Russian River Temptation

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

Bottled at the 3rd Annual FoBAB in Chicago. Hazy, well-carbonated, golden pour with a light dusting of white head. Tiny, bubbly lacing stuck perfectly to the glass. Tremendous aroma of Brett, Chardonnay, wheat, freshly-sliced pears, funky cobwebs and a hint of cider. Sooo much was going on in this odd little bottle! Tart Brett funkiness, ripe cherries, fresh wheat, lemon zest, and much much more toyed with all my tastebuds, and everything was so well-blended. Tart and champagney mouthfeel giving way to a long, funky, vinous finish. Remarkable beer with devilishly-easy drinkability. 9 4 8 4 17

3L bottle thanks to Blake, ladled into a snifter out of a big fuckin’ pot. Poured hazy medium golden with a tall cap of white head. The aroma picked up tart grape skins with lots of dusty, vinegary funk.. complex and engaging. The flavor had lemon zest, vinegar, and white grapes on the core with spicy zest and dusty funk on the back.. sweet vinous finish with lots of funk and lots of carbonation. Tart and engaging on the palate, again with high carbonation.. just fantastic!

A sour beer that is drinkable and not hard on the palate owing to good malting. Woody taste in there-something akin to a acidic chardonnay. Minerals, apples, saison like spice. Horse aroma. I am glad I tried it however this is not the greatest beverage I have had as some others claim. Thanks for sending Hopsalot

Bottle (375ml). Shared with blankboy, biegaman, mds, Radek Kliber, tupalev and others. Rating #1900. Poured cloudy yellow-orange with an average creamy white head. Luscious balanced aroma; tart brett, restrained oak, sweet malt. The taste is everything the aroma promised and more - smooth, balanced between lightly funky/sour yeast and mellowed oaky malt, medium-long finish slides along like it’s on rails - nice! Dry, astringent, nicely carbonated mouthfeel - just awesome, like a softened, oak-aged Orval in a lot of ways, extremely easy to drink. Thanks for making the trip to get this one, man!

Bright gold , cloudy ale . Bright - white on top . Neat look . Light citric nose , with yeasty character , light alcohol . Good clean ale , good texture and finish . Pleasure to drink.

re-rate Batch 1 Sampled on 7/8/2009. This Sour ale pours a medium yellow gold color from a 375ml bottle. Small to medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is bretty, fruity and sweet. A medium bodied sour ale. The malts are fruity and sweet, tart, funky and sharp. A touch of chardonnay like grapes. Lively carbonation. Nice balance. Funky, crisp and dry. Lots of brett at the finish. This beer has aged very nicely in the bottle, it is drier and funkier than at first. Wish I had a few more of these. Maybe time to age some of the newer batch. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is crisp and dry. Aftertaste is slight bitter and funky.

Bottle (Sune). Unclear yellow - white head. Powerfull aroma with gooseberries, earth and horseblanket. Taste: Dirt, earthy, harsey, gooseberries, barnyard, apples, light citrus zest, high carbonated. Wood dry finish. Reminds me of a Geuze.

My second time having this one, had batch 2 and 3. Pours alight off white yellow body. Aroma is bretty, oaky, woodiness. A dry woody refreshing light barnyard funkiness with low acidity is what i get. Not bad but it didnt stand up next to some of the others at Yeast Fest 08. 3.9 Wow what a difference batch 003 made to me. Pours a golden body with a white head. Aroma is brett all on more like what drifts through a meadow on a sunny afternoon. Really funky yeast notes. Brett and chardonnay notes green grapes and their skins. Vinous tart grapes and light oak. Lush effervescent notes with a mouth watering grape like finish. Slightly dry and yet lush. Phenomenal! 4.5

RBSG 2005... Poured a hazy orange gold color with a small, white head that left spotty lacing on the glass. Aroma of cherries, brett, and chardonnay grapes. Taste of oak, strawberries, tart grapes, while finishing nice and acidic. Damn fine brew!