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Russian River Damnation

Russian River Damnation - Belgian Strong Ale

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 Percentile 
96
overall
Brewed by Russian River Brewing
Style: Belgian Strong Ale

Santa Rosa, California USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Regional Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
7393.75/5.03.74/5.07.75%90.2Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler
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Commercial Description:
In the great beer producing country of Belgium, some brewers have made it a tradition to give their beers an unusual name. Sometimes the name is curious, now and then it is diabolical and other times it is just plain silly. Damnation is our brewmaster’s interpretation of a Belgian style Strong Golden Ale. It has extraordinary aromas of banana and pear with mouth filling flavors of sweet malt and earthy hops. The lingering finish is dry and slightly bitter but very, very smooth.

Editor’s Note: this entry is for all batches EXCEPT batches 23 and 46 <a href=/beer/russian-river-damnation-batch-23-(oak-aged)/74510/>see separate entry.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Ceebs25 (217), Naperville, Illinois, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/517/20
Sep 12, 2009  
750 mL bottle (thanks to Pawola). This is quite a mellow beer overall, especially for its abv, but there is also a good amount of subtle complexities that make it nice. In the aroma, some mellow fruits, apricots, melons, pears, apples, mild sour, slight olive funk, and butter cookie. Lighter oily foam head on the pour, some cloudiness, hazy tangerine in color. As mentioned, this is much more mellow tasting than the abv would suggest with a oily yet nicely crisp feel to it. The aroma compliments the flavor fairly well, but some other sublties come through on the palate. The sweet fruits have a slight tartness, there’s a bit more spice flavors, and some herbal wood bitter in the finish. I find this beer very pleasant, drinkable, and overall well crafted.


 dirt55 (149), Washington, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/517/20
Sep 2, 2009  
Bottled, pours bright clear golden with medium white head, aroma of fruit/banana, wonderful full bodied sweet flavor with crisp dry finish, much more balanced then most Belgians


 Gpnterojd (162), Orangeville, Ontario, Canada
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/516/20
Aug 30, 2009  
Aroma of peaches, apricots and dates. Cloudy rust-orange with a thick, dense, white head and slow-rising bubbles. Flavour gives me sweet dates, alcohol, citrus and hops. Dry, medium-heavy bodied. Begs for another sip. Not much alcohol or yeast flavour.


 mreusch (713), Olathe, Kansas, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Aug 27, 2009  
750ml bottle, Batch 022, with thanks to FlssmrBrewAlum for a bottle as well (a Batch 041 to age), included as a great bonus. Pours a clear bright golden yellow with a large fluffy white head that lingers. Aroma is lemon zest, light spice, pale malts and hints of banana and some island fruits. Flavor is more lemon peel, light spice and fruits. Quite drinkable, tasty and interesting without being overly complex; thanks again Adam!


 BOLTZ7555 (1053), Phoenix, Arizona, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/104/515/20
Aug 24, 2009  
Murky straw colored pour with a massive ivory head that left spotty lacing. Aroma is extremely yeasty, with banana, clove, and lemongrass. Flavor exhibits tremendous earthiness, pepper, and caramel. Just not my favorite style.


 JesseM (660), Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/59/104/516/20
Aug 23, 2009  
750mL bottle at our KW group tasting, Matt7215’s bottle, thanks Matt! Pours a straw gold with a large white head. The aroma was nice and sharp, very hoppy, American hops of some major variety, pale malts, minor funk. Flavour is very tasty, very hop-forward, I get some tums, pale malts, simple spice, earthyness, definitely a well done American interpretation of a Belgian style. The hops really make this beer what it is. Simple and elegant. Thanks for the share Matt.


 matt7215 (942), Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/104/518/20
Aug 22, 2009  
750 ml bottle from a trade with bhensonb. pours hazed gold with a big white head. aroma of belgian pale malt, yeast, hops and funk. the flavour is similar. the abv is undetectable and this is hella drinkable. right up my alley and truely my fav style of beer. i wish i had more.


 snakeoilpete (324), Seattle, Washington, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/103/515/20
Aug 22, 2009  
On tap at Brouwer’s Russian River night. Pours golden amber with a small off-white head. Aroma is banana/clove, grass, yeast, and peach. Taste adds a little more caramel and earth. Medium bodied with a grassy, earthy finish.



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