Russian River Defenestration

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

Draft at The Rogue Public House in San Francisco. Poured a clear light orange color with a white head. Some lace was left behind on the glass at the end. Very fruity nose which included the likes of orange and subdued melon. There was also some light cereal grain and a distinct ginger accent. Medium bodied and semi sweet with mild to moderate hop bitterness. Not surprisingly, there was also a good amount of fruit flavor ala apricot and Pez candy. Spicy clove and ginger also emerged. Not bad.

Draft. Amber beer with an off-white head. Nice hoppy (grapefruit/spice) aroma. Hoppy grapefruit flavor with yeast, spice, and backing malt. Medium body. Decent bitterness for a Belgian.. Grapefruit and spice lingers with some yeast.

Draft at RR; they were out of empty growlers and I forgot to bring one, so I can’t take any to Odeed; Nose is mixed Belgian spices and yeasty; clear gold with a medium, glass-lacing, offwhite head; lightly bitter with some cloves and caramel and yeast; finish lightly bitter.

Draft @ Russian River. Pours a bright, clear, medium-golden color; off-white head with good retention and fine-bubbled lacing. Very nice aroma of white grapes, honey, light Belgian sugar, and mineral and piney bitterness; gorgeous bitter Belgian hybrid with white grape character. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: chewy Belgian sugars, honeyed malt sweetness, and nicely bitter minerals; reasonable dense malt core, with the hop character adding drinkability quite a bit; very interesting beer. Lengthy finish of mineral and earthy hops, sweet Belgian character, and nicely toasty; solidly dry at the end.

On tap at Hamiltons 2nd Anniversary Party...hell yeah! Pours with a yellow body topped by a thick, white head with some lacing left on the glass. IT’s bitter and hoppy with a pepper note, some grassiness and a slight sweet malt note as well as some yesty clove notes. Light bodied and dry.

clear golden with a white head. Sweet fruity and Belgian yeast aroma and taste with citrus notes

Amber with a white head. Aroma is a light floral hoppiness, apricot, dried fruit. Taste is lightly sweet, lightly hoppy with an interesting yeast character.

On tap at Toronado SF. This copper ale poured with a thin off-white head and a barnyard aroma. There is a musty caramel malt flavor complemented by masterful hopping that produces a sharp bitterness at the finish. This brew becomes more interesting as the glass empties.