Consecration - Russian River Brewing Company

StonedTrippin

Colorado

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

my most wonderful girlfriend hooked this up for me. it almost looks like a glass of rootbeer, brownish in color, lively carbonation, and a faint red glow. the head is excited but quickly receding. the smell is a dead giveaway that this is another russian river sour gem. notes of vinegar, decaying wood, dried plums, caramel corn, and cane sugar unite in an aromatic orgy. the taste is incredible, the currants are obvious up front, but the finish is what makes this beer. its so sour it hurts my jaw. sour more than brett too, its sort of like sucking on a lemon for as long as you can, puckery, funky, and delicious. its too complex to finger all the flavors here, but many many more of these need to be consumed to fully appreciate it fully. the mouthfeel is as perfect as it can be, medium body made light by the effervescent carbonation and tart bone dry finish that somehow makes my mouth water for another sip. how the hell is this 10% abv? it is not at all detectable in the flavor or the feel, and im just waiting on my buzz... overall this may surpass suplication as my favorite russian river brew. they do some incredible stuff out there, and this is the cream of the crop. if i play my cards right my girlfriend might get me another...

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 21:19:25 | More by StonedTrippin

hopdog

Pennsylvania

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

On tap.

Poured a dark brown color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of dark fruits -dark cherries-, berries, chocolate, and wood. Tastes of grape skins, dark cherries, wood, lightly vinous, chocolate, and funky. Softer body. Nice tart finish.

Wow, I wish I could get a lot more of this one!!!

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2008 03:50:36 | More by hopdog

AgentZero

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From the 03 batch

A - Very brown, small head with quick dissipation and no lacing. Slightly red, can see through, nice minimal bubble streams add a classy look to this one.

S - Currants, sweet, can defiantely smell the alcohol, almost phenolish. Deep oak on the end.

T - Currants on the front, goes very tart and just doesn't quit. Very dry.

M - Medium light, no carbonation, very dry.

D - Too tart and too much phenol like taste to drink a lot of. In all fairness this might be a better beer than I'm going to end up rating, but it was following two sweeter beers that were both amazing (NG Raspberry Tart and RR Temptation).

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2009 14:31:29 | More by AgentZero

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

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

375ml corked and caged bottle poured into tulip 22/4/12 batch 006

A clear light ruby red when held to the light with just a thin film foe head that falls quickly and leaves zero lace, I like the color

S funky strawberry and cassis with some oaked vinous notes with some vinegar, smells pretty good and I'd never guess it's 10%

T I prefer the taste with more sour vinegar and the cassis is easier to pick up, more vinous notes leaves me wondering if there was still wine in the barrel, I pick up on the subtle barrel notes but its the liquid grape that I can taste

M sour and leaves my mouth tingling just a little, still no heat and a slickness left behind, pin prick bubbles work well

O perhaps I was a little hard on the smell, it may have been closer to great then good, I'm more impressed by how they made a 10% BA brew that has no booze anywhere

I see a trend developing with Russian River, great stuff being brewed!! yet another big thank you too Rutager for sending me this one along with many others

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 02:41:18 | More by wordemupg

champ103

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -21%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A big thanks to Dajtai007 for sharing this with me an several other BA's.

A: Pours a dark reddish/brown color. A small white head forms, and recedes in a second. Light lace is left behind.
S: Sweet malt, and tart fruits. I don't get much else.
T: Very sweet and tart fruits. Kind of vinegary. Caramel apples. I enjoy the tartness, but overall there is not a lot here.
M/D: A medium body that is very crisp and perfectly carbonated. Not hard to drink, but not something I want to reach for again and again.

Not bad at all. I have had this many times, and it is about time to put my thoughts down. Very enjoyable, but Russian River have a lot better Wild Ales IMO. Still very much worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2010 02:09:42 | More by champ103

GClarkage

California

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

11/15/08- Had on tap at the Bistro Barrel Aged fest in Hayward, CA.

Presentation- Via the tap into small taster size glasses.

Appearance- Auburn colored pour, slightly murky but ultra fine yeast sightings if any. No real head and slight lace remnents.

Smell- Large amount of sour berries and lots of brett sourness and barnyard notes.

Taste- Unlike other supperb Wild Ales by RR, this one has some serious depth. Or at least thickness and a more fruity base other than just sourness. Cherry, raspberry, blackberry...can't really tell what berry (although I think it's cherry). Very sour with sharp acidic flavor. Winelike taste due to the cab barrels used for aging. Almost seems like some mild sweetness trys to creep in, but can't get it's head through the door.

Mouthfeel- Very full mouthfeel for a Wild Ale. Sharp and ultra clean with a medium crisp carbonation level.

Drinkability- Right up there with all the other Wild Ales Vinnie brews, one of my new favorites. Winner of the fest IMO.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2008 20:49:53 | More by GClarkage

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Batch 002 750ml courtesy of Beerman777 into a Duvel tulip.

A: Dark plum body with a half inch of frothy off-white head. Quick dissipation and light lace. Could do with more carbonation.

S: Sour and wild, with vinegar and sour berries asserting dominance. Some vanilla and cranberries, with sourness far outweighing sweetness. Quite nice.

T: Starts out with intense sour cranberry, then some vanilla, then more intense berry tartness. Wave after wave of puckering goodness. Perfect balance of sourness and complex flavor. Fantastic.

M: Medium bodied, with carbonation that starts out a little sharp and becomes plush and forgiving.

D: I'm splitting this with a couple friends, and I'm glad that's the case. A whole bottle would be a real (delicious) chore.

Notes: Wow. Thanks, Steve, for hooking me up with such a tasty treat. I still have yet to be disappointed with a Russian River brew, and I just can't wait to crack the Supplication in my cellar.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2010 04:37:05 | More by woosterbill

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sharing with sour beer fan friends Mike n Bryce (homebrewers). Poured with no head or lace. Color is a hazy/cloudy honey amber. Aroma is yeast, sour, oak, sherry, malt. Flavor's similar to taste but not as complex. Body and carbonation are perfect for style. Finish is like flavor, clean, balanced, and a nice alcohol prod. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 01:24:18 | More by drpimento

tdm168

North Carolina

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

Thanks to jtd1969 for hooking me up with a bottle of this.

Poured into a Southern Tier tulip. Pours a dark ruby, amber color with a thin layer of fizzy, white head that quickly fizzles away. The nose has notes of grapes, alcohol, and currants. The smell is quite spicy and fruity with a significant amount of the alcohol coming through. The flavor is very tart and sour. It makes my cheeks pucker immediately. The currants come through as do some fruits like red grapes and maybe raspberries. There is a juice or wine characteristic to it. The alcohol really isn't too noticeable. It adds some warmth as the beer warms. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, a bit viscous, smooth, and has a bubbly carbonation.

This is my first Wild Ale. I'm impressed. It's complex, drinkable, smooth, refreshing, but a sipper. If RR was available around NC I would have this more often for sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 23:14:29 | More by tdm168

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Capone's on 3/29/09.

A - Clear cola-colored, purple tinted body with one-finger off-white head that retained like a champ for quite a while, then reduced to a thin veil.

S - Nose suggests sour grapes, funky Brett notes, oak tannins, and an astringent, magic marker-esque aspect. Not as over-the-top as I was expecting.

T - Flavor is wine-like, with plenty of oaky/woody notes. While there is no noticeable hop presence, there is tons of funky Brett flavor and sour fruit notes.

M - Medium body with a dry mouthfeel and finish. Warm and slightly astringent on the palate with a mild alcohol sting.

D - Quite drinkable for one of the most coveted American-made sour ales in beer-lure. While this is a Brett-head's dream, I actually found it to be not as harsh as I was anticipating. Really glad to have had the opportunity to get this on tap outside of Cali.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2009 22:10:53 | More by ffejherb

flagmantho

Washington

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

Poured from 750mL bottle into a tulip. This was from batch 002X3.

Appearance: deep mahogany brown with reddish hints; two finger fizzy head which dissipated very quickly.

Smell: very interesting; there's a lot going on here. Right off the bat, it smells like wood; there is also the aroma of currant and raisin and tobacco. There is a distinct tartness which I'm sure is attributable to the bacteria. Overall, I like it, although it doesn't necessarily whet my appetite for beer.

Taste: tart, bright and sour. The subtleties of the aroma eventually come through, but off the bat it reminds me of eating super-sour candy as a kid. The other flavors are not particularly strong; I like the tartness but it is a bit extreme. As I consume more of it, I find it growing on me.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a nice carbonation. I quite like it.

Drinkability: this beer perplexes me a bit. Each time I take a sip, the sourness blows me back; soon, however, I am appreciating the undertones, and finally I find myself yearning for another sip. This is a truly interesting beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2009 23:09:34 | More by flagmantho

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.15/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to GRG1313 for the opportunity. Batch 004X2 served in my CL tulip at 53 degrees. Pours a translucent reddish-brown with a loose, quarter inch off-white head that quickly disperses towards the shoulders leaving a broken, sudsy skim across the surface. No lacing on this one. Fantastic nose - oak, buttery notes, currants and a vinous quality all interwoven into a complex palate of aromas. Taste follows nose - no real surprises here. The flavors are refreshingly tart and the alcohol seems non-existent, despite the 10% abv indicated on the label. Mouthfeel is light in body with a carbonation that falls just short of lively. The tartness lightly stimulates the salivary glands along the sides of the cheeks and there is also a slight acidic burn that lingers on the lips between quaffs. Not much more to say - a solid American wild with a great deal of complexity. Another impressive beer from this brewer.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 00:19:02 | More by Jwale73

Deuane

Pennsylvania

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

A-Clear, purplish-brown tinted copper with a thin off-white head that held on well till it finally reduced to a thin ring. Spotty flecking left behind.

S-Balsamic vinegar and sour grapes. Dry, woody, tart and musty notes swirl around too.

T-Tart, woody, dry red wine (duh) notes. Lots of astringency and a nice play as the dryness and tartness counterbalance each other.

M-Medium-light body with a tongue drying astringency without being overly puckering.

D-Superb, quite drinkable, well done sour with the tart and dry characteristics balancing each other very well. A totally enjoyable and refreshing brew.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2009 23:12:07 | More by Deuane

mynie

Indiana

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

Pours like red sangria. Little bit a fizz on top.

It's tamer than I thought it would be. Maybe 2-3 years ago, before the sour thing took off and every other American brewer was trying to out shocktart Shock Tarts, this would have been shockingly sour. I was expecting something shockingly sour. But, really, that's my fault, not the beer's.

The sour isn't intense and the fruit isn't candied or Starbursty. But the sour is still there, and the fruitiness isn't like regular ripe fruit even though it's also not like any candied or synthetic fruit, nor even like any other wild ale I've ever had. It's vinous, with burny nodes of red wine barrels in the back end, but mostly it's just very delicately fruity and sour.

This is exquisitely brewed. This is the kind of beer that can (and did) help set off a national trend.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2010 22:06:38 | More by mynie

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

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

Batch 001X2 750ml bottle into a big tulip twice watching the Breaking Bad premiere. Bottle date is 12/26/08 so this is at about 15 months in the bottle. Review #600. I reviewed this off tap but wanted to get a bottle version in.

Dark dried blood brown out of the bottle, once layered in the glass, Consecration casts a deep dark mahagony brown and appears ruby red mixed with iced tea brown. Champagne like medium tan loose bubbled foam rose up buzzing with vigor yet it dwindles quickly with the same amount of vigor. No lacing from this, which I always get off the tap.

The smell on this is heaven, 15 months worked out the kinks and this is exibiting true integration with the fruit, yeast, malt and wild bug additions. The currants while faded are still a pleasure to sniff while it's backed by some Belgian abbey yeast. Chocolate from the malts which are just coming out and a certain kind of funkiness on the light side.

Bang, zoom, to the moon, this is where it's at. Up front sqeezed currant juice mixed in with some sweet malt and accidity on the tounge. Tastes of chocolate, figs, tobacco and some wild yeaat playing nice with with the Sauvignon taste, which is marvelous and my second favorite wine barrel beer behind Temptation. The wine influence just builds with time and with the 15 months on this bottle, the wine has taken front stage with the currants fading. A funky Wine beer with fruit influence in the back, I like it.

Pretty tame on the mouth when cold out of the bottle or tap for that matter but overall this is acidic, funky, mildly tart and fruity. A nice step above medium with perfect carb thats crisp at times, non existant at times, and a beast at times with sharp pricks to the tounge depending on temp and what portion of the bottle your drinking. At times my mouth got hot for a few seconds but that's it. Towards the end of the bottle the dregs kind of muted the acidic nature of Conse. A lot of variations on feel of this beer and I think Batch one is perfect, or near perfect.

Try to drink a aged bottle of this to yourself sometime, it's a treat and goes through many changes over three hours. The wine is huge, the funk is light, the fruit is fading but still large. This got me a pretty tipsy. I'm feeling this 10 percent, this is drinkable, but it will do damage, I can't wait for the smaller bottles. I plan to drink the rest of my batch 1 bottles in another 15 to see where this goes.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2010 04:18:16 | More by onix1agr

Metalmonk

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Enormous thanks to msubulldog25 for his generosity on this one. This was basically a gift, in that I didn't trade for it, and he simply offered it. Wotta guy.

Poured a fluffy, audibly crackly head. Color borders on black, but is more of a very, very dark brown.

Aroma is mostly wood and extremely young grapes. Has a generally vinous, weedy, unripe and exotic smell. You know you're in for something unique just by smelling it.

Flavor is exceedingly vinous and acidic. Lots of young dark fruit, mostly berry. Wood is present but subtle and supportive only. Tartness in both flavor and feel (makes the mouth pucker). Quite dry and spritzy, like champagne. Lightly pasty like an intense red wine, but that could just be the tartness talking. The feel is something to get used to, but if reviewing to style, it's wonderful.

I have to be in the mood for this sort of beer (which has a lot in common with an Oud Bruin), and it's generally not the sort of thing I'd reach for if given many other choices, but the quality and character is clearly on a high level. Very glad to have tried it.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2009 12:47:03 | More by Metalmonk

ngeunit1

California

4.53/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours an almost clear ruby-mahogany with a thin finger of frothy off-white head. The head fades down fairly quickly leaving behind a touch of lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of sour dark fruits and currants with some Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, oak, earthy smells, and just a touch of booze.

T - Starts off with a mix of strong sour currants and dark fruit with some dark grapes, vanilla, and a touch of tobacco. Through the middle, oak flavors come through with some more dark fruits with some sour cherries and plums. The finish is a mix of sour dark fruits, dark grapes, oak, some earthy flavors, and some booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sour and warming finish.

D - Very drinkable. I really like how sour the beer is, but at the same time the balance is still very good. The dark fruits really compliment the sourness nicely.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 04:05:02 | More by ngeunit1

GbVDave

Illinois

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

Poured from a corked and caged 750ml bottle into two St. Bernardus goblets. Thanks to HeatherAnn for the assist! Extra special thanks to Ineedabeerhere for the trade and hook-up!

Batch 001 x 4

A: Pours a dark brown/rusty red color with a smallish, off-white head that leaves no lace behind. Carbonation is pretty active.

S: Aromas of sour grapes, oak, and some dark fruit. Heather felt it smelled very "winey". Incredible is how it smelled!

T: Tangy grape, sodden oak, carmelized brown sugar, and a boatload of both sweet and tart dark fruit. More complex wine flavors.

M: Tart and quite tangy. Really puckery at first, but becomes sweeter and mellower as it warms. Exquisite balance.

D: Virtually invisible alcohol content. Characteristically awesome. Thanks Joe!

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2009 00:34:30 | More by GbVDave

oline73

Maryland

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

I had this on-tap at Capone's during the Russian River event. Poured into a goblet. This was Batch 1.

Appearance: Pours an opaque reddish brown color with a layer of off white head that goes away completely.

Smell: Sour fruity vinegar with a hint of sweetness. I'd say it is very wine like.

Taste: Just like the smell, I'm picking up sour fruit and vinegar notes, but much smoother here than in the smell. I can taste oak, and red wine. All the flavors are in perfect balance. The finish is warm from the alcohol, very nice.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with tingly mild carbonation. The finish is dry and woody.

Overall: I haven't found a sour beer that I like better than this one. The flavors are so well balanced, and the alcohol isn't anywhere to be found. Very smooth.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2011 21:20:29 | More by oline73

billab914

Virginia

4.45/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into my Lost Abbey stemware glass. It poured a brownish/deep red color with a very fizzy and active head to it. The head settled down very quickly, almost like a cola.

The aroma shows off an acidic sourness as well as some fruity notes to it. The currents give it a tart and dry fruitiness that is very nice. The sourness is sharp with moderate acidicness. Just a hint of the woody, barrel character comes through.

The taste starts off with a sharp acidic bite to it with more of the moderately sweet current fruitiness coming through. As you get closer to the finish more sour and tart flavors come through. The currents leave a grape/wine like dry, tartness on the palate. It's great in how the sweet and tart flavors both come through so well in it. It's definitely one of the more tart and sour beers of the style I've had.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied overall, and more heavy then most I've had in the style. Carbonation is very high and sharp. Drinkability is good, it had some excellent flavors to it and some great complexity. As I said before I loved how it had both sweet and tart flavors at the same time. The currents were also excellently done. Very tart and sour too. Excellent beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2010 01:37:55 | More by billab914

maximum12

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to BZero007 for sending me this in an epic exchange of Top 100 brews. I hope he enjoyed his, now I'm going to tie into mine!

Batch #2. Pours thick, dark, cloudy red with a bubbly head that falls instantly to the barest of rings. Smells is all sour, funky cherry (or is that currants?).

Taste is like a sour slap upside the head. The sour funk runs up into my nasal passages & clears up the mild cold that started, as well as aiding my arthritis & cataracts. Yeesh! Sour dark fruits, funk, with a dry, tart finish contributed by the wood that sears the top of my mouth & back of my throat.

I think dry & tart covers the mouthfeel, with high carbonation. I can hear it bubbling. Drinkability is high/low. Low because I couldn't have more than half the bomber, high because it's unique & soothing on the tongue. As I move on even a half-bomber is a lot; eight ounces would have sufficed.

Very good beer. Can't say that I'm as enamored of it as the general BA population, but I understand the appeal. A wonderful once-in-a-while treat.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2009 02:59:05 | More by maximum12

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

After an unreasonably arduous brewday, I need something good to relax me and the funk was calling me. Poured into a tulip. Batch 003x4.

Cork pull gave a spirited pop, but then the beer inside got pissy and decided to spill out a bit over the top. Not really overcarbonated, but given the day I just had, I'm not surprised that this beer was out to get me. Anyway...

4.0 A: Dark mahogany color and hazy. Looks like I might have gotten the yeast in an uproar. Two fingers of fizzy off white head that acts and falls like the head on a can of Coke.

4.0 S: Nose is pleasant, but pretty simplistic for a sour. On the acid front, the only thing that comes through with any power is acetic acid, which could be amplified by the currants. Latic acid is soft if it is even there at all. I can smell the barrel, but wouldn't have any idea that it was Savignon if I didn't read the label. Black currant and cherry fruitiness underlying.

4.0 T: Quite a lot more going on in the taste than in the nose. The first thing that struck me was a tongue paralyzing astringency, but this dies down upon additional sips. Very musky as well. The Cabernet makes an big appearance in the taste and actually this tastes more like a soured wine than a soured beer. Though there is a touch of vinegary-ness, there is a lot more lactic acid, though surprisingly not too tart. Tannins with currant and raisin fruitiness. Though I appreciate complexity, the big bold flavors are each too aggressive on their own and fail to mesh harmoniously.

3.5 M: Lighter medium. Good moderate amount of fizzy carbonation. Astrigency on finish that lingers. Alcohol is noticeable, but seems more like 7% than 10%.

3.5 D: Not bad, but seems like there are too many flavors competing without any direction.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2010 05:00:47 | More by DavoleBomb

emmasdad

Colorado

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

Thanks again to Ken for bringing this one to a recent tasting. Poured a clear copper color, topped with a light white head. Aromas of funk, plums, currants, and vinegar. On the palate, this one was light to medium bodied and tart, with flavors of red wine vinegar, currents and wine.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 23:32:24 | More by emmasdad

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

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