Deviation - Bottleworks 9th Anniversary - Russian River Brewing Company

Dennoman

Belgium

4.38/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Shared by forgetfu (Bill) and Matt at our crazy Antwerp tasting. They touted it as the best beer ever to come out of America, and me generally not leaning towards sours, it had some big shoes to fill.

A: Hot damn this is a beer you want to dive into. Muddled and cloudy as can be, with a beautiful yellow vibrancy. Head holds strong and true. You just can't help but notice this is an expertly brewed beer.

S: Big wild yeast carried by the most amazing honey aroma. Some peach and ripe peach, but the honey is the absolute star here. It's like those bars of honeycomb you had as a kid, without the inconvenience of having to pick wax from your teeth.

T: Lactic acid is the first thing to coat the palate, followed by ripe peaches and that beautifully sweet honey.

M: Medium carbonation makes for a beautiful lively beer that fizzles and pops in your mouth. A joy to have in there, shame you have to swallow it at some point really.

O: Hot diggity, even for a non-sour fan this is great. I have to see it didn't quite reach the level of some lambics I tasted that night, but it got mighty close. I wouldn't call it the best thing to ever come out of the States, but they have their own strengths as we Belgians just can't seem to whip up a decent stout!

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 12:43:56 | More by Dennoman

bbadger

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +2.6%

05-19-2013 01:01:20 | More by bbadger

kscaldef

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev -2.8%

05-17-2013 23:37:15 | More by kscaldef

BeerWorld

New York

4.25/5  rDev -8.2%

05-16-2013 01:43:52 | More by BeerWorld

bespin15

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +2.6%

05-10-2013 04:33:17 | More by bespin15

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev -2.8%

05-04-2013 11:37:57 | More by TurdFurgison

jegross2

Illinois

5/5  rDev +8%

05-02-2013 04:01:24 | More by jegross2

AlexFields

Tennessee

4.28/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Opened at TN whales tasting 3/16/2013. Thanks to waltonc for trading this to me.

Pours a really hazy bright orange, not the appearance I would expect from a blend of so many different beers.

Lots going on in the nose, sweet malt, some ketchup, some acidity, smells a bit confused but pretty nice.

Taste is more focused than the nose and a lot more sour. Very sour, very dry, pretty funky, hints of wine and dark fruit. Still a little muddled but damn tasty.

Mouthfeel is soft and well carbonated, very good for a five year old blended sour.

This is maybe slightly past it's prime--not oxidized or "over the hill" really, still damn tasty, but seems like it probably hasn't really benefited from the last few years in the bottle. I never had this fresh but I imagine it was a world class beer--at present it's still great but a little shy of being really top tier.

9.0/10

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 14:42:30 | More by AlexFields

Shmeal

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev -2.8%

03-12-2013 06:46:28 | More by Shmeal

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.41/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks go to BA mymrnngjckt for busting out this long time want of mine during a recent tasting. Poured into a snifter, the brew appears a hazed copper color with a creamy yellowish finger of froth. Some spotty lace sticks to the glass. A light swirl revives the cap which holds with impressive retaining power.

The aroma is surprisingly oaky upfront that blends into some funky notes of cheese. There is a rindy fruit character that changes to something more bright and tropical and more whiffs are taken. This is for the most part a pretty straight forward smelling wild ale that is very atomatic and enjoyable with no one character outshining the rest.

The taste is tart with plenty of barrel presence being noted with oaky flavoring that integrates well with the rest of the profile. Some rindy fruit flavored elements blend into earth and funk. Almost a cheesey or yogurt sort of lacto feel to this before going back to the rindy sour flavors somewhat reminescent of oranges.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. There is seemingly no alcohol inclusion. This is one very easy drinking brew. Perhaps its most noteworthy atribute is how all the character blends together so perfectly balanced. It was awesome to get a chance to try this. And even more awesome that a hyped up beer lived up to expectations. Thanks again Kevin.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 15:14:27 | More by stakem

phingdong

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev -2.8%

02-19-2013 22:44:34 | More by phingdong

kevanb

Illinois

4.26/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Served on tap at a Russian River take over at Toronado SF on February 12, 6oz pour into a stemmed tulip. Review is from notes.

I was very excited to try this beer, first time for me, and to have it on tap is a great treat. It pours a murky burgundy color, touches of reds, browns with a soft fizzy off white head that dissipates immediately, no lacing. The aroma is nice, sour fruit, light funk, mild citrus and light oak character. The nose is nice, balanced, not too sour, not too funky, not too oaky, but not that pungent or dazzling. The flavors are right in line, light citrus, juicy sour fruit with lighter acidity, touch of vinegar, oaky funky, a bit of brett character, a little bit of vanilla is in there as well. The flavors again fail to really pop or resinate in a meaningful way, clearly age is starting tone things down in this beer. The body is really nice, light, lively, zesty, coats the mouth well but finishes so smoothly and with almost a creamy texture, very easy to drink.

Verdict: A very good beer, but one that has probably seen better days, I would have really liked to have tried this fresher, but better late than never. A fine beer, but not a world beater.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2013 03:38:44 | More by kevanb

giants24

California

5/5  rDev +8%

02-13-2013 21:04:38 | More by giants24

FunkyMacGroovin

California

4.25/5  rDev -8.2%

02-13-2013 16:38:47 | More by FunkyMacGroovin

HaveUSeenMyCellar

California

5/5  rDev +8%

02-13-2013 02:12:02 | More by HaveUSeenMyCellar

Azrael

4.5/5  rDev -2.8%

02-08-2013 04:27:27 | More by Azrael

Rempo

Indiana

5/5  rDev +8%

02-03-2013 13:46:28 | More by Rempo

MordorMongo

Indiana

4/5  rDev -13.6%

01-29-2013 23:10:39 | More by MordorMongo

fbc24

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -8.2%

01-29-2013 18:36:50 | More by fbc24

aasher

Indiana

4/5  rDev -13.6%

01-29-2013 00:15:58 | More by aasher

claaark13

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -8.2%

01-27-2013 21:28:41 | More by claaark13

jbuddle

New York

4.25/5  rDev -8.2%

01-24-2013 19:34:51 | More by jbuddle

doughanson78

Washington

5/5  rDev +8%

01-19-2013 23:10:04 | More by doughanson78

ChrisPro

Illinois

4/5  rDev -13.6%

01-16-2013 00:38:27 | More by ChrisPro

yamar68

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Ryan for opening this bottle up with me on a whim! This is a long time want that I would have never thought I'd have the chance to try.

Pours a cloudy burnt amber gold with a thin, noisy cap that retains far better than I would have guessed. Leaves a bit of sticky lace... lovely.

A massive wallop of acidity is noticeable before I even think to sniff at the glass. Warhead status sour punch cleans the nostrils, transitioning into a smooth sense of bright fruit and old oak. A bit of vanilla if you really hunt for it... something sweet on the tail end.

It's no more forgiving to the palate... big funky overripe fruits, white wine vinegar, some sour citric flesh, that oak really shines in this regard... finishes beautifully dry, keeps you thirsty. For how sour this one is, I could easily drink the entire bottle to my dome slice. Delicious indeed.

I am forever indebted to you, good sir. Wow!

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 00:23:26 | More by yamar68