Russian River Temptation

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

Light coloured blonde body with a frothy white head and literally trillions of bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass - really neat looking. Aroma of really strong spices - sage, thyme, cumin and marjoram are all noticeable, along with a little malt and some light toffee. Light to Medium-bodied; Strong tartness up front, masked with a malty flavour along with that meaty characteristic attached to a sweetness which finishes the beer - probably the most complex beer i’ve ever had. When you take that first sip - be cogniscent of all the aforementioned, and you’ll be in for a a real treat. Aftertaste is mellow - some of that tartness and acidity is left...with some sweetness and good oaky flavour. Overall, a damn good beer - definitely worth trying...just be ready for it! I sampled this split (37.5 cL) bottle purchased from Norm’s in Vienna, Virginia on the Eastern Shore of Virginia on 29-October-2005.

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...

Delicious in it’s individuality. The wine comes through as an odd dryness on the palate. I’m not sure if I would have said "winey" if I did not know it was aged in wine barrels. Brett comes through as it warms, adding a nice light sourness on the finish. Interesting beer overall and a testament to craft brewing in general.

(375ml bottle, batch 1) Pours a lightly cloudy orange body with a moderate white head. Aroma of subtle oak barrel, vanilla beans, and fruitiness. Flavor of spicy yeast, mild gueuze-like tartiness, earthiness, lightly toasted malt, and apple. Excellent beer!

375 ml bottle. Batch 002. Rating #3000. Very pale straw/golden colour topped by a huge white head. Aroma is quite funky with lots of soft wood, leather and a very vineous flemish sour sort of aroma. A touch of earthy/woody character. Lightly acetic with a soft vanilla and oaky flavour. Complex and quite intoxicating. There is a great pear/apple/melon fruitiness underlying the dominant funk and oak. Velvety soft texture with lots of funk and tartness, but the acidity is quite soft. Quite different from other Russian River sour beers (with the possible exception of Depuration). Soft vanilla and oak. Great balance. Man, I wish these guys were still shipping outside of California. A great beer for #3000.

375 mL bottle. Clear golden color with nice, lasting head. The aroma is extremely barnyardy with bret and sourness. The flavor is pretty funky with a pithy bitterness and sourness from the barrels and bacteria. It’s a bit like the aftertaste of a bite of grapefruit. Nice medium body to go with all the funk. Great beer.

Bottle: Courtesy of DarkElf via trade. Aroma of yeast, apple, light orange peel, and moderate lambic sournes. Pours a transparent golden-orange with a moderate white head that lasts a minute or so. Moderate apple presence up front with some other sweet fruits. Finishes with a moderate lemony tartness and woodiness. Lambic qualities in the finish are there, but more subdued than the Supplication that I sampled earlier today. Very impressed with the few RR beers I’ve had.

This was Batch 2 and when the cork came out with a satisfying pop a cloud of steam rose from the bottle, followed about five seconds later by a pillar of foam. Split with my brother into two Duvel glasses, this poured a rich cloudy golden color that was unique in its creamyness. Nose is quite sour, but full of very complex aromas, that seems like apple, pear, grapes, apricot, and citrus. Mouthfeel very rich and smooth, and your tastebuds just dance. Flavors are much like the nose, and is more citrus than the aroma, and the finish is wonderfully sour. Almost as good as Duvel, there is nothing quite like this and you simply have to love what this brewer can do.