RateBeer

Russian River Temptation

Percentile
100
overall

bottled
common

on tap
common

Regional Distribution
Find this beer

Add Distribution Data
send corrections | shelftag |
RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
5684.09/5.04.08/5.0Special7.25%95.7Snifter, Tulip, Tumbler
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?  
 aplusbreaks (330), , Colorado, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/59/104/517/20
Jan 23, 2009  
375ml thanks to pantanap. Pours a hazy yellow with a tight bubble foamy head. Aromas of citrusy tartness, bretty and what I’m assunimg is the lacto. Also some barnyard funkiness. Flavors are nice and sour, tart, fruity, dry and funky. Palate is near perfect.


 502Flavors (617), Louisville, Kentucky, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/103/517/20
Jan 22, 2009  
been looking forward to this one for a while. Batch 003, been sitting in my cellar (thanks to lb4LB! - thanks dude!) for about 2 months. 12.7 oz bottle -- I must say Russian River has the coolest bottles ever, pretty sweet labels too. Lively pop of the cork, which was moist on the bottom. Pours a great golden color with a bit of a tangerine hue and a nice big fluffy head that hangs around for a while. Aroma is soft and beautiful with notes of chardone, tart white grape skins, oaky vanilla, and the sour and slightly funky brett that I have come to love so much. Complex and refreshing aroma. The flavor is equally as impressive. It starts off pretty dry and fruity -- white wine rapes -- which morphs beautifully into a tangy dry tartness that is followed through with a long funky (but not overpoweringly so) finish, whcih includes some great horseblanket and barnyard character to it. It is a bit to carbonated for my general taste, but the carbonation seems to go with the wine/champagne-like style. Medium to light bodied. no trace of alcohol anywhere. Overall: great style, great example of it, very refreshing, very drinkable, beautifully done. My first RR! w00t! P.s. this stuff with only a few months on it would be a great brew to get some noobs into the sour style.


 anders37 (4587), Malmö, Sweden
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Jan 18, 2009  
Bottle. Batch 003. Pours a hazy pale yellow color with a small white head. Has a fruity tart spicy yeasty citrus aroma. Sweetish yet tart yesty spicy citrus flavor with some hints from the oak. Has a fruity spicy and slightly tart oaky finish with some hints of citrus in the aftertaste. Very nice!


 pnista (1008), Bloomington, Indiana, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/510/104/519/20
Jan 11, 2009  
Batch 003, thanks Deniz! Warm pinkish orange with a thin dense even white head. Sour lactic, vinous nose with strong oak and maybe a hint of salt. Fruity and even. The tartness is obvious, but not pungent. Smooth small bubbled even mouth. Bright sour biting flavor. Sweet light malt. LActic fruity tartness. Bracing oaky astringency. Smooth though, decidedly. Lingering biting oak mingles with the tartness well, yielding a slight hint of vanilla that melds well with the light malt. So very nice.


 harrisoni (6771), Ashford, Kent, England
3.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/57/103/514/20
Jan 11, 2009  
Bottle at Chris o New Year tasting 08/09. Not sure if this was from Reakt or Phil l, but thanks. Cloudy pale gold, thin beige head. Bretty yeasty sour aroma. Taht’s a pretty good beer. It’s slightly more characterful than some beers I’ve had tonight. Bit empty in the mouth though which was disappointing. But I did like the character.


 MaltOMeal (652), Land of Sugar, Texas, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/105/59/104/517/20
Jan 7, 2009    Updated: Jan 28, 2009
bottle thanks to Secret Santa. Batch 3. Pours a faded orange with a huge white head. Nose was of sour lemon. Taste was of sweet, sour apples. Mouthfeel was tart and dry with lots of carbonation. OK, I’ve been trying to get into the sour craze, but just didn’t see it until now. This one was not extremely sour and had plenty of good taste other than just sourness. Of the sour beers I’ve had this one is the best. This one may have converted me. Liked it a lot.


 kosko20 (302), Bemidji, Minnesota, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/59/105/516/20
Dec 30, 2008  
Aroma is lovely, funk, chardonney, and elements of fruit. Pour is slightly hazy, slightly clear hay, orange with thick white head. Flavor is smooth and clean...odd for sour...chardonney, funk, and white grapes. Palate nice clean sourness...supplication slightly better.


 jcwattsrugger (5223), Florida and, New Jersey, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/56/103/513/20
Dec 20, 2008  
12.70 oz bottle-pours a big foamy to shaving cream off white head and cloudy yellow color. Aroma is yeast, yeast, lemon, funky/vinegar. Taste is tart/sour lemon, yeast, vinegar/sour, woody, some spice, musty. Nicely done sour ale, but not my taste. Interesting. Occasional. Dry finish. Medium body. Thanks mfielden for picking this out.



CONSIDER FREE RATEBEER MEMBERSHIP



Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community. Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings. Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!

SIGN UP NOW »

View Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57


About RateBeer | Add A Beer | Log In | Edit Personal Info | 100 Beer Club | FAQ | Feedback?
Copyright © 2000-2009, RateBeer LLC