Consecration - Russian River Brewing Company

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

treyrab

Pennsylvania

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

Here was the deal. Jac5084 and I bet that whoever won our last game of racquet ball would bring this beer out. I won so Josh brought this out. Little did we know that this beer would completely blow us into orbit. Poured into two unbranded tulip glasses.

A: This pours a hazy...very hazy...rusty/copper/ruby. This was a gusher. Serve cold or have a glass in hand. As this poured, a 1" bone colored head appeared. The head dropped faster than a girl's dress on prom night and left a thin skim of bone colored head. The carbonation in this beer is unreal, as the beads just flow up the glass.

S: Wowoweewah. The smell is exceptional. Not completely in-your-face, but all the necessary ingredients are there. Tons of Cabernet soaked lemons with a nice Brett and Oak undertone. Cabernet soaked white and red grapes also come through in the nose.

T: This is just unreal. I basically screamed "WOW" as this beer touched my lips. The sweet, Cabernet soaked lemons and ripe red grapes just exploded with juices and flavors. The strange thing about this beer is that it started sweet with sweet grapes and lemon, but then morphed into a dry, Brett-driven monster than finished it through. This beer was unreal and definitely one of the best sours I have ever had.

Overall, this beer was glorious. The mouthfeel was highly carbonated and perfect. The 10ABV was absolutely nowhere to be found. And I am glad I do not live on the West Coast for once, otherwise I would spend my whole life savings on this beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2009 02:57:44 | More by treyrab

ckeegan04

Texas

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

A - Dark brown with bright ruby red highlights when held up to light. Almost cola like in appearance. Big, bubbly light brown head and audible fizzing. Head does not last long but does leave pretty good lacing. Lots of bubbles quickly rising to the top.

S - Strong aroma of brandy soaked cherries and raisins. A nice light vinegar aroma lingers underneath as well. Hints of vanilla and oak as well.

T - An excellent array of tastes come at you and the balance is just amazing. Starts off with a nice sour fruitiness with cherries and raisins, much like the aroma. The sour tastes fade to a more vinegar based tartness later in the drink. Throughout there is a nice underlying oakiness with hints of vanilla that provide an excellent balance to the sour/tart tastes throughout. Just an excellent array of flavors that play off each other wonderfully. I'm still new to the world of American Wild's, but this has to be darn near perfection.

M/D - Full bodied with an incredibly lively carbonation. The beer tickles your mouth and throat the whole way down. Ridiculously easy drinking as well.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2009 01:40:58 | More by ckeegan04

rfgetz

New Jersey

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

Batch 002 x 3 from the Northeast Craft Beer Outlet at a rediculously good price...

A- Dark brown with red highlights. Big, whispy carbonated head that dicipates quickly. Little to no lacing.

S- Red wine, oak, tobacco. Slight red wine vinegar acidity note. Slight dark fruit note as well. Amazing.

T- Amazingly complex belnd of sour yet subtle fruit, red wine and oak, hints of vanilla. Nice earthy notes. Slight acidity on the back end. Finishes with a nice red wine taste. Perfect.

M- Medium bodied, perfect carbonation level from the yeast. Excellent smooth, silky wine like finish and aftertaste.

D- Wow, if i was never allowed to drink red wine again and wanted to still experience many of the positives, i would reach for this. The ultimate American Wild Ale experience.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2009 13:33:21 | More by rfgetz

lacqueredmouse

Australia

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

Brought back from California wrapped safely in my luggage, cracked open with my bro @LaitueGonflable to celebrate his 500th review on BeerAdvocate.

Pours a dark deep blood red colour, dark grape-juice with a filmy tan head that collapses very quickly. Lots of carbonation swirling up through the depths, which makes the beer look alive, with a nice bead. Looks very heavy in the glass as well, although the carbonation is large-bubbled. Looks very decent.

Big vinous notes on the nose - lots of tannic red wine, tobacco leaf, dark curranty fruits and a hint of musty oak. Slight funk coming off it as well - although the acidity isn't present here, there's a whiff of barnyard and ripe cheese on the nose. Altogether, it's a wonderfully refined nose, sweet subtlety bouncing off rambunctious wildness.

Extremely long and full palate, starting with vinous acidity backed with earthy oak and tannic tobacco leaf. Port like heat seems to well slightly as the palate continues, leaving a warm booze note. Just when you think that's the end, up comes the berry-like currant note flushing its sweet-sour finish like warmed Christmas pudding over the palate. It is ever threatening to burst to extremes, but everything holds everything else together and it just rampages down the middle ground, never veering too far one way or the other. Coupled with this is the complex mouthfeel, that lingers through crewy and ripe at the start, almost touching harsh heat as the alcohol note comes through, before finishing with a cleansing, slightly puckering note. I've possibly never had a beer with a longer and more expressive palate - the fact that long after the beer is gone, there is still a dance of different characters developing is absolutely sublime. The complexity is amazing - the way the palate develops after each sip is absolutely stunning.

This is an absolutely exceptional beer. There's no getting around it. This beer proves why American Wild Ale is a unique style, and why it is such a well-regarded one at that. It also cements in my mind Russian River as an exceptional brewery. The complexity is incredible - I can't believe how much there is going on. Let's just put it bluntly, this is a really, really, really good beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 04:15:41 | More by lacqueredmouse

laituegonflable

Australia

4.88/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a murky, Hellish red colour, brown mostly but with an ominous red tinge. Modest beige head sinks to a rim at the top. Lace is fairly nice, sticky sheets but not very clingy. Bit of cloud in the body. Nice colour, otherwise fairly impressive.

Lots of character on the nose - mostly sweet, with lots of fruit, berries and currants on there. A very sweet, almost creamy character comes up behind, a bit of caramel sweetness, some light toffee and some light milk chocolate notes. Also on there is funk, a hint of leather, pongy brie, barnyard animal notes. Lots of oak as well, and even some vanilla. Funk is slight - just a nice whisper lingering at the back of the nose, which is not just very nice - it's divine in fact. Superbly complex but balanced, just gives a lot without demanding. Incredible.

Taste is sour all over that. Starts off quite acidic, with a sharp citric twang to it, and the flavour of that continues to the mid without ever going overboard and being puckering, or painful. It's almost like the mid is 'cut off' by the flavour of the currants, which comes through fairly late but just in time it seems to clip off the puckering sourness. Really impressive effect with tart, underripe berries on the front, really seems painful, then a sweet-but-tart currant character and plenty of rich, fruity flavours on the back - prunes and currants and a big brandy alcohol warmth. Hints of oregano and other mixed herbs as well complete a really excellent, interesting palate profile. It gives you all the power of the funk but without the intensity or harshness. A challenging brew, but very, very enjoyable.

Slick and dry on the feel, really. Lots of body but never thick or syrupy, goes down well and although the puckering flavour is so expertly cut off, the sensation is still there, and the mouth feels a little sucked dry at the end. Good for the style though.

An excellent, extremely thirst-quenching, interesting, pleasant, beer. I could go on. An excellent choice to be my #500 review.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 05:04:44 | More by laituegonflable

webmanspidey

Michigan

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

Excited to finally try this one... I've had this aging for about a year.

This is a corked 750 mL bottle poured into a large snifter. A dark translucent ruby red color, initially very fizzy and well carbonated with around an inch of head. The head dissipates fairly quickly.

Smell is a sour and tart mix of cranberries, cherries, roses, and lemon.

A really powerful taste in this one. Cranberries and lemon are the dominant flavors to me, but also has some smoky flavors, rose petals, currants, wine, and vinegar-like acids. Alcohol blends in so well here it is very easy to drink.

Mouthfeel is very fizzy and well carbonated. Awesome drinkability.

This had a lot of hype around it and lived up to my expectations. Delicious and interesting.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 23:48:40 | More by webmanspidey

STEG

New York

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

A big thanks to enelson for this one. Poured a plum mahogany color into a tulip, one finger khaki head that recedes quickly. Smell is currants and raisins up front with slight tobacco notes and some sour apple in there too really wonderful complex stuff. Taste is wonderful, sour, but not too sour it could be compared to sour plum juice with brett there really is too much complexity here to identify. Mouthfeel is light and slightly oily. Very little alcohol presence makes this extremely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 23:39:04 | More by STEG

stonelis

Pennsylvania

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

On tap. deep dark red in color. First taste was a blast of sour cherry. Carbonation was a bit odd, kind of like a mellow champagne. citrus, lemon. This beer was just amazing as it warmed there was flavors of oak, rum, brandy. This beer is a real treat for the taste buds, sensations of all types. A slightly sour finish. My wife even liked this one and she hates beer!

Serving type: on-tap

08-23-2010 21:25:19 | More by stonelis

deapokid

Pennsylvania

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

Tried on tap at Monk's "Speakeasy" on Wednesday 8/18. Review from notes.

This highly sought after sour pours a reddish brown with amber hues and an impossibly deep body. Carbonation is modest, as is the head and lacing. Takes on a bronzy red wine vibe when held to the light. It's incredibly attractive and arousing.

Aromas are a Sour Patch Kids fan's dream come true. Vinegar, tart berry, a blanket of musk and a whiff of a brown ale's buttery notes are equally on display. The whole package is striking, as is the profound blast of sour that stings the nose from first sniff.

Flavor is like biting into a Warhead hard candy (in the best way). Face puckering sour cherries, Belgian brown ale malt, an oakey wood barrel musk and the fruity sweetness of a Flanders Red all perfectly round out the flavor.

This is the best of the style (in my humble opinion) and I think the delicate balance is the reason. It moves so smoothly from tart blast to malt to musk without ever losing focus or leaning on the sourness as a crutch.

It's also criminally easy to drink for its bombastic 10%. It's even easier to consume on tap and (after trying it at a bar and from a bottle) it just feels so vibrant and flavorful right from the keg.

A must try!

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2010 04:06:28 | More by deapokid

Cmack15

Massachusetts

4.88/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

appearance: deep mahogany color

aroma: malty sweetness, yeasty, oak notes

taste: starts with the malty sweetness that fades into the sour but not funky clean and crisp, tart

mouthfeel: light carbonation and light body

wow just a superb beer one mof my all time faves. The 10% abv is well hidden I could see this being a session beer but it is not, because you need to savor it

cheers

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 16:34:41 | More by Cmack15

SPLITGRIN

Kentucky

4.85/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Amazingly fast fading deep tan bubbles reach three fingers and then fade to nothing in just seconds. Body is a deep brown mahogany tone in color, really romantic. Nose is lovely with up front raspberries, so lush and slightly tart. Rich dark fruit tones come through with some oak and even a hint of sweet bourbon. With first sip you get some vanilla and oak then quickly comes the tannin based dark fruit sour feel that really embraces the tongue completely. Raisins, figs, blackberries and citrus rind all mark a wonderful tart fruit profile. The bold almost rich tannin feel really rounds out the taste perfectly. Superb balance and complexity make this beer a real standout. Mouthfeel is very red wine like, really making you want the next sip. Off the chart drinkability for a beer in this category.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2009 02:28:13 | More by SPLITGRIN

bonsreeb85

Colorado

4.85/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Garnett/maroon with tons of active carbonation. Not the best head retention though.

The nose is a thing of beauty. Very fruity(cherry, currants, rasberry)oak, funk, tart, brett, barnyard.

THe flavor is just as if not more complex than the aroma. Vinous, tart(not overly so) fruit sweetness adds complexity, but tartness rules this castle. No alcohol detected!

This beer is well carbonated. It is very interesting in the way that the body drinks medium, but it definately has some weight and depth to it. Wow! this is one of the best MF in the biz!

Wow, if I was ever on the fence about sours, this beer has officaily converted me. Wallet: I am sorry, get ready for a beating.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2010 01:21:46 | More by bonsreeb85

SeattleBeerBlog

Washington

4.85/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A- Pours an amber with almost a purplish hue. Great head that stays. Pretty unique and looks awesome.

S- Dark Cherries, Sour Apple, Sweet brown sugar, and a whole lot more. This is getting exciting. Probably one of the best noses on a beer.

T- Exceptional, if all sours tasted like this I would be a happy man. Tastes of slightly tart green apples, dark fruits, sweet malt, and has a nice dry finish with the sourness shining through. Killer.

M-A little thick but should be expected in such a complex beer, great carbonation.

D- My favorite Sours and now one of my favorite beers hands down.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 21:20:25 | More by SeattleBeerBlog

trodersark

California

4.85/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a dark amber color with a nice 3/4 inch light brown head.

S: RIght off the bat, I could smell a lot of funky Bretty smells. You can also smell a little but if the currant and fruityness that goes into the sour

T: Very effervescent, and extremely tangy and sour. You can definitely taste the sourness from the currents and the oaky flavor lingers as an aftertaste.

M: Medium body, yet very light, enjoyable, effervescent mouthfeel

D:10%??? Doesn't feel like 10% at all, extremely easy to drink!

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2011 04:44:46 | More by trodersark

birdman200

New Jersey

4.85/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Ruby red and dark mahogany color. Head dissipates fast, with minimal lacing.
S: Huge red wine and rye smell, with dried fruits. Absolutely phenomenal smell, unlike anything I've ever had before.
T: Huge cabernet sauvignon taste, dry like wine with woody taste (from barrels).
M: Huge carbonation, plays well with other nuances of the beer.
D: AMAZING. By far best beer I have ever had. For $17 for a 375mL it was totally worth it. Thank you Russian River.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2011 17:53:18 | More by birdman200

OneBeertoRTA

California

4.85/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Out of all the non limited release RR sours this is the bees knees.

The pour is dark much more so than Temptation, the abv is whopping and well hidden.

This was the beer that turned my wife on to sours and her favorite to this day. When this is available at my local stores I get it ever time.

Highly recommended to any entry or veteran sour lover.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 16:25:35 | More by OneBeertoRTA

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.84/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured into a tulip from a 375ml bottle.

Pretty strong pop from this bottle. Pours a nice garnet color with active carbonation and a nice .25 inch head. The head is thin and recedes quickly down to a ring. The color is very attractive.

Tart cherry aroma with some slight vinous aroma and raisin characteristics. Slight syrup aroma as well with some medicinal esters. Nice vinous character with some good tart vinegar notes and mixed in some nice wood.

Intense cherry tartness to start off with some slight balsamic vinaigrette that moves in as well. The profile is very similar to the aroma. Slight phenols and a syrupy medicinal flavor. The beer is very complex even though it leans towards the sour side. A nice rich flavor with a present alcoholic warmth and sweetness that tries to offset the tartness. As the beer warms it becomes a bit sweeter with some nice berry flavors and eventually the woody flavors from the aging. I've just started to experiment with sour beers and I have to admit some I like better than others. This is a good example and not a bad one to get introduced to the different flavor spectrum.

Delicious tartness with some great slight fruit sweet notes. The high ABV is nice and warming and lends the brew a richer note.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2010 22:02:07 | More by JoEBoBpr

wogreen

Arkansas

4.84/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Batch 005X1E

A - reddish brown, 1st pour was very clear, though the bottom definitely had some murkiness

S - a very pungent sour smell

T - sour cherries, a hint of wine flavors. id note that i originally drank 1 from this same batch 1 year ago and the wine notes are much more pleasant and mellow than they i remember

M -tannin-like mouthfeel, tart though again mellower than i remember

O - a phenomenal sour if you like sours, a nice blend that blends the best of wines and beers

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 23:46:07 | More by wogreen

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

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

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

ThirdLap

California

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

There are few beers that served as 'eye-openers' for me, that is, they forever turned me on to the style and helped me realize what they were capable of being. Stone IPA, The Elder, and Stone IRS are all examples. Consecration joined this list several months ago, as it was the first wild ale that really caught my attention.

The color is deep ruby-red, with a short-lasting off-white head. I'm working from notes at the moment, but I'm inclined to say the Consecration I've had many times on tap appeared to be a deeper red, almost opaque. I only recently had the opportunity to try it from the bottle, and it appeared a bit more translucent than what I remember having on tap. No lacing remains as the Consecration quickly disappears.

The nose is tart berries, wine, and pure funk.

Consecration is a shock if you are new to the style, so don't try to win any craft beer converts with this one. Huge tartness from the currants are the first thing that hits you, followed by citrus, sweetness, and dark fruits, followed by a sour but clean finish.

Body is medium to full, with the on-draft variety seeming slightly fuller-bodied. Alcohol is present but very well muted for such a huge beer. Carbonation is well-balanced, and the finish is wonderfully clean. Drinkability is through the roof, especially if you're accustomed to the style.

At a recent tasting, I remember a friend's 60+ year-old father continually commenting 'this isn't what beer should taste like' after sampling Consecration for the first time. Not in a mean-spirited or angry manner, but in a rather shocked and confused way. It certainly is different, and far-removed from what most beer drinkers envision beer to be.

The best comparison I can think of is when a person tries something very sour for the first time, for example, a sour candy. Sweetness is expected, but this is the complete opposite! Shocked and slightly turned off, the candy is immediately removed from the mouth. Some time later you found that you actually enjoyed the variation in flavor and the effects it had on your tastebuds.

It's an oversimplification, but it illustrates how sours must be approached. There's a wealth of complexity hidden in them, one that you'll hopefully find just as exciting to explore as any other big beer.

Don't miss this one. As I've said before, Consecration is to wild ales what the Younger is to Imperial IPAs. If sours weren't so darn polarizing, this would undoubtedly be on the top 10.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2009 09:37:28 | More by ThirdLap

kaseydad

California

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

Let the first Consecration experience begin.

Let it warm a little in the 750 ml and finally popped the top, went in for a sniff and was met by foam slowly pouring out and directly into the nostril and some on the floor. If I didn't have four more bottles I would have been pissed.

Pours a beautiful burgundy red and also a little brown with a nice small ring of foam around the snifter.

A slight vinegar aroma with whiffs of cherry as well. Currants are also present. Awesome!

Whoa! The taste is something I have never experienced before. Off the first sip I have a brain explosion of different things. There are so many things going on with this beer that it is hard to express. I taste subtle vinegar, cherries and a lil ol school funk. There is a slight acidity on the swallow but not unpleasant in the slightest. Very complex but amazing! It makes my mouth water at the finish...almost making me want to drink more to satisfy the craving. I oblige.

The drinkability for me is very high as the alcohol hides well in this beer for a 10%er.

Awesome, amazing beer that everyone should try at least once for the experience. This beer deserves the praises and ratings it has received. Very well done from one of my favorite Nor Cal breweries.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2009 01:14:16 | More by kaseydad

gdfan47

Pennsylvania

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

A- pours a nice dark brown with not much head or lacing
S- like red wine, grapes, faint sugar, and a little bret notes
T- awesome, very dry, tasted like it was aged in wine barrels , it reminded me of a dryer less sweet version of Goudenband
M- nice, a little on the flat side, but it worked, def not skunky or at all out of date, refreshing
D- wow this one is ten percent... couldnt pick out the extra abv, i would have guessed like 6 %.. awesome

a def sipper, along with Ommegang Rouge the best interpretation of a Belgian "Sour" that I have had... just remarkable

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2009 18:21:37 | More by gdfan47