Temptation - Russian River Brewing Company

hawks10

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

750ml bottle poured into my Russian River tulip - Batch 004X2 - Bottled June 1st, 2009...

Pours a nice light golden yellow, a bit of haze gives this beer a glowing appearance as the sunlight comes through the beer...three fingers of soft, fluffy white head forms and lasts forever, after slowly receding, a thin layer of white film caps the brew, lacing is left all down the glass...

Initial smell of tart, sour fruit quickly gives way to a strong brett aroma, musty with definite barnyard funk. Tart and wine-like, chardonnay with a bit of the oak showing up as well...very complex, very inviting, very nice...

Tart, sour lemon acidity right from the get go, smooth and juice-like. Beer quickly becomes dry, flavors of oak and brett really start to come out giving this beer a whole different taste and feel than what was experienced initially. Becomes musty and grassy, an earthy dry feel takes hold on the bottom half of the glass...Incredibly complex but balanced, tart but smooth, puckering but insanely easy to drink...

Medium bodied with a lot of carbonation. Yet while being spritzy and tingly on the tongue, the beer still maintains a smooth feel. Some little scrubbing bubbles agitate the tongue and add to the dry finish...Only knock is that it may have a bit too much carbonation for me, as I have been constantly burping while writing this review...

Loved this beer, wish I could have it more often, but with the price and complete unavailability to me in Chicago, this one will remain a special treat when/if I try it again...

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2010 23:14:02 | More by hawks10

IHyphySF

California

4.5/5  rDev +0.7%

05-24-2013 00:33:37 | More by IHyphySF

randylangford

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -4.9%

05-22-2013 22:07:03 | More by randylangford

pmoore311

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +0.7%

05-21-2013 22:07:32 | More by pmoore311

PlinyBeMiney

California

4.5/5  rDev +0.7%

05-21-2013 07:06:32 | More by PlinyBeMiney

CosmoHopHead

Kansas

4.25/5  rDev -4.9%

05-21-2013 04:14:19 | More by CosmoHopHead

tastyville

California

4.5/5  rDev +0.7%

05-21-2013 02:36:47 | More by tastyville

adamcarlson28

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +6.3%

05-20-2013 20:10:57 | More by adamcarlson28

Ctrauty

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +6.3%

05-20-2013 01:30:38 | More by Ctrauty

ShawnMH

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +0.7%

05-19-2013 15:11:23 | More by ShawnMH

alanv

California

4.5/5  rDev +0.7%

05-18-2013 21:36:17 | More by alanv

Shumania

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375 ounce bottle, batch number 05X1E, poured into a snifter

a: hazy yellow/orange with minimal head, some carbonation

s: tart lemon, oak, funky yeast

t: similar to the smell. lemon, wine grapes, good tartness, oak, and more funk from the brett

m: extremely dry

Really nice play from the oak barrels. Good mix of fruit, tart, and oak!

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 21:32:57 | More by Shumania

eyeenjoybeer

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -4.9%

05-18-2013 16:49:19 | More by eyeenjoybeer

ALifeWellWasted

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +11.9%

05-18-2013 03:11:22 | More by ALifeWellWasted

GuzzLah

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - pours an opaque gold with an ephemeral head. A touch of lace. No bubbles.

S - pink bubblegum, oak, lacto/pedio sourness, leathery Brett, mild white grape, faint coconut.

T - is like the aroma minus the bubblegum with a pleasant peppery finish. Really nice balance of flavors. Certainly a sour, but not an extreme sour. Elegant without being wimpy. Not overly acidic for the style.

M - my first 5 rating for mouthfeel. Light-medium body. Slightly oily. Creamy. Effervescent. Dry. Tart. Absolutely delicious with a long aftertaste that does exceptionally naughty things to my tongue.

O - God damn. This beer is absolutely Fexcellent. (That's effing excellent for the phonetically challenged). I rarely get this excited over a beer, but this one is outstanding for the style from the perspective of a person who is a big fan of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 00:19:45 | More by GuzzLah

creez

California

5/5  rDev +11.9%

05-17-2013 20:08:00 | More by creez

chossboss

Oregon

4.75/5  rDev +6.3%

05-17-2013 04:29:55 | More by chossboss

BigbROB

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +0.7%

05-16-2013 17:40:08 | More by BigbROB

eulerthegrape

California

4.75/5  rDev +6.3%

05-16-2013 17:39:26 | More by eulerthegrape

deekyn

California

4/5  rDev -10.5%

05-16-2013 04:00:35 | More by deekyn

cnbrown313

Illinois

4/5  rDev -10.5%

05-15-2013 18:58:39 | More by cnbrown313

Zbeetleman

California

4.75/5  rDev +6.3%

05-15-2013 03:34:18 | More by Zbeetleman

salvy31

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -10.5%

05-14-2013 05:05:25 | More by salvy31

Absolut

California

4.25/5  rDev -4.9%

05-13-2013 18:49:04 | More by Absolut

Nolen12

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -10.5%

05-13-2013 15:33:52 | More by Nolen12