Russian River Salvation

Brewed by Russian River Brewing
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Santa Rosa, California USA

[bottle, shared with dirtymike] Dark brown in color, with a dense off-white head. Aroma is fruity and sweet, with a slight tartness. Flavors are primarily dark fruits, slightly sweet with a good malt foundation. Finishes quite dry, with a nice tart note to balance things out. Excellent overall, this was nice introduction to the RR brews.

Sample at Indy tasting Hotshotz - Aroma of sweet dark chocolate malts and Belgian yeast with a touch of fruity spice. Pours dark brown with a medium head and good lacing. Flavor matches aroma. Palate is dry. Not sure if this one is getting a fair shake since it followed Supplication in the tasting lineup. RR brews deserve more time to ponder and enjoy.

Translucent and opulent amber brown in color with tight pin lace beads hanging onto the glass. Luxurious aroma bedevils in cocoa prunes, cocoa nibs and baked figs broiling with blackberry crème brulee. Plums drip greasily onto lactic chocolate buttercream. Concord jam and anise make their presence known in the nose as well. Flavor strives darkly with caramelized brown sugar and prunes and dates rolling about. Effervescence strums a chocolate-caramel cola chord with a bitter-numbness coming across the tongue while a dry, unrefined cocoa teases at the tonsils. Black patent wickers in the distance with a burnt, nutty and earthen dryness. Sweet, candied anise comes to call. Swiss chocolate morsels melt like sticky buns broiled into a symbiotic relationship. Abated mocha tortes take the final bow with ashen cinnamon and perfumed dates.

750 ml bottle courtesy of Footbalm. Pours a very dark brown color with reddish tints and a creamy beige head. Aroma of dark bitter fruits, brown sugar and fresh yeast. Taste of dark fruits, dark bread, caramel, spicy malts and fresh yeast. Not as sweet as a lot of good belgium beers, but the flavors are very prominent regardless. Excellent !!

Bottle. Dark reddish brown colour with a nice fine head. Aroma of sweetness, fruit also dried fruit. Flavour of fruitness with notes of caramel and some yeast. Mild and soft strong ale with a alcoholic finish.

Russian River is quickly becoming one of my favorite breweries (especially Pliny the Younger). It is by far the most interesting. Great, great beer. Tried it at the12 hour Belgian beer partyin Carlsbad, CA. Possibly the best beer tasting ever,with 70 bottled rare and expensive beers and 20 on draft.

From a tasting at chateau Oakes. Darker brown with a tan head. Lots of raisan and brown sugar on the nose with yeasty elements. Strong and rich malt profile with a nice sweetness throughout. Not my favourite RR beer but still very enjoyable.

Dark chestnut pour with hazy mahogany hues interwoven around the edges and deep within. Dense, solid, sheet-style lacing. Very creamy, off-white head is steadfast. Dark fruits and sexy malts captivate from the get go and light sugariness rounds out softer than expected aromas. Were there more of a forcefulness here, the aroma would be a serious contender. Yeast is the focal point point of the flavor, much to my dismay. Subtle dark fruits make an appearance again, with toasted grain, scorched sugars too. Finishes balanced and mellow. Mouthfeel is aptly carbonated and medium bodied. Palate is creamy and very smooth. Overall another well made Russian River product; though not invigorating as per their usual output, still a pleasure to sip on.