Russian River Temptation

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

Bottle courtesy Odeed. Pour was golden with haziness, lots of head from the bottle even after pouring a few ml’s for a rinse, just oozing from the bottle top, quick rinse and pour. The lacing was stellar, head retention great. The aroma was very nice, tart lemons and cherries (or some other fruity character, not a pure sour lemon drop), bret, yeast, some spicing. The flavor was excellent, tart/sour lemons, other tart fruits, approaching a flemish sour of the quality of Panil and La Folie, yet with much more of a malt support than either, sweetish fruits, bread, and yeast underneath, yet far from sweet, of course oak and other wood notes making a firm appearance, touches of mint too. The funk is gentle, somewhat leathery, and this thing just blows away Jolly Pumpkin’s sour/bret action. If this is what RR is all about, gimme more!!!! An outstanding beer, one of my fav’s perhaps of all my ratings? Thanks again, Jacob! Re-rate from a Monks Cafe Batch 003 bottle in 11/08, a wonderful retasting, white grapes, chardonnay, and oak all more prominent than my previous experience, quite complex, a nice concoction.

Bottle (batch 1 drank in 2006): Poured a hazy/cloudy dirty yellow color ale with rather large white bubbly head with medium retention. Nose of farmhouse, chardonnay with a sourness resembling lambic. Taste is totally incredible with huge amount of farmhouse (there is probably a better word for this but it is the only I can think of right now), sour notes resembling a lambic and Brett, which is reminiscent of Orval. The Chardonnay barrel effect is maybe a bit too accentuated but still very interesting. Also, it might be a bit too acidic for my liking but it is still very much enjoyable. A more balance level of acid and this would have been a perfect score. Now, I just need to get my hand on some more of this.

375 mL bottle. Clear golden yellow with fizzy white head. Aroma of sour fruit and some white wine vinegar characterisitcs. Silky bright palate. Tastes of sour fruit with an oaky dryness to the finish. Very good.

Batch 002. This one has been sitting in the fridge for months, and I couldn’t wait any longer to crack it open. The cork popped with a good amount of force, giving way to a slow gush that I was thankfully prepared for. The pour yields a cloudy, glowing, light yellow-orange body. A small, foamy white head settles to a thin blanket, leaving broad archways of lacing bands stretched out upon the glass. The aroma is beautiful, showing a complex blend of everything from sour Brett funk to Chardonnay grapes, vanilla, oak, lemons, and light caramel. The scent is quite ascorbic, with citrus and sharp grape mingling perfectly with the sour Brett. As sour as the nose is, it doesn’t quite prepare you for the lambic-like intensity of the flavor. Brett hits immediately, lashing the tongue and the roof of the mouth with its signature bitter funk. The Chardonnay kissed oak is easily identified, accompanied by the requisite vanilla component and sharp, sour, lemon and orange citric extracts. The mouthfeel is substantial and almost perfect for the style, with a drying effect that seems to concentrate the sour fruit components on the tongue. This is a masterfully crafted brew. Ultimately refreshing, substantially sour, and completely delicious.

375ml bottle, batch 2, thanks to Ty5592 for this bottle. pours a hazy golden with big head. wonderful brett in the nose, very geuze like and barnyardy, i love it. the first sip is very complex, smooth, and easy to drink. notes of oak, brett, chardonnay, peach, lemon, vanilla, sour cherries. a perfect mild sourness balanced with some sweet and oaky notes. the extremely crisp and smooth mouthfeel make this beer really drinkable. finishes oaky and very dry. perhaps i’d prefer a little more brett and less oak in the finish.8/5/8/4/17................................. batch 1 (5/05) vs. batch 2 (11/06). B1 is darker, more orange and B2 is cloudy straw color. B1 nose is very white winey, oaky, and slight funk in the background. B2 nose brings the funk upfront with oak and white wine in the back ground. the nose on B2 is much better. flavor for B1 is oak, funk, very earthy, dry with white wine finish, acidity and sourness are present but not over whelming. B2 flavor is very funky, tart, and oaky, sorta earthy, very dry, with a white wine finish. B1 just isn’t as dry and it’s more sweet wine than B2. B2 has a much more lively carbonation. B2 notes are more concise, tart, tighter, drier, vibrant, and lively. IMO, B2 is a much better beer....B1: 8/5/8/4/16 equals 4.1 B2: 8/5/8/5/17 equals 4.3 brbr 6/21/08, batch 2 (11/06). dag yo wonderful aroma coming from this beauty. although it seemed to lack some life that it had when fresher. perhaps some more time or less would be prefered...? 4.1.

Pour is hazy gold wit a thin white head...smell is tart with horseblanket, cherry, brett, pear...taste is a battle between funk, tart, brett, fruit, funk, pepper...finish was nice and smokey...

12oz corked & capped bottle This is a hazy golden pour, with a slightly must aroma, a full mouthfeel with a slightly tangy flavor with an absolutely smooth and clean finish. The influence of the chardonnay barrels is apparent. Great beer for a hot day or with spicy food

Poured an orange-peach, little to no head. Aroma similar to a lambic; earthy qualities to it. Somewhat sweet, fruity, sour with hints of some oak, alcohol and yeast. Not overly sour compared to others, but still too sour for me. Don’t look for that in a beer. Nonetheless, this was still pretty good. Would have liked more of an oak taste, but flavor was still very complex. Alchohol was very mellow. Dry finish. Recommended for those who like sour beers.