Russian River Damnation

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

Batch 40 750ml bottle $4.99 (pretty sure I got a good deal). Nice golden yellow color with a white head. It smells like faint hints of banana, bubblegum, esters, belgian, very nice. Nice flavors that diverge from the nose but are hard to describe. A dryness that works well, easy to drink but I will still sip it because I want to savor the whole bottle. BSPA is not my favorite style but this is one of the better ones I’ve had. I’d still prefer a Salvation or Perdition but this was well worth the $5 per bottle. It will be interesting to taste this again in a year or two. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 08-26-2008 00:38:21

Poured a slightly hazy light copper color with a dense white head that settled slowly and plenty of active carbonation sending bubbles streaming upwards to their doom. The aroma was light Belgian yeast, bubblegum, malt and very light citrus. The flavor was yeasty and bready with sugary bubblegum sweetness and some light citrus and spice coming in on the backside. Nice, medium bodied mouthfeel. Enjoyable.

Draft @ Monk’s: Poured a golden yellow color with not much head. The aroma was sweet honey, fruits, and bread. The flavor was sweet, sugary, bubblegum, bananas, yeast and pears. Overall, a very smooth, very tasty brew from Russian River.

Clear gold body with a tall white head that quickly disappears, and moderate lacing. Sweet honey and bubblegum aroma. Flavor has a sweet dry yeasty flavor, a bit of bitterness middle to end. Finishes fairly clean.

Pours a sparkling clear, coppery-golden color with a very full, brilliant white, creamy, frothy head which is mostly lasting and leaves nice frothy, Belgian lace. Nose is nice with lots of pear and bananas from the estery yeast; yeast is also doughy with sweet, bready malts, earthy hops, slight spice, and some hints at white grape, thyme, and mild alcohol. Flavor is similar but less focused on the yeast notes; notes of bananas from the esters, light pear, faint lemon zest, faint sweet breads from the yeast and the malts. The Sweeter, yeastier notes slowly diminish revealing earthy hops and a dry warmth. Palate is moderately full, lively, creamy, drying in the progression, and mildly warm. Finishes long, delicate, and drying with lingering earthy hops (and a light bitterness by the end), lemon zest, and some yeast esters still on the tongue. A very drinkable BSGA but somewhat similar to a triple with the fuller body and the sweeter notes. Either way, somewhat complex, balanced, and one of the better BSGA brewed in the States. Very smooth as description says.

Courtesy trade with Chewy. Thanks man! A delicious above average Belgian strong. Aroma was good, but was very metallic. All light fruit and yeast. Pour was a nice light gold with a one finger white head and lots of bubbles. Taste was a little ordinary, but since an ordinary Belgian beer is good, this was good. It was all light fruit. Apricot, white grape and pear with a nice prickly bite of carbonation. Aftertaste was sweet and dry. Very nice beer. I need to move to the west coast.

A- Pours a hazy, cloudy golden yellow with a large white creamy head that is mostly sustaining; lively particles; thick lacing throughout S- Nose of malt and citrus, strong tones of banana and pear, subtle hops and sweet bread aroma T- Very smooth and fruity taste; sweet and malty initially followed by citrus and hops in a short finish. M- Watery texture, slightly dry and bitter with lively carbonation that is not quite overwhelming D- This is a very drinkable and smooth Belgium Strong Ale with a nice blend of citrus fruit, spices, and hops. Very pleasing aftertaste that is refreshing, but short. High carbonation is the only knock on this fine ale.

Style and Glass: Belgian Strong Ale, Trappist, snifter ABV, Volume & Calories: 7.75% in 25.4 fl oz. estimated at 400 C Purchased at: The Six Pack Store, Philadelphia, PA for $20.00 (Joe, we need to talk — I have since seen this elsewhere for $8.95) Aroma: Very nice aroma, fainter, flowery, fruity, spices, cloves, cinnamon. Visuals: Very nice packaging, interesting label, educational iconography, body is very much like white balanced deep space pictures of the sun, deep muddy orange, thick with haze and sediment, bright white head, sticky Belgian lace. Taste: Delicious, well balanced. Not very sweet with malt, but a nice hoppy surprise in the finish. Palate: Starts crisp, slightly chemical, middle is somewhat fruity, malt hits for a second with peach and cherry notes, then goes to a hoppy, darker finish that stays for a short while. Overall: A very enjoyable brew. I’d have it again. I was upset to find it for less than half the price in the suburbs, but you live and learn. originally posted at: <a href="http://beercritic.wordpress.com/"&