Russian River Salvation

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

On Tap at City Beer. Rich dark brown color with thick, creamy head. Subtle toasted malt fragrance. Flavor begins with rich toasted malts and caramel followed by raisins, spice and potent cloves. It finishes dry, smoky and incredibly smooth. Very complex and flavorful with great balance and it’s not overly sweet or spiced like some other Belgian Strong Ales on the market.

A good-looking dark ale. The foam sits on the brown ale pleasantly. The smell and the taste are both sweet and somewhat spicy, but the spice favors the tongue while the sweet favors the nose. The beer has nice carbonation but gets a bit sticky. I would like to try an aged bottle, but this new one lacks a bit in complexity and finish. Edit: I tried this beer on tap at RR (10/19/08) and liked it even more, so I’ve raised the scores somewhat. This is an absolutely delicious beer with some of the best coloring that I’ve ever seen. It’s brown with golden highlights at the edges. The flavor is complex, and it succeeds marvelously.

I’m gonna slash and gash, cut another hole in your ass. I spill blood on the walls, then play tennis with your balls. If the phone rings, don’t answer the call. Gonna slit your throat, fuck you like a goat, peel your foreskin off and make a winter coat. Peace!

Corked bottle from NickD717, thanks! Dark brown color. malt, plums, dried figs and licorice in the aroma. Malty flavor, fruity with some roast, blackberries, tannines, chocolate and dried fruit. Some earthy hops. A good balance in this abbey-like beer.

Very rich, with dark and chewy malts. Notes of dark toast, brown sugar, molasses and toffee. Throat-warming alcohol. Great texture.

Pours brown, with a solid head. Aroma is fruity, ash, alcohol. Flavor is dark, yeasty, malty, with a bitterness that sits right on top of your toungue. Finish is malty and mostly bitter.

Pours a murky dark brown with a large tan head. Nose is heavy on banana esters, spices, and dark fruits. Taste is in line with the style, nice dark fruit flavors, spicy esters, banana peel, belgian candy sugar, very tasty.

Bottle. Dark brown pour, medium carbonation with a good spicy and malty aroma. Flavor is plum, banana white pepper, and very malty and well balanced for a 9% ABV beer. Very good and well worth a try.