Russian River Depuration

Formerly brewed at Russian River Brewing
Style: Sour Ale
Santa Rosa, California USA

thanks drewbeer me for letting me try this beer Reminds me a fair amount of the temptation...could be the chardonay barreling. but also the grape character comes thorough a bit...the flavor I would have rated a little higher but I think the finish is a little flabby due to the character finishes....a dry and semi stick mouthfeel...all in all a damn damn good beer but I would take temptation anyday!

Batch 1 Pours clear copper with an orange tinge. A veil of white yeast slowly waved through the glass at the end of the pour. A few particulates of sediment, but this was from a 100% dispense, so very nice. The pour was a bit of a stretch, and allowed an inch-plus head of white to rise. Retention was short-lived and receded to a placid surface with no lacing. Aromatics are bone-dry, vineous, musty, and brett-laden. Green apple skins, grapefruit pith, white grape tannins, lemon-spritzed hay, pineapple rind, wet sock, and cider vinegar. The brett has really stepped forward since it was "fresh". Thinnish mouthfeel, with some fine but subtle carbonation. Drying and tart. A myriad of tannic citrus flows on the pallet. The funk is somewhat less than what is promised by the nose, which allows for a great balance with the grapes. Lemon zest, grass-rubbed grapefruit, grape skins, crushed orange seeds, dried pineapple, and green apple pulp. Tart, dry and citrus-laden with barely a trace of malt. Bitterness is nill, as is all other hopping. Finishes with lingering dryness, tannic fruit pith, and incredibly quenching. Very Gueze like in many ways, and I believe this beer is going to evolve for many years to come.

Dirtty cloudy yellow, brief white head. Sour grapes/apples aroma, a little sweaty, faintly woody. Crisp, tart, pucker-inducing palate, very acidic, juicy vinous fruit character and a hint of woodiness. Refreshing and complex.

Dark beige. Footy, tart nose. Tart body with hints of cherry, funk. Very vinous. Refinded character. Crazy stuff. Wish I could digest it all.

Hazy amber with tiny white short lasting head. Sour aroma with brett and fruity notes. Sweet and sour flavor with barnyard, yeasty and grapefruit notes. Ends sour. Very refreshing.

R.I.P. Bruiser.......you will be missed. A fantastic brew to honor a loving and loyal dog gone far to soon. Batch 001. Pours a hazy golden-orange color. A frothy, pure white head shows good retention and leaves jagged lines of lacing behind. The aroma shows candied pale malts, sour white grapes, aggressive, new oak, and the signature Russian River house lacto-funk. The flavor is quite sour, with tons of zippy grapes showing amidst funky oak and yeast notes. The Chardonnay influence is striking and distinct. Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, this brew is dry and thirst quenching. Beautiful and complex as always. Nobody does it like Russian River. Only a brew of this caliber is fit to celebrate the life of our our little Bruise.

37.5 cL bottle. Pours hazy orange with no head. Dry brett aroma, barnyard and light wooden too. Flavour is mild lacto bacteria with a light brett note giving a mild dry and citric flavour. Dry brett finish.

Bottle. [thank you, BelJohansen]
[at Yesprs tuesday tasting]
Pours muddy pale yellow with a small frothy white head - disappears quickly. Aroma is funky, good brett, some youghurty lacto and good fruity oranges. Low carbonation, rather creamy. Flavour is softly tart, light oranges, some lacto and quite citric. Wonderful, but not Russians best (yet).