Russian River Perdition

Brewed by Russian River Brewing
Style: Bière de Garde
Santa Rosa, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

Had on tap at RR brewpub. Not quite sure what a "Biere de Sonoma" was, but the waiter explained it as just a local brew, of Belgian style. So yeah, a Belgian Ale (wrote Golden Ale in my notes). Pours a nice hazy amber color with good carbonation. Aroma is mostly malts, spice, and fruit. Taste was again mostly malts with a hit of alcohol in the middle. Finishes slightly bitter with a finish that didn’t linger too long. Solid, but not my favorite.

I love Russian River. Almost anything they make is amazing! Woooooooooo

This taste like a more bitter belgium. Has a carmal color. Has a nutty bitter finish...

A: Dark amber body, smallish off-white head... very little lacing. S: Strong spice notes (cinnamon/coriander) with hints of hop bitterness. Nice bready malt notes and pleasant pear aromas. Good yeast notes as well. Earthy. T: Nice earthy taste. Bready up front. Spicy and bitter in the finish. Lovely candied pear fruit flavor in the middle. The highlight of the profile for me.A M: Smooth medium body. Dry finish. Alcohol is rather well disguised. D: A nice beer. Good for a few, but probably not much more than that.

A - copper amber pour with almost no head with nice lacing. S - nice dark sour fruits, cinnamon, and subtle toasty caramel malts. M - nice airy light body with nice creaminess with soft carbonation. T - nice dark fruits on the nose with some toasted malts, nice floral herbal notes (sage? perhaps) Sweet malty end. O - overal good biere de garde. 6+

Draft @ brewpub. Pours darker than expected, a nearly opaque coppery red that when poured into a pitcher (as my neighbors were doing) yields a really thick foamy head with luscious lacing. That way, it looks much more like an ESB than anything else! In the tulip glass, it only has a small tight cap. I wonder if a different glass is warranted. I’m thinking mason jar. Anyway, the aroma is of cherry skins, dry fruit. Sophisticated brew, totally true to style and better than many French ones I’ve had, by far. The flavors are smooth and balanced with toasted white bread, dark crouton, Melba toast, and dark-skinned fruit. Apple skins. It’s also nicely hopped, with a clean crisp finish. If more bieres de garde tasted like this it would be a more popular style. Fun stuff.

Draft at RRBC - No head due to full pour. Dark orange body. Slight aroma. Flavors of sweet citrus and tangerine. Not overly hoppy. Good with food. Clean palate.

On tap at the brewery: light farmhouse, acidic penny tang to it (in a good way), slight sour, lemon, soapy, bread yeast, flowers, tasty drinkable, salty, complex stuff - 7.8

Draught from brewery. Pours amber. Mild head. Winey and sour but not asa complex as some of the others