Russian River Compunction

Stone Sourfest. I’m a sucker for sour so I liked this one and probably overrated it a bit. The main issue with this beer is that it’s JUST sour. There’s very little complexity behind the funk which takes away from my overall impression.

These type of beers remind me why i rank beer on top of all beverages. If i were a doctor or a criminal, i would prescribe this beer for depression. The color was tangerine. It was hazy. It had absolutely no head whatsoever. The aroma was on the faint side showing smidgens of sour apricot. Boom! A juicy fruity spritzy, sour, clean-as-fuck beer! I have never in my life had a beer so fruity, balanced, sour, and clean. It tends to be sweet at times, but just as much as it needs to be...this is first rate beer making, no doubt.

1st tasting of the day @ the Stone Sour Fest 2008. Poured a clear, deep golden yellow with some head retention. Tons of sour peaches and other tree fruits. Very funky, glad I got to try this rarity!

On tap at DLD, thanks to funky brewster for going and getting a couple of these for us in line. Hazy light amber pour with bubbly white head. Beautiful funky citrus sour aroma. Flavor is amazing to asay the least. Huge sour, made my jaw clench a bit, which was wonderful. Grape, apricut, lemon, peach, sour apples all come rushing at you with just the right amount of funk. this beer makes you salivate and yearn for more with every sip. I could drink this beer all day.

In short: An intense sour and acidic beer halfway between a blonde Sour Ale and a Gueuze
How: Tap at Dark-Lord-Day 2008
The look: Cloudy peach color body with a long lasting medium white head
In long: Nose is barnyard wild, very wild. As funky as the funkiest lambics. Less bretty but more tasty/intense as their Sanctification. As expected the taste is sour, acidic and tart as hell but never falling into the vinegary or lemon extract territory. This is tasty acidity and sourness. Moderately fruity although not specific fruits were coming out. Might be the pluots they use since I don’t know what they taste like (didn’t even know such a thing existed). Then comes the finish, dry and acidic like the most hardcore gueuzes (Cantillon or Hanssens on a good day). Despite its intensity the beer never cease to be refreshing and highly drinkable. This beer to me blends the best of what an intense Sour Ale and an intense Lambic Gueuze have to offer. I never understood why all those people were telling me that they couldn’t understand how could live the life I live without compunction… I understand now… I think.

On draught as guest beer during Dark Lord Days ’08. Pours a hazy golden yellow sour brew with a thick white head that has excellent retention and lacing. Aroma of barnyard funk, sour citrus or oranges, lemon and a touch of lime, with yeast galore. Taste is medium bodied, spritzy with flavors of sour fruit, lemon and grapefruit. Finish remained sour that lingered after the finish. I was unaware that Russian River has some outstanding sour ales.

Tap at DLD. Cloudy golden yellow. Smell of sour lemon, grapes, tart cherries and barn. The taste was of tart fruit, sour lemon candies and grapefruit zest. Wonderful guest brew at DLD.

This smells like a farm. It tastes like grapefruit flavored stale Bud. I guess I don’t see it.