Russian River Supplication

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

Clouded reddish amber appearance, decent head formation. Intense, funky nose that grows in character, the more you try. Citrussy, sour with tangerines and red wine displaying black cherry, berries and wood. Sour acidic flavor but very approachable, plenty of fruitiness that further forces red wine comparisons, coats the palate without being sticky, teases you with sourness in the finish.

Sampler, last bit of the barrel, kindly provided by the bartender at Russian River Brewing. Hazy dark golden color, thick head. Delicious tart aroma, some cherry, bit barnyard. Sour taste, sweet, fruity of cherries, slight oaky. Very strong but still subtle. Superb balance, while still complex. True craftsmanship.

Batch 001: Rusty orange. Dirty-white foam falls to a puffy ring. Cedary, sherbety, moldy, rounded sour cherry nose with rhubarb, barnyard, and acetic acid. Quite musty with minerals and “band-aid” phenols. Tongue tickling carbonation. Slickness mirrors the body’s grit. Tart cherry skin explosion greets a boisterous brett-accented accompaniment of soft bandage phenols which, along with the fruitiness, films the palate. Phenols persist to caress the tartness and reinforce the musty medley of oak and minerals. Subtler, but perpetually slick and juicy, sour cherry elements continue to buoy the body and, along with the funky yeast and dried leather astringency, generate stimulating flashes of puckering acidity that constantly come and go. Moderate huskiness and vanillin oak absorb much of the fruit-derived tannins, but enough acidity remains to hold your attention and to prolong the dryness. Finishes brightly oaky and earthily husky as brisk skin tannins pierce the lapsing wall of gritty oak that lingers on the tongue. Comprehending the timeless devotion and resilient passion that was poured into the making of this is simply unfathomable. Vinnie is such an inspiration.

so many thanks go out to lilkem for scoring this fine brew for my going away fiesta. the color was a hazelnut brown with a dash or sunset. the aroma was very smooth fruits and a bit of the good funk. the taste was damn good, lots of sour strawberries up front and then it mellowed into some other fruits. damn fine brew i must say.

This Belgian Ale pours a murky reddish amber color from a 375ml corked bottle. Small sized white foamy head. Aroma is tart, cherries, oak and must. A medium bodied Belgian Ale. Flavors are of tart cherries, must, old book and oak. Lively carbonation, lots of small bubbles. Lots of fruit and cherries, lots of tartness, lots of funk and then even more funk. Then there is all that oak and then there is all the bretts and Flemish sour flavors going on as well. Can you say complex? Nice beer. There is a lot of stuff going on here, and all the complexities balance together well. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly tart.

Amber with a lasting and lively white head. Subdued, but complex aroma with cherry, vanilla and fresh wood. Initially quite acidic, then a complex, elegant tartness with cherry and wood notes, and finishing with an even sweetish fruitiness. This was my first sour RR, and I’m very much looking forward to try some more!

Wonderful ruddy brown pour. Heavy white crown of head. Lots of lacing. Sour cherry aromas, sour apricot, and something rich and sharp -- like a blue cheese -- works to really expand this beer’s range from the very first sniff. The fruit and funk on the nose still don’t prepare you for what’s coming. The beer is crisp and sour from the get-go. Lots of fruit, from raisin to cherry to lemon, and an acidic bite from the bacteria. There’s harmony throughout the palate and a long finish to enjoy the best, most careworn American sour ale in production. Wonderful stuff.

Batch #001 375ml corked bottle, makes a loud pop when opened. Pours a murky garnet hue into my goblet, makes a thin white head of very fine bubbles. Aroma is earthy with sweet dark fruits, bit of caramel and yeast. Flavor is acidic and sour... huge profile of sour cherries... a bit bready, peppery, moderately dry and bitter. Solid meduim palate leaving very thin syrup coating in the mouth, carbonation is high with a likeness to champagne and a warm finish. I like this alot, it is an excellent offering from Russian River. Highly recommended!