Russian River Deviation (Bottleworks IX)

Cloudy orange colour with a white head. Sweet malty light yeasty acidic aroma with dusty notes. Sour fruity flavor with yeasty and dusty notes. Light dry, yeasty and aciidic finish.

My Deviation Bottleworks IX came to me on a dark and stormy evening seeking solace and salvation in my glass. Who was I to deny her silently sincere pleas? I had no choice but to acquiesce to her pleading charms. Anything less would have been a travesty.
An oak aged brew from Russian River Brewing, Deviation Bottleworks IX is an amazingly complex brew. She poured a rich dark orange with a decent head into my glass. Immediately an array of fresh sourdough and yeast rushes out to greet my senses. A sour nose of epic proportions, I smell crisp fresh summer apples, funky yeast, and freshly baked sourdough. An anticipatory quaff later reveals a palate replete with sour notes all over my tastebuds. Very reminiscent of a Flemish sour and yet at the same time it isn’t. Oak from the barrels stabilizes the palate with a nice underbelly of soothing oaky notes, balancing the lip-puckering aspects of my Deviation Bottleworks IX. A pleasant warming sensation as the brew touches my lips lingers. Not too heavy a body, Bottleworks IX drinks very easily because of its sour oaky presence. From start to finish, a very enjoyable balance of crisp apples, bright nectarines, sour citrus and funky yeasts.
Anyone who enjoys a solid sour beer is going to love Russian River’s Deviation Bottleworks IX. An acquired taste for sure, sour beers can be like a sick love. Once you are hooked, there truly is no going back. You are ruined, and will begin to vigorously and actively seek out more sour beers. Truly a phenomenal creation.

Shared by Rciesla. Thanks broski. This one was descent but had a one sided sourness which turned me off. Other then that it was a pretty straightforward sour reminiscent of other Russian River brews.

Courtesy Oakes and Beershine. Murky dark orange-grey color, thin sparse white foamy head. Soft acetic nose, oak, lemons, the acidity relatively soft, and gains a more barnyard note as it warms. A lot of citrus and oak on the taste, the acidity not aggressive, but has a nice mild dusty component to it. Nice long dry finish.

So I finally get another one of these to try and guess who pops it and drinks most of it before I even notice? Thanks Irina, at least you left me a few ounces to rate. Orange pour with a nice sized white head. Oak and lemon aroma. Flavor has lots of oak, sour citrus all over this (orange, apple, lemon) and some dust/funk. Sour finish.