Russian River Supplication

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

From a 375. Beer is a hazy, medium-bright copper with a little ring of white sandy seamonkeys hanging out in the bottom of the snifer. Head is average, white, frothy, mostly diminishing. The aroma is much like a FSA, but with a lot more earthiness: Malty with light notes of toasted grain, caramel; Hoppy with a moderate-to-heavy note of herb, lemon zest; Yeasty with light notes of horseblanket, trace of band-aid/plastic beach ball ; Miscellany contains a heavy note of vinosity, moderate-to-heavy notes of cherries, sherry, raisin/date and oak, trace balsamic and allspice. The flavor is moderately sweet, moderately-to-heavily tart/acidic with a long, moderately acidic/tart/dry, lightly sweet finish. The body is medium, the texture is velvety and the carbonation is lively. Another winner!

Bottle sample at Muckfest 2009 Day 2. Cloudy amber pour with a thin off-white head. Malty aroma with some sour citrus and vinegar. Super sour flavor with lemon and grapefruit, some alcohol and a malty cherry finish.

Had a few of these and this one was enjoyed as I was sitting next to milkmandan at JK’s tasting a year or so ago. This is the king of brew that can be enjoyed without ever having to actually taste it. dan remarked how much he loved this and I had to agree. the nose was fantastic. Complex and heavenly with the aroma of soured fruit and earthiness. Really a treat.

Shared bottle thanks to CMUBEERMAN. Pours hazy cider orange with spotty salmon and tan colored head. Aroma is funky, musty bleu cheese, sour tangy apricot. Flavor is super sour, hint of cherry, wheat. It’s so sour that it has a bite. Watch out.

Thanks to Ryan for the hook-up. Bright orangish red pour; a bit hazy. Lovely fizzy off-white head. Yummy tart aroma and taste; sour cherries, lemon zest, dusty wood. Not as intensely oaky as the redemption. A little brett funk, but nothing challenging or harsh. Very crisp, dry finish. This beer is just straight up refreshing.

This was pretty damn awesome. I was hoping it would be good for Mike’s going away, thanks to JohnC for helpin me out with it. Nice sour cherry flavor and aroma. The color was a nice hazy brown with minimal head. The aroma was some maple, some cherries, some yeasty flavors, some very nice mellow malts that helped balance the sourness of the cherries to near perfection. Damn glad I got to have this, and for such a good occassion. Solid.

Bottle thanks to jeffin7: I was pretty excited to try this one, as I always am with Russian River. Pours to a dirty copper/ruby amber body with a medium off-white head. More ruby highlights show through when held up to the light. The aroma has a definite sourness to it, with some notes of tart lemon, vinous cherries or grapes, acidic wood. Taste is tart with some flavors of vinous, sharp not-quite ripened grapes, grains, lemon, spicy hops, brettanomyces, cherries and wood. The sourness sticks to your tongue for a bit, not willing to let go easily. Medium bodied, lively carbonation. I hope more brewers will continue to experiment with brett and various bacteria, as well as various ways to barrel age.

February Houston Tasting. Pours a red copper color with small white head. Nose of sourness, cherries, oak and freshness. Flavor is tart, cherries, mold and oak. Dry finish and very clean.