Archive for the 'Russian River' category
Chow.com interview with Vinnie Cilurzo
Russian River Salvation
Anyone who has spent some time drinking or researching craft brews knows that Russian River gets mad props from almost anyone you ask. My problem is that I can’t hardly find any of their beers within the states around NC. I managed to find a bottle of Damnation in VA a while back, and then I stumbled upon this bottle of Salvation in DC. I still want to try the loads of other beers they, make, but I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder. While I haven’t had most of these beers, their reputation has made me quite fond. So, hey, you guys – if anyone wants to setup a beer trade involving some Russian River brews, just let me know.
This beer pours a dark brown with hints of ruby around the edges. The aroma reminds me of caramel and banana, with maybe a hint of licorice. In the mouth, this is a very full and fairly complex beer. The mouthfeel is a big winner – it is silky smooth and fairly thick, filling the mouth and coating the tongue. The initial flavor here is a shock on the tip of the tongue that tingles slightly and a caramel flavor quickly follows. On through the mouth, a caramel/toffee sweetness remains, giving the beer quite a decadent flavor. In addition, there are hints of banana, a bit of anise, and some dark fruit. There is also a certain subtle ‘holiday spice’ that rears its head. So, yeah, there are a lot of flavors here. It makes for a fairly complex beer, but it isn’t overwhelming. It is sweet, rich, and delicious, and there is that fun tingle that hits on the front of the tongue and continues through the mouth, giving it a kick that a lot of dark ales can’t muster. So, bottom line is that I really like this beer, and I can’t wait to try more. And, while I don’t necessarily think this could be considered an abbey-style ale, it’s the best I could come up with giving our current set of categories. Now go buy it. Seriously, you guys.
Russian River “Damnation” Golden Ale
It’s hard to beat a quality Belgian golden ale. Sweet, but bitter. Delicate, but strong. A wonderful melange of beer qualities that meld to make a beer that is at home on a cold December night or a hot July day. However, it’s also easy to mess this up – try putting in some crazy off-kilter flavoring, or accidentally lean the beer too far in a single direction, and you can end up with an abrasive or just plain sissy beer. It’s a tough balance, and I’m very pleased with how Russian River has worked it out with their Damnation.
This beer pours a hazy golden orange that is obviously unfiltered and bottle-fermented. The aroma of the beer carries lots of citrus, but is well-balanced with a sugary sweetness that makes this a very fresh-smelling beer. In the mouth, this beer strikes an excellent balance. Initially, there is a noticeable carbonation burn on the tongue that is quickly replaced by a tart sweetness on the tip of the tongue; this becomes a light hoppy bitterness that then moves to the back of the mouth. This bitterness then seems to migrate north into the nasal cavity, all the while changing into a spry sweetness that commands the aftertaste. The aftertaste sits happily in the throat for a long while after the swallow. My impression of the Damnation is that it is unusually complex for a golden ale. There are a lot of flavors here, and they transition several times during the trip through the mouth. This makes for one of the more pleasant drinks I’ve had for quite some time.
