375 mL bottle courtesy of Ross - many thanks. Batch 005. Chilled this off perfectly and the medium pop on opening the corked & caged bottle produces some nice gun smoke. The head 'fizzes' up initially but of course it does not last and there is not much lace or retention. A very thin film of bubbles sit atop the beer. The color is REALLY memorable. A very, very distinct lemon colored, yellow body. Super bright in terms of the hue and a stand out feature of the brew. The nose is fresh and...
Notes on beers brewed by
Russian River Brewing Company
Beatification
Batch 002, thanks go out to the "groovy one" for the chance to try this. Corked and caged, 375 mL, olive green bottle. Poured into the Urthel Bock goblet, the color is as advertised with a light, golden body and a degree of haziness. The head is not really present to any degree as it dissipates to large, well formed bubbles on the collar. The nose delivers that expected very light, acidic funk, but to be honest it is more subtle than I expected. Green apples. More green apples greet the palate...
Pliny The Younger
Well, it took a LONG time to get this; I've been admiring this beer from afar for several years and today I got the chance to finally try it. Huge thanks to Grant for the opportunity to crack this one as a shared growler with many of the usual suspects at The Brick Store, Decatur, GA, USA. Pour is a typical mid-orange beer with a nice head and lace and some good clarity in the body. NOT perfectly clear, but still lacks much haze to speak of. Soapy lace created - a good sign. The nose is a...
Consecration
Thanks go out to Grant for sharing this one a The Brick Store yesterday afternoon. Right off the top those RR growlers are just superb to look at! For me, that's where the joy sort of ends. I think it is difficult to even consider the American Wild Ale style since I currently feel it is pretty ill-defined. So, as a result some may feel that this review is not fair because it is not considering the style but when (as I feel) the style is poorly defined, I think that it's OK to give an honest...
Blind Pig IPA
Split this 500 mL bottle with brickstoredave on a quiet Wednesday afternoon. Pour is a light colored body with a soapy looking head and lace on top. It's pretty simple to summarize this beer. VERY hoppy, very dry and very American in terms of ita "American" IPA style. Not really my cup of tea. The hops in the taste and nose are fairly astringent, and although not huge, they give a certain one-dimensionality to the beer. It's just not subtle and at the same time lacks complexity. Frankly...
Damnation Batch 23 (Oak Aged)
From notes: Thanks go out to Robet for a chance to try this at a recent Brick Store gathering. A lighter than expected golden pour with a nose that reflects the oak. Robert said that chips were used rather than the barrel but to me it's difficult to detect such a nuance. A light smokiness in the nose and taste which is probably a combination of the oak and my inability to pik it up correctly. Some of us at the tasting also got some estery pear notes. i got a touch of pineapple too. However, to...
Perdition
Thanks go out to jgaston for the trade. 750 mL, corked & caged affair. Batch 002. Poured into the Duvel tulip. Significantly darker body than I was expecting. Plenty of floaties in the glass too. Nice head, but relatively short lived and not much lace. Some tart funky yeast in the nose, but all fairly muted. Tastes reflect the nose. Yeasty tartness is the overwhelming sensation with a bitter finish. Some unsweetened grapefruit also present in the ending. Not quite as smooth as I was expecting,...
Redemption
Thanks go out to jgaston for the trade. Apparently, $6.99 from Ledger's Liquors. Corked & Caged 750 mL presentation. Poured into the Duvel tulip. Golden/yellow hazy pour with plenty of floaties. Thin head, minimal; wispy lace. Lack of body and lack of depth IN THE GLASS make this a tad disappointing initially - but it gets much better. Plenty of good Belgian yeast notes in the nose. Not much else. Reminds me of a Wit. Tastes are simple. Very, very mild spice and a touch of yeast. Mouthfeel is...
Pliny The Elder
Thanks to zrrbrrt for the trade. Been waiting on this one for sometime, and he did me proud. 64 oz of pure hoppy pine! Light amber/orange color with absolute clarity with some light carbonation. A few bubbles but not much. Huge frothy head with some significant lacing. The lace is really sticky (that's one of the crucial things I look for in an American IPA), a nice looker. The aroma is one that is difficult to ignore. Huge resinous pine, organic hay, grass, hops and other sweet meadow like...
Salvation
Batch 001, from BigLove as part of BCG BIF. 750 mL, corked and caged. Dark, murky brown looking a lot like a darkish Dubbel. Smallish head, but very, very fine carbonation make up the head and the lace. The lace is liquid rather than sticky, but still attractive. Alcoholic bananas, some fruit and a little port in the nose. Typically Belgian in the mouth with a very full experience, rolling and rounded fruits all brought together with mild acidity, big yeasts, alcohol and fine carbonation. High...
Temptation
Slightly hazed and cloudy golden yellow, with a nice head, exceptional carbonation and some decent lacing. The more I drink of these Wild Ales, the more and more I am reminded of classic, English scrumpy ciders. All the elements are there. A crisp, apple like sharpness, with a dry finish and a high drinkability. A light mouthfeel and a mild and refreshing taste. Typically acidic nose, but I can't get away from a Devonshire or Somerset farmhouse cider.
Damnation
Batch 003, 750 mL corked & caged. Deep golden yellow poured into the Trois Pistoles chalice. Small, but beautifully formed, dense white pillowy head, but the retention and the lacing are both below average. Lots of banana, cloves and spice, but comes with an acidic edge too. In simple terms it drinks like a high alcohol Hefe, but at the same time is very, very reminiscent of a Duvel. That of course, is high praise indeed. Finishes with a slight grapefruit/citrus twang. Lovely creamy and full...
Supplication
Unusual bottle in shape (long-neck wine type), color (dark olive green) and volume (375 mL). My first venture into the American Wild style and I got pretty much exactly what I expected. A sort of cross between a Flanders/Flemish Red, a Lambic and a traditional Somerset or Devonshire scrumpy (cider to all of you in the USA). Attractive dark orange pour with a decent head but very little lacing. Slightly cloudy, that looks a lot like chill haze but isn't really. Apple sourness in the nose and in...