Russian River Beatification (Batch 002 +)

Brewed by Russian River Brewing
Style: Sour Ale
Santa Rosa, California USA

Bottle, Batch 002. Head is initially small, fizzy, white, mostly diminishing. Body is hazy dark yellow, bottle conditioned. Aroma is lightly malty (toasted grain), moderately yeasty (barnyard, horseblanket), with notes of sour apple, lemon zest. Flavor is moderately sweet, moderately to heavily acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately to heavily acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Light to medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Much closer to a gueuze than batch 1...in fact, in a blind tasting I might even guess it *was* a gueuze. Excellent stuff.

Rating # 400! Thanks kmweaver. What an unusual, unique and delightful beer. My first taste of a Russian River product. Hazy yellow ale with a small, creamy, white head. Aroma of barnyard funk, brett, with a little lemony citrus. The flavors are oustanding - the grapefruit is incredibly bold and up front. Very sour, but it comes across as predominately citric and lactic with minimal acetic qualities. More grape skins and peppery oak. Leathery brett comes through in the finish, as well as some sharp, aged cheese. The finish is extremely long and complex. Just gotta finish by saying WOW!

Rating #1100! Enjoyed out on the boulevards. I’ve been holding onto this one for awhile. Pours a cloudy mustard color yellow with a white head that lingers. What a nose on this sour. Sour sour. Oak, lemons, cherries are the first elements with earth and an almost wheaty funk coming through. Within a short time this becomes rich and winey to balance out all of that sourness. Green grapes, grape skins and a sugary sweetness. The sourness on the tongue exceeds that of the nose and isn’t quite as balanced in richness. Crazy lactic acid, funky, oak, lemons, tart cherries, cherry pits, oranges, and grapes with an earthy herbal note. The fruit, earthiness, and oak together come off as leathery, which I’d like to taste a little more above the sourness. Finishes with a sour earthiness and slight funkiness. This is almost a geuze, and almost too sour and lemony to reach the mind blowing territory that this yearns for. None the less, an really damn good beer.

Bottle purchased from brewery. Smells and tastes very sour. Lemon zest with barnyard (dare I say manure), horse blanket and woodsie tastes. This beer is complex and unbelivabley good. Perfect for sipping. Not as balanced as Isabelle Proximus but a master work non the less.

Bottle…This beer rocks!... Hazy yellow ale with a small, creamy, white head. The aroma is an intoxicating funkadelicacy of earthy, soiled barnyard, sharp cheese, lemon, damp straw, wet leather and horse blanket. Medium-bodied with gentle carbonation. Crazy sourness, but sufficient bitterness as well. Pungent, pithy, sour finish. World class bottle of beer provided by SoLan!

Courtesy SoLan. Pours a lightly hazy orange with small white head. Great looking. Smells extremely sour, lots of tannic fruits and lemon zest. I brace myself for what is coming. Holy shit! The is easily top 3 of the most sour beers Ive ever had. My mouth puckered up like a prune upon the first sip. Pretty much is relentless in its annhiliation of your palate. Lemons and sour candy is really all oyu can get with this bad boy, and you know what, thats just fine by me. Bravo!

Hazy golden with a 1/2 finger white head that leaves some lacing. Funky, sour and citrusy in the nose. Barnyard-y. The smell just hints at the sour in the flavor. Tons of sour in the taste with just a touch of sweet citrus, Brett funkiness and cheese. Dry with a touch of the oak. Finishes dry with a lasting sourness. Nice carbonation level, possibly a touch more would be nice. Excellent beer. Is Isabelle better? Yeah, I’d say it is. But man, I would never turn down a Beatification ;)

Courtesy SoLan!!! Pours a bright, lemon yellow color. Aroma is full on barnyard funk, acetic acid, straw, hay, meadow flowers, bright citrus. The flavor is sour intensity X 10. Absolutely puckering. incredible.