Beer: Supplication
Brewery: Russian River
Style: Sour/Wild Ale
ABV: 7%
Availability: Special release
Russian River’s Supplication is a sour/wild style ale. This beer begins as a brown ale that is then aged in Pinot Noir barrels for a full year with Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus and sour cherries. A side note for those who are not familiar with Brettanomyces, it is a strand of yeast that, in many cases, is viewed as being a contaminant. However, it is widely used in certain styles of beers such as Lambics and gueuze giving them their unique flavor profiles.
Russian River offers an array of ales that are brewed using Brettanomyces to produce their sour flavors. Though some people think all sour beers taste alike, in reality they do not. Each one has their own unique flavors and characteristics and by now, I have had enough different sours to be able to differentiate one from the next.
Supplication was probably the first or second sour beer I tried. I recall being a little confused by what I was tasting while being surprised that I was enjoying what I was drinking. This was several years ago. Since then, I have had the Supplication on two other occasions, one of those being at the brewery.
So what is Supplication like? Supplication is hazy, bright orange in color with a decent amount of head. The haziness fades a little as the beer is allowed to settle. The aroma is mostly composed of tart berries and wood (oak), you can certainly tell this beer was in a wine barrel from it’s aroma. It tastes much like you would expect from the aroma, it’s sour with hints of wood and berries; it’s also very refreshing and crisp with a fairly dry aftertaste.
I have thoroughly enjoyed Russian River’s Supplication and recommend that if you come across the opportunity to try it, that you not pass it up.
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