Russian River Temptation

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

Hazy golden sandy blonde. Head is white, small, lasting. Very vinous nose contains strong farmy and funky notes that seems to multiply the fruit presence. Banana bread soaked in cider and banged around with tart white grapes. Globally very fresh and classy, yet you feel this would survive many years. The palate is delicate, flowery and vibrantly tart in a pineapple way. Fresh fruitiness brings the complexity through the roof. It somehow manages to remain accessible thanks to a striking balance and transcendent "classiness". Bretty cobwebs, cidery salty minerals. Satisfying, juicy, yet dry. Firm champaigny carbonation, smooth palate. My new favorite from Vinnie.

Batch 2, Sampled December 2007
It was definitely a slight mistake to serve this at near cellar temperatures (60ºF / 15.5ºC), as the beer foamed up and started gushing as soon as I popped the cork. I only lost a couple ounces though. The beer forms a frothy, scant fat-one-finger thick, pale, off white colored head that is actually quite persistent. The beer is a hazy, slightly chunky, orange tinted, dark straw color. The oak character seems much subdued from the first batch (which is a good thing as this was my main complaint with that beer). This is nice and funky, notes of urea, aromatic goat, farmhouse-stinky-cheese, a definite cattiness, mushroom spore and a host of sharp phenolics that at times approaches fresh curing plastic. Underneath the funk is a nice fruit character reminiscent of tart, un-ripened white grapes (sauvignon blanc & gewürztraminer come to mind), as well as touch of green apple and tart pear aromas. The aroma on this is really quite nice, it is definitely ringing my funky bone right now.

Tart, but not aggressively so (at least for this Gueuze addict), it is somehow soft and creamy feeling, despite the still present carbonation. This creaminess has definitely been picked up in the barrel as oak notes add some tongue coating softness to this brew and even some heft to the body; suggestive from the butter-like oak flavors this makes the beer actually feel buttery in texture. Soft oak contributions of vanillin, a definite sharp spiciness and perhaps a hint of buttery-oak notes are all found here, though the spicy notes are definitely the largest oak character here. The wine analogy continues as the process used is definitely a contributor; definitely reminiscent of an oaky chardonnay as this beer has flavors of green fruit, star-fruit, flint, a certain light metallic quality and that definite oak presence. The funky wee-beasts and the oak contribute spice notes of white pepper, piquant ginger, The flavor is not quite as funky as the aroma might have suggested, but I think this is ultimately a good thing as it allows the complexity of the fruit, oak and spiciness to come through. The sourness, while present and definitive, is so well integrated that it is not overly noticed on its own.

The oak character is much more in check with this the second batch. This is a far superior beer in my opinion (and it hasn’t taken anywhere near 5 years as I last predicted) as the oak, while present, now plays a supporting role. If successive batches keep getting better, then I am going to need to re-baseline my scoring. Just a fantastic brew. The texture is phenomenal & the flavor is just so well integrated and nuanced. The aroma, while absolutely engaging and complex, may actually be a bit too funky. Let me explain that though, because I absolutely love funk and the funk found in the aroma, while dominant, is so well integrated together, but it is a bit too dominant to let the nuanced oak, grape and malt notes through (despite being so inviting and characterful). I may even need to crack a batch 1 just to see what is happening to that .I still maintain that these 375ml bottles just aren’t quite enough, as I always want more of this brew after draining my glass. Though if it was a 750’s worth, my proliferous text might be pushing the extremes of my already superfluous ramblings.

Batch 1, Sampled July 2005
7/4/7/4/16 total 3.8
Pours a lightly hazy orange-copper color, it is pretty well carbonated and has a frothy pale, almost white head. The aroma is quite oaky with lots of buttery notes, an astringent woodiness, notes of grapes (perhaps sauvignon or chardonnay), notes of pears, and some subtle spice notes. Quite an interesting nose on this one.

The beer is quite light on the palate, and very dry. The dryness actually suppresses the oakiness a bit, but it is definitely still here. The finish is quite long with a subtle tannic woodiness to it. There is a light acidity (for a Lambic at least) here as well, more similar to the lactic character of a Lambic than the acetic character of a Flemish sour beer. I am really quite relieved that I don’t get any diacetyl in this beer (I am quite sensitive to it), there is a bit of buttery character (mostly in the aroma), but this is definitely oak derived. There is a certain spritzy character to this beer that is a combination of the carbonation and the acidity.

This beer is really quite interesting, Vinnie still has a ways to go, but this has more to do with the barrels than Vinnie at this point. I think that Vinnie has the touch, in perhaps 5 years (if the wee bugs are compliant and amenable) the new releases of this should be stellar.

Purchased: Russian River Brewing

375ml bottle, Batch 002. Hazy golden with lacy white head. Aroma of sour apple, oak, and brett. Sweet at first with some oaky notes; sourness is somewhat restrained compared to other brett beers. complex yet very drinkable. One of my new favorites.

batch 001 by way of enniskillen.poured a clear yellow with a nice head.aroma of apples,cider,and oak.taste is a mix of sourness,oak,and sprit wine.(BATCH 002)murky yellow with a small white head.aroma is brett,oak,and vanilla.flavor is a mix of the aroma.very nice indeed

Bottle with thanks to Kan. Pours a massive head with a little bit of cloudy gold liquid at the bottom of the glass. Aromas are fabulous... a lot of sour and funk (lemons, barn, oak, maybe some white pepper or something, etc.) Flavor is more of the same, with lots of oak and funk and lemon. It’s pretty light on the palate with lots of carbonation and refreshingness. Yum!

Pours cloudy orange with a thick white head. Very good head retention. Aroma had vinegar, lemon, citrus, orange, vanilla and cherry. Cherry, oak and vanilla round out the taste along with a butteriness. Palate is very creamy and has a cheese feel to it. Very good but just a knotch below the supplication in my opinion. Still one would never guess that an American Brewing Company makes this.

Appropriate pour, excellent aged Sauternes color. A swirled galaxy of gossamer foam roams around the surface as the Bordeaux glass does it’s work. Candied pineapple is quickly nudged aside by wet leather and earth spice with a slight vanilla kiss. Farmyard and sour peaches are boltstered by the acidity and mellowed through light carbonation. Chardonnay is certainly apparant (apples) upfront and particularly on the finish. The vinous quality of the grapes and the tartness of the beer make a gracious exit. This bottle must be at least 2 years old. Age has soothed the once vibrant acid and the yeast have lent a balance of cream and mouthfeel. Excellent beer, well balanced and spell-binding. Batch #001

Sampled on tap at the brewpub, from the bottle, and directly from the barrel. Thank you very much Vinnie and Natalie for this opportunity. Brilliant, clear, bright yellow gold with a fine, medium-thick white head. Lovely, fresh, tart aroma with yellow fruit and strawberry over a soft spiciness and wood-aged oxidation. The brett character shoes itself nicely in the flavor with focused, well-balanced sourness and darker "animal" characteristics against the light, yet sturdy, golden malt profile. Some alcohol comes through faintly in the long, multi-dimensional finish. This is finely-crafted, delicate, somewhat understated sour ale that slowly reveals itselfs quite rewardingly. Excellent.