Russian River Deviation (Bottleworks IX)

Bottle acquired through trade with Yonkers65. Thanks Bruce! Shared with Jared at his OC pad for the 7/18 D-Metal Tasting. Hazy dark gold color with a thin white head, lots of carbonation and a bit of lacing. The aroma is tart and citric with notes of lemon and damp barnyard with ginger. Extremely peppery as well. The spicy geuze-like character (from the Sonambic addition I assume) is almost overpowering the flavor. It is somewhat "hot" with acidity, but there is a pleasant oak tone underneath with a lingering nose of grains. The palate is light and carbonated with a good tingle effect. All around pretty good, but I think the use of a spontaneously-fermented component (maybe Beatification Batch 002?) may have knocked this one down for me. Drinkablility decreased as I went on for my second glass.

Tasted at the Carolina Crew gathering, Greenville - thanks to Turdferguson for sharing this total gem! An absolutely beautiful tart fruit aroma starts this one off, with a full, slightly cloudy amber pour. White grape flavors mingle with pleasing musky notes, leading up to a long dry finish with dark cherries and oak. In some ways, it’s very continuous with Sanctification, with some slight additions to that sweet beer’s profile in order to give this one a distinct character. It’s yet another awesome beer from Vinnie. Thanks again, Sam!!!

Bottle shared at jjpm’s gathering. Poured a cloudy golden with a fizzy white head. Aroma of some tart sour funkiness, that wonderful indescribable combination of sweatsock and sour cheese... actually, the only thing indescribable about it is how it actually becomes a desirable, thirst-enticing aroma. Flavor follows with quite a bit lemony citrusy tartness, some light cherry, some dry toffee. Finish is a bit tart but fading into some light dryness. Very easy-drinking, and an overall quite palatable sour beer. However, I take exception to what they call this beer. For Russian River, this is anything but a "deviation". It is, rather, a "continuation" of precisely what they do. It was a pleasant beer, but having had other sour offerings from Russian River, this didn’t blow me away as anything particularly unique or special... just good.

Thanks a bunch to whoever shared this. The beer pours to a hazy/murky straw amber body with a thin white head. The aroma is sour and La Folie like. Tart, oaky, acidic balsamic vinegar. Not as complex as La Folie, but really good. There are subtleties and other sourness things going on that are absolutely awesome. The flavor is tart, sour, acidic, but not overly done. It’s like a watery light La Folie (sampled side-by-side). Clean, tart, acidic. The palate is nice and tart. Super complex but balanced. The tartness isn’t overly sour.

From a 750mL Bottle. Mostly hazy, honey tinged gold colored pour with a finger of small bubbled white head. Complex nose that combines fruit, acidity, funk, and barrel characters harmoniously. Fruity suggestions of late harvest apples, bosc pears, and grapefruit. Notes of peppery oak, restrained vanilla, coconut, and nutty pecans. Hints of dusty brett and moldy cherry skins are also present. Medium-light bodied, briskly carbonated mouthfeel with a bold acidity. Very lactic with lots of aged oak. The sourness is bold up front, with a musty lactic quality that melds well in to the barrel qualities that begin to peek out mid-palate. Initial flavors of aged gouda rind followed by some biting grapefruit rind. I expected there to be more of an acetic character judging by the fruitiness/cider-like qualities found in the aroma, but this doesn’t seem to translate to the palate. Grape-skin tannins and leathery brett add additional complexity, that with the oak, contributes to the perception of dryness that lingers long into the finish. The latter half of the palate seems to be dominated by the woody/leathery brett and oak flavors, which are tasty, but not quite as complex as the fruity acidity from the nose. Still, a beautiful beer overall.

750ml bottle consumed on 5/25/08 with a huge thanks to drewbeerme for sharing this gem. Pours a clear orange with an off white soapy head. Sour cheesey and bretty aromas that are very inviting. Fizzy palate. Sour tart cheesey leathery flavors dominate with lemons, oranges, and oak. Finishes dry and tart. This is so drinkable and delicious. I’d love a couple cases of this stuff.

Another bottle ala 5000 a a rich reward for supplying some meager brews for Hard Liver. Thanks Andre for the efforts, they are much appreciated. Lightly hazed bronze to copper color. Moderate beige head. Nice effervescent look. Sweet sour aromas. Tart apples, mild cherry tobacco, leather, dark cherries, peaches vanilla and light oak. The more I sniff, the more I like. Sweet cherry and light caramel start. The bitterness of the cherry pit comes in the middle along with tart apples. LIght oak come is the finish. Linger has a light bite and touch of apricot sweetness. Not quite the sourness of Cantillion, but this one is reaching close. There are times I’m sucking on grapes a weeks or two prior to the time they are ready of picking, then there are others where a dark cherry is coated in rich caramel. Just another brew I wish was readily available.

750 ml bottle courtesy of after4ever. Pour is golden ruby orange, with an off white head that falls fast. Aroma is sour tart and a lot of the Bretty yeastiness. The tartness is very fruity, cherries, pineapples, acidic for sure. Much complexity in the nose. Taste is like drinking an entire cherry - fruit, sour, pit, stems, dirt. All is well blended and melded together. Really nice sour character to it. The aftertaste features a lot of natural earthiness. Palate is solid, light enough to feature the sour - bulky enough to carry the big earth and funkiness. Drying finish. Some of the oak woodiness is present in the aftertaste, I hadn’t noticed much of the wood prior to that. Huge thanks for this one Tom!