I just got 4 bottles of batch 2. I can’t wait to try it on the 4th of July. God Bless America!
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But what about the rest of the planet?
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Batch 2 has less fruit and less vinegar notes, same sourness levels...
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Are these labeled Batch 1 or Batch 2 and soon 3?
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Yes.
Each has the batch number then the day of bottling again.
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You guys never miss an opportunity, do you?
Anyway, wasn’t there variation within the same batches? I think there was some talk of that awhile ago.
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It did seem that way to me. From bottle to bottle and more from bottle to draft. Having only batch 1 so far. Looks like I have a batch 2 on hand though so I will have to drink it this weekend.
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Batch 1>Batch 2 due to increased vinous fruit qualities and a stronger acidic "twang," IMHO.
Both excellent, though.
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I liked Batch 2 in bottle and on draft more than Batch 1 in bottle or on draft. And I don’t think Batch 1 is aging particularly well, as the bottle I tried about a month ago had taken on a noticeably "footy" aroma. Still quite a lot of currant, and maybe that’s part of what I don’t like-- Batch 2 is much more subtle with the fruit, for my money, and has more of the nuance of yeast/fermentation and barrel flavors for which Russian River is known. To my tastes, it was much less in-your-face than any of the Batch 1 samples I’ve tried, and much better for it. Although I still enjoyed Batch 1.
The best Consecration I’ve had yet has been a toss-up between the Batch 2 draft servings I had at Verdugo Bar about two weeks ago (wonderfully balanced and sour, with prominent fruitiness but not necessarily "currant" flavors) and the Batch 2 bottle that I opened last weekend (which was almost like an Oerbier Reserva or even Cuvee de Tomme in flavor, with lots of wine-like flavors and a beautiful complexity of barrel/yeast/funk/sour/fruit action). I’m sure there’s variation from batch-to-batch and even from bottle-to-bottle or keg-to-keg within one batch, but I hope those Batch 2 experiences are indicative of what we can expect with the rest of Batch 2 (and future batches).
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And by the way, I don’t think this beer will necessarily age all that well. I mean, I’m stupid enough that I’m definitely going to age some of it ANYWAY, but I think the Batch 1 bottles have gotten worse in some respects (the "footiness") and better in other respects (the flavors are much better melded now than when fresh), but are overall just not hugely improved, and the Batch 2 stuff is so damn good now, and probably would only go a year or two before starting to get too soft or starting to show oxidation. Its flavors are more subtle than Batch 1, and the subtlety could turn into muddled flabbiness if it doesn’t age well (ahem, a la many of the bottles of Toronado 20th I’ve had at different times).
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