Russian River Beatification (Batch 001)

Formerly brewed at Russian River Brewing
Style: Sour Ale
Santa Rosa, California USA

Sampled at GABF. Typical Russian River Ale. Very tart aroma much like a chardonney and cherries. Flavors much milder than aroma.

Sampled at the 2007 GABF. This was by far my favorite of the festival. Very nice tart flavors.

Pours a hazy golden color. Aroma is slight funk, but very slight. Taste is very sour, vinegary, bitter acidic. Refreshingly good and lemony too.

Pours hazy gold. Tart mouthfeel with white grapes, vinegar, cardamom, and a lemon finish.

Courtesy boboski. Hazy yellow/gold and a small white head. Great aroma of tartness, oak, menthol, buttery white wine?, lemon, light dose of white vinegar. Flavor is similar, but more mild. Medium body, more carbonated than balanced. Excellent brew.

Thanks to boboski for opening this brew. Pours golden to copper with thin white head. The aroma is a smack in the face with sour tart notes and oak planks covered with lemon juice. The taste starts out like the aroma with a load of tartness laced with a ribbon of sweetness. The oak enters at the roof of my mouth. Then I get salt covered olives chased with lemon rind and musk. Interesting.

Name: Beatification 001
Date: August 02, 2006
Mode: Bottle
Appearance: hazy orange, thin fine white head
Aroma: big musty funky aroma with a nice lemony aroma
Flavor: nice tart malt flavor with essence of lemon and spices, light spice and funk

Name: Beatification 001
Date: August 02, 2006
Words: ph1
Aroma: rich aroma with strong yet muted spicy funk, not as pronounced as the regular versoin
Flavor: however the flavor is more agressive with more lemony tartness and funk

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

As a beautiful dense cloud forms with the pour, the foam creams at the center progressing to a cobwebby state on the periphery. The clear apricot color is deceiving as Beatification’s aroma carries more weight than a traditional lambic-like ale, actually hybridizing with the Flemish sour style. Red cherries, vanilla extract and brown sugar are the distinct signature of a Flanders red, along with accessory fragrances of raisin, grape juice, bubble gum and cotton candy. However, the lighter oaking and subtle scents of clementine, sour apple, lilac and butter are closer to what one would expect of a gueuze. Progressing to the palate reveals an astonishing balancing act. The flavor begins with a dry barnyard sourness accompanied by clementine that soon evolves to involve Gruyère, cherries, brown sugar, vanilla and peaches. The creamy sweetness is in perfect equilibrium with parching sourness and light but vivid carbonation. The result is so refreshing and easy to drink that you forget how complex it really is. As the beer opens up, it reveals a sweet floral flavor of honeysuckle and soapy pineapple. Finishing with a short burst of apricot sourness, a touch of mineral water relieves the acidity leaving only a sticky light brown sugar aftertaste. Beatification is the epitome of Russian River’s efforts with wild fermentation and the outcome is on par with the very best examples of Belgium. It is safe to say that this is not a Flemish Sour, but the pioneering efforts of brewers like Vinnie Cilurzo should be applauded especially when they successfully exceed our current nomenclature of sour ales. (Batch 001)