Russian River Empirical 7

Brewed by Russian River Brewing
Style: Saison
Santa Rosa, California USA

Clear golden with a fizzy white head. Fruit perhaps pineapple aroma. Nice crisp citrus taste with some sparkling quality to the palate and a great brisk Brett flavor.

On tap at Toronado. This hazy golden ale poured with a decent white head and a floral aroma. There is a funky caramel flavor with the trademark brett notes that bring some sourness, as well as a peppery finish. A very pleasant drink.

On tap at Toronado San Francisco. Pours a murky orange with a fizzy white head. Aroma of citrus fruits, citrus rinds, slight dry brett, white grapes, grass. Flavor is citrus fruits and crackers with only slight brett kicking in. Dry finish. This is mild compared to their other offerings but a very nice beer on it’s own.

On tap. Mostly hazy, straw gold colored body with a well sustaining head of fizzy white. Bold, resinous hop aromas suggesting pithy pine, complimented by a moderate brett character that enhances the perception of bitterness with a healthy dose of grape skin tannins. Rustic and peppery. Crackery malt underneath, but smells bitter, earthy, and dry. Tastes that way, too. Light bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel with a crispy, dry texture and bold bitterness. Hints of crackery malt and slight wheat softness give way to a barrage of lemony hop bitterness. Lemon peel and pine. The bitterness has an earthy quality to it as well, which blurs the edges of what is coming from the hops and the rustic, peppery tannins inspired by the brett. A minerally quality enhances the bitterness even more and drives the perception of dryness in the finish. Delightful beer.

On tap at NHC pro brewer night. Pours a hazy orange. Nose is brett funk mixed with some floral and slight citrus hops. Flavor is a hoppy funky spicy mixture. Very odd combo, but not terribly bad.

Draft. Slightly hazy amber beer with an off-white head. Nice citrus hop aroma with a bit of brettiness underneath. Good balance int he flavor between brett and citrusy hops. Medium bodied. Good brettiness. Citrusy hops linger with the brett and finishes dry.

Draft @ Russian River: Hazy canary peach. Pasty and frothy stark-white head. Estery and phenolic nose consists of floral hops, aniseed, sherbet, hay, honeydew melon, glazed lemon zest, and peach. Faint mineral and sulfur notes. Soft pricks of velvety carbonation. Pillow-soft malt caresses the palate as lemon zest fuses with a sharply herbal hop character. Brett-induced band-aid phenolic snap coarsely clutches the palate. Hops are remarkably polished and flavorsome. Snappy hints of white pepper mesh with the feisty phenols. Wonderfully-rounded peach tartness contributes sufficient weight to pillar the airy-light toasted cracker and honey-drizzled hay Pils malt. Squeaky-clean malt deposits a starchy, powdery texture on the tongue as well as a delicate toastiness and light vanilla-cake sweetness. Bubblegum flashes trace sweetness at the center while crisp minerals and snappy sulfur generate staunch dryness to bolster the quenching nature of the beer. Finishes assertively bitter with lemon zest and herbal-tinged hops as aniseed, peppery phenols, and slicker notes of honeydew linger. Brett delivers savory aniseed and Band-Aid burps in the afterimage. Few brewers possess the knack for creating such nuanced and sophisticated beer as Vinnie does. Absolutely captivating.

On tap at Brouwer’s SourFest. Pours a hazy, but appealing gold. Citrus hops aroma but a hit of funky sweat. This dominates the flavor, with a touch of citrus sweet and sour coming through. Very dry on the tongue with a long finish.