Temptation - Russian River Brewing Company

lordofstarside

Nevada

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

12oz to a cordial glass

Pours a pale gold with a finger of foam with some pretty good retention for a wild. Little transparency with the yeast floating around. Medium carbonation coats the glass with some decent lacing. Smell of white wine, sour apple, cherry, and citrus. Some funk blends with a sweet malt and a touch of alcohol. Taste follows the nose well, sour apple and cherry with some chardonnay. A mild malt base mixes with some alcohol and citrus. Pretty solid feel, crisp with medium sourness, not much face twisting as the rest of the Russian River sour line. Good sticky finish. Over all another quality sour from Russian River, however probably my least favorite of the line so far. Can't wait to see how this ages

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 06:55:28 | More by lordofstarside

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.61/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

400th review. This beer has been waiting 16 months in my beer cabinet to be drank.

375 ml bottle poured into a large Duvel snifter.

Appearance: This beer poured a one finger head that reduced to a thin layer. It is a hazy golden yellow with slight clarity and slow moving bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: Fruity, oak, vanilla, funky orders, musty, and some spiciness too.

Taste: This shit tastes great. It's so frickin funky and chardonnay delicious. What a nice blend of Brett and charfonnay flavors.

Mouthfeel: buttery smooth, low to medium carbonation, crisp, refreshing, light to medium bodied, and easy to drink.

Overall: Awesome wild ale. It doesn't get any better. Great beer for my 400th review.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 03:19:38 | More by Flounder57

jvillefan

California

4.39/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Golden yellow with a white lace head.

S: Sour apples and sour grapes are in the front. Pleasant esters from the souring yeast and bacteria.

T: Sour apples with subtle sour grapes and oak. There is a very subtle sweet caramel flavor from the malts present as well.

M: Nice body and carbonation.

O: Great sour. One of the better ones out there.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2013 18:16:58 | More by jvillefan

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.54/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Bottle to Ommegang flute

A: Golden yellow to light honey colored with a very small white head that goes away quickly. It looks very clean but it is only semi translucent which I assume is due to time in the barrels

S: you can definitely smell the chard barrels the brett is there as well but it is not as funky as I have seen it before which in another respect makes the smell pretty balanced its good but not great.

T: The first thing that comes to mind is the following the nose with taste of Chard and oak there is a sour and tart flavor that sticks around for awhile and all throughout the finish. The flavor is nice and light as well as being quite delicious and I usually don't like wine. The brett is also present but in the background and adds a nice crisp taste.

M: there is a nice crisp bite to it is smooth, oily and goes down really easy I had to stoop myself from drinking it too fast. The brett and light carbonation adds a champagne line feel that adds to chard flavor and really combines well in this beer.

O: I really liked this beer its not super sour or funky at all but it is really tasty and goes down really easy. The mouthfeel works perfectly with the taste and although the smell is lacking everything else makes up for it. I would highly recommend this beer get it if you can.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 21:55:49 | More by Pinknuggets

RaulMondesi

California

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

On tap, straight from tha source: Russian River.

Like a perfect storm that Mark Walburn cannot cure.

Raul is at the source, tha joint, Russian River, and hot damn I got the freshies!
Smooth, sexi, sour... It clean, so clean like OJ just clean the Bronco.

Raul like it. Yep!

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2013 09:05:01 | More by RaulMondesi

Immortale25

Florida

3.81/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a Saint Somewhere wine-style glass. Label says 072712.

A- Pours a hazy gold color with a 3/4 inch white head that retains well before fizzling away to a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a thin sheet of surface foam. Solid lacing. Wispy sediment is found suspended in the body.

S- Lemony, funky wild yeast aroma with a hint of barnyard must. Crisp but fumy.

T- Pow! Massive sourness of lactic acid assaults the palate leaving only traces of citrus fruit notes. Has that strange rubbery aftertaste that I haven't, as of yet, been able to determine what the cause of it is but it shows up in a lot of sours. Drinkable, but with small sips few and far between.

M- Incredibly dry and twangy with a tartness that doesn't let up. Medium-high carbonation and a lightish body.

O- It's a kick in the teeth right off the bat but, once you get into it, it's a pretty tasty sour if you like that sort of thing.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 00:34:46 | More by Immortale25

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-clear golden color with a decent white head and some lacing

S-sour grapes, yeasty funk, oak, floral

T-tart grapes, yeasty funk, oak, Chardonnay barrels add but are so well-incorporated as to be unable to taste this as a separate distinct aspect of this beer, has a nice dry finish

F-medium body with nice tight carbonation, crisp and tart mouthfeel

O-a delicious beer, so beautifully blended and well-balanced

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2013 00:47:39 | More by MDDMD

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.76/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A-Pours an illuminated toasted straw color. Body is quite hazy. Puffy bleached head sits atop the body. Looks nearly perfect. Long, attention-grabbing lacing stains hug the glass and dry up.

S-The aroma is Brett at its best. Funky, tart and earthen. Pretty floral notes play quite nicely with the barrel notes. Woody, infected Chardonnay with a light, crisp malty underbelly. Fresh, juicy apples, pears and stone fruits. The buzzing funk encompasses all of the other aromatic components.

T-The flavor is blatantly exquisite. The funky, barny, yeasty tartness rushes over the palate. The sips following the first deliver all the notes from the nose but with much more robustness. Warmth is friendly to this ale. The honeysuckle and dandelion stem flavors add depth. The oak is sneaky but noticeable after a few sips... I may even be getting some oak-imparted vanilla flavors. Tart fruits of course.

M-Perfect body; relatively light and highly carbonated. The first sip seemingly explodes all over my mouth; the bubbles roll over every inch.

O/D-Another royal brew by Russian River. Too complex to ever fully describe. Too drinkable to ever fully feel satisfied. A glass of this at the brewpub was truly inspiring.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2013 21:03:19 | More by VelvetExtract

Satchboogie

New Hampshire

4.7/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Review from 2/3/13: 750ml Caged and Corked bottle, batch 004x3 (brewed 5/25/2008, bottled 6/2/2009).

A: Pours light orange with nearly two fingers of a bubbly white head that fairly quickly dissipates to a frothy film. Just a little hazy, but mostly clear.

S: As soon as I popped the cork the sourness practically jumped out of the bottle. White wine, moderate fruitiness akin to peaches and green apples, lots of sourness and funk.

T: As I had hoped, the nearly 4 years of aging turned this quite sour and funky. Semi-sweet chardonnay with mild fruits, a lot of oak. Slightest bit lactic. Has a good bit of that funky-cheese and musty basement quality. Tart bite up front with a mouth-puckering sourness lingering through the finish.

M: Medium body, moderate carbonation. Fairly dry finish. I'd like a little bit more carbonation, slightly lighter body, and a dryer finish. Nitpicks though, it's still darned good.

O: One of the finest examples of it's style and the extended aging made it even better. Near perfection.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 15:02:29 | More by Satchboogie

davey101

Connecticut

4.39/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

375 ml C + C bottle into a tulip glass. Bottled 07/27/12 so nearly six months old at this point. Thanks Wes!

A - Pours an initially clear golden amber body. The second pour is obviously quite hazy with some sediment. Massive fluffy bone white head fills the rest of the glass but dies down quickly leaving behind a gorgeous one finger cap. Sticky and soapy lacing with long retention coats the glass after every sip.

S - Starts off with huge notes of brettanomyces. Barnyard musk, hay, and oak. Layers of fruit; mainly lemons, overripe pears and grape skins. The finish is powdery and dry with a touch of blue cheese. The white wine barrel adds such a great fruit character. Just phenomenal.

T - Crisp and lively. Sour lemons, ripe pear juice, and tart green grapes. Oak and a musk take over on the finish. Lactic and very tart. Finishes nearly dry. Not over the top sour.

M - Medium bodied with high carbonation. Drinks very easily.

O - Very nice AWA. The aroma is just perfect. Definitely draws some parallels with brett heavy Belgian Pales and the Chardonnay barrel adds a subtle but well implemented angle.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 04:06:48 | More by davey101

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 072712. Big thanks to Arbitrator for the bottle.

Appearance: Slightly hazed light gold/straw. Lively carbonation. Head is bubbly, bright-white, and drops to a small cap and chunky, bubbly collar. Some nice lacing as the beer dwindles. Head retention stays small, but constant.

Smell: Fruity and funky. Apple and some pear. Nice solid hit of oak. Backing citric tartness. Pushes toward lemon at times. Slight powdery Brett in the back. White wine and grape skin. A touch of earth. Touches of grass/hay and alcohol. Some lactic sourness as well.

Taste: Yeasty funk. Lactic and citric sour jockey for position. Fruity and floral. Apple core and grape skin. Pushes big notes of chardonnay and oak through the back and finish. Earthy Brett. Some hay and grass. Some pale bready malts give it a little backbone. Peach. Fruity up front, earthy and grassy through the middle. Finishes with a lingering lactic bite. Maybe even some lime thrown in for good measure.

Mouthfeel: Lighter side of medium and dryish. Crisp with a smoothness that defies the carbonation.

Overall: A chronic case of the "tions." Bother master and erect.

Another Russian River "sour" that does it right. Massively fruity and bit more delicate than some of the others. Refreshing. Some age will probably turn this in to a distilled version of liquid gold.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 23:16:54 | More by Goblinmunkey7

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.76/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a bottle into a Kriek Bel-Vue tulip. Thanks Prospero!

Appearance- Poured golden clear until the yeast made its way into the glass and then a lovely hazy golden color presided. One finger white foamy head that lasted a short while leaving beautiful lacing.

Smell- Buttery, oaky flavors- oak aged (chardoney). Subdued vinegar with tart grape. Sweet vanilla.

Taste- Earthy. oakiness mixed with soft vanilla and mild white grape flavors. Not as tart as other Russian River sours, but well balanced through the mild sweetness. Musty flavors finish the taste.

Mouthfeel- Lots of little bubbles bursting all around my mouth. Carbonated and smooth.

Overall- This is another great beer from Russian River. If you want a sour that won't make you whole face change, then this is it.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 03:37:36 | More by Seanniek91

ChugginOil

Illinois

4.61/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a cloudy straw color with a quarter inch of white head. Lazy lacing.

The nose is pungent and has an inviting tart scent. Peach and apricot juices. No booze, just sour lovin'.

Flavors are very tart and have some lip smackingly good flavors. Peaches, apricots, and sour apples. Vineger and oak. Everything just blends so nicely and balance is achieved.

Mouthfeel is dry and tart with high carbontion. Still smooth.

Overall, never a dull moment with RR's sours. Pleasently blown away and would drink thos on an hourly bases if given the chance. Outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 04:28:42 | More by ChugginOil

sommersb

Tennessee

4.5/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tasted On: 01-18-2013
Freshness: Batch 072712
Packaging: 375ml brown bottle, corked and caged
Glassware: Teku
Purchased: Mail order

Pours a brilliant golden, clear color, with a nice-sized white head. Lacing and head retention are both good. My second pour yields some yeast cloudiness.

Aromas are very wine- and champagne-like, with fruity, grape notes in the forefront. Other smells are sour lemons and some woodiness and mustiness.

It tastes much as expected from the nose, dry, fruity and sour. This coupled with the fruit and grape flavors really bring out the wine notes from aging in Chardonnay barrels.

Mouthfeel has a prickly carbonation on a medium body. It finishes quite dry and sour, but is tempered by the fruits so as to create a balance.

I'm not too experienced in tasting wild ales, but can say this one is really delightful. I'm looking forward to my next beer from Russian River!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 03:55:10 | More by sommersb

RoninTK3

Rhode Island

4.88/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Poured from a 375ml bottle into a Corsendonk tulip glass. Batch 3.

A - Bright golden color with a thin layer of head. Very nice to look at.

S - Sour, citrus fruits, apples, and a hint of oak.

T - Lemons, oak, chardonnay, and sour funkiness are all dominant in this one. Hints of grapes and sour cherries. Very oaky aftertaste. Extremely well balanced.

M - Light and refreshing with lots of carbonation. Dry aftertaste.

I really loved this one. It's one of the best sours I've had and I thought it was more well balanced than the other RR sours I've had (Supplication and Beatification). Thanks to Douglasjamjak for the awesome extra!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 03:15:58 | More by RoninTK3

tut2528

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Batch 3 Bottled 7/27/12

thanks to matttYCE and beachstrength49 for this one. you guys are awesome!

A: pours a light yellow/orange, head formation is quick and subtle just like a soda. it builds up to about 1/2 fingers worth then quickly fizzles out. there is a slight film that hugs the glass

S: big Brett funkiness that is complemented well by lemons and orange peel. there is a subtle spice hint (possibly a clove?), and a nice slight oak note

T: straight forward AWA in my opinion. very nice balance of citrus oranges, and lemons. vinegar, tartness, and barnyard funk all intermingle nicely together.

M: Chardonnay is extremely evident here in the mouth feel as it leave a nice dryness on the palate. its on the lighter side of medium bodied, and along with the Chardonnay note, it leaves a nice sourness that creates salivation for balance

O: drinking this makes me wish RR was easier to come by. Its a solid AWA, not overly complex and very nicely balanced. Will definitely want to seek this one out again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 01:25:11 | More by tut2528

matttttYCE

Arizona

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

Batch 3 I believe, bottle date 072712.

Bright white creamy/foamy mixed head, good retention and lacing, with a beautiful pale golden colored beer beneath. Slightly tame aroma, or should I say more tame than I expected from RR. White wine, lemongrass, hay, slight funk, yeasty, earthy, light notes of what I can only describe as damp basement must, light oak, hint of green apple and lime. The taste runs along the same lines but with more white wine/grape, more grassy notes, more lemon tart and sour than the nose, and pleasantly so. Again plenty of earthiness, hay, light oak, and how I can only imagine a damp musty basement might taste. Light medium, slightly filmy consistency, medium carbonation, and a smooth, light body. Finish leaves the puckering sourness just lightly coating the mouth and throat.

Once again, a stupendous American Wild Ale from Russian River. As I've said previously they have all been wonderful but had their own great twists and I find myself craving each at different times depending on my mood. Temptation is a bit more subdued compared to Consecration or Supplication but is probably a bit more intense than Sanctification. Take that with a grain, but give any of them a try if you get the chance.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 05:08:24 | More by matttttYCE

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours hazy blonde like a wheat beer with more sufficient lacing.

The aroma is white wine, funk and some yeast. Similar to RR's other wild ales, but slightly more tame.

The taste is moderately acidic with slight vinegar. Lemon citrus forms a background but doesn't impose itself. I get some grapefruit notes as well. Balanced, but it seems to be fairly simple.

The body is medium thin with slightly more carbonation than the norm. Finishes dry.

Overall, this is quite well balanced and well made, but I feel like the wine and Brett dominated it. Not a bad problem to have, but it made it harder to find the underlying beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 04:29:43 | More by BBP

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

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

Pours a golden yellow with two fingers of head. Head is white and persists well throughout consumption. Smells like white wine and definitely sour style brew. Taste is amazing and definitely brings forward Chardonnay, sour fruit - maybe cherries - and a long sour note to finish. Great beer/wine brew.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2012 13:37:15 | More by Oakenator

fdig23

Pennsylvania

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

375mL Bottle 7/27/12 on the label.

Appearance: Typical golden belgian blonde color with a medium-sized pure white head

Nose: Initial aromas are of bitter lemon and sour cherry with a sweeter green grape undertone. Deeper in the nose hints of the classic Chardonnay butterscotch oak characteristics and a bit of smoke comes though.

Taste: Tart lemons and cherries with toasty bread and apple cider underneath. Finish with that vanilla, woodsy oak flavor and a hit of funky gasoline.

Mouthfeel: Nothing special overall but for a sour it was surprising lively.

Overall: Really refined, complex, tasty wild-fermented sour. A standout in a recent tasting of wine-barrel aged brews.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 19:51:11 | More by fdig23

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

'Batch' 072712

A - golden straw in color with noticeable carbonation and a half-inch pale-white foam head

S - Belgian yeasts and sugars; champagne; Chardonnay; grapes; green apples

T - sour grapes; Chardonnay; citrus and tarty; musty lemons; stanky funk all up in it; flowery

M - light bodied; pleasantly carbonated; sour tart; crispy

O - as a noob to sours and wilds in general, this is probably a pretty solid introduction; this beer is certainly not for everybody...and I'm not even sure the style is for me; but this is pleasant, complex, and generally pretty refreshing

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 00:20:26 | More by SkeeterBoganski

n2185

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a clear straw yellow with three fingers of white head that recedes into a thin cap with decent lacing.

S: Sweet Belgian notes up front with aromas of bubblegum and candy sugar. Agitating it produces some tart and sour fruit aromas with slight barnyard notes.

T: Tart cherries and lemony sourness dominate the flavor with some musty and funky flavors underneath. Simple, but enjoyable.

M: Medium-light body with medium carbonation, this beer is crisp enough to accentuate the sour and tart notes well.

O: A good wild ale, overall. It's a bit lacking in complexity, but is refreshingly tart and sour.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 06:44:28 | More by n2185

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.55/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- Pours a crystal clear pale straw color that eventually turned into a cloudy golden color once the yeast is poured in. Big frothy white head that lingers around for awhile.

S- Sour funk, grape must, citrus, pears, some earthy aromas and oak.

T- Wine-like flavors come through first with oak comes through a lot in the middle, with the sour tart flavors blasting the palate at the end. The tart flavor has very fruity citrus-like flavors that come through a lot.

M- High carbonation with some bite, very dry towards the end. Hard to beat this mouthfeel for the style.

O- Just a great beer. Every sip is savored and terrific.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 23:04:04 | More by stephenjmoore

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Batch #6. 375ml bottle split two ways. Poured into HF stemmed glass.

A- Pours a nice golden with a half finger of head that recedes fairly fast and leaves some spotty lacing. Fairly minimal carbonation.

S- Chardonnay, grapes, a hint of green apple, brett contributing some barnyard funk, a little bit above average aroma strength.

T- Chardonnay, grapes, decent amount of sourness although not as much as I was expecting that mixes with some barnyard funk, some oak, finishes with a decent tartness and lingering fruits.

M- Medium bodied, fairly low carbonation, very high drinkability.

O- This was a very nice sour, but definitely not my favorite. This bottle seemed like it might have had a little bit less carbonation (it didn't effect the beer that much though). The barrel aging definitely contributed a nice presence to the sour. I would definitely recommend trying this beer out but I definitely like some of RR's other sours better (might be because I'm not as big of a fan of blonde ales as being the bases for sours).

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 06:20:35 | More by jaasen64

harrymel

Washington

4.23/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Batch 072512
Pours a light yellow diaphanous with a solid fine white quilt. Smells of lemon, funk, zesty tartness and some nice pithy character. Flavor is sour with a good farmy, tart, hints of bicarb, some bits of pepper and a nicely refreshing finish. Thin with hi carb and watery finish. This might be one of my preferred RR beers. Really a beautiful brew.

Original review 25JAN11
5/4/4/4/4/4.05
Batch 05x1F
A: c&c bottle pops and pours a light golden ale with excellent clarity. Atop is a blanket of white head which is constantly refilled with a continuous persistence of bubbling.
S: Oranges, limes, classic tart scent. Great smell.
T: Tart, farmy, with largely bitter head. Somegrassy tones.Very good.
M: Light body with excellent carbonation. Great feel and finish on the tongue.
D: This beer is wonderful. I can say I prefer supplication to this one. But when available, I still buy it.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 06:27:20 | More by harrymel