1001 Beers

Beer No: 103
Page No: 930
Category: Specialty

Yum, yum, yum.  This is the reason I'm heading up to Russian River in August.  Their beers are legendary here in California, and most likely across the United States.  Amongst those that know a good sour, they know Russian River.  You really have no idea how excited I am to be able to visit Russian River in early August.  I'll be there for a nice lunch at their restaurant, hope to take a quick tour of the brewery, and then hit the road to have dinner and a tour up at Sierra Nevada a bit further north.  I had planned to continue my trip by heading up to Portland, but with finances still being tight, I just can't justify the cost of added hotel nights, more gas, more beer bought (well, that's justifiable), and other expenses.  But checking Kayak, round trip flights up there are just $221, so I'll probably go at some point, find a nice downtown hotel, and not even worry about having a car.

As for this amazing Russian River brew, I rated it almost exactly the same as the awesome Consecration.  I think it really says something about this beer when it's the #2 sour ale on all of RateBeer.com.  Lost Abbey's Yellow Bus is #1 and I almost got some of it last Saturday, but instead went to the home brew competition results luncheon at the Orange County Fair to accept our award for our first place Sweet Stout ("our" being Arkh Brewing).  Hopefully I'll have the chance to try Yellow Bus soon as I can't live without knowing what the #1 sour beer tastes like.  Oh, by the way, Supplication is #3 on the site.  Lost Abbey / Pizza Port holds spots 4 through 7 and Russian River holds spot #8 with Temptation (one of the 1001 and coming in mid-August).  Pretty insane that the top 8 sour beers come from just two producers.  If only I could figure out a way to master this type of brew.

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

Russian River Supplication by Russian River Brewing

Aroma: 9/10
Appearance: 4/5
Taste: 9/10
Palate: 5/5
Overall: 17/20

Rating: 4.4 / 5.0

Batch 005X3 from Hi Time Wine Cellars. An amazing way to follow up last week’s Stone Sour Fest and an absolutely wonderful beer that I’ve had many times, but never rated. Pours with a reddish brown hue, fine carbonation, and slight tan head which dissipates quickly. Nose is mostly cherries, pinot, brett, lactic acid, and sour vinegar. Taste is perfectly balanced sourness with lots of cherries, plums, oak, wine, vinegar and citrus. Finishes perfectly with lingering fruits and oak. I just love this stuff.

Beer No: 67
Page No: 870
Category: Specialty

This beer most certainly belongs in the "specialty" category.  It's just an epically special beer.  Sour flavors abound in this ale brewed with currants as each sip reveals more complexities and flavors.  The beer runs the gamut from oaky to citric to sweet to sour.  It truly is a wonderful beer to taste and I'm hoping to visit Russian River this summer to try their fantastic brews on tap at the source.

An almost perfect way to enter into the Summer and continue my Memorial Day festivities going strong.  Easily a top 5 beer in my books.  With the Supplication review coming soon...we might have another top 5.

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

Russian River Consecration from Russian River Brewing

Aroma: 9/10
Appearance: 4/5
Taste: 9/10
Palate: 5/5
Overall: 17/20

Rating: 4.4 / 5.0

Had from 750ml bottle. Pours dark red/brown with tan head that dissipates very quickly and some slight blubbles on the edges. Aroma is very tart, sour, citric, hints of cherries, yeast, and alcohol. Taste is amazingly tart, refreshing, citric, and complex. Flavors range from oak to cherries to currants to lemons. Really a treat to have and a wonderfully complicated beer that might require some time to get used to if you’re not a fan of the sours. This sour goes above and beyond the slightly acidic and citric tastes of other "weaker" sours and really punches your tastebuds with flavor. More sour than I remember it on tap, but still an amazingly good beer.