Russian River Supplication

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

While this was well done for the style and I will give it its props, it’s not a sttyle I readily enjoy. This cloudy amber brew with an effervescent champagne-like head gave off aromas of fruit and spices, notably very tart cherries and nutmeg, with some gingersnaps and a woody, vinous essence from the wine barrels. The tart, almost sour, cherries took front stage in the flavor and, much as I love cherries, they didn’t make it for me here. Still, as I said earlier, this gets its props and being a nicely crafted Belgian.

Bottle from O’Briens: Ruby amber color, lots of white head and lacing. Nose of sweet tart malts, cherry and thick figs. Wow, the flavor is tart and sweet. Rich complexity with a smooth mouthfeel and a creamy texture. The finish is rich and good, f-ing awesome beer, that’s all I can say.

Bottled, Batch 001 and 002 compilation. Brilliantly transparent, fire orangish-red coloring with a thin, wispy white head. As the beer flows out of my bottle and into the glass my nostrils are greeted by a waft of sour cherries. Burying my nose deep into my glass, I smell some sweeter notes of green apple peel as well. This beer is overflowing with tart red fruits: raspberry, thimbleberry, and chokecherries abound. Very sour initial impact on the tongue is quickly followed up by a flavor sensation similar to that of a finely mulled gluehwein. The mouthfeel is actually surprisingly creamy textured, far less carbonated than I expected. As the beer rolls across the back of my tongue I am reminded of fresh yogurt topped with seedy boisenberries. Very vinous finish is definitely where the Pinot Noir aging shines through. Smack of walnuts and cherry rinds. Finishes exceptionally dry with a fantastic tannic cherry skin tartness and funky oak. Simply wonderful.

wow.. drinking this out of a snifter.. have been saving it for a while. great color, reddish to orange hue. pours a small head..smells like sour cherries and apples... nice flavor and bubbly!! yum.

reddish orange body with small off-white head...a purely lambic aroma (sour, acrid, woody, and yeasty)...flavor is of lemon and berry frutis, sour notes, and wood...nice palate...there is quite a bite to this brew! THANKS SILPHIUM

Hazy sediment-laden orange-red body, thin dissipating off-white head. Tannic, sour, musty aroma with cherry, oak, and brie cheese rind, lambic-like and tart with subdued sweetness. Sour, tart, tannic body but not puckeringly sour, wood, brie cheese rind, and cherries. Well-balanced. Reminds me of La Folie but with subdued tartness and less biting acidity. Rich, complex, with subtle carbonation leading to a soft mouthfeel. Excellent pairing of sour and sweet flavors. Thanks DarkElf for the bottle!

Lots of floaties, but it is a nice dark orange color...just about no head...Full aroma of spicy, sweet heavy fruits- apples, cherries and raisins. The flavor, though, is not nearly as sweet, and is actually quite tart and quite unusual. Very sour, yeasty...I’m not big on this kind of yeast, I guess.

Thanks to herbjones for sending this my way - this is a wonderfully gentle and subtle sour ale - nice clear strawberry/copper color - fizzy, with minimal head - aroma of sour cherries, oak - musty and barnyardy - even a hint of...chocolate? - nice tart cherry to start (but it’s not overpoweringly sour) - some brett/cheesy funk - vinous character is much more background than expected - the finish is very woody - good...indeed.