Russian River Consecration

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

A reddish copper ale with a thin off white head. A beautiful Brett and sour cherry aromas, sour and intense, weird grassy notes, very resinous and woody. In mouth, a superb candy suger, sour apples, cork, and lactic yogurt. Rich and smooth. On tap at brewpub, August 17 2009.

Bottle looks really good, the beer in the glass also. Deep brown, small head, very zippy. Smoky-sourish aroma. Starts fine sourish, not too much, smoky-woody, fine fruity notes of raisins. The alcohol is well hidden. Very well balanced. A great beer! Big thanks to wavers1 for that bottle!

the sour did hit the palate, and I am feeling it 10 hours later. The Brett and other enzymes are interesting and adding to the palate message. Yet overall the taste is not that outstanding. Carbonation was above average, and this beverage did work with supper. An experience. Really good looking orangey off-white bubbly head, though a piece of black sediment rolled into the initial pour. Vinegar aroma which I am two minds about, one being the anticipation of a hard rocking palate cleanser, giving it the benefit of the doubt.

Bottle from zythum, what a generous trader! Batch 1. Pours a dark ruby reddish-brown color with a thick initial head that dies down to patches. The aroma is overall fruity with yeast, berries, sour cherries, and red wine. This is sour, tart and rather dry. More sour than any other RR sour I’ve had so far. Aged in Cabernet barrels this clearly has a lot of red wine-like character. Plenty of fruity flavors, sour cherries, tart cranberry and currants. Crisp and tangy with a little bite to it. I start picking up whiffs of vinegar as it breaths as well as some vinegary flavors. Consecration is a very good beer, no doubt about that, but I prefer Temptation or Beatification at this stage. I’d love to try the new batch of this beer and compare because it’s close to being as good as those other two. Any criticism is really unfair, I’m giving it a 4.2, just Russian River has set such a high standard in my book, especially Vinnie’s sours. Everything he brews seems top notch.

batch #1. Tart currants, strawberries, darkl raspberries, with funky tart aromas. Pours dark reddish with no head. Rich currant flavors, with big oak flavor, wood, vanilla, tart dark raspberries, nice sour flavor, not over the top but very enjoyable! A great sour!

鼮ml bottle thanks to sprinkle, had both batch and batch 2) Pours a ruddy amber, no head, nose of black olives, salty, slightly sour. Taste is better than the smell with notes of oak, sour black cherries, and finishes nicely sour. Overall this beer is perfectly tart, but perhaps a bit overhyped. Batch 2 was more well rounded and superior to batch 1 in my opinion.

On tap at the Brouwers Cafe. Dark brown pour...had to to a second look to see it was more a dark translucent mahogany. No real head when the glass got to me. Sour dark fruits on the nose....big funk....bit sour flavor, but not overpowering which was a treat. Smoot mouthfeel.....while I’m not a huge fan of the sour stuff this one was quite enjoyable...they hit their target with this one. Yum.

This far with me, Russian River has batted 1000, will the streak continue? Pours a very dark red. Head was minimal but I poured it particularly slowly, so that’s likely my issue. Smell is sour cherries and grapes with some nice funk. Taste is sour cherry and Brett funk. Awesome! Not insanely complex, just damn good. Mouth is thin to medium with high carbonation. Insanely drinkable, still waiting to try a bad beer from Russian River.