Deviation - Bottleworks 9th Anniversary - Russian River Brewing Company

WeisGuy

New York

5/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to Dan (younger35) for this bottle! This is my 300th review.

a - pour a deep amber/honey color, two-finger dense ivory head with good retention and lacing, especially for the style, quite cloudy, great looking sour ale

s - huge amount of funkiness on the nose, more sour and tart smelling than barnyard funk, but there is some leather and slight barnyard, lots of lemon and some sour cherry, sharp vinegar, some perfumy aromas, slight lavendar, incredibly complex

t - sweet and tart explosion up front, big lemon and granny smith apple flavors, lighter notes of grapefruit with the tartness really engulfing the midpalate, finish is of lingering sourness and tartness right in the middle of the tongue, peach and apricot flavors also on the finish with a nice amount of oak and vanilla, some tannin-like bite, like the aroma, no hint of alcohol, incredibly complex

m - medium-bodied with a good amount of carbonation, finish is fairly dry, but not overly so

d - quite drinkable for such an intensely tart and sour beer, pretty easy on the palate, especially for the style, the complexity of the taste and aroma, along with the unnoticeable alcohol make this beer disappear way too quickly

Well, this one sure lived up to the hype, so much so that I'm giving it my first perfect 5 in 300 reviews. I have no qualms about calling this the best beer I've ever tasted. This is a perfect blend by Vinnie, further solidifying him as, in my opinion, the king of funk (and, arguably, American craft brewing). Man, I wish this wasn't so hard to get.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2008 21:25:19 | More by WeisGuy

ShadesOfGray

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow! This has got to be in the top 3 beers I've ever had!! Freakin' incredible! Bottle shared with me from Douroguy...thanks Rick!!
Big thanks to Wetherel and StFun for the bottles.

Poured from a cork and caged 750ml bottle poured into my snifter glass. Pours a reddish, orangish, copper color...haha, that's a lot of colors huh? Its a very nice color regardless. Head is an off white, creamy...with very decent retention...and excelent lacing. Lacing stayed on the sides of the glass long after the beer was finished...which went way too quickly!

Aroma is mouthwatering! Loads of tart and funk! Reminds me a lot like Beatification. Not much else to say here...just excelent! Wow, if only all American Wild Ales smelled this good! The tartness is super sharp!

Here we go...
Wow, again...wow! I could drink this, and only this for the rest of my life! Major tart sharpness with a long lasting funk on the back of the tongue. Lots of carbonation and oak/wood notes. The fruit notes are similar to lemon, mixed with an odd sweetness about mid-flavor. Mouthfeel ends slightly dry. I'll say it again, an excelent sour...one of the best I've had! Medium mouthfeel, booze is very low. Thanks again Douroguy!

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2010 16:23:15 | More by ShadesOfGray

MrChopin

Maryland

5/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Have had this one several times, and each time it has been the star of the tasting/day. Most recently was a month ago in a sour tasting. Following review based on that:

Dark red-amberish glow, puffy beige head. Temp 3 Brett-barrel softness with additional peach up front, then nectarine. Whole fruit basket here, sniff after sniff, then toss on creamy brett, dusty barn, wheat... Unbelievable complexity, really. Nose is still #1 in beer, not as much as Blauw but the integration in incomparable. Only complaint with whole beer is flavor, at this point a noticeable mid-palate Brett twang, sligtlly off-putting before the juicy fruit-laden finish kicks in. Drank within 12 hrs of T20, Temptation vertical, Beat 2-3, Sanc 3-4, V004, IP... still easily the best American beer with wild yeast.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 20:30:14 | More by MrChopin

mhewes

Colorado

4.97/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A : Pours a nice amber, cloudy color with a small offwhite head

S : A nice sour funky aroma with some hints of oak and fruit

T : A good tart flavor with notes of cherry/raspberry, oak, and some apple

M : Good carbonation, medium bodied, dry finish

D : This one was so easy to drink. I highly recommend it if you have a chance.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2008 21:01:16 | More by mhewes

ArrogantB

Colorado

4.97/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle election style. nice golden orange color, healthy head that creeps out of the bottle, awesome. Smells sour, fruit, mmmm. It tastes excellent, complex sour lemons, cherries, supplication, some funk, hint of wood. This is one of the best sours I have ever tasted, my friend only wanted a taste and I drank the whole bottle, wow!

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2008 05:28:53 | More by ArrogantB

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.97/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

SCORE! There are three beers that have haunted me for what seemed like forever. Deviation, Cable Car, and Toronado 20th. Well, I can finally knock one of them off of that list. A very generous BA has traded me some liquid gold and I wasted no time at all getting down to business with it. Served chilled, and poured into a Darkness snifter of all things. This one was consumed on 11/19/2008.

The pour was wonderful, really just spot on for the style. Rich and very hazy reddish tinted amber coming forward right away. This one was definitely something to watch. Rich with a nice head of about an inch and a half of white foam creeping up over the top of the glass. Nice lacing as well, and a slow settle down left me anxious to lean in for a closer look.

The smell, wow, the smell. This was exactly, to a tee, what I wanted to see come out of this one. Huge aroma of sour apples, tart funkiness that can only be akin to vinegar. As it warmed though it transformed, with an almost citrus like tone coming through and a nice and mellow grain profile that seemed to sneak up on me at the end. The flavor was just spot on. So deliciously funky that it almost burned my mouth. Rich notes of apple, vinegar, hints of grain and a wonderful touch of lemon all seemed to combine at just the right time. Deep earthy touches as well, what could only be described as a fantastic combination of flavors on all accounts. Smooth, delicious and endlessly drinkable, I cannot even begin to explain how great this was to sip on during the course of the night.

Overall it was sublime, truly just a wonderful mixture of everything that made this one of the best beers I have ever had. Well worth the hype for me as I would want nothing more out of this really. Glad I could finally knock one of the list.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2008 23:43:52 | More by mikesgroove

gregc

New York

4.97/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle.

Deviation pours a nice hazy orange/reddish color with a nice white colored head with decent retention.
Smell is very complex lactic, peaches, sour cherries, lemon juice and a bit of barn funk.
Taste is very very good. Sour and sweet citrus fruits, followed by a very nice lactic sourness,the finish is full of funk and a bit dry. Just a wonderful tasting beer. The mouthfeel is silky smooth very nicely carbonated. The drink ability in my opinion is amazing, too bad the bottles only sold on the west coast, otherwise id drink a bottle every week.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2009 13:33:52 | More by gregc

ggaughan

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Beer poured a cloudy amber color with a pretty large white head that stuck around for awhile, fluffy. Nose was tart, a bit dried fruit and wood. The taste is dry, tart with some pepper on the tongue. Very present and complimentary oak notes in the background. There is also a nice citrus character. Excellent beer that I am glad I was able to get a bottle of.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 13:15:16 | More by ggaughan

Jmoore50

Nevada

4.97/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Received this in a trade a few weeks ago and couldn't wait to pop it open. I opened this with jh1982 and our friend Forest. It was enjoyed by all, and probably one of my top American Wild Ales. Really glad I got the chance to finally try this one.

The appearance on this is beautiful, and with the amount of yeast sediment on the bottom of the bottle I was surprised with the clarity of my first and second pour. It is a nice red-amber color with a fluffy white head. It leaves some light lacing down the sides of my glass, with a light leg to follow.

The smell is amazing, and it is an omen to what is about to be the best tasting beer I have ever had. This has some amazingly fruity smells, with green apples, peach, and soured lemon rind. It opens up after a few swirls and some light vinegar and sour candy start showing their presence.

Best tasting beer I have ever had? Its up there, and I was kind of surprised this beer lived up to all of the hype. It is amazingly balanced and complex, with so many intricate flavors showing face throughout. It has a great green apple and citrus flavor that is paired with a nice lactic and framboise like sourness. It has a bit of wood from the barrel with a must and vinegar note once it warms. Rind of both lemons and orange, with a cranberry tartness. Absolutely delicious sour.

It is perfectly balanced between sour and fruity, with a perfect level of bottle conditioning. It is just enough sweet to counteract with the sour, and the wide array of fruit play all over the palate. Like I said earlier, the bottle conditioning is spot on. One of those beers that I truly want on tap at my house 27/7. Could drink this day after day and not get board with it at all.

I would like to thank my trader for supplying this bottle, never really thought I would be able to get my hands on this one. Russian River is truly an amazing brewery.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 08:44:08 | More by Jmoore50

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Shared with a group of friends in December of 2010.

A-pours a hazy dark amber color, almost cider like. the head is fluffy and pure white in color with a fair bit of lace left behind.

S-dusty oak hits the nose with touches of sawdust from the barrel. sour notes present with a perfect integration of brett. a blast of peaches, tart lemon, and red grapes accompanies the aroma with tons of juicy dark fruits. well integrated and balanced with a deep complexity.

T-the tartness is right up front with a fair bit of sourness. juicy red grapes and a nice dry oak comes in. the brett plays a little stronger in the flavor as the juicy red grapes are nicely sour lingering on the back of the palate with a note of tart blackberry. This has an amazing balance and integration of flavors. the brett has become a hint strong dropping it just under perfection but the subtly and balance makes this the best beer I've ever had.

M-the body is medium with a lively carbonatio and a spritzing feel in the back. very tart and dry but not puckering at all.

D-damn near the perfect beer, the balanced and complexity are off the charts with an integration of flavors fit for the gods. the brett is starting to make a move but still holds up just about perfectly.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 17:17:50 | More by cpetrone84

Floydster

California

4.95/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750 ml bottle acquired in a trade with bespin15, thank you so much for giving me a chance to try this beer, had to celebrate finishing another big project at work and this was just the brew to do so, orginal price of this was thirty dollars at the source, poured into my Duvel tulip glass

A-Awesome bright orange color with some pinkish red highlights, small 2/5 of an inch bubbly white head, did not last long, not much retention or lacing, tons of small bubbles rushing to the top though

S-Tart, grapefruit scent reminding of Beatification, horse blanket, funkiness, white wine like Temptation, lots of peaches, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, tons of brett, tangerines, cherries along the lines of Supplication, and sour strawberries

T-This beer was quite the blend, more tarty than any lambic I have had including Cantillon brews, initial taste is funk with a hint of straw and oddly a chewy feel, then the middle is packed with sourness, the finish is dry like a chardonnay, tart settled down with each sip because the colder it was the more strong, Sanctification played a big role in this beer and brettanomyces was extremely obvious, sour berries and citrus rounded out the wild taste, great balance and complexity, wanted more immediately after pouring the remaining contents into my tulip

M-Sour, tart, dry, attacking, and lively mouthfeel, thin to medium bodied, more carbonation than you could imagine, taste lingered for a long time, the sensation was unforgettably aggressive

D-Drank this whole bottle and still wanted more, this stuff could get dangerous it is so easy to drink, ABV is low enough to make it a session beer though, no booze in the flavor, smooth as can be

Being that this was available at one store being Bottleworks and it is in Washington, I was skeptical that I was going to get the chance to try this one, Russian River makes another beer that is practically perfect, could really see the Sanctification presence in this one and the extra brettanomyces helped the flavor even more, would love to drink again, cannot recommend this enough

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2008 15:52:47 | More by Floydster

bgramer

Washington

4.95/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is an awesome beer - imho, one of the holy trinity of sours out of California: Deviation, Cable Car, and Toronado 20th.

Poured a tangy wet red, yellowish, brown into my RR tulip it's pungent smell tells me this is not a simple sour. Blends of apple, tartness, sweetness, funkness, vinegary, cobwebby comes through the aroma as well as stabbing my tastebuds everywhere as I swallow its thick and delicious vinegary mouthfeel.

This beer is a must-try for any sour fiend.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2008 22:37:17 | More by bgramer

CoolJosh

Pennsylvania

4.95/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Graduation Tasting.

The most anticipated beer of the day for me.

Pours a very carmel-like hazy light brown, with a smooth white head. Not much lacing, but beautiful in and of itself. Nice carbonation streams upward through the glass. This is eye candy.

As I dip my nose into the glass, I pick up a great vinegary acetic characteristic. Awesome! This provides a cider like scent that is decadent, to say the least. Huge tart lemons compliment the brett scents that aren't far behind. Some very light floral smells present themselves every so often, and come with a minute oak smell. The finishing scent is a subtle ripe orange, which adds to the semi sweetness already observed.

The tastes combine into a whirlwind of perfection. The complexity is enough to both confuse your palate and open up a gateway into the impervious question, how do they make beer this good?!?!? Lovely orange, grapefruit and elegantly vinous grape combine ever so perfectly. Great lemon which matches well with the accompanied brett taste really hit the spot. The dryness is there and in the best of ways. Tannins all around provide some wine characteristics with each sip. Very acetic. Again, awesome. Really crisp and dry mouthfeel make this surprisingly refreshing. This beer was done right, oh how I yearn for more....

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2009 03:40:24 | More by CoolJosh

drinksyrup

Maryland

4.95/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

i will start by saying i am very bias to Russian River brews...I love them
I opened a bottle of this with a few BA's having a "tion" tasting. we have beatificaion, supplication, depuration, consecration, temptation, and the deviation.

pour was a little more agressive then i thought after the age. i have have this beer a few times and it doesnt seem to have lost any carbonation.
the smell is great! close to beatification. I really think this is my favorite russian river brew. Taste is most close to the beatification of the night, but I taste the PH1 in it.

simply a great beer!

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 23:44:43 | More by drinksyrup

TheBungyo

Washington

4.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This pours a luscious shade of honey kissed by golden sunshine. The head is flat and dense ... white as summer clouds.

Nose is amazing. Tart sourness, flanked by lemon, rose petals, and fleeting candy sweetness.

Taste is all about the sourness. In spite of that there's plenty of lemon, citric acid, fruity zest, and an insane crisp dryness like no other. Truly remarkable.

Carbonation is just slight enough to be pleasing, and never steals the show from the flavor.

In all, this is just as good as us Seattlites hoped it would be way back when we heard RR was doing the next in the series for Bottleworks. I'm going to miss this when I run out of bottles.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2008 04:22:56 | More by TheBungyo

tprokop7

Massachusetts

4.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Got to try this one thanks to a trade between my friend Ryan (rbuckstar) and a great trader out west, Paul (Svejk). Poured from the corked/caged 750 to a Duvel tulip.

A - Amber and cloudy, with single finger head that quickly fades to lace.

S - Pleasant and fruity, with definite sour notes.

T - Wonderful, sour but drinkable, citrus at the very end but sour strawberry or raspberry flavors up front, with a little cherry. Also some notes of peat or charred oak through the end.

M - Lively carbonation, but still fairly smooth.

D - Yup, another rare one that goes down too fast...

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2008 00:12:40 | More by tprokop7

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottled shared my masterchiefMD at my tasting on August 7, 2010. Thanks Chris! Served alongside six other Russian River wild ales.

A: This beer appears a hazy orange hue with a small head which fades and leaves some decent lacing on the glass.

S: The aroma is wonderful. I was surprised and pleased to detect citrus notes with a musty, funky sourness. Also subtle aromas of oak.

T: Wow. This wild ale lineup is remarkable, and Deviation is among the best of the best. The beer is very pleasantly sour and citric. The taste profile is very complex, with differing degrees of tartness, certainly from the blending. Sonambic Ale, PH1, Orphan Ale and Sanctification batch 001 have been woven masterfully to create this gem. I'm very thankful to have tried it.

M: Very tart, with a slight acetic sharpness in the finish. There is a nice, lingering aftertaste I enjoyed as long as I could.

D: Totally drinkable. I really hope I have an opportunity to enjoy this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2010 01:33:57 | More by Huhzubendah

francisweizen

Australia

4.9/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Rusty blood orange with brown. highlights. Off white small head with Bruges lace highlights. Aromas of funky barnyard brett. The PH1 and orphan ale come through more than anything else, but you can sense the cranberry and sanctification in the blend as well! Taste is fresh cut cranberry, bog and all with barnyard horse barn funk, wild Belgian notes. Cantillon brewery funk, Crab apple cranberry and more. Such as funky hay, leather shoes, and nutty fruit seeds. Fuck me, this is complex. Fuck. Fuck. Mouth feel is smooth and super refined. Saint Lamvinus like, but almost better, although not quite. The best of the Russian River sours, maybe in overall presentation and effect. Maybe not from a strictly brewing accomplishment standpoint, but still...This is up there with the compunction. Oh yes, drinkability is INSANE. Damn this shit is off the hook. Oh man, if you can find this one....definitely get it !

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2008 08:32:21 | More by francisweizen

rhinos00

Colorado

4.9/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

So I made a stop at my apartment after the first part of my honeymoon and was greeted by a package from a friend of mine. Mind you she knows nothing about beer, except for the fact that I am quite fond of it. I slowly open the package and find a 750mL bottle wrapped tightly in bubble wrap with a ribbon on it. What I opened before my eyes was something so unexpected...I was in shock. Emily, I don't know how you knew about this beer or how you were even able to get a hold of it, but THANK YOU!!!!

Poured from a 750mL bottle into a Corsendonk tulip glass.

A- Pours a golden, hazy cider. Solid two to three finger sized white head. Left very nice lacework as the beer was consumed.

S- Acidic, like vinegar, with mixed aromas of sweet and sour fruits.

T- Wow! That is all I can say. The taste is so complex, but so refined, truly amazing. Initially, the oak flavor really jumps out (quite surprised as to how strong it really was). As the beer settles, the oak flavor gives way to sweet and sour apple flavor, almost as if you are biting into a fresh granny smith apple. This is combined with a vinegar funk that eventually overpowers the sweetness. My favorite part of this beer was that despite all these complex flavors, the sourness tapers off, just at the point of its most intensity, and allows the oak flavor to come back to finish it all off.

M- Medium bodied with lots of carbonation to go around. This beer is perfectly made.

D- Despite being sour, this beer is so balanced in flavor that it can be drank all day long. Honestly, this is one of the first sours that I have been able to say this about.

Overall, this is one hell of a beer. I still can't believe that I have a whole bottle in front of me to drink. The complexity and perfect taste are just so overwhelming. Truly one of the best beer experiences I have had to date, thanks again Emily!

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2008 04:16:30 | More by rhinos00

treyrab

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Review 300.

Huge thanks to bgramer and Pitonka for this beer and for jac5084 bringing it out. Brought it out at our Graduation Tasting yesterday. This beer won it all for me. Incredible.

A: Pours a hazy copper orange with some nice orange, crimson and ruby hues. Just glowing. A decent, spritzy white head that lasts quite a while.

S: So incredibly complex. Tons and tons of red wine, red and white tart grapes, slight mustiness, nice horesblanket and funky tones along with lemon tarts.

T: Just as incredible and complex as the smell. Tons of red wine and vinous attributes. Nice lemon soaked red and white grapes, slight mustiness, just as in the scent. This beer was rather dry with nice oak but the flavors blended so incredibly well it was unimaginable!

Basically perfect!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2009 23:29:47 | More by treyrab

mikey711

New Jersey

4.9/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to javier for this bottle. Had this over the summer

A: big fluffy white head. the beer is slightly orangy/copper color with some cloudiness. it is slightly cloudy and does leave very nice lacing

S: Extremely fruity with notes of melon, peach and tangerines that are have a very pleasant tartness while being mellow enough to still enjoy. a slight bit of woodiness and funk as well

T: Very fruity again, both tart and sweet. a slight floralness is present with some brett in the finish. its got a bit of lemon citrus and peaches

M: Very well rounded with no real harshness of note.

D: this is without a doubt one of the best beers i have ever had. i feel extremely lucky that i have gotten to try it and i hope to come across more in the future

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 00:23:58 | More by mikey711

psiweaver

Washington

4.9/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this on tap at Brouwer's Big Wood. Started off the day with two 12oz pours of this

Pours a hazy golden orange with a nice white small fluffy head.

Smells like Cherries and funk and tartness, really complex multi layered and delicious smelling.

The taste is tart cherries with some nice funk to it, but has a nice richness to all of it. really really complex with a ton of flavor without seeming unfocused or balanced. A truly exceptional sour.

the mouth feel was great very smooth and yet just a bit of bite to it to remind you that your drinking a sour. this beer is incredibly drinkable such that I wish I could have it more often.

All in all a world class beer worth searching out.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2010 16:37:41 | More by psiweaver

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.9/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

MASSIVE thanks to Tim for getting this for me. Dedicated to my new house.

poured into a Lost Abbey stemmed glass, served at 46 degrees

pours a deep gold with slight hue of brown. light fluffy white head that leaves very light retention. very light lacing.

has that very typical russian river sonambic scent. deep sour flavors combined with a light peach and apricot. a light zest to it.

starts out quite sour and then quickly allows the flavors to really emerge. lots of peach and apricot just dominate. light grape and lemon as background fruit. a light oaky and leathery combination then begin to show themselves. a very fruit finish. a bit of oak in the aftertaste.

perfect carbonation, really highlights the flavors. a hint of dryness. sourness really tingles the mouth, but for a short time so the flavors are never dulled.

this is pure perfection. i am always weary of hype but this is not hype, this is the real deal.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 01:35:59 | More by hooliganlife

illidurit

California

4.88/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Review #300! On tap at the brewpub for Russian River's 4th anniversary. The blackboard describes it as a sour brown ale, but this is much different than an oud bruin.

Pours amber in color with a bit of haze. Nice off-white head that leaves some wet wisps of lacing.

Aroma is sour and appley, much like a good cider. Vinous tartness and gueuze-like barnyard funk.

Flavor starts off with a rush of white wine fruitiness and sharp apple cider, then acutely takes a turn for the sour. Lemon and sour berry melt into a semi-dry woody finish. Great complexity.

Mouthfeel is lively and the carbonation really sticks the sourness to your palate. Wonderful beer, yet another sour masterpiece from RR.

Serving type: on-tap

06-02-2008 05:01:33 | More by illidurit

BeerTruth

Connecticut

4.88/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I received this one from the VERY generous younger35 in the recent Fight Club BIF. Thanks Dan, you fuckin' rock.

750 ml cork and caged bottle poured into a tulip.

Pours a murky bronze with a fluffy two finger light off-white head that dies down to a soft layer of bubbles. Very nice webbing left on the sides of the glass, holding on for dear life. Smell is floral and oaky with a sweet funk to it. Mmm, you can definitely smell the Sanctification in this one, I love it. Grapes, young apples, and grapefruit find their way into the nose as well. I also enjoy how the aroma isn't "in your face" like a lot of Wild Ales seem to be. Sour cherry flavor up front followed by grapefruit, pear, and a touch of sweet honey. Midway the oak flavors emerge more with a white wine like taste. Aftertaste consists of faint mandarine oranges and peaches that leaves the mouth slightly dry. Such complex flavors, sip and savor this one for sure. Soft medium body with a strong, but fitting carbonation. I've had some difficulty finishing Wild Ales in the past, but with Deviation I just kept wanting more. Sour flavors are in check which make this one too easy to put down. This beer was perfect for the 90 degree weather in Syracuse tonight. Thank you so much Dan for the opportunity to try a beer I never thought I'd get my hands on, I'll hook you up in our next trade for sure ;)

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2008 23:52:22 | More by BeerTruth