Russian River Beatification (Batch 002 +)

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

75cl bottle shared by photomike. Just another animal entirely from the rest of the Russian River family. The sourest beer that I have ever had, but somehow remained smooth and drinkable. I’m not even sure that I understand. Ever since hearing Vinnie describe how they were brewing this beer while we were at the brewery for RBSG this past summer, I’ve been dying to try it. This truly is a Sonambic. The funk, the acidity, the wood. So intense from start to finish. The pour is a relatively unassuming hazy yellow with a small fine head that leaves patchy lace behind. The aroma is where things get interesting. It’s just the funkiest, sourest, most oaky thing to ever hit my nostrils. Straight oaked lemon juice with brett. The flavor is super dry, super sour, with yoghurt and lemons coming through, and quite oaky, though relatively clean tasting as well, without the the sharper cheesy funk flavors found in some Belgian lambics. Light bodied with acid coasting the tongue. I had burned my tongue the day before on some tea, and Beatification started to bring back the hurt with all that acid. Pain for pleasure. Honestly, this borders on too acidic, and I have a very high threshold for sour. Though it is very well blended and smooth overall for how acidic it is. This might not have been the most pleasurable beer of the tasting, but it was the most heavy of an impact. Lacks the depth of Supplication, but the awesome sourness is unrivaled. Killer shit.

Enjoyed a tasting of both batch 002 and 003 after a lovely Thanksgiving meal, thanks partly to the generosity of jrob21. Interesting and educational to taste two different batches. Batch 2 was the better beer--sour and tart, but not over the top. Aroma of funk, citrus and related fruits, touch of peach. Batch 2 was both wonderfully complex and delightfully balanced, with the harshest funky edges nicely mellowed. Batch 3 was a little more wild, a little rougher around the edges--wondering if it will mature into a prime that can compete with 2. Batch 3 had an underlying mustiness, almost dirt aftertaste that brought the beer down a notch in my book. Still definitely worth having either batch. Rating is for batch 2.

Batch 2 and 3 paired together for a lovely thanksgiving treat that was truly educational and delicious. Batch 2 was far superior but I wonder if batch 3 won’t be in another year or so. The sourness and fruit profile of 2 was far more developed. A work of art in my opinion. Big wild yeast aroma with some lightly toasted grain. Intense carbonation you can let sit and pop in your mouth. Lemon peel and juice citrus intensity with some apple working as well. Poured a light golden color that was slightly translucent. Batch 3 was not as intense sour wise or fruit wise and the density of the color was much more clear. Batch 2 gets a 4.5, batch 3 gets a 3.9 right now. That’s how big of a difference it is.

Bottle, batch 2, big thanks to Kevin. Pours a slightly murky peachy orange with a thin soapy head. Lemon zest, brett, and peaches kick off the nose. Has that round, eggy edge that some light Lost Abbey sours have. Wow, extremely sour and puckering, maybe the most sour beer I’ve had. Very refined. The sourness is centered on lemons and light citrus. Candy-like at times. Great for what it is, but perhaps the intense sourness kills some fruit complexity. Russian River seems to be the king of sours in the USA.

Batch 2. Clear, bright pale gold with a thin, very loose white head with a thin layer of tiny bubbles following soon after. Bright, zingy tartness in the aroma. Subdued brett fermentation notes along with a variety of other "edgy" fermentation characteristics including light lacto bacteria. A bright, ripe, sweet-tart berry character also emerges with a soft, woody edge below it. The flavor is very sour with a slight acetic quality supported by the influence of the barrel-aging. Some spice and bitterness mingles with lemon pith is also present. Clear, pure mouthfeel with waves of tartness that resonate across the palate and lift in the finish leaving the physical sensation of the beer for minutes afterward.

About as perfect a beer as i’ve tried. Pours a hazy gold with nice head. Nose is of old oranges and lemons, mild funk, and if sour was a smell it would be that too. Taste is big on citrus and sour. Very sour, no vinegar at all, no bretty leathery dryness, just tons of pedio and lacto sour dominating front to back, rucy red grapefruit, valencia orange, and meyer lemon. Citrus isnt as bright as in temptation, very rich in its sourness.

Cloudy yellow pour. Aroma is funky and tart with some wood notes, lemons, and some earthy tones Flavor is sour, lemony, soft, fruity..very tart and very nice.

Bottle Batch 002 @ Monks in Philly. Well was it worth the price tag? This was outstanding, Could have just sniffed this all night. Great funky flavor that isn’t overly sour or sweet just a well done balanced sour ale from russian river.