Russian River Toronado 20th Anniversary

Formerly brewed at Russian River Brewing
Style: Sour Ale
Santa Rosa, California USA

A Mes rate. Bottle at 1st Borefts Beer Festival.
First a little story about Craig (cgarvieuk to you lot). Knowing that I pretty much wet my pants when I saw him pull this out of his bag the day before, he stalled on opening it and came trekking from Borefts location two all the way over to location one to find us and drag us back so we didn’t miss it. Craig, I really, really appreciate that, thanks mate. Anyway, the beer. An attractive hazy orange / amber with an excellent off white head and lace. Good start. It got better. Christ it’s another one. The usual sublime Russian River tarty affair but with an awesome dollop of Kola Kube sweets. Amazing. Excellent raisiny stuff behind with stunning yeasty hits too. Something plummy in waaay background gives it a glorious body and sitting on top of the lot is that unique R.R. blend of sweet and sour brilliance. Maybe just a little too sharp and the sweetness never seems to sit quite right alongside the dryness but faced with something this good, it’s not even close to bothering me. I have recently realised that Russian River are my second favourite brewer. This has cemented my feelings. Why oh why oh why must they be so far away? God I want more.

Bottle 75cl.
[ Courtesy of cgarvieuk ]. Unclear medium orange color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, sour, barral - wood - oak, cognac notes. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet, moderate acidic and light bitter with a long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily to watery, carbonation is soft. [20091030]

Bottle shared by cgarvieuk at Borefts BF 09. Thanks Craig. Love the fruity sour aroma. Some cognac-y sweetness in middle, bit of caramel. Really good fruit/cognac/sour. Lovely balance, so good.

Bottle at Toronado SD. Nose is thick with berry, wood, almost bourbon, vanilla, and a nice hint of Bretty sour. The smell hints at a sourness that just isn’t in the beer. Flavor showcases a really excellent wood character that Shyam pointed out is exceptionally balanced, balancing and among the best examples of aging that is out there. But this is kinda where it ends. The beer has no real levels or variation, just a vague dark Belgian quality without any of the fruit of the aroma.

Poured a red brown. Nose is sour fruits, lactic acid, grapes and vinous notes. Flavor is a nicely tart, grape skin, some tangerine, apricot, red wine and alcohol. Pretty good. What I learned from this beer is that the US has a long way to go to catch up to the belgian sours. While this beer is great, I tried a Cantillon along side of it and it paled in comparison. American sours for the most part lack that timeless complexity. With that said, still an amazing beer.

Really thick, earthy sweet and wour vinegar flavor. Strong alcohol kick, this is one of the best, srtongest sours of the night. Bottle from Ryan Blanksi’s Sourfest- Hollywood, Florida.

Bottle kindly shared by Craig, many thanks mate, had this at the Borefts Beer Festival, De Molen Brewery, Bodegraven, Netherlands 30-10-09 amber with a filmy head that clings to the glass on the way down. The aroma is soft warm, wet hedgerows with a bit of alcohol, wood and citrus its a very nice aroma. The mouthfeel is soft, sweetness and citrus combine and are excellent, fruit is very peach skin, finises gentle and dry, this eters out lovely, really good beer. A7 A5 F8 P4 Ov15 4.1

Damn this was amazing. seriously. brown pour. Sour aroma, some cheese, fruity, wood, brett, and some vinegar. Flavor is just awesome. cherries, wood, smooth aged vinegar, grapes, and the mouthfeel..wow. Just wow.