Consecration - Russian River Brewing Company

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.33/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Lagunitas beer circus. Poured into a 4 ounce sample glass the shape of a small pilsner glass. Light ruby colored body with a small light beige head. Aroma is of very tart and funky dark fruits. Can't pick out any specific fruit in particular. Taste is mouth puckering funky tartness to the extreme. Very fruity. The barrel aging adds depth and complexity. Delicious all around and I'm sure very satisfying to someone in the mood for some serious funk.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2010 22:29:04 | More by KickbacksSteve

1759Girl

California

3.85/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Consecration 09

Hello, pretty little glass... You look dangerous.

Appearance> dark red brown, no head, no bubbles, no lacing

Smell>Sour cherry. Yeasty. Wow. Not my cuppa, but pretty fab for those who like this sort of thing.

Taste> The tart prune "tannins," if you will, strike suddenly... then the sour mash sensation warms up in the hang leaving the imbiber's palette with pleasant, plummy notes in the hang.

Mouf>thin and easy

Drinkability> Wow. That was great and a nice switchup from my usuals at the Toronado, but I couldn't have more than one... more than two would definitely be bad on a weekday.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2010 04:17:37 | More by 1759Girl

jminsc76

California

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

On tap at Daily Pint. Most likely the fourth batch. I can't believe it has taken me this long to review what is currently my favorite beer, but, better late than never.

A decent amount of carbonation sitting atop a deep ruby body, almost brownish in tinge. Very sexy legs as I tilt the glass.

Some sour tannic goodness as far as the aromas are concerned, with a nice light whiff yielding a perfume-y sensuousness to the bouquet. I smell something else in there, a richness I can't quite identify.

Ah, so tart and spicy and lactic-acidy and cabernet-sauvignon-y. Not as smooth as some of the older batches, but this remains so enough to warrant plenty of accolades. The peppery flavors from the currants really stands out, as does the rich sourness.

Mouthfeel is fairly thick, but with the strength of the tartness I can't hold it enough for a thorough swishing (yeah, call me a wuss, go ahead).

Overall, this fourth batch could use some age, BUT, GDit Consecration is Consecration. And it feels like Consecration: raising me up to the heavens on a 10% ABV. God's work continues to be done.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2010 06:20:07 | More by jminsc76

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a clear dark amber color with some redness and brown hues about it. Served with no head present and minimal amount of faint spotty lacing. Nose is funky with oak and woodsy characteristics. Alcohol and Brett are apparent. Dry fruit smells riddled with alcohol. Taste is puckering with sourness and alcohol right upfront playing a lead role. Quite drying and tart. Flavors of dark skinned fruit come through as it warms...and warms it does as the alcohol in this beer is there in both warmth and taste. The woodsy flavors mesh favorably with the alcohol. Lingering tartness is left in the mouth that is puckering enough to make you go back in for continuous repetitive sips. Light feel and highly carbed this was one very enjoyable experience.

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2010 19:12:36 | More by stakem

punkindrublic50

New York

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

Served on tap at the brewery, as well as in subsequent bottles. Absolutely lives up to the ratings. Pour is a dark amber with a rapidly thinning head, smell is complex and wonderful. Taste is phenomenal: not much of the currents that it is brewed with, but instead cherries and grapes, as well as a pleasant complex sour mouthful. Much more sour taste than funk. Completely drinkable, which you have to watch because at 10% alcohol this will knock you down quick. Can't taste the alcohol at all.

My favorite out of all the Russian River sours I've tried so far.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2010 18:05:46 | More by punkindrublic50

Vonerichs

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Red-brown colored body with minimal carbonation that only is around the edge of the glass.

Smells of dark red fruits, and sour at that. Cherries and I think currant, maybe grapes.

Sour, as I guess it's supposed to be. Sour cherries and apples battle back and forth on my tongue. There's a touch of cedar in the aftertaste. I'm thinking that it's supposed to be oak, but it's more like cedar to me.

Mouthfeel is, um, sour. Pucker up. The texture and carbonation are thin, like champagne.

I enjoyed this beer quite a bit and even my wife appreciated it, but it was a little too sour for my liking. I definitely recommend it and would have it again, though. It's just one that I'd only have a single glass of at the end of the night.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2010 01:06:13 | More by Vonerichs

ChrisPro

Illinois

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

Have had this multiple times and finally getting around to it from notes:

On tap at the brewpub on 6/30/09. Poured a beautiful dark burgundy with a cream head. Mild aroma with hints of berries. There is a mild sweet flavor, but ultimately the brett and sour currants take over. This has great flavor, with touches of sweetness, then a very well balanced bitter finish. The hype is worth it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2010 01:41:56 | More by ChrisPro

femALEist

California

4.75/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at Pi Bar for Russian River night during SF Beer week.
Consecration- Barrel aged sour ale with currants added & 10%. One of my all time favorite sours. It poured ruby red. It smelled of sour cherries, oak and funk. It tasted like dried currants, sour pucker, oak, wood and cabernet. Very wine like and tasty.
This is one of my all time favorite beers.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2010 19:32:38 | More by femALEist

gpioski

Pennsylvania

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

This was my very first "sour ale":

Menu says American wild ale with currants and aged in oak barrels.

A- dark red-brown. no head. decent carbonation.

S- cherries. sourness. clear hints of pinot nior wine. oak aromas.

T- Really dry. Almost tastes like a glass of wine. Can definitely taste the wine notes from the barrel. cherries/grapes/currants. Very tart and sour. No traditional beer flavors present.

M- nice texture. definitely bites back with dryness. nice carbonation. tart, but refreshing. also has a bit of alcohol bite.

D- Tasty and refreshing, but ABV makes it a bit difficult to have more than one...

Awesome, but definitely an acquired taste. My wife liked it, but one of the other wives hated it. Hop heads might not like it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2010 00:23:33 | More by gpioski

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.48/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap, served in a flute

Arrived at my table with an almost completely faded yellow head that fell to just a thin layer of foam and left some stray lines here and there. The body sat a translucent, dark mahogany and had streams of bubbles moving swiftly to the top of the glass.

The aroma is lacking a little punch. Oak and caramel with balsamic notes dominating. Some dark fruit skins are apparent, but lay low, along with some old leather.

The fruit comes out to play much more so on the flavor, balancing out the acidic, tart, balsamic flavor. Dark cherries, red and green grape skins along with oak woodiness and a finish of dry tobacco. The flavor profile reminds me a lot of red wine. Deep, vinous fruits, tart and a dry, tobacco/leather finish.

The alcohol is well buried here. Light to medium body with prickly carbonation and a light, crisp, dry finish. I liked how the finish was more fruit and leather than balsamic.

For the style, I found this to be amazingly drinkable. The tartness never overwhelmed, and the dark vinous qualities were able to shine through, bringing a welcome balance.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2010 19:42:45 | More by ColForbinBC

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The third RR beer I tried at TJs in PA yesterday. Could this day get any better? Another awesome wild ale. Served in the same glass as Supplication, oversized flute like shape. Comes out with a dark red-brown color which light can get through, not much. The head and cloud are missing but I have never really seen a wild ale with one. The ring around the edge leaves sticky suds behind but no real lacing. The smell is a very nice blend of oak wood and sour lambic. Some dark toasty/caramel malt shines through leaving me with a very interesting beer ahead of me. The taste comes down to sour fruit, oak and brown ale malt hints to me, in a very nice way. The sour and barrel wood notes compliment each other very well and the brown ale malts help back up the sour nicely. Not very complex to me but very cool and creative. Mouthfeel is nice. Moderate body with moderate carbonation and good cream. Not as solid as Supplication but still very nice. A coat of sour oak and malt is left on the tongue. This one gets very sour to me after a while, one glass is the perfect quantity for this great beer. The price was awesome and so wasn't the flavor. RR is great to me so far.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2010 02:13:32 | More by cbutova

samie85

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Originally reviewed on 2/27/10 at Falling Rock Tap House.

A- Pours a nice mahogany color with a little bit of white head.

S-Acidic and cherry with some oak notes.

T-Dry and acidic cherry sour with some earthy, clay-like flavors that I also found in Temptation. It tastes like what wet clay smells like.

M- It has a wine-like dryness that kind of sticks with you and it's well carb'ed.

D-Not as easy drinking as Temptation due to the dryness, but still a great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2010 07:00:39 | More by samie85

BeerGodz

New Jersey

4.97/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On Tap @ Monk's Cafe

Look: Deep crimson, slight haze, thin head with little lacing

Smell: Brett funk, dark fruit, caramel, oak, and malt

Taste: Up Front: Lemon zest, white grape, malt. Finish: brett funk, oak at the end

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a light/medium carbonation. It got even creamier as it warmed up!

Drinkability: Tart, incredibly smooth, and refreshing! Does not get more drinakble than this?

Overall Impression: This was the first Wild Ale I've had since Victory's Wid Devil - a beer I disliked so much I almost dumped it. Almost. Having said that, I was unsure how this would beer would go over with me. Upon the first sip, my skepticism was gone! This is without a doubt the most complex beer/ale I've ever tasted!!! First the aging in Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels was obvious. The brett was a perfect compliment to the complexity of this amazing ale. It's kinda like a cross between a wine and a beer, and not a cheap version of either. If this is not Nectar of the Godz, I don't know what is.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2010 15:09:00 | More by BeerGodz

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

jdense

Oregon

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

On tap at Saraveza 2.18.10 poured into Chalice, good size pour (12 oz.).

Minimal head, quick dissipation, no lacing to speak of. Dark amber body. Faint dried fruit in the nose, little hop presence. Taste is of tart dried cherries, no noticeable hops, a bit of funk (Brett?) pucker powered brew. Dry attentuated finish. At this ABV not sessionable, one is enough, but quite drinkable. Not quite in the league of Cascade Brewing/Raccoon Lodge, but this was a very tasty sour, certainly worth seeking out for fans of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2010 18:10:51 | More by jdense

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.75/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

10.5 oz pour into a tulip at Union Jack's. One of these times I'll do a more thorough review from a bottle, but this will suffice for now....

This is a great beer for catching wine enthusiast's or non-beer believers off guard in what they think a beer can be. Glass is filled carefully and slowly to the lip, leaving no room for a head and initially served a little too cold. Color is a murky, reddish brown, fairly clear and viscous looking. Strong vinous aroma, balanced and alternating oaky, mild vanilla sweetness with acidic funky dark fruit sourness. Flavor is deep, dark and complex. At colder temps the sour and funky dominates ripe apple, cider-like, tart cherries, berries, Brett-funk, etc. Warming up this becomes much more complex as the sweeter wood flavors reveal themselves and turn this into even more of a sipper. Sharp mouthfeel, fuller bodied and moderate carbonation and lingering finish, relatively dry. I still prefer Supplication to this, but that's not really a bad thing. Not easiest to approach of the RR wilds if you're not a fan of the style, but if you are this is exceptional.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2010 01:47:41 | More by yourefragile

YOOJ

Louisiana

3.88/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap into a Chimay goblet at the Bier Stein in Eugene.

Beautiful dark red color, quite similar to the bottle. No head whatsoever. Very unique looking beer.

Smell is black cherry a little booze, overall surprisingly subtle, and I would have expected a little more funk.

Taste is much like the smell, black cherry with great smooth sourness up front. Hardly any funk present. Finishes with complex sourness and a subtle aftertaste.

Surprisingly fizzy, the texture that you would expect from a 10% beer. You can smell the alcohol, but it is completely masked in the flavor.

I have yet to fully enjoy a sour experience, so maybe its just not my thing.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2010 20:33:27 | More by YOOJ

barleywinefiend

Washington

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

On tap at RR
Poured a burgundy color with red hues and a nice white head. Nose is tart berries, oak and just a plain overall sour aroma. Taste followed the nose ery much the same with tart berries being the first thing you taste and then oak, booze and earthiness. This is my favorite RR sour. Very tasty, big, and awesome. Alcohol is noticable but the flavor just tends to bury it. Very damn good.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2010 14:50:28 | More by barleywinefiend

4000qtrap

Missouri

4.75/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Source/Serving: Draft

Smell: Sour grapes, rich ripe dark fruit, tartness, some cellar / wild yeast character. Delightful.

Taste: While its full frontal sour without a doubt, this is tempered by incredibly juiciness....grapes, apples, plums. There's even some banana flavor. A bit of spiciness and low lying woodiness and dryness add interest. No alcohol presence. Finish is very, very fruity, slightly oaky and slightly dry.

Notes: Like a great Cabernet but sweeter, fruitier, and more delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2010 23:14:45 | More by 4000qtrap

zoso1967

Michigan

4.68/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wonderful dark brown color with red hues. Nice tan head fades quickly. This beer has fairly restrained carbonation. Sourness is evident in the aroma from the first whiff. Apple cider vinegar mixed with brown sugar and fermented berries. Wow, this tastes amazing. Tons of sour, tart cherries, berries, citric acid and vinegar. This is backed up by a dark sugar, caramely malt base with what seems like a hint of vanilla and a bit of spice. Also has a bit of a red wine like quality. Quite tasty and begging for another sip. Fairly full bodied with a somewhat sticky finish. The sour helps balance off the sweetness in the finish. Also worth mentioning that for being it goes down quite smooth. Cannot detect the 10% ABV at all. For the style I would say this is quite drinkable. I think I will have another!

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2010 16:52:07 | More by zoso1967

djbreezy

Washington

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

Served on tap at Saraveza in Portland, OR in a snifter

Appearance - Nice foamy head, moderate lacing, dark brown copper appearance

Smell - Fruit aromas

Taste - Has a cider/wine taste, some citrus, very sour

Mouthfeel - Medium carbonation, medium-light thickness, a bit tingly on the tongue

Drinkability - Delicous beer. Highly regarded and worth it. Could easily finish a 750mL bottle if I wasn't driving anywhere.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2010 03:58:07 | More by djbreezy

DanOLeary

Washington

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

Batch 3

Aroma: A reasonably light aroma of sour ripe cherries and green apple skin. Little to no hop aroma. Slight hint of alcohol spice.

Appearance. Light mahogany brown with excellent clarity. Thin but lasting off white head holds a light lacing along the side of the glass.

Flavor: A sharp bite of green sour apple skin hits your tongue and cheeks with next to puckering sourness. As an ale brewed with Brettanomyces this is highly expected and enjoyed. The malt profile is hidden in the background until your tongue recovers from the sour bite, then there are complexities of bitter cherry and faint oak in the finish. This beer finishes extremely dry with another bite of sourness left on the lips as reminder.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with effervesant carbonation. There is a puckering sensation from the Brett but again this is expected and done well to enjoyment. Finishes crisp and very dry.

O: This beer is not for the weak of heart or mind. Among the sours Consecration Batch 3 is demonstrating the finer points of this brewing art. The sourness hits you on the tongue and in the jaw muscles like a sour apple with each refreshing sip.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2009 03:34:33 | More by DanOLeary

hopenator

Washington

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

I am overwhelmed with appreciation for this tasty beverage. Pours dark amber/ruby (my lighting is not very good) with almost nonexistent white head. Feels very smooth in my mouth, and mouth-puckeringly sour. With grape, floral, and oak tones, it almost tastes like a fine red wine--maybe a Syrah?--and I mean that in a good way.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2009 01:24:15 | More by hopenator

Kadonny

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from tap at Capones sour event into a small tasting glass.

A: A darker reddish brown with tiny off white small head. No glass lacing.

S: Sour fruits with some slight notes of wood.

T: Ok, here is where this beer shines. What a complex array of sour fruits that are just sheer mouth puckering. The dominant fruit flavor I could not pick out, but I assume it's current since that is what the bottle says (I've never had currents). So sour currents, apple, grape and maybe some raspberry coupled with some oaky woody and vanilla flavors. A hint of sweetness is there to offset the tart flavors, but this is far from sweet. Funny thing is I don't get any yeasty flavors or funk, just the sour. Hops come in at the end to bitter the finish. Wow, hella lot going on here.

M: Full, prickly, coating, puckering with just a hint of alcohol.

D: Medium to good for such a sour beer.

Overall this is so different, but so good. If you love wilds/sours, this beer is for you. Complexity really makes this beer a one of a kind. Very nice, glad I got to try such a rare beer on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2009 21:49:38 | More by Kadonny

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

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

A: Pours a deep dark ruby red with some mahogany mixed in. A one finger tan foam head that dissipates slowly. Ample amounts of carbonations.

S: Lots of dark fruit, plums, raisin, cherries, currants/black berries, leather and dark tannins. Reminds me of a 'red wine' smell to it.

T: The cherry flavor to me is the most predominant. The cherry flavor is slightly on the tart side. Good amounts of oak and currants as well.

M: Leaves a dry tartness on the palate, similar to red wine.

D: I was one and done with this beer, not because it is bad, because it wasn't. The higher ABV made this beer a one and done for me.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2009 13:47:29 | More by IronCitySteve