Consecration - Russian River Brewing Company

slaintemhor

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap last night at The Horse Brass in Portland, Oregon. Delightfully acetous on the nose! On the palate...piquant, snappy, tannic, broodingly acerbic and redolent of macerated currants. Exquisitely tangy on the back of the palate with a sappy dryness and an extraordinarily long finish. A pleasure to drink!

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2009 05:50:25 | More by slaintemhor

ScreamForMe

Washington

4.65/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On Tap at Malt and Vine:

I'm not a fan of sours. So, why drink a sour? After all the hoopla I've seen about this beer, I had to see what everyone was talking about.

I went into the shop to buy my allotted bottle of Consecration. To my surprise I saw it on their draft board. A perfect opportunity to try this RR beer.

A complex balance of a beer! It was sour but not overly so. The mouthfeel was full, rich, and complex. It warms as it goes (which I can still feel right now).

Worthy!

Edit: I went back on 3/5/09 and finished off that keg... (only a glass and 1/2 left in the keg).

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2009 00:57:57 | More by ScreamForMe

GilGarp

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This one was enjoyed on tap at Catalyst in Fort Collins. I like to call this place the little Falling Rock up north. Younger in a week!

Served cold in a goblet glass filled to the brim. The small 1/2" of head wanes almost right away and leaves no lace. Bubbles continue to rise through to the top. It has a dark brown color with ruby highlights and good clarity from what I can tell.

Aroma is sweet and sour with a slight bit of red wine and oak from aging in cabernet barrels.

The taste is sour and tart but not overpowering. The one sour I'm really familiar is La Folie and the Consecration is not as puckingly sour. It is reminiscent of a good cabernet with those tannins hitting me in the back of the cheeks. The red wine flavors really work well with the sourness from the wild yeasts. Tart cherries, sour apples, raisins and spice are all in there. Oak is in the background but it's still noticeable.

Mouthfeel is full bodied and tannic, sour, and with a nice lower level of carbonation.

Drinkability is good but a bottle would have to be shared. The goblet I had today was the perfect serving size. It's definately warming and gets better as it warms too.

My only real knowledge of sours was with La Folie and I had mixed feelings. It seemed too sour and difficult to enjoy in larger servings (i.e. a full glass). Consecration has a more rounded balanced feel to it and I could enjoy the entire glass without feeling like it was a burden. It's expensive but certainly worth it for a special treat.

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2009 00:34:02 | More by GilGarp

Oxymoron

Colorado

4.83/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at Catalyst. Sampled a murky rust colored red with not much in the way of carbonation. Some ruby red hues around the edges of the glass. Some minor viscous notes that was a bit of a surprise.

The nose comes out more as it warms. Some nice subtle notes that blended very nicely with every component. There was a light fruity note, that came across more like a tart cherry aroma than anything else. Some underlining citrus notes adds to that depth. Some lighter funk notes with some horse blanket and subtle almost bretty aromas. A mostly acidic but some underlining vinegar notes. Some yeast aromas, but overall just a really good mix of fruit, funk and sour.

The taste is amazing. I try to be more descript but this is really good. And it gets better as it warms. To start out there is a light malt taste upfront but is quickly replaced with a mix of a tart earthy cherry, like a bing cherry, and a sweet fig, currant taste. There is a nice acidic flavor that comes out nicely but balances really well. As it warms and as you palate adjusts to the sour, more funk and malt notes comes out. Some lighter chocolate and an almost Special B like malt flavor come out, but its just so subtle to the taste. Some funk notes come out too, with a light barn yard and spicy undertones. Some yeast notes as well. The sourness retains through the full taste and even as it warms. A mild sweetness in the finish that really enhances the fruitiness for a cleaner taste.

The body is closer to moderate than dry. Extremely clean for being so much on the ABV side. Carbonation is low but ok as it really lets all the different flavors come out. Just really impressed with the balance between fruit, funk and sourness. Overall a fantastic beer being so fresh

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2009 23:04:39 | More by Oxymoron

madtowndmb1

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On-tap at R.R. I've never given out a perfect score till now!

A: A great cross between a wine and a beer. It's a ruby red like a Cab but has the transparency of a beer. No head

S: Tart cherries, oak and Wine. I thought it was just oak-aged but the brewery says aged in Cabrenet barrels. You can tell and I loved it!

T: From the first sip I feel in love with this beer. The tartness of the cherries reminds me of the Belgian Red from N.G. but that's where it ends. Then it transitions to an interesting wild ale taste that totally works. I get a lot of wine sharpness in the finish and man it's fantastic!

The mouthfeel and drinkability speak for themselves. I would happily drink these till I couldn't see anymore and damn near did! This was there best beer in my opinion! Other than the price there is nothinhg wrong with this beer in my opinion! One of the best beers (better than Abyss and KBS) I've ever had!

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2009 21:03:23 | More by madtowndmb1

mykie73

Oregon

3.8/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

on tap at Saraveza.

EDIT: this was for batch 1; batch 2 and 3 are much better.

A dark reddish brown with no lacing. See-through, can not tell if there is a lot of carbonation from looking at glass.

S lots of tart cherries, wine funk and oak notes.

T Delicious. wine, citrus, and oak is present. very tart at first and then sour on finish. quite enjoyable.

M) Feels great can't complain on the feel of it. Consistent to what a sour should be. Sourness/puckering feeling is enjoyable.

D) I could drink a lot of this but due to how pricey it is I think I'll invest in bottling other sours. Glad I got a few bottles but glad I did not purchase an entire case. It will be very interesting to see how this one ages. A bit over hyped but quite delicious and an enjoyable experience.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2009 00:22:51 | More by mykie73

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.38/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The latest from Russian River showed up in Portland this week; as far as I know, Saraveza was the first to tap their 1/6 barrel. Got an 8 oz. pour (into a regal PBR goblet!) this evening after work..."only" $5!

A: Arrives at the table a still-looking ruddy brown, a barely sudsy ring of white clinging around the edges. I suspect there's etching in the glass causing this effect, but a surprisingly cool/mesmerizing swirl in the gauzy head forms a 'cloverleaf' shape to appear. Lace is creamy, but too slippery to stick for more than a couple seconds, leaving a scattershot array of speckles.

S: Has a familiar 'funky' tartness, but doesn't strike mme as terribly strong. Vinous fruit (vaguely 'grape' or crab apple), light oak, citrus rind and fleeting candy sweetness. A light vinegar, sweet and malty, makes me ponder what Consecration would be like over fish & chips.

T: Woody tang covers a notably tart fruit, the tannic currant represents well. Has an earthen berry flavor throughout, a musty fruit punch. A little cider like, akin to apple mash, with a twist of zesty citrus: lime? As it warms, becomes a bit sweeter: doughy malt and a pinch of brown sugar.

M: Luscious medium-full thickness. Not as acidic as it could be, but has a modest enamel-scraping potency. Curls the tongue and seems to linger in odd places, between the cheek and gums in particular. Low alcohol warmth, pretty smooth for the style.

D: Not gonna say this is the greatest thing I've ever had, but it's tasty. Damn tasty. Surprisingly easy to drink, with a nice level of tart/sweet 'refreshment'. Complex enough to sit and savor, enjoyable enough to have another, even two (if it weren't 10%). Glad to have tried this on draught, will age a bottle or two to see what develops.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2009 05:08:29 | More by msubulldog25

PDXHops

South Carolina

2.5/5  rDev -44.1%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

8 oz pour served on tap in a chalice at Saraveza.

Not much to look at. Barely any bubbles at all, let alone head. Dark reddish amber, almost brown see-through body. Zero lacing.

Things get more interesting right away with the first sniff. Massive tart/sour fruit- cherry, fermenting wine- and vinegar smells up front. Once it warms up, small hints of other aromas appear: oak, some sweetness and a teaser of the brett to come. Quite interesting.

In the mouth, the sour flavors once again dominate at first, but things develop quickly as the beer warms up. Some of these things are more pleasant than others. Sour cherryish flavors on the edges of the tongue, overwhelming nasty brett funkiness up the middle as I swallow (I have cultivated an appreciation for milder funkiness that complements the other flavors in a beer, but the brett is simply too strong here for my taste). Hints of sweet currant and oak all around. Sour lingering aftertaste. The brett basically ruins this beer for me.

The moderate-light carbonation is certainly more than I would have thought based on the looks of it. Really makes all that sourness tingle all over the tongue. Dry and sour finish leaves me wanting a sip of water after every swallow. Probably would have rated the feel a lot higher if the brett didn't linger all over the palate threatening to activate my gag reflex.

Drinkability is not good. I like the sourness, but the overpowering brett nastiness severely limits extended enjoyment for me.

Overall impression: Definitely doesn't live up to the hype for me. Hopefully the Supplication and Temptation I recently traded for are better. This much brett has no place in beer! (at least not the beer going into this mouth)

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2009 22:39:10 | More by PDXHops

kleffman

California

4.83/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

First had this beer in Santa Rosa when I left a bar I was in telling my girlfriend I "had to go to the bathroom" but I really went down the street to Russian River. Incredible decision making.

Pours a clear reddish amber color with little head. Aromas of sour fruit, woody tannins and wine characters blend well with dark sour fruit flavors, oak and red wine. A drying, tart finish full of wonderfully balanced flavors rounds it out very well. High drinkability for a beer that is 10% alcohol. You would never know it. I could drink an awful lot of this beer, and thankfully have had it 3 times now. Fantastic.

Serving type: on-tap

02-19-2009 06:35:36 | More by kleffman

Sandstone

California

4.8/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Another Russian River homerun.

Having long been a lover of sours, I couldn't have been more excited to try this beer. Thankfully my girlfriend indulged me and we made the pilgrimage up to Toronado's for Russian River TION night.

The first sip of this beer, I knew I was in for something special. I've had beers that tried to toe the line between beer and wine before (Craftsman's Cabernale... I'm looking at you) but never have I had one that did it this successfully.

I took a sip and handed it to my girlfriend, the wine snob to my beer geek, and waited for her verdict.

"Wow, this is really good."

"Yeah, I know!"

Trying to describe this beer, it is just so difficult to do it justice. The flavors are many and layered. Probably one of the most complex beers I've ever had.

My attempt: Notes of black currant, sour cherry, oak, all with a perfect touch of acid and funk that compliments the beer, rather than defines it.

This is going to be a tough beer to find, but trust me, the search will be worth it. This is one of those breakthrough beers that really pushes a new style to the forefront.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2009 08:41:21 | More by Sandstone

HopHead84

California

4.7/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Russian River. A silly bar pour leaves the beer nearly spilling out of the glass. No head. The beer is a dark, dark reddish purple.

The nose is of tart raspberries and plums with a touch of vinegar. The currants work very nicely in the beer. This is reminiscent of the Toronado 20th. There are faint alcohol notes, but it relatively well hidden for 10%. Much like the aroma, the flavor is of ripe, tart raspberries and those delicious currants again. There is a nice medium level of sourness to Consecration. The finish is dry and slightly puckering, with just a touch of alcohol.

This is a medium-full bodied sour with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is vinous. This is the closest thing I've had to Toronado. I'd love to do a side by side comparison of the two. The alcohol is well hidden, which leads to a damn drinkable strong sour. I'm glad I stocked up on this.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2009 06:52:41 | More by HopHead84

DoubleJ

California

4.1/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A brand new Russian River sour, and one that's high in alcohol. Had some on-tap at Verdugo Bar in Los Angeles. On to the beer:

Poured into a tulip, Consecration is a dark red-violet beer with little head retention, leaving no lacing on the glass, but the latter wasn't expected from much. The aroma is a beautiful thing. Sweet vinegar, akin to what you'd find in ketchup or barbecue sauce. Pickel juice. Notes of oak and barrel. Slight underlying sweetness underneath it.

My first impression of the taste was it was very intensely acidic upfront. But what sour isn't acidic? Bits of tartness show through, as do assorted, overripened fruits. There's a long lasting, pleasant aftertaste of vinegar on the palate. The high alcohol presents a faint, but noticable boozy aspect with a sharp pinch towards at the back of the line.

A good sour, but I'm not as big of a fan as everyone else seems to be. But I have had heard several accounts say the bottled version is ten times better than the draft version I sampled Maybe I need to sample the bottle someday for its optimal performance.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2009 17:13:53 | More by DoubleJ

MiScusi

California

4.47/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Chimay chalice at Hollingshead's Deli.

There is nothing glamorous about this beer's appearance. It's murky maroon'ish brown looking but there's nothing really off putting about it either, hence it's fine. What my nose and tongue pick up is a very sour cherry-like presence. This is followed by a dry tannic finish, very woody. The high alcohol is not really noticeable and the mouthfeel is a pretty light consistency. This beer is so easy to drink it's dangerous at 10%.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2009 06:19:22 | More by MiScusi

aforbes10

Iowa

4.88/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at Russian River. Pours dark, but not cloudy, just shimmering and purple to deep red. Almost no head, just a ring of light purple bubbles. Smells of tart cherries, red wine esters, alcohol. Nose is rich and inviting. Taste is supremely delicious. Sour, wine-like fruit flavor...lots of tart cherries, lip smackin'! Chocolate malt lingers beneath, but the feature is the big sourness that's just everywhere. I also get some currants and raspberries in there too. Sourness doesn't decrease much as i drink more, which i've found to be the case with other sours, it just sticks around and makes every sip a great and interesting experience. Drinks like a dream...a fantastic and memorable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2009 19:12:23 | More by aforbes10

bifrostguard

California

4.75/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Deep burgundy in color with almost no head or lacing to speak of. The light that did make it through highlighted the deep red color and made it interesting to look at.

S - Currants, cherries, mild funk, wood and awesome. I had a good feeling after smelling this one.

T - Yeah. It's good. Not really a big fan of sours but I thought Consecration was the best of the style I have had. Not overly sour or sweet. Currants keep the flavor in check on the fruity side allowing me to be able to pick out vinegar, brown sugar and wood flavors as well. Some notes of tobacco, leather and wine are noted as well.

M - Much like a good wine. Medium bodied and only slightly drying.

D - Effing awesome at the bar. I gave this a perfect as it made me think twice about getting another Younger, but it ultimately lost. I will have this every chance I get.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2009 04:20:05 | More by bifrostguard

antilogic

California

4.63/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at O'brien's TION night in a Chimay Goblet, with Vinne himself.

Color was a dark burgundy red, aroma had wine and fruit notes. Taste was great. Not too sour, very drinkable, lots of wine characteristics, dark fruit, kurants or cherries. Medium in body, light, if any head, almost no alcohol noticeable for 10%, delicious! I'll be trying to get a few bottles of this one...

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2009 05:58:11 | More by antilogic

paytoplay

California

4.38/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Heavy influence of currants and cabernet / oak flavors. Blue and red berry fruits. Cassis, seemless and very balanced. Long finish and almost thick silky texture. Zero alc noticable. Tried from Keg at O'Briens Russian River nite. Not sure aging this would be helpful in developing more complexities?

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2009 00:16:17 | More by paytoplay

Halcyondays

California

3.75/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at O'Brien's,

A: Pours darker than a beet red, with a small cap of white foam.

S: Got some interesting cherry and wine notes, but wanted a bit more. Some chocolate in there too.

T: Heavy balsamic vinegar and wine character, almost had a rancid fruit characteristic, in a good way though. Fig and dark fruit notes. Not light on the funk. Sweetness comes out in the finish to the beer which I liked. Not the greatest flavour for me, but certainly interesting.

M: Upfront acidity, then the mouthfeel lightens up a bit, a little too thin at times.

D: An intriguing beer from Russian River. I don't think I liked it as much as everyone around me did, but I enjoyed trying it.

Edit - I've had this beer a few times since the original review, still not wowed, but I've found myself liking it more and more. Upping the taste score to a 4 (from 3.5).

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2009 05:16:29 | More by Halcyondays

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.83/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks so much to Grant for sharing this wonderful growler with me, RustyDiamond, Brickstoredave, Ding, Atlantabeerdog, and SaintNathanial. Absolutely delicious and a great pleasure to drink this with friends. Poured a garnet tinged amber with a slight head. Beautiful color. Lovely aromas of cherries and ruby Port, with some astringency on the finish. Tastes tremendously complex with cherries, a little bit of funk, quite loamy and bitter- not horseblanket funk, but an earthier, forest funk. Quite astringent and a bit of sweet licorice on the finish. Dark and brooding with wildly interesting flavors. Quite intriguing. Smooth, tannic, and sour in the mouth. Utterly delicious and fascinating and extremely easy to drink despite the high abv.

Serving type: growler

01-25-2009 02:26:58 | More by Georgiabeer

ralflord

Connecticut

4.88/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Thanks Dyan

Oh my fucking god is this a great fucking beer!! Poured into a double bastard glass. The lacing was tight with a smallish head. Beautiful amber color, with a wonderful sour and wine smell.

The taste was amazing. The beer, sour and wine flowed together in perfect balance. I loved the sour aftertaste.

The drinkability was off the charts, even though this is a high alcoholic beer. I could drink this all night.

Amazing beer!

Serving type: growler

01-15-2009 05:14:02 | More by ralflord

tpd975

Florida

4.65/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks goes out to Gillard for coming through with this gem.

A: Pours a brillant amber hue that is flat in color and appearence. No head at all with zero lace. Good for the style.

S: The aromas are bold and big on wine. Tons of sour red fruit with hints of sweet tarts, funk, and cherry juice. Inviting.

T: The sweet tarts come thru as does a bit of crushed aspirin. Beneath that is a wonderful mix of red fruit that is heavy on the cherries. Winey sourness pushes thru along with bits of wood, and vineous qualities. Yummy.

M: Medium in body, a bit sharp on the tongue with a dry finish.

D: I had several glasses.

Serving type: growler

12-29-2008 22:32:08 | More by tpd975

OStrungT

California

4.53/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a dark mohogany color. My wife said it has a slight purple tint to it, but I didnt see it. I might need glasses though. It boasts a light tan head. The head fades slowly, leaving a nice lacing.

This beer has a mild tart aroma. I can smell some grapes also. It smells wine like, probably because it is aged in wine barrels, you think? It also smells slightly fruity, with some cherry and black currants. A slight oaky aroma is also present.

This beer tastes just like it smells. Tart, and a little sour, with a slight fruity flavor of grapes, cherries and black currants.

This beer hides the alcohol well. It leaves a tart aftertaste. Carbonation is perfect.

This beer would probably not be the best session beer. It is high in alcohol, and it is easy to forget that since it is so easy to drink.

Overall: This beer is yet another outstanding wild ale from Vinnie and Russian River. I love it, as I expected. If you ever get the chance, do not hesitate to try this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2008 22:32:17 | More by OStrungT

Floydster

California

4.6/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Growler from the brewery, I was stoked that my buddy Dane brought this back for me on his trip home from San Francisco, damn it was expensive though, split with my dad, poured into my New Belgium snifter, color was a dark red with some purple tint, minimal bubbly tannish head that went away quickly, no lacing, smell was black currants, raspberries, cherries, brett, oak, mild booze, toffee, sugar, and tart, flavor was great and you could not taste the ten percent at all, starts off with a nice sour bite, soft carbonation allows the grapes and cherry flavor to really come out in the middle, musty earthiness in the finish with more tart, like how this one feels at the end, mellows as it warms but nice sugary fruit work well with the sourness, mouthfeel is full and rounded, thicker body for a sour with a lower level of carbonation, taste lingers very well, easiest drinking ten percent beer out there, feel free to argue if you disagree, could have finished the jug off myself, not heavy on the stomach, somehow refreshing which is incredible for how strong it is, those red wine barrels did wonders to this one, Vinnie does not brew a bad sour and one thing is for sure, I will buying numerous bottles when this stuff is finally released outside of the pub, highly recommended

Serving type: growler

12-20-2008 04:07:58 | More by Floydster

ATLbeerDog

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a root beer color with almost no head (from a growler). The small head that is there quickly dissipates. The heavy aroma of sourness has me sniffing for a tad longer than usual. First sip is a puckering sour with wild yeast notes completely in charge. A wine flavor slips through the bitterness. Even with a somewhat low carbonation, the mouthfeel here is excellent. Truly an amazing beer. WOW!

Serving type: growler

12-14-2008 17:22:33 | More by ATLbeerDog

gford217

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Growler courtesy of Strelnikov poured into a goblet.

Pours a deep, clear copper with a decent bubbly cream head that dissipated quickly to a thin collar.

The aroma is wonderfully complex with the slightly sharp currant sweetness on top of a sugary sweetness. The barrel characteristics are also present with hints of vanilla in the nose. The brett is there to lend an ever-so-slight sourness with a complementary earthy funk in the background.

The taste seems to be a more complex and balanced version of the nose. The sweetness hits up front with the light tartness of the currants balanced by the underlying sugars. The brett makes its presence felt but the finish is very vinous with the oak playing a role as well.

The mouthfeel is lightly carbonated and very wine-like with a dry finish and bits of funk throughout.

This is a fantastic beer and one of the better sours I've had the opportunity to try. It's superbly well balanced and extraordinarily drinkable for the ABV. Highly recommended.

Serving type: growler

12-13-2008 03:53:23 | More by gford217