Russian River Supplication

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

Bottle (courtesy of cquiroga, as always) into Duvel tulip glass (the best tasting glass ever). Dope beer. Uniformally hazy ruby grapefruit color with yeast floaties in suspension. Medium to small off-white head diminishes to a thick ring and surface dusting. Brittle sudsy lace crumbles and slides leaving a ring around the glass; racing is deep, slow and plentiful. Ripe cherry smell is wonderfull, enhanced by a crisp lemony acidity and spiderweb brett aroma, with a little ginger. Crisp and lively up front, medium body fills the mouth with flavor, becomes light and spacious right before the swallow. Lots going on in the flavor: sour apple and cherry predominate at first with a biting woodsy/alcoholic tang (from the barrel, I guess) that dries the beer out just a bit but retaining the mouthwatering acidity. The flavors in the finish take on a lighter, melony quality, like honeydew and watermelon, without the sweetness. An acrid bitterness in the finish seems a bit untutored, and detracts from the overall impression; it comes on a couple seconds after the swallow, lies on top of the soft melony flavors, and then gets drowned in a resurgent acidity which is nice, so it’s not really a big deal. Also, I wish the cherry were a bit fuller, but I like the balance of fruity and earthy qualities. A sour, balanced beauty.

Hazy orangey brown with lots of head. Some nice caramelized malt aromas, with something funky, barn like brett and cherries. Flavour was much similar to a flemish sour ale, as there is cherry and acidic sourness.

Big tart cherry aroma. Flavor was tart cherry and slightly cream cheese. No sweetness at all, but this was very good. Reminded me of a cherry cheesecake without the sugar.

<b>375 mL Bottle - Batch 001</b> An aroma of wooden oak and wildness, mired in a sea of lemon. A touch of tart cherry. Pour of half cloudy amber with a henna center and orange fringe. Head of micro champagne bubbles, rising to a whipped creamy froth of honey. At long last, that creamy coconut and pineapple flavor that I’ve been searching for, ever since savoring New Glarus Sour Brown. The perfect use of bacteria! Wild sweetness, blending with light tannins in a valley of dried apricots. Sweet and dry. A perfect balance of sour. Alcohol warms the nostrils and a glow of fresh Rainier cherries tumbles down the cascade of rich sweet malt. A touch of sherry vinegar, morphing into a gentle cream with plum and raisins. Delicate. Finish is so amazingly smooth and graceful. I’m very impressed with the palate in this beer, lingering on in unctuous beauty. Wraps up with the perfect balancing light wafts of drying grasses. Smack of apples, pears and white pepper. Thanks Andy!


375mL Bottle. Batch 003. Thanks Andy! Aroma rises with a tight waft of pastry dough, coconut cream, sour cherries, and baked apple pie. All the wonderful wanderings for sourness, fruit and malt married together. A bit of fall leaf, cherry stem and apple core finish. Pours a glowing fiery red-orange, translucent, with a swirling edge of whitish. Flavor is tight and tart. Wow. Crisp juicy tart apple flesh segues to coconut husk, dry cotton and sweet cherry blossom. A married flavor profile. Dry perfume closes the balance and gives a long apricot brandy finish, with a light edge of tart pucker. Delicate, blossoming and fruitful. Stunning, yet again. Rides out with a very mature and complex brandy, fruitcake and almond liquer. Re-rate. 949518.

12.7 oz bottle via trade with the very generous alanC - Thanks Alan! - Pours a deep amber with a fizzy tan head that laces very well on the trappist glass. Aroma is cherries, sharply sour with some yeast as well. Flavor is very tart cherries mostly as well but I also got some yeast and a touch of grapefruit also along with some definite barnyard funk. Very much like a lambic. Palate is somewhat light and very carbonated. Quite unique and I can certainly appreciate this even though it was a bit sour for my tastes.

Rating #600

bottle courtesy of Saarlander from a trade several months ago, thanks Aaron.
a reddish orange amber in color with a tan head. lace is awesome all the way to the bottom of my snifter. aroma of tart cherries and some yeasty bread. served at cellar temp. the flavors were of predominantly the citrus variety: cherry, some rhubarband some dry brett qualities on the tail end. as it warmed to near room temp. flavors of oak and musty leather became apparent. even though the style is not one of my favorites, this was still a good choice for #600.

Beer pours cloudy amber color with a mostly diminishing beige colored head. Aroma is of cherries with lots of wet wood. Flavor is sour with a really nice sweet cherry tartness. Palate is creamy with perfect carbonation. Delicous.

Reddish amber colour with a white head. Sour vinous aroma. Malty flavor with some lambic-like hints. Also hints of cherries. Long sour aftertaste. Very nice.