Russian River Depuration

12.7 oz bottle, batch 001. Sparkling golden brown with a fluffy ring of white and suspended specks. Nose is mild sour cherry and white grape with hints of honeysuckle and oak. At first reminds me of champagne lightly tart with crisp carb. Taste moves from vinous to pear and green apple. Dries with smooth citrus peel. Another wonderful brew from the River just lacking that special something.

Bottle shared with Miketd. Thanks Mike for sharing this gem! Batch 1 bottle pours golden with a white head. Head a wonderful funky smell. The sourness wafts from the glass. Has a light mouthfeel with a lot of carbonation. Taste is sour puckering and tart. The yeast strains and barrel aging married a really nice flavor. Thanks again.

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.