Russian River Deviation (Bottleworks IX)

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

750mL Bottle, received in a trade with brigadier. A beer for celebrating the end of the month, the coming of Christmas chaos, and some time for reflection. With a furious pop, this long-awaited liquor glushes into my tulip. A brilliant clear pale maple syrup fills the glass, building a lacy, silky off-white head as it grows. The aroma is delectably funky. All the chewy gueze, barrel, white grapes, and pickled lemon peel anyone could ask for. Vibrant, yet soft, tickled, and bright. Flavors are quick and electric. A strong hand of citric acid moves forward immediately, bringing oak and aged cheese rind. Rising. The clean lactic and citric acids would be abrasive if it weren’t for the presence of a very clean, sweet refined sugar in the beer, that pulls the whole thing together for balance, allowing the complexity of the funk to persist. A stunning American sour that digs deeper on every sip. My only regret is not having a bloomed-rind goat’s cheese to pair with.

Pours a hazy, medium brown with orange highlights. Medium-thick, very fine, creamy, off-white head with some larger bubbles frackled throughout. Bright sourness up fron in the aroma supported by a subtle dark malt aspect with leather, ripe plums, and a soft hint of toast. Tartness is present throughout the nose interspersed with fruits and a grainy astringency. Light, but full aroma at this age with touches of darkness and creaminess. Onto the flavor... Sharp tartness on the attack with a great zinging bolt of bitterness. Sour flavors with a grainy edge, subtle dark fruit, and a whisper of spicy blue cheese in the finish--all this while being simultaneously incredibly fresh tasting. Thee is a huge presence in the mouth with incredible dimension; multi-textured and stimulatin on many levels. This is a hugely interesting, intellectual, and dramatic effort.

#1600!! Courtesy Oakes and Beershine. Thanks for sharing guys! Pours a gorgeous dark orange, with a small, swirly, light off white head. The aroma is a beautiful mix of tart tannic fruits, acidity, and mild funk. I got some apple in there as the most prominent citrus character. The flavor blends these features almost perfectly. Definitely sour, but not overly so, which enabled me to pull out the soft fruity essence of the beer. Great balance for a sour brew I thought. The acidity wasnt over the top, and this had some great flavor. I need to get more! Killer!

Bottle from bitbucket. Thanks so much Bob! Pours orange and hazy with a thin white lace. Nose is very tart and bretty with a good but of oak. Flavor is a very nice tart and sour treat. Slightly acidic mouthfeel that keeps begging me for another sip. Its impossible for me not to love ever russian river sour that touches my lips. Simply Awesome.

750 ml brought home to me by Enniskillen; Nose of funk, fruitiness, oakiness, and citrus; cloudydark gold with a small beige head; flavor quite tart, with apricot,(does it have Compunction with pluots in it), grapesfruit, and horseblanket. Finish is more funk!

bottle shared by beershine and oakes, huge thanks: pours a beutiful cloudy honey colour good sized white head. aroma is is about the best i have had from RRpure RR sour, great tart, slight lemon, crabapple, damn close to perfection. flavour is great tart lemon, crabapple, fresh fruits with plenty of zest, the malt comes out at the endand is also very well done the sourness is near perfection, some grass comes in at the end just outstanding.

750ml bottle. Pours a mostly clear orange with a slight ruby hue, small off white ring. Nose was tart citrus, brett, cherries, oak.......wow, there is a lot going on here! Flavor was very complex with good amounts of oak, tart cherries and citrus. On the palate this beer seems perfectly balanced, I don’t think it gets much better than this!

Oh what a treat. 2x Draft at Brouwers as part of Big Wood 08. Such a pretty pour.. bright copper-bronze with a stark white head. Body is slightly translucent. Rich, woody sour. Big and right to the edge of perfection. Citrus and very complex grapefruit. Sinuous and the flavors string together wonderfully. Gets sweeter as it warms. so refined, so interesting. a pleasure.