Consecration - Russian River Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks JMBSH for this sought after. A different sour, the sour did hit the palate, and I am feeling it 10 hours later. The Brett and other enzymes are interesting and adding to the palate message. Yet overall the taste is not that outstanding. Carbonation was above average, and this beverage did work with supper. An experience. Really good looking orangey off-white bubbly head, though a piece of black sediment rolled into the initial pour. Vinegar aroma which I am two minds about, one being the anticipation of a hard rocking palate cleanser, giving it the benefit of the doubt.
About a year later on tap at the brewpub. Just as good.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2009 02:27:56 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.3/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Batch 001x1. Bottled 12/24/2008. Glazed brick red with an orange juice infusion and polished persimmon highlights. The khaki colored crown is crackly and unsticky, which is frequently the case with barrel-aged ale that is also hop-deficient. Despite a spic-n-span chalice, the liquid itself is a lovely hue.

It's difficult to appreciate the BSDA-like qualities or the currants. On second sniff, dark malts and medium-dark fruit isn't quite buried beneath the bugs... which include two yeasts (Abbey Ale and Brettanomyces) as well as two bacteria (Lactobacillus and Pediococcus). American wild ale is the perfect style choice according to the nose.

Consecration comes through where it matters most and is yet another inspired creation from the mind and hands of Mr. Cilurzo. Whatever complexity was lacking in the nose has been found on the palate. Truthfully, the aroma is improving by leaps and bounds as time goes by.

The best thing is that the base BSDA does a wonderful job sticking up for itself under the onslaught of tangy funkitude from the wee critters. There are fig and tobacco qualities that supercede the currants. Breadth, depth and complexity is a hallmark of Russian River beer. Alcohol masking is ridiculously seamless.

This already amazing ale might have been even better with more malt and darker malts. In other words, a funk-accented BSDA rather than a BSDA-accented American wild ale. Yeah, that's probably nothing more than my style preferences talking. It's impossible to argue with what has soaked into my taste buds so far.

The mouthfeel has almost certainly taken a hit in the more than two years since bottling. That said, it manages a hint of viscosity in the second half of each mouthful. Lush and creamy and expansive isn't in the cards at this point... if it was ever present.

Consecration (noun): the act of dedication to the worship and service of a deity. It would be blasphemy to suggest that Vinnie is a deity, so how about craft brewing god? Bottom line: this outstanding elixir is another in a long line of outstanding -tion beer from one of the best breweries in this, or any, country.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 13:23:51 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

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

Perfect, yes perfect. Email if you want to argue. Served this one at a nice fifty degrees and poured it into an oversized wine glass. Consumed on 02/26/2009.

Wonderful deep and dark brown with some light reddish touches around the sides and the bottom of the glass. A nice and foamy brown head rose up to a height of around two inches before dropping down to about half and then hanging around the rest of the session with deep and thoroughly coating side glass lace, this one was perfect.

The aroma was wonderful, previously poster arrived atthe word fuck to describe and I would have to agree here. Rich sour notes, sweet and tart cherries dropped in with light oak notes as it warmed, but dominted by the deep sour and cherry notes. Such a wonderful balance here between the sour notes and the rich underlying fruit flavor. Some nice dark malts as it starts to warm, but the long drawn out sour flavor comes back and dries out the palate and really pushes the flavor to the next level. What ten percent, this one drank like it was at four percent, it was just that damn good.

Overall I was totally floored by this one. One of the best beers, easily a top three to five I have ever had. It was perfectly blended and just really ungodly drinkable. I cannot say anything else, instead I will sit back and simply enjoy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2009 02:47:46 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.72/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Opaque, dark brown with a very noticeable reddish tint.

S: The nose is sour in general, but specifically sour cherries. The oak barrel also really comes through.

T: Again, lots of sour cherries. Quite tart. Maybe also some grapes and you definitely get the currants. The combination of the Brett, barrel, and fruit give the beer a very dry and tannic character..

M: The body is rather full with a high level of carbonation and a very dry finish.

D: Incredible. You would never know the ABV strength of this beer as the alcohol is completely covered by the wonderful taste.

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2009 22:25:56 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had the pleasure of trying this at Dark Lord Day 2009.

A: Dark red-amber color with an off-white head. Pretty good lacing.

S: A good sourness; not at all overpowering--more of an inviting scent. Behind that, sweet and tart fruits.

T: Excellent level of sourness. A lot of complexity in the flavor. Lots of tartness paired with some citrus and sweet fruits.

M: Very nice. The perfect amount of sourness. Light mouthfeel. Good carbonation.

D: Definitely the most drinkable sour that I have had. Very complex, and also soothing on the palate.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2009 02:15:42 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

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

Appearance: Pours a hazed, dark mahogany body with a thinnish, beige-colored head.

Smell: Rich, expressive aroma smelling of macerated fruit, oak wood, red wine vinegar, lactic acid, tobacco, and even vanilla. Hubba-hubba!

Taste: Malts mingled with gooey black cherry fruit preserves and some prominent, vinous red wine qualities all with a bundle of lactic sourness to coat the tongue. Small pinch of vanilla sugar and fine aromatic tobacco. Non-obtrusive tannic oak component. Long finish with some lingering tart, earthy hints and final pops of acidity.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-high, lively carbonation.

Drinkability: It's hard not to gulp this one down like a madman. All in all, this is one excellent beer layered with rich complexities and one that I cheerfully recommend.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2009 22:19:49 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.9/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Batch 002x01

Appearance: Pours a tawny brown with, dare I say it, currant highlights; the beer opened with an explosive sound and, though I feared a gusher, it poured with a nice head that dissipated rather quickly, leaving the occasional splotch of lace

Smell: Sour balsamic vinegar, toned down with sweeter elements of cherries, currants and a massive quantity of oak and leather

Taste: Starts out sweet but puckery with developing sour fruit flavors of currants, figs, green apples and tart cherries as well as leather, cocoa and loads of horseblanket; after the swallow, the wood really comes through to complement the potpourri of flavor into the long, persistent finish

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, silky smooth, with a puckering mouthfeel but relatively low carbonation

Drinkability: A stunningly bold achievement; may be the best thing Russian River produces

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2010 20:08:05 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a dark iced tea color with an oily residue cap and no lacing.

S - Smells of sour/unripe cherries, funky yeast/bacteria, and slight vinegar.

T - Tastes of sour cherries, vinegar, and red wine (from the barrels it was aged in probably). Nice and sour and delicious.

M - Fizzy carbonation. Dry on the palate. Saliva inducing from the sourness.

D - Very, very good beer. I will definitely buy this again, but the price is pretty steep. Overall a great wild ale and another great beer from Russian River.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 05:39:36 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured a hazy reddish color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma of oak and tart notes with some blackcurrant notes – very complex. Taste is also a very complex mix between some blackcurrant, some tart notes and some pedio with light sweet figs at the end. Body is quite full for style with good carbonation and no signs of alcohol even though it does pack quite a punch. Very well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 19:14:52 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.45/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Alas, a top ranked beer that doesn't disappoint.

I guess I expected a lighter colored beer to pour from the bottle, but the Flanders Red-looking beer runs from ruby red to cola brown and morphs into a classic Oud Bruin appearance. Much better head retention than most other Wild Ales which shows a lot of maltiness and protien character that keeps the beer inviting. Moderate retention and lacing accompanies the beer into its proper warmth.

Mouthwatering aromas of red wines, apples, tart berries, plumbs, grapes and... oh yea, cherries. (think skins of these fruits as much as the actual fruits themselves). Throw in a vineous, vinegar touch that keeps the beer sharp and clean. And, is this beer dry-hopped?- even in the nose, it takes on an Orval-like resemblence.

Flavors are a very directe carry-over from the nose with heavy emphasis on a clean, tart fruitiness with a strong malt foundation. Even a light detection of chocolate malts helps to envelop the aged fruit flavors and make a buffer between the pith and the acidity. Even with the clean lactic taste, these bugs do not disolve the beer into vinegar, but their restrained attenuation gives the beer a lot of malt flavor.

Likewise, the beer carries the maltiness into the mouthfeel. Again, the clean attenuation keeps the beer acidic, thin, and light while allowing a creamy maltiness to protect the beer from complete astringency. The beer carries the grape, cherry, and plumb taste and feel deep into the finish and with a clean apple aftertaste.

This beer may be the finest example of working with wild yeast and bacteria. Outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2009 15:00:28 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Sloeber tulip glass.

Thanks to G311 (and the Mathmagicland BIF) for this beast!

My first RR wild, so let's do this. It pours a translucent dark garnet topped by a fizzy tan foam that's just too effervescent to exist for very long, kinda like those crazy man-made elements at the end of the periodic table. The laser etch at the base of my glass must be workin', 'cause a perpetually resurgent ring o' fizz is dancing around on the surface. Good times. The nose comprises a good amount of funk, oak, sour grapes, sourdough, prunes, and a touch of a bleu cheese/ranch blend. I can only assume this is one of those wild/sour beers. Am I right? Regardless, the fizzy ring continues to mock the lack of perpetual motion machines out there. The taste is a new kind of melange for me: sour berries, sour apples, rye bread, a slight bit of vinegar, extra sweet toffee in background spurts, some of that blue cheese again, and an underlying current of oak. I'm both pleased and intrigued, leading to a clear desire for more of this. The body appears to be a whispy medium, with a surprisingly slight carbonation and a very smooth, fluid feel. Overall, a very tasty and interesting brew. Simply put: get some!

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2010 06:00:26 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I've been waiting on this one for a while. From the same BA trade that got me the Lost Abbey Witches Wit, as well as the Lost Abbey Cuvee De Tomme that I'm sitting on even longer. It's been sitting in the fridge for about six weeks, and I can't wait any longer. Away we go!

Dark plum-red coloration, with no head at all, starts slightly fizzy, then quits quickly.

Aroma: ah, that's the stuff, there's the brett, that funky wild wicked twisted sour and sassy wine-ish nose. Currants are doing plenty of work here, too, it's fresh with the fruit. Lovely, lovely stuff.

Tasting it: Whoa! Grabs the tongue and pins it down. Puckeration all the way, in this. Does not relent with the intense tartness. Fruit flavor gives some relief, squeezing in between the huge tart bite.

Another sip, another gulp, and in rushes cherries, blackberries, grapes, some sweet, and then sour. grips the tongue, spanks it a bit, slathers it up and down with funk and sour. Luxurious, relaxing, lush and wonderful.

Halfway in, it's getting deep, plummier, richer...moreover. I'm more impressed-er, for sure. Deeee-licious. Mmmm. Mmm. Mm. M.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 05:10:53 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.2/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a nice amber color with a 1/2" off-white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a mild sourness in the nose along with a nice barrel aged aroma. The crystal malts seem to mellow the overall sourness. The taste is more laid back as well. It's easy drinking. I cannot believe this is a 10% abv. beer. I could drink this all night. It has a more moderate sourness than Beatification. It's also a darker beer with some crystal malt sweetness. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium bodied beer with good carbonation. This is very drinkable. It's tasty and not overly "wild".

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2010 23:30:44 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An impromptu Consecration vertical broke out at a recent tasting, we were able to sample batch 1, 2, and 3 side by side. I am happy to report that they are very similar.

Batch 001 - Beer is brown and clear, there is no head and only slight carbonation. The aroma is a mixture of sweet and sour (but not of the Chinese food variety). Really great sour / tart flavor with a hint of malt in there, really shocking. Beer finishes slightly dry overall. There is also a hint of oak and funk at the end, very slight.

Batch 002 - Again, it is clear and brown but this time the carbonation a lot higher. Large bubbles rise through the beer quickly, still no head. The aroma is slightly sweeter but is still very sour. The beer has the same sour notes at the batch 001, in fact they are pretty much the exact same flavor but this one has a slight bitterness to it. I think the bitterness helps accent the oak flavors in the back.

Batch 003 - This one appears slightly lighter than the other two, but just slightly. Still brown and clear. Not as bitter as the Batch 002 but just as sour. Some oak notes in the back.

Overall this is a top notch sour, one of my favorites by a lot. All three were great and I would have them again.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2010 22:06:17 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.78/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Thanks to hophead101 for sending me this bottle.

Batch 001x1, sampled June 19, 2010.

The beer pours a clear dark red color with a white head. The aroma is awesome. I get lots of brown sugar, oak, vanilla and a low amount of tartness. The flavor is brown sugar, medium tartness, dark fruits, vanilla and oak. Medium carbonation and medium mouthfeel. This beer matured into a wonderful drink. It was tried alongside Sanctification, Temptation, Supplication and Beatification and I think this beer was easily the star of the show.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2010 04:22:28 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

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

A - Poured out a clear, copper color with a small, white head that left a little lace.

S - It smelled of oak (and a little bourbon) with a strong yeasty aroma. Light caramel notes, too.

T - Great sour bite grabs you at first sip. It tasted spicy and yeasty, too. Almost like a brown ale with brett. A nice funky flavor.

M - This was very smooth and soft with a nice dry finish. A medium-bodied ale.

D - This is a really good wild yeast ale. The aging served it well.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2009 05:00:28 | More by zeff80

MasterSki

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Review #250 - Big thanks to Dave (d0b) for sharing one of these on New Beer Sunday. Batch 001X3 served in a Hopleaf tulip glass.

A - One finger of fairly quick-dissolving tan foam, that doesn't leave a ton of lacing, but settles into a nice ring that lingers throughout the drinking experience. Medium brown color, with firey red highlights at the edges of the glass and lots of tiny bubbles racing upwards. I know that it's possible to do better, even within the constraints of the style and ABV - see my description of Toronado 20th .

S - Lots of bretty funk, tart and sour currants, tobacco, sweet caramel malts, and wood. The mix of Belgian dark and wild ale is reminiscent of the T20th, but this is quite as nice, particularly the wood smell initially gave off a slightly plastic kind of smell before the brew warmed up.

T - The taste is a bit of a revelation, with lovely tartness, no discernible alcohol, a lovely red wine/Cabernet acidity, oak barrel, currants, and sweet caramel malts. There's significantly more sour and less funk here, and the flavors come together in a much more satisfying way. Since so much of this review is going to be ultimately very T20th influenced I'll mention that the oakiness and lacto-sour elements are much milder here, although I'm wondering if that is because of the age or the recipe itself...

M - Sticky, but with a dry finish, moderate carbonation, minimal alcohol heat, and medium body. Some cotton mouth but not where near as extreme as the Lou Pepe Framboise we had. Right on for the style.

D - Shockingly drinkable for a 10% wild ale. Great aftertaste and negligible carbonation burn or bloat. Other than the (slight) problem of getting stupidly drunk from a 750ml bottle this is terrific stuff.

A couple thoughts...
This is a superb substitute for Toronado 20th. While clearly a different beer it does a lot of the same things very well - blending two classic Belgian styles (quad/dark ale with gueuze/lambic), hiding a ridiculously 10%, and marrying a whole host of wonderful and seemingly incongruous flavors. The only place is comes up short is in the appearance, and that doesn't really influence my drinking enjoyment all that much. And when one factors in the huge price differential...

Batch variation seems to be pretty obvious. I didn't get that vague plastic smell from the batch 001x4 bottles I've sampled. I'll comment further when I open up my own bottle at some point. I'm also looking forward to batch 002.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2009 16:30:07 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

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

Sampled Falling Rock, GABF week 2008
I was able to sneak into a spot at the bar and got one of the first glasses of this, the first keg blew in 5 minutes (before Chris even had a chance to announce it was on tap) and the second only lasted an additional 15 minutes; I was definitely quite lucky to get two glasses of this beer. The beer arrives with quite a clear appearance, it is the hue of a raisin with a rich concentrated color and shows a deep red hue when held up to the light. It is topped by a pale, ring of a head that after a bit forms a brown tinged, full tan colored head that just covers the beer. The aroma definitely has a tartness to it, but also has a rich, thick fruitiness to it that reminds me of a mix of concentrated tamarind, syrupy-fruity balsamic vinegar and rich raisins.

As the beer first hits my tongue it is chewy and rich; a sour beer with a substantial texture (at the time I didn't realize how strong this beer was, but in hindsight the richness makes a lot of sense). Tannins coat my teeth and there is a soft, yet noticeable barrel character in the finish that adds a spicy oak bite. Rich raisin flavors, a substantial berry-like wine note, as well as some rich dried fig and prune flavors all combine to provide a big, fruit-driven backbone that anchors the flavor of this beer. The rich fruit and oak flavors is tempered by a mouth puckering, somehow rich, sourness that is mostly lactic in character but sees to have some acetic overtones to it that reminds me of some sort of berry vinegar as well as hints of a rich, grape balsamic notes. The beer almost develops a raspberry flavor at times, and this actually is pretty nice (says someone who generally shies away from raspberry flavors in beer). As I contemplate my second glass of this beer I start to notice more of the oak flavors coming to the fore with flavors of vanilla, light coconut that is sort of Bourbon-like somehow as well as a structured wine character and a definite berry note that seems like a wine signature.

I haven't said this yet, but this beer is just fantastic. It has an incredible balance of tartness to rich fruit and light, though structured oak character. The flavor is just so well integrated, everything just seems to work together to carry this beer up to another level of complexity and interest. The oak really does add lots of structure, which goes a long way towards helping the overall balance of this beer. I like that the incredibly rich fruit character never gets overwhelming (back to that balance again). This is an awesome beer, whose enjoyment I am sure was magnified by the setting as well as the prior afternoon session of the GABF.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2008 04:37:11 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Acquired from brewerburgundy courtesy of BA Secret Santa 2011, so a big “Thank You” goes out to him. Poured from a 375ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a bright reddish brown color, with a very thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a very thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains wild Belgian yeast, esters, dark fruit and some light malts.

T: The taste starts out with a tart dark berry flavor followed by the wild Belgian yeast to enhance the sourness. The malt character is thin and the hops presence is very mild but both are where they should be for the style and create a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sour.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, well disguised kick, good representation of style, this is a good sour beer to drink for a long time.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 04:04:18 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This pours out as a pretty nice wine like Amber Red color. The head vanishes quickly after the pour and just leaves a thing white film on top of the beer. The smell is super tart smelling, very acidic like vinegar. The taste is of sour cherry and stomach acid similar to a Geuze Lambic. The after taste leaves a dry mouthfeel in the back of your tongue. It makes you want another sip but since I'm not into this style too much it's almost unwanted. The mouthfeel is similar to a red wine in my opinion. It's an awesome beer for those who like the Wild Sour Ales but it's just not for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 02:17:19 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cheers to Solomon420 helping get this one! Review based on notes

Batch 002X1 pours a hugely effervescent brown/chestnut with a rapidly falling tan head; a great beer to listen to...Nice viscosity to this, a touch of lacing & zero head retention

S: Much sourness, , leather, figs & candied cherries

T: Tartness, cherries, dryness; leather, raisins & figs up front, plus a touch of leafy hops. Oaky dryness & tart cherries dominate as this warms, & a bit of boozey figs, leather & more leafy hops as this warms. Finishes uber dry with leather. figs, vanilla & boozey cherries

MF: Medium bodied, soft carbonation, became oily & sticky once warm

Drinks easy as a wild ale & the ABV, a touch too dry for me to be completely happy with it, another great sour from these guys!

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2009 02:25:50 | More by russpowell

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

emerge077

Illinois

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

Batch 001 cellared in cold storage.

Forceful pop from the cork, made it a few yards into the other room even :D Gunsmoke emitted from the bottle, thankfully not a gusher. The tawny brown beer produced an uprising of tan foam, that was fizzy and fairly short lived. It faded to an ever present ring that clung to the edge.

Damp leather, tobacco, slight brown sugar and balsamic sweetness in the nose. Reminiscent of best-in-class Oud Bruins like Oerbier Reserva and Haandbaak. Fairly restrained wildness, pretty accessible to the wild/sour ale novice.

Sustained tartness at first, moving into sour territory before dissipating quickly. Lingering aftertaste of leather and tannic dark fruit skins, currant and black cherry. Dry mild oak and wine grapes imparted from the Cab barrels. Pretty clean and full of sour fruitiness. Well carbonated, lending to an effervescent feel.

Paired with cheese, the acidity is more obvious, and scrubs the palate clean.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2010 21:25:38 | More by emerge077

Gavage

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: dark amber in color with a short 1/4" head that falls to some thick surface bubbles.

Smell: yeast, sour fruits, and some woodiness makes up a pleasant but different aroma.

Taste: yeast, red wine, woodiness, tart cherries, and a moderate bitterness. Alcohol is mildly noticable. Sourness is strong here.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Crisp throughout with some significant dryness at the finish.

Drinkability: slow sipping beer and the sourness is a bit strong so one will not look for more than a glass in a session.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2010 19:46:40 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to jcwattsrugger for this one!

Batch 001X2, cage-corked bottle.

Pours hazed deep mahogany with a styro-foamish head that thins.

The smell is of red grape - vinuous with currants and oak. Some tart black cherry as well.

The taste is of tart black cherries with black currents. Some and sour, funky with some wood. A firm darkish maltiness supports it. It has a vinuous, dry finish.

It is effervescent. Alcohol there, but reasonably well-hidden.

In some ways wine-like, but with a funky, malty character. Well-balanced - sweet and sour but not too much in one direction. An interesting, delicious, unique, sipper.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2009 03:04:02 | More by jwc215