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Russian River Temptation

Russian River Temptation - Sour Ale

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 Percentile 
100
overall
A Sour Ale brewed by
Russian River Brewing

Santa Rosa, California USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Regional Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in  Advanced 
4844.08/5.04.07/5.0Special7.25%94.4Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler P  Stats

Commercial Description:
Is it beer, or is it wine? "Aged in French oak wine barrels for twelve months with distinct characteristics of fruit and subtle oak" sounds more like a description of wine than beer. But, of course, Temptation is indeed beer. Actually, Temptation is a Blonde Ale Fermented with a special strain of yeast, then aged in French oak chardonnay barrels. Flavors of wine and oak absorb into the brew throughout twelve months of aging. During this aging process, a secondary fermentation occurs using a yeast strain disliked by most brewers and winemakers called Brettanomyces. The "Bret" gives Temptation intriguing characteristics and a pleasant sourness. Temptation is re-fermented in the bottle to create its carbonation--a process commonly used to make fine champagne and sparkling wine. Spent yeast forms a thin layer of sediment to remain in the bottle.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 djtimeless (137), Florida, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/59/105/519/20
Jun 7, 2009  
Pours out bright gold with lots of bubbles. Smells sweet and funky. Taste is tart with light sweetness and funk. Lots of carbination many subtle flavors. Citrus, wood, sour apples, and Brett. Crisp, dry smooth brew. Very good.


 j12601 (627), Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/104/517/20
May 23, 2009  
Caged and corked 375 courtesy of pantanap. Thanks a bunch Kan. Pours a deep golden color, mostly opaque, with a medium large white head that slowly deflates. Loads of funky brett aromas. Light acid, leather, old books, rice wine vinegar. Starts off much sweeter than I had anticipated, with light caramel notes. Texture is gorgeous, lively small carbonation, but nothing overbearing. Light sourness, gentle, not bracing. Lots of subtlety here.


 cprochak (161), , Washington, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/105/517/20
May 18, 2009  
Draft for Sourfest 2009 at Brouwer’s. Pours clear golden with white head. Wonderful citrus and sour aroma (smell of the Brett). Sour is definitely dominating with some apple and grapefruit coming through. Pretty simple and straightforward, but a good sour with a great finish.


 gracefullypunk (109), Washington, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/58/104/515/20
May 16, 2009  
Tasted at SWB’s Sour Fest along with 15 others. Pours a light gold with plenty of rising bubbles and leaves lots of lacing. The carbonation is definitely noticeable. Aromas of sour sugar and apple, slightly oaky. Fairly simple sour that actually got flatter as it warmed.


 carruthm (889), Seattle, Washington, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/514/20
May 16, 2009  
On tap at Brouwer’s for Sour Fest. Pours a golden pilsner like color with bubbles and moderate lacing on the head. The aroma was flat sourness and the taste matched.


 fonefan (8711), VestJylland, Denmark
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
May 12, 2009  
Bottle 375ml. @ [ Chris O’s pre NYE Tasting ].
[ Courtesy of Reakt or PhilL - Thanks ;o) ]. Unclear medium to dark yellow color with a large, frothy - creamy, good lacing, fully lasting, white to off-white head. Aroma is moderate to heavy, sour, citrus, lemon, wood, light to moderate yeasty. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet, acidic and moderate bitter with a long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20081230]


 petematte46 (121), Dallas, Texas, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/518/20
May 6, 2009  
The color is a hazy orange-gold with a lively white head (gushed just a bit). Aroma has a pleasant funky sourness that can only come from my pal Brett. Some wood, wine, and citrus detectable as well.


 MrChopin (458), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/58/104/517/20
May 1, 2009  
Batch 003 thanks to kegbear and DirtyMartini!
Cork blew out after I put a corkscrew into it, but no beer gushed. That beautiful, shimmering, hazy golden-straw color, fluffy white head with ample lacing... beautiful. Nose is really well put together: fruit with lots of wine and brett--yeast, egg, citrus, and hints of leather. Flavor is driven by the chardonnay, all the way through the finish. More citrus and yeast, again light leather. I like this a lot, but for me the wine is too overpowering in the flavor and the dry body bordered on fizzy overkill when coupled with the heavy carbonation. Another show-stopper from RR, but not an absolute favorite. Reminiscent of JP Luciernaga.



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