Russian River Temptation

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

Bottle, Batch 002. Head is initially small, frothy/fizzy, white, mostly diminishing. Body is hazy dark yellow, bottle conditioned. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (toasted grain), moderately yeasty (barnyard, cobwebs, horseblanket), with notes of sour apple, lemon/lime/orange peel, wet stones, SweetTarts candy, gooseberries, cask wood, band-aid (only the finest), etc. Flavor is moderately sweet, moderately acidic. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Medium body, watery/velvety texture, lively carbonation, lightly astringent. So elegant, so beautiful, so complex! Batch 2 is just as good as Batch 1, if a touch more rustic/horsey in the nose. Everything is so well integrated, it’s amazing...great punch of Brett, awesome fruity characters, nice toasty malt, oaky, vinous, just brilliant. Vinnie is the #1 Belgian-style brewer in the US right now, it’s not even close.

BCTC 2005. Pours a medium hazy gold with an ok head that fades a bit. Aroma is moslty yeasty with lots of traditional brett notes like horseblanket cobwebs and the like. There is also an oaky buttery aroma and flavor wich goes pretty well in this beer. Very complex flavor of bready malts, along with oak, a wierd wine-like sweetness followed by a dry and slightly sour aftertaste. Very easy drinking and smooth.

Pours with a slightly cloudy, light orange body topped by a medium thick, white head wtih a good amount of lacing. It’s sour and vinious wtih notes of sour apple and grapefruit with a slight oaky note. Light bodied, crisp and dry.

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.

A light barnyard aroma, and a little oak, Cloudy orange beer. A very sour beer, with grapefruit and some wheat. I would have said I was drinking a Belgian gueuze if I didn’t know better. Excellent.

Hazy golden colour with a medium sized off white head with nice sized bubbles. Great yeasty, oaky, tart, fruity aroma with hints of citrus and apple characteristics. Flavour was tart and slightly sour with lots of citrus, apple, brett and quite bubbly as well. Even a touch of butter on the finish like a fine chardonnay. My favourite from RRB so far.

Cloudy golden color with a small white head. Aroma of white grapes, oak, hay and hints of vinegar. Tart, not sour, with notes of green apples. Well balanced, light acidity and a moderate dry finish. Great mouth feel, almost creamy. Excellent beer thanks to rudy for sharing

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.