, acidic funk, tart citrus notes, orange, white grapes. The barrel character surprisingly comes through towards the end with plenty of soft oak and sweet vanilla. An absolutely delightful smelling beer.

T: More acidic lemon, orange and peach up front which transitions into a quick oak character. The tartness washes quickly through the palate bringing in some dry white grape flavors and ending with touches of floral spice.

M: Highly carbonated, prickly and spritzy on the palate though never feeling thin at all. Really what you'd want from a Wild Ale. No dryness or linger of anything off-putting. Just really well done in this aspect.

Easily my favorite of all the Russian River sours I've sampled to date. This one has a very bright citrusy profile I love. Hands down one sour I'd drink on a regular basis if I could.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 18:11:28 | More by ShanePB

Philousa

California

4.18/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Imbibed from a bottle, as it was Batch 5 (no kegs of this one) at RRBC on 4/22/12.

Pours a clear gold, a little light. Not much head left after what looked like a typical amount of head from a Belgian yeast. Lots of citrus, peach, super sour. Hard to pick out the aromas in this one. Overall, flowery sweet with a heaping dose of tart. Speaking of which, the first thing you taste is a nearly overwhelming sourness, but it mellows fast. Lime is prevalent with a faint taste of sour cherry and strawberry. Winey aftertaste. White wine. Tartness comes after the wine, with very little hop aftertaste as well. Vinous hops. Very watery feel, but after sourness subsides, bitterness gives it some substance. Dry finish.

Beautiful. Complex. This has some flavors I've never had in a sour beer (cherry, strawberry) that I've enjoyed. I want to try it again and again to pick out the other flavors hidden inside.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 03:49:57 | More by Philousa

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 5, 375ml corked and caged offering poured into a long stemmed tulip. The brew appears a hazed golden color with a finger of white head. The cap slowly fades but maintains a layering across the top from continuously rising bubbles of carbonation. A light swirl revives the cap and paints some patches of lacing on the glass.

The aroma of this brew is pretty darn fantastic. It smells lemony and lactic with a fruited quality that is almost like white grape juice. More smells bring out a greater focus on the barrel aging with a scent of moist cork and a bit of sweetness mildly reminiscent of vanilla that integrates so well with the previously described white grape juice scent. This brew has me salivating pretty bad even before I take my first sip. As the brew warms up and is swirled, a bit of a funky cheese note evolves.

The flavor of this brew is quite acidic. This ranks up there with some of the most sour offerings I have had. A flavor of lemony tartness blends into a tannic bacterial spike of acidity that rips the moisture right out of your mouth. The lactic edge gives way to some barrel flavor of moist cork mingled with layers of funk that are somewhat barnyard-like and earthen almost like something along the lines of must and cobwebs? The finish is a mixture of earth and acidity that is so sharp yet dry that you have to dive right back in for another sip. When small sips are taken, this brew really drives home flavors of lemon juice. When bigger gulps are taken, more earthen flavors are present with almost a bit of mineral edge.

This is a light bodied brew with a lively amount of carbonation that is not over done. It is light and lively in the feel with a brutal dryness and acidity to it. This is really a fantastic brew that nearly borders on being too much. I have waiting a very long time to try this and it has met my expectations quite well. The nose on this is unreal and while the flavor is deep and complex, it is a harsh bugger that is not for the faint of heart. I guess this goes without saying, wild ale fans, this is a must-try.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 00:35:03 | More by stakem

brotherloco

California

4.43/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

375ml C&C bottle. Bottled on: 011012. Served in a tulip.

Pours a slightly hazed perfect gold with a finger of off-white foam that dissipates fairly quickly to a small ring. No lacing.

Aroma of apples and apple cider, white grapes and white wine, citrusy lemon and orange. You can already tell this is wonderfully sour and tart. Some funky yeast.

First sip is a *wallop* of sour, wow. Everything from the nose seems present. Sweet apple cider, bright white wine notes, zesty citrus. Extremely tart through the middle with a tiny bit of relief through the finish. Finish is quite dry, with a lot of dry oak notes. Sweet and sour fruit linger on in the aftertaste. Some funkiness emerges in the finish/aftertaste as well. Alcohol is well hidden.

Medium to medium-light in body, medium slightly-sharp carbonation. Dry finish makes it drinkable, but heavy sourness makes it a sipper.

My first experience of the "Sonambic". Awesome.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 01:05:57 | More by brotherloco

CADMixes

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 5.

Beautiful clear golden pour with minimal carbonation. Metallic nose, huge lemon juice quality on the palate. This is straight-up citrus, not vinegar. Finishes clean with a big-time mineral quality.

Interesting beer, not complex but an impressive showcase of the flavors it does have. I imagine it being served ice cold accompanying some delicious fresh seafood. Out of that context maybe it's more of a curiosity.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 23:05:42 | More by CADMixes

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.48/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to Jon for hooking me up with this loooong time Want (it's been on my Wants list for nearly 2 years). Batch 5.

Beer pours a hazy straw color with a moderate white head and minimal lacing. Aroma is fantastic, sour, oak, funk and citrus all blend fantastically, the oak really stands out and it has the funk smell of a Belgian lambic much more than your average American wild. Flavor is very sour and acidic initially, but is very complex. There's a great amount of oak and funkiness to this as well and it has some qualities that remind me of Drie Fonteinen Oude Gueuze. It comes off somewhere between a wild and a gueuze. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied and coats your mouth very nicely. Overall, this is really a fantastic American wild that may come closest to the Belgian style it's modeled after of any American beer I've had. I'm a big fan and glad to have finally gotten a chance to try this after all this time.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 03:53:17 | More by starrdogg

mdfb79

New York

4.78/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

From 04/14/12 notes. Thanks to everyone who brought this to our DC Sour Tasting; never had it and have wanted to for a while. Got to sample a near vertical, as we had batched 1, PH1, 2, 3, and 4 side by side. I found batches 1 and PH1 very different fro the rest, as they were much sweeter then the others, and found batch 2 to be the sourest, almost too sour. Batch 3 was amazing and my favorite, so the one I'm reviewing. My order went:

3, Ph1, 1, 2, 4

a - Pours a transparent golden color with one inch of bright white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of tart cherries, sour fruits, citrus, lemon, oak, fruity malts, very acedic. Awesome nose, with just a ton of sour fruits.

t - Tastes of very sour cherries, sour dark fruits, and fruity malts, lemon, citrus, light funk, acedic, oak, vinegar. More sour dark fruit, especially cherries, in the taste, and a inty bit funky. Awesome, perfect tasting sour for me.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Acedic mouthfeel.

o - Overall I thought this was an amazing sour; probably my favorite RR beer to date. All batches of this were very good, btu Batch 3 is unreal right now. Highly recommended, definitely looking for more bottles of this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 18:28:27 | More by mdfb79

metalgdog

New York

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

Batch 5:

Pours a light golden hue with a slight haze. An immediate effervescent fireworks starts occurring in the glass with the tiny bubbles radiating to the quarter inch frothy head.

Smell is a funkadelic sour and citrus mix. Just a beautiful aroma that reeks of complexity.

So after the first sip you realize the hype is legit. A wonderful marriage of a lemon and sour funk that is smooth but complex just like the aroma. An optimal amount of pucker that is balanced with an almost chardonnay quality that dances in your mouth.

Overall this a phenomenal wild. I would describe the experience as an erection for the taste buds.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 00:53:37 | More by metalgdog

jsanford

Georgia

4.58/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

375ml bottle poured into a RR -ion glass. Review #900, saved a big one!

A - Pours a cloudy golden-yellow with a dense white head that settles to a slight pillowy haze.
S - Complex, gueuze-like aromas of cheesy funk, lemon zest, white wine, oak, and green apples. Becomes much more lactic as it warms up, almost like a creamy lemon yogurt. Beautiful, and so very Russian River in execution.
T - Nicely tart, puckering even, with lemon juice, green apple, and unripe pear leading to a astringent woodiness and more cheesy funk. Amazingly drinkable despite the apparently high levels of lactic and citric acid, this is a lovely balance of tart, musty, earthy, and funky. Certainly blended with a deft hand.
M - Crisp, with a medium body, effervescent carbonation, and a dry finish that leaves your teeth squeaking.
O - Another amazing Russian River Wild Ale, as if there was any doubt. While Supplication remains my favorite, this was the one I was most excited to try, and it certainly met my expectations!

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 23:27:52 | More by jsanford

homebrew311

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle of b5 poured into -tion glass. The pour is hazy yellow with fizzy appearance. Minimal head present, no lacing. The aroma is heavenly. Notes of lactic acid pair with candied tangerine, tart cherries, waves of oak, and a touch of lemon zest. The taste is quite a journey starting with candied fruits, mainly citrus. A bit of oak and funk comes through next as things quickly head towards the intensely sour side of the spectrum. The finish leaves a lingering tartness on the tongue which leaves you hanging for the next sip. The mouthfeel is effevescent and the body is light. Overall, this is not only a very approachable sour with great balance, but it is damn tastey and well rounded. The hype train surrounds this one for a reason. This is a must try for anyone who enjoys sour beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 05:59:19 | More by homebrew311

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.6/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A chilled bottle poured at Russian River

A - Pours a golden blonde with a nice velvety white head that lasts forever.

S - I keep smelling and not sipping. Very funky and sour. Wheat, flowers, honey, magic?!

T - Tart and sourness flood the palate, but it is very welcoming and friendly. I can't imagine this style being any bett

D - Great fizzy carbonation and body.

O - What a true delight. This beer has made me so happy, I just can't explain it. I will savor it every chance I get.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 20:29:49 | More by HuskyinPDX

rlee1390

Indiana

4.48/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Cloudy yellow, well carbonated, one finger light head that doesn't last long.

S-Lemon, grass, acidic vinegar funk, oaky notes as well.

T-Lemon goodness, grassy notes, nice persistent sour. Great all around balance.

M-Medium bodied, some carbonation, very smooth

O-A wonderful beer, spot on with the sour and it meshes excellently with the lemon and grassy notes.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 15:13:26 | More by rlee1390

derkfromwi

Wisconsin

4.38/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 1/10/12

A: Half-finger white head, hazy light golden-blonde color, good carbonation

S: Earthy, citrusy lemon and grapefruit, funkiness, oak, bit of vanilla

T: Sour and tart, funky, lemon zest, straw, white wine, complex and assaulting on your taste-buds

M: Decent carbonation, creamy, dry

O: Very good, way different than the Wild Ales I've had before

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 02:24:59 | More by derkfromwi

Bobheed

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Pours a very clear, very bright golden color with about a one and a half finger soapy white head. Lots of carbonation visible

S: Lots of lemon, lots of vinegar kind of smells, a very good amount of an herbal funkiness.

T: Taste follows the nose fairly well, lots of tartness mostly, the funk was a little lost here. It was still there, but not as much as the nose led me to believe. I'll have to see if that changes through aging though, which may be the case. Very sour with lots of lemon and vinegar though.

M: A bit thicker than I expected, but not a "thick beer" by any means. Extremely dry and it feels like the acid just ripped all the enamel off my teeth.

Overall this was pure awesomeness. My favorite sour from RR and one of my favorite beers overall. I can't to see what some more age does to these beasts.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 02:20:58 | More by Bobheed