Damnation Batch 23 (Oak Aged)
Russian River Brewing Company

Damnation Batch 23 (Oak Aged)Damnation Batch 23 (Oak Aged)
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From:
Russian River Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Tripel
ABV:
11%
Score:
95
Avg:
4.26 | pDev: 10.09%
Reviews:
243
Ratings:
571
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 08, 2018
Added:
Jul 07, 2007
Wants:
  296
Gots:
  150
We turned our regular Damnation recipe into a Tripel. It is bittered with Tomahawk and has Sterling and Cascade in the mid-boil and finish. The beer was then aged on new American oak chips for two to three weeks.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of bobv
Reviewed by bobv from Vermont

4.23/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
Batch #69.
10.75% abv.
In my fridge since acquiring in a trade years ago, still taped.
Vigorous pour yields no head, no lacing, over a medium to dark amber body. Nose of raisins, caramel, molasses, banana, clove, and booze. Taste of raisins, banana, and a sweet/sour thing going on as well. Damn tasty and a bit less booze flavor then the aroma would portend. Thin feel, but overall a very pleasant experience. Cheers!
Jul 08, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by sgregory from Connecticut

Apr 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by brandonld23 from Massachusetts

Feb 18, 2017
 
Rated: 4.37 by Beerbom from California

Dec 29, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by BEER88 from North Carolina

Dec 01, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Spreetaper from New York

Sep 04, 2016
Photo of cscrowley37
Reviewed by cscrowley37 from California

1/5  rDev -76.5%
look: 1 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1
Batch 069.

Opened with anticipation. It's been 5 years.

Uncaged...twisting...no pop?

It's flat. Sigh.

Tastes like cloves, day-old grass clippings and melted caramel frappucino.

Bummer
Aug 27, 2016
Photo of GreesyFizeek
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

3.89/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Batch #69, so the 3rd batch of batch #23, then, I think? Bottled in 2011, I think.

This one pours a darkish golden color, with a small head, and not much in the way of lacing.

Smells like musty cherries, oak, vanilla, pear, old tea, and gritty grain.

The oak aging and time in the bottle has made this one taste absolutely nothing like a tripel anymore. It's got a creamy mouthfeel, pretty thick, with oak, vanilla, cherry, and a decent level of oxidation. There's no real cardboard flavor, but there's definitely some flat, "dead" sherry notes that are fairly nice. There's a bit of pear and apple yeast flavors too, the only real indication that this is a tripel. There's no sign in the flavor that this is 11%.

There's a very low level of carbonation- it's still there, but barely holding on. There's a very creamy mouthfeel, but the low carb is tough.

I feel like this may be *slightly* over the hill, but not overwhelmingly so. It's an interesting effort nonetheless.
Aug 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.63 by my_knew_craft from Massachusetts

Jul 30, 2016
 
Rated: 4.06 by nvbrew from Nevada

Jun 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.81 by northbay47 from California

Jun 23, 2016
 
Rated: 4.24 by connecticutpoet from Connecticut

Mar 30, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by WesM63 from Ohio

Mar 25, 2016
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.05/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Golden color, decent clarity white head, looks the part for a tripel. Aroma was hot alcohol, lots of oak surface area.

Taste was mainly alcohol heat, a pungent yeast presence that is super estery. Alcohol burn and oak the most prevalent things going on here for me. Don't really get it, normal Damnation, vastly superior.
Dec 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.85 by mrn1ceguy from Illinois

Oct 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.95 by drewone from California

Oct 12, 2015
Photo of vic21234
Reviewed by vic21234 from Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Corked and caged 12.68oz bottle poured into a snifter. Batch number 69, which was bottled on 09/01/11 according to Russian River's batch logs.

A- Pours a cloudy amber with tons of bubbly off-white head, quite a bit of floaty sediment is noted.

S- Banana and clove notes on the nose, as well as just a funkiness that I can't really place.

T- Initially I get some fizzy tartness along with clove and spice. The oak is noted but faint in my opinion.

M- Light, fizzy, well carbonated.

I haven't had many Tripels, but this one is an enjoyable sipper.
Jul 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by the_encinitan from California

Feb 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.35 by Spaceman_Jer from Colorado

Jan 27, 2015
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.2/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A- pours a clear golden orange color with a small fizzy white head that reduces completely, leaving some lace behind 3.75

S- classic tripel aromas of banana, clove & light phenols. Spicy yeast & oak mixes with fruity esters, with an emphasis on citrus and cherry, slightly spicy

T- spicy & herbal up front with lots of fruity esters, notes of banana, clove and phenolic flavors. Notes of oak kick in before finishing with orange marmalade

M- medium body with moderate biting carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel and a slightly warming finish

O- a different take on a tripel, it’s got the classic triple flavors, but enhanced by oak and los of fruity notes
Jan 10, 2015
Damnation Batch 23 (Oak Aged) from Russian River Brewing Company
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 571 ratings