Empirical 7
Russian River Brewing Company

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Russian River Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Saison
ABV:
7%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 6.32%
Reviews:
6
Ratings:
9
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 12, 2012
Added:
May 04, 2009
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 3.5 by ygtbsm94 from Utah

Jan 12, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by jh1982 from Nevada

Nov 21, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by litheum94 from California

Nov 16, 2011
Photo of bulletrain76
Reviewed by bulletrain76 from California

4.2/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Draught at the brewpub. I was excited to give this a try after hearing that it was the prototype for Publication, which is one of my favorite beers from these guys. I have to say that Vinnie's explanation of the differences between this and the final version are pretty much spot on. It is hoppier (very hoppy for a saison actually, and the brewery alternately describes it as a hoppy Belgian blond ale or a belgian blond ale on brett depending on whether you read the website of the chalkboard at the pub) and has a much more forceful brettanomyces aroma and flavor. Blond in color with a medium head. The aroma is just a blast of spicy hops and brett, funky, wet hay and leather, with a light fruity touch. It lacks the more expressive fruit that publication has though. The flavor is lean, dry, and bitter with lots of snappy hops and light brett funk. The malt is a nice pale bready base, but is not really notable in the balance. The body is light and carbonation is standard. Honestly, another well crafted and balls-out saison from Vinnie. I can see why the publicans wanted a toned down version though, and i do think that their requests resulted in a more pleasing beer overall, as the more balanced brett and hops let the fruitiness of the primary yeast stand out more
Nov 10, 2009
Photo of GClarkage
Reviewed by GClarkage from California

3.5/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
10/04/09- Had on tap at RR.

Presentation- Via the tap into a tulip style glass.

Appearance- Soft golden colored pour with a 1/2 inch lightly fluffy head. Some very light lace remnents hang behind.

Smell- A faint nose of orchard fruit, some mild hops and some grainy aspect.

Taste- Odd flavor for a saison. A good amount of apple and earth flavor. Fairly grainy, almost tastes like a pils but has a hit of brett that comes through later in the taste.

Mouthfeel- Well carbonated with a mild sour brett-like aftertaste as well as some grainy aftertaste.

Drinkability- I can pass on this one. Seems more like an experiment than a saison.
Oct 22, 2009
Photo of mjl21
Reviewed by mjl21 from California

3.92/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On tap at the brewpub. Poured into a RR Belgian glass. Described on the board as an ale brewed with brettanmoyces. Comes in at 7% and 50 IBUs.

A-Pours a fairly clear yellow with an orangish hue. When presented it has a half finger off white head that breaks down to a small bubbly ring with some film fairly quickly. By the time there was a third left in the glass this one looked extremely flat. Some nice lace is left on the glass.

S-The brett used imparts a nice level of funk in this one. There is also some hints of not quite rippened fruit in there also.

T-When this one first enters my mouth the brett funk along with some lemon zest are apparent. The brett becomes stronger as it hits the middle portion of my mouth. The fruit evident in the nose jumps out in the back. The fruit is reminiscent of green apple and white grapes. It has a dry finish.

M-It falls on the lower end of the medium spectrum. Towards the end I found it to become a little too watery. It has a smooth mouthfeel and a low carbonation level.

D-A refreshing beer with a nice dose of brett funk.

This is a fairly good beer. I enjoyed this more than its bigger brother, Publication. It was refreshing on a hot day, but with so many other options on the board, ordering this again would be a stretch.
Sep 27, 2009
Photo of John_M
Reviewed by John_M from Washington

3.85/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at the RR brewpub today.

The beer pours a very light gold color with OK head retention and lacing. On the nose I get some up front sour funk, but it's fairly light and not too difficult to take. I also get some light honey, saurkraut and hay. The flavors on the palate replicate the nose, except the sour is really dialed down in this beer. In many ways, it almost reminds me of a brett infected pilsner, one that is light on the palate and surprisingly drinkable. There is some noticeable hoppy bitterness in the finish as well, and it's hard to believe this a 7% abv. beer. Drinkability is very, very good, and this is the sort of beer I wouldn't mind drinking from time to time.

While not extraordinairy, this is a very nice, very easy to take beer, especially for those just becoming acquainted with sour, funky beers. Not bad at all...
Sep 09, 2009
Photo of largadeer
Reviewed by largadeer from California

3.63/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Draft at Toronado, had this one right after Publication. Apparently this is the base beer for that blend, and they do taste very similar. Golden body with a quater-inch white head that sustains nicely. Funky brett aroma, but still fairly sweet, fruity and grainy with some plasticy phenols. Similar on the palate; grainy sweetness, green apple, lemon, melon and white pepper meet harsh phenols. Normally I'm a big fan of funked-up saisons, but this beer has an unpleasant astringency to it, and it's got too much up-front sweetness for the style. Decent, but it's no Erudition.
Aug 02, 2009
Photo of xhcadamx
Reviewed by xhcadamx from Maine

3.6/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
I had been waiting to see a Saison by Russian River...

A - Hazy straw with a smallish head that reduced to a ring around the beer. Tiny amounts of lacing.

S - Sweet like candy mixed with a floral bouquet and brett

T - Very sweet but not cloying. Floral is there but not heavily so. Brett finishes at the end and I wish it it had a stronger presence.

M - Not as dry as I had hoped for in a Saison.

D - glad to have tried but wont seek it out again.
May 04, 2009
Empirical 7 from Russian River Brewing Company
Beer rating: 3.8 out of 5 with 9 ratings