Framboise For A Cure - Russian River Brewing Company

illidurit

California

4.58/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared at the December iteration of the Santa Cruz tasting series. Pours a vivid magenta color without much of a head. Absurd raspberry aroma, fruitier and more tart than even NG Raspberry Tart. Really the most realistic, eye-popping recreation of fruit in a beer that I’ve ever smelled. Great balance in the flavor between sourness and fruit. Divine.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 08:18:47 | More by illidurit

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle graciously shared by wisconsinality and KHM.

Dark purple raspberry hue. Pink head. Smells of full on fresh raspberry puree. Touch of tart funk with a good amount of barrel wood. Flavors are pretty much raspberry city. The tartness is mild until the finish. Medium body with mild carbonation. A true delight to drink for sure. Very glad I got a chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 19:33:31 | More by beerwolf77

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.18/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Review #1600. Thank you, Chris. I shared this with the guys last night, batch 2

A beautiful raspberry pink color with a dense, white head that falls off rapidly, this beer is crystal clear and gorgeous. The nose is fantastic with beautiful raspberry character, mild funk and a mild grape/white wine character, which is from the Temptation base. There's just a touch of lemon as well. The palate opens with a clean lactic sourness with raspberries. The raspberry character is excellent, capturing the essence of the fruit without all the harsh tannins that many raspberry beers end up with. Just a touch of lemon is present on the finish. To me, though, the thing that stands out is the mouthfeel. Expertly conditioned with soft creamy carbonation that works brilliantly with the medium-light body. No real oak character is present, and the vinous character is very nice as well. Excellent stuff.

**Edit 27 July 2012**
Served alongside Hommage and the 99 Framboos, this was punching above its weight, but ultimately came up short. Batch 2

An unbelievably bright raspberry character, super fruity without being jammy, along with the Temptation base being noticeable in a mildly vinous base sour. Mildly seedy, mildly chalky and mildly lemony. The palate opens fairly simple with white wine, raspberries, lightly lemony sour base beer. Not much funk here. Raspberry character is brilliantly expressed. Medium light in body and moderately carbonated, the raspberries linger on into the finish. Very nice.
4.5/4/4

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 13:50:26 | More by DefenCorps

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by drabmuh. Thanks Matt.

Save the tatas!

2011 vintage

The beer is a dark ruby hue, unsurprisingly resembling raspberry juice. The head is pinky and foamy, rapidly receding to zilch. The aroma brings some distinctive Russian River yeast with a bold serving of raspberries. Great flavor, with lots of fresh, slightly tart berries. Pretty straightforward. Not overly funky, sour, or tart, hut rather refreshing, chuggable, and delicious. Light on the palate with spritzy carbonation. Overall, I really enjoyed this. An excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 20:21:01 | More by Huhzubendah

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.3/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 375 mL bottle consumed with Mike at City Beer.

Pours a beautiful, dark clear crimson color with a dense light pink/rose head; nice retention. Complex aroma of tart raspberry, earth, funk and oak. Flavor is dominated by the raspberry, lactic and earthy must; not particularly sour or as interesting as Temptation, but not good nonetheless. Light, crisp, mild bite on the body. I like raspberries, so I liked this a lot, but fresh the depth of other RR sours is lacking from this batch.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 19:22:43 | More by yourefragile

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

375 mL bottle thanks to nataku00. This one was poured into my Brooklyn Brwery tulip.

Framboise for a Cure pours a somewhat cloudy cherry red. There are plentiful gorgeous ruby highlights shining through, even when the beer's not backlit. About a finger of rose tinted foam briefly graces the top of the glass, before quickly fading away. The nose is nearly flawless. Raspberry is the first thing to jump out, and is the dominant aroma present. Earthy brett funk is right behind, playing a strong second. An acetic sour twang is also there, but very much in the background compared to the other two. My only minor quibble is that the whole thing could stand to be a bit more powerful. The first thing that stands out about the flavor is that it's much more tart than the nose would have suggested. A close second is that the raspberries have fallen way off from what I expected. If the aroma profile was 50/40/10 in terms of raspberry/funk/sour, I'd say the taste is at 20/30/50, with the berry flavor only creeping in on the back end. The body is fairly dry, and works nicely with the expansive, champagne-like carbonation. Framboise for a Cure is another world class wild brew from Russian River, though I'm surprised both at how just how wild it is and how muted the fruit is for a relatively young beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 03:58:54 | More by axeman9182

wagenvolks

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle at City Beer Store in San Francisco, CA.

Flat out gorgeous pour, with a perky pinkish-copper body supporting a fleeting tuft of valentine's day foam. Clear appearance with a healthy carbonation level. Aroma is surprisingly muted, even as the beer warmed, with a hint of vinous berry pulp and sharp fruitiness. Nice balance of malt to complement the acidity.

Flavor largely matches the aroma, with a bit more of a punch from the raspberries, but still not as tart as I had anticipated from a Russian River sour. Biscuity malts in the background. Dryness is on-point for the style, and the carbonation level really suits the drinkability. Enjoyed every sip of the bottle without getting fatigued like other sours have the capability of doing. A nice Framboise in the end, but slightly underwhelming given the attention paid to this sour.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 06:50:20 | More by wagenvolks

Ryan011235

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into an E&J Cask & Cream glass on 12/4/11; split with schwaeh

Batch 2

Much appreciation to nickd717

Pours a pretty crimson color and settles much the same, but having a rust/browned twinge in lesser light. Ephemeral one finger rose-hued head crackles away quickly to a thin film and some collar retention. Swirling help for a spell, but there is nothing by the end.

Raspberry is prominent in the nose; while that's no surprise, it smells clean, fresh and only mid-range sweet. Raspberry puree would seem a spot-on descriptor. Moderate notes of wood and funk support the fruit aromas - nothing seems out of place or over crowded. More sugary as it warms. The raspberries keep the musty notes at bay, right where they belong.

Framboise For A Cure starts off tangy and punchy with flashes of juicy raspberry, peaking quickly and tapering off to a tart middle. Around said middle is where the barrel jumps to the fore, adding a vapid, dry and musty finish - this is the only part of which I'm not fond. As the beer warms, funk plays a more prominent role throughout. Dry and earthy, too.

Steve suggested I take a big old drink and hold it in my mouth; something about flavors folding over the tongue. Fair enough - this method finds funk intricacies of damp wood, dirt and cobwebs.

I was inclined to call this medium-ish, but over time I am inclined to deem it on the light side. It seems crisp early on, but after opening up it is far thinner; almost watery. Carbonation is moderate; it's enough to move the beer along and assist the flavor profile (think lower-range soda territory). Again, the only thing i don't like is the finish.

I think Framboise For A Cure is a well-applied use of raspberry and barrel, aside from the finish. In any case, I am quite happy to have tried it.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 06:58:56 | More by Ryan011235

tewaris

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A beautiful and sparkling clear rose color with a light pink, creamy, fluffy head. Good retention and lacing too. Funky notes with raspberry at the back jump out of the glass, this is a true Framboise. Rather light on the fruit, the base beer is strong in this one. Strong funk, some soft fruity notes (from the tame yeast), and then the berries. I think it is more complex than the bottle of Temptation that I had, and not only because of raspberries.

The sourness from the wild yeast and the tartness from the raspberries are felt distinctly in the taste. While the palate is not super funky, the oak and leather linger in the aftertaste. Finish is quite dry, and the mouthfeel light and crisp.

The sharpness, although not abrasive, begins to dominate as the beer warms up. Overall I was very impressed by the aroma of this beer, but the taste/feel left something to be desired... it seemed a tad empty. Perhaps there's a lot of room for development?

4.5, 4, 3.5, 4, 4.5

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 15:39:42 | More by tewaris

jcartamdg

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a bright pink color with no head into my ccb snifter. Aroma of raspberries, oak and funk. Taste follows the nose with raspberries up front then sour notes and funk, then oak while finishing back with the raspberries. Tart but not crazy which makes this highly drinkable. Overall this is my favorite framboise to date!

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 19:58:46 | More by jcartamdg

nhindian

Pennsylvania

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

375ml bottle graciously provided by russwbeck, split and poured into a Russian River '-tion' glass.

A - A vibrant, electrifying pink beer fills the glass, unlike anything I've had before. It's unique and almost intimidating in how special it appears. Only about a finger of light tan head grows, with somewhat low retention.

S - The aroma alone implies a very tart beer, full of fresh raspberries and sour funk. The barrel is prominent in terms of oak and vanilla, but still subtle enough to have the fruit dominate.

T - Straight away the flavor brings a strong, astringent funk, but the fruit and raspberry is just as potent, and doesn't have a malty or vinegar presence that detracts from the fruit. There is just a bit of barrel, but this doesn't rely on that to provide the bulk of flavor, and the raspberry easily drives the flavor.

M - Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with high carbonation. Not heavy at all and the carbonation drives a zesty and active body that moves easily and swiftly across the palate.

D/O - Drinkability is high. During a night which we had a good amount of sours, this one stands alone as one of the highlights of the night. It doesn't rely on the oak barrel to provide the flavor even though it was present, and the tartness is just prominent enough to deliver the strong raspberry flavors but keep it balanced and enjoyable. One of the best Russian River beers I've had and one of the best sours I've had period.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 06:58:36 | More by nhindian

russwbeck

Virginia

4.83/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: This beer is so pink you should worry about it staining your white clothes and carpet. Hardly any head, but what is there is pink and laces well.

S: Raspberries, barnyard funkiness, and quite tart. A very typical sour smell, if not more sour than average.

T: Wow the taste follows what I'm getting on the smell. Very sour, but it is balanced by a ton of raspberries. The fruit is on a different level than other American Wilds that I have had. The balance between fruit and tartness is just unmatched in flavor. This very much so lives up to the hype.

MF: Tart and acidic, the mouth on this is carbonated well and has a medium to light body. No hint of alcohol at all.

O: Best sour of the night, including the Goose Island 3 Sisters and Bruery Oude Tart. One of the best American Wilds I have ever had the privilege of tasting.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 06:56:21 | More by russwbeck

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.9/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Did not expect to roll into the liquor store (Ledgers) and find bottles of this! And then Toronado, and then City Beer store!

Beautiful and vibrant pink color, just like Rose de Gambrinus, but even cleaner and plenty carbonated to perfection! Yummy raspberry and sour aromas, just a great tartness and fruit so present. Stays away from horse blanket funk type of descriptions, this is clean, berryful and sour.

Taste, jeez, this just doesn't let up! Incredibly flavorful, rich raspberries, seemingly picked at the height of sweet and tenderness. Somehow neither the immense fruitness or sourness envelope each other. Russian River really outdid themselves on this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 02:01:25 | More by Beerandraiderfan

portia99

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375ml bottle (Batch 2 - 2011 vintage) received in a recent trade with avaldivia (Thanks!) poured into a Russian River stemmed "TION" glass.

A - Bottle opens with a mild pop. Pours a glowing body of hot pinkish tinted ruby red...almost artificially pink. There is a faint haze throughout and only a instantaneous occurance of a weak fizzy, soda-like head that leaves no lacing behind but is able to muster a constant stream of bubbles that keeps the surface active and alive.

S - Raspberries are a key component and up front in the aroma, but they do not dominate the way other examples of the style do. There is a strong wine component in here too (I imagine from the Temptation base beer), some noticable funk/barnyard aromas, earth, wet hay, lactic sourness. Actually refreshing to have a more balanced aroma profile than just straight raspberries (as good as that smells).

T - Glad to say the flavor follows the aroma nicely. Again, lots of complexity and balance with the "wild" aspects of the beer holding up quite well against the assault of fresh raspberries. Assertive lactic sourness gives the first impression and is followed by some white wine, grassy/hay flavors, funky barnyard, a bit of woody oak and backed by a kiss of raspberries. Finishes very dry and tart.

M - A bit on the thin side of medium but filled with a crisp and tingly assertive carbonation. Quite tart and lactic-ly sour with some mild funk and fruit. Very, very dry.

O - Very good framboise. As much as I enjoy the sweeter and fruitier framboises out there (NG Raspberry Tart, Blushing Monk, etc), I have to say this was just about as enjoyable, but in a different way. Refreshing tartness with fresh raspberries mixed in and still retaining the wild characteristics...interesting and having some added complexity. No letdown here at all - glad to have gotten the opportunity to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 23:41:06 | More by portia99

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.4/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

thanks to abecall98

2011 vintage

pours a bright murky pink and magenta. pinkish head piles high and slowly dissipates.

mainly raspberry and oak on the nose

lots of dry raspberry with a hint of old musty oak. slight lemon with a great sour kick. lip puckering up front.

very moderate carbonation, nice body, dry finish

very drinkable and one of the best american framboise i have had. never overpowering and well integrated through out. no sign that temptation is the base for this.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 03:10:23 | More by hooliganlife

patm1986

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

epic. flown back from vacation. finally opening this baby into a lindeman's flute.

ruby red. glowing under the light. pink head--which is entirely poignant considering the hue is actually identical to the pink that represents breast cancer support. truly beautiful.

smells like a really young, fresh rosé--or how i'd imagine one would smell. the temptation base has an incredible presence. it varies slightly with more sweetness, otherwise, blindly, i'd label this temptation; anything involving temptation is GLORIOUS. unripened raspberries, barely some oak. AWESOME.

sooo tart. so tart. more than expected. epic tartness. raspberries are very young, borderline cranberry-type sour. a little baking apple and chardonnay qualities also.

thin, carbonated, and dry as anything ever. no, really dry though. this is a "-tion" beer. definitely a "-tion" beer in every ounce. 6.5% abv is not noticeable at all, though it is high for a classic framboise, but it yields much complexity to a style that can be labeled "juicy."

undeniably worth the 20 bucks that supports ANYTHING, let alone breast cancer.
i bought this for my girlfriend, because she adores the "-tions" and framboise, but she thankfully let me have a bit. it's divine. one of the most sour of "sour beers."
cheers, russian river.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 02:04:01 | More by patm1986

drabmuh

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Starrdog, thanks.

Beer is pink, very pink, with a pinkish white head of small bubbles, low retention, moderate carbonation, some lacing.

Creamy, strong raspberry, mild acetic, lactic, nice.

Beer is light, airy on the palate, mildly sweet, acetic bite, strong raspberry, overall a nice little beer. I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 03:41:31 | More by drabmuh

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

4.8/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Kurtis, thank so much for bringing this to share! Poured into tulip... Batch 2

A- Pink. Bright beautiful pink color with a red tint. Small finger of pink head that settles quickly to nothing. Just everything about this is pink.

S- Kick in the nose! Damn, I feel like my nose hairs are burning. Very lactic with a touch of brett character on the back end. Sour fruit, light berries. Raspberries fo sho...

T/M- Absolutely stunning. I'm almost speechless. I used to pick raspberries for a farm where I grew up, and this honestly has a fresh off the bush raspberry flavor. As soon as the flavor passes, the sour rips through the teeth and leaves the mouth salivating for more. A touch of funk finishes on the palate. Nicely carbonated, light tingly body. Very great body to support the beautiful flavors.

O- Best sour I've had to date. Just absolutely incredible. The sour was pungent, but didn't detract from the fruit flavors one bit. Not quite as sour as Cuvee de Jacobins, but close. Officially an always want of mine!

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 21:18:11 | More by TheGordianKnot

champ103

Texas

4.3/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to Dajtai007 for hooking me up with this bottle.

A: Pours a bright and vibrant pink color. A large pink head (nearly the same shade as the beer) rises to over two fingers. The foam quickly recedes to nothing and not much lace. Very champagne like.
S: Big fleshy fruits of raspberries up front and center. Real fruit with a musky, basement like funk. Zesty, lightly acidic and tart. I love it.
T: More of the same. Big raspberries up front with more of an acidic twang than the nose. Light funk. This is nice.
M/D: A medium body, but higher carbonation. Perfectly crisp, clean, and refreshing. So easy to drink. This is just a treat.

Excellent, and I would not expect anything else from Russian River. Perfectly bubbly and champagne like. I love it.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 00:30:25 | More by champ103

GbVDave

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a corked and caged 12.7oz bottle into multiple glasses. Thanks to Matt for sharing!

A: Pours a striking pink hue with a pink tinted layer of foam on top. Ample carbonation and lace was evident.

S: Smells of fresh picked, field fresh raspberries. Mild vinegar and subtle cheesiness round out the aroma.

T: Like fresh pressed raspberries (seeds, leaves, stems, and all...) with a fantastic wash of vinegar. Very enjoyable.

M: Tart and tangy with a whisper of earthy berry sweetness and wild funk. Crisp and clean without much forehead caving sourness.

O: Very refreshing and an excellent example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 22:08:30 | More by GbVDave

CenCalMario

California

4.22/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375 ml bottle, shared with a few BA's.

Appearance is a red/pink colored beer. Low carb in the pour, little to no head.

Smell is funky, horse blanket, berries. Inviting!

Taste is berrylicious! Zesty, bretty, razzy, refreshing, well carb'd in the taste.

Mouthfeel is crisp, tart, nice acid, not over done. Light to medium mouthfeel.

Overall this is a great beer, really really good. Wish it was in a bigger bottle!

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 05:35:27 | More by CenCalMario

auroracrisis

Kentucky

4.55/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

375ml into a Russian River tulip, this is batch 2.

Vibrantly pink upon pouring with a head that quickly dissipates into a ring of foam around the edges of the glass that sticks around for the duration of the session. Sporadic bubbles can be seen dancing to the top with no rhyme or reason to their pattern. A touch of lacing as it is drank down, but the lacing disappears after it rests a bit.

Opens with horsey funk and raspberries. Hay and bandaid follow, with subtle hints of cobwebs and more fruit. Also something that I can't quite put my finger on that I can only compare to nuts soaked in pickle juice? Possibly from the tiny raspberry seeds. Does not disappoint on the nose one bit, pretty complex.

A burst of raspberries at first that quickly move into mouth biting tartness with a hint of the same raspberry flavor. A touch of cheesey funk with some highlights of barnyard. Not as subtle as the nose, but I believe this beer just needs time to really open up.

Sticky and crisp, with a tingle of carbonation. Some drying with a thin-medium body.

Brashly fruity and tart with a good funk. An awesome example of an authentic framboise by Russian River. Glad it became more available this year so more people can taste it, even if the base beer isn't the same (last year Beatification, this year it's Temptation). Trade for this if you can, it will not disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 06:26:25 | More by auroracrisis

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked this up at the brewpub several weeks ago.

The beer pours a striking cherry red rose color with surprisingly good head retention and lacing. The carbonation is very active in this beer, which leads to a pillowy, long lasting head on the beer. The nose is just outrageous, showcasing considerable sour funk, but with a huge aroma of raspberry as well. Although the sour component is quite prevalent, the fruit more than holds its own in this beer. There's a brightness to the fruit character in this beer that I don't see all that often. Given the nose, I sort of excepted some serious sour on the palate, and this beer doesn't disappoint. There isn't too much funk thankfully (not much vinegar, head cheese or horse blanket), but the sour component is really a jolt. There's still plenty of fruit I'm happy to say, but still, getting this beer down is a bit of a chore for this "sour hater." On the other hand, I have to say this beer really delivers a considerable amount of flavor for a 5.9% abv. beer. Mouthfeel is fairly light, but the finish is long and sour, with a touch of fruit at the very end. This beer really seems to titilate the tastes buds...

Very impressive beer, though at least for me, this isn't the sort of thing I'd want to drink every day. Still glad I had a chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 17:31:40 | More by johnmichaelsen

BrewerB

California

4.15/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Grabbed this directly from the brewpub in Santa Rosa.

Pouring into a Cantillon flute. This brew is mostly clear and a reddish/pink, strawberry juice-like color. The foam was white, thin and loosely formed. Not much retention except for a very scant bubbling that rims around the edges.

Delightful mix of bright, fruity raspberry underlaid with bits of funk - barnyard/leathery. A wet blanket aroma sneaks its way out as the beer continues to warm.

Tart raspberries mingle with a modest barnayrd/funkiness. Sourness is there, like biting a lemon rind but isn't overpowering the palette.

Light bodied with a moderate-high level of carbonation.

Overall this is a treat to drink. Plenty of fresh raspberry fruitiness intertwined with a lemon rind sourness, and barnyard/wet blanket funk. Complex, layered yet balanced and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 04:57:15 | More by BrewerB

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to starrdogg for opening this bottle up and sharing a few weeks back. Served in a Russian River goblet. Reviewed from notes.

2011 batch with Temptation as the base. Consumed alongside a bottle of Temptation that was approximately a year old.

Pours a light reddish-pink color with a frothy white head that is slightly tinged with a bit of pink. Good retention and some nice lacing. Gorgeous coloring.

The nose brings forward a nice bouquet of fresh raspberries with some slight earth and must. A bit of funk and lactic acid comes through as well. Really complex and intriguing. The flavor was along the same lines, though the raspberries took over a bit and didn't offer as much of the Temptation base. Mouthfeel was okay; not enough sourness or funk, as the raspberries come through too much.

Overall, this was pretty good, though I think Beatification would certainly make a better base. That said, I'd love to try the first batch.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 15:34:11 | More by Thorpe429