Russian River Brewing Company Supplication
What the brewers say
“Aged for 12 months in used pinot noir barrels from Sonoma County wineries with sour cherries, Brettanomyces, Lacto- bacillus, _and _Pediococcus. Flavors from the cherries, pinot noir, and oak balance each other and the Brett funk.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Pineapple and sweet malt with blood orange and cloves. Strong Brett aroma—floral, goaty, and horse blanket—with raspberry-like notes up front create an interesting astringency with a touch of peach and pineapple.”
Flavor: “Lots of fun fruit flavors—pineapple and tropical hops flavors. Acidity is moderate, but assertive. The Brett character makes this beer unusual— high sour notes up front that grow and grow and grow, then diminish, then roar back. There’s a slight sweetness toward the end of the sip and a slight sting from the fruit at the very end of the sip that is unexpected but welcomed.”
Overall: “Very good if you’re looking for a barnyard sour beer. The play of malt sweetness, slight tartness, and herbal notes is quite nice. It has a very saison-like yeast profile, with some crazy tropical fruit flavors and plenty of well-balanced sour complexity.”
