This one's for my Front Range readers: Fermentedly Challenged reports that Russian River Temptation will be pouring Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Falling Rock Tap House in Denver.
Temptation (7.25 percent ABV) is a blonde ale aged in French oak chardonnay barrels with the souring yeast Brettanomyces. The beer has earned rave reviews from just about everybody who has been lucky enough to try it, and Russian River, from Santa Rosa, California, has a superb track record.
If Soggy Coaster lived anywhere near Denver, he'd be there early. The party begins at 5 p.m. and Natalie Cilurzo, wife of brewer Vinnie, will be on hand. Don't miss this one if you can possibly attend.
Showing posts with label Russian River. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Russian River. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Review: Wheelsucker Wheat Ale (Ska/Avery)
It was a good and lucky thing that Ska Brewing Co. joined forces with their brothers to the north at Avery Brewing Co. to brew a collaboration beer.
Some of the best beers in the country have resulted from collaborations - Collaboration Not Litigation (Avery and Russian River Brewing) is a notable Colorado example. And Ska and Avery are both excellent breweries.
The brewers settled on a wheat ale, a good choice for a summer release. Wheat beers easily take flavors, most often orange peel or coriander, but one of the best I've had recently was a prickly pear-flavored hefeweizen from Santa Fe Brewing.
There was never any question that Wheelsucker Wheat Ale would be more than a typical wheat. Avery's involvement ensured that. The brewery's special releases are almost always amped-up, or "imperial," beers containing at least 7 percent alcohol, and sometimes more than twice that.
Adam Avery and his crew came to Durango July 1 to brew Wheelsucker along with Ska head brewer Thomas Larsen. Wheelsucker was released July 24 in 22-oz. bomber bottles. It is also available on tap at Ska and, I hear, Lady Falconburgh's Barley Exchange.
Wheelsucker pours triumphantly, a cascade of bubbles rising to form a substantial creamy white head. It quickly settles down, an indication of the beer's strong alcohol content (around 6.6 percent).
The mouthfeel is very full; it's almost a little bready. It reminds me somewhat of an orange smoothie.
Flavor comes in waves, first a full wheat taste, and then a moderate orange note. It goes down exceptionally easy. This is a beer one could drink in substantial quantity if not for the assertive presence of alcohol.
In short, I loved it. Wheelsucker tastes great and mixes easily with Sprite or syrups to create a Radler, a traditional German drink. It's a refreshing summer ale and a notable accomplishment for two breweries that, despite their excellent lineups, have little experience with German styles.
Soggy Coaster would also like to make note of the price. Wheelsucker is available around Durango for about $4 plus sales tax per 22-oz. bomber bottle. That's cheaper than most of Ska and Avery's own bombers, not to mention expensive out-of-state breweries. It's as good or better than beers more than twice its price. Get it while you can.
Wheelsucker is the best wheat beer I have ever drank. Nevertheless, the style lacks the complexity of say, the best saisons, abbey ales and imperial stouts. Even the best wheat ale cannot measure up to the very best beers in the world. Yet Wheelsucker accomplishes all a wheat ale can be, and Soggy Coaster heartily recommends it. A-
Some of the best beers in the country have resulted from collaborations - Collaboration Not Litigation (Avery and Russian River Brewing) is a notable Colorado example. And Ska and Avery are both excellent breweries.
The brewers settled on a wheat ale, a good choice for a summer release. Wheat beers easily take flavors, most often orange peel or coriander, but one of the best I've had recently was a prickly pear-flavored hefeweizen from Santa Fe Brewing.
There was never any question that Wheelsucker Wheat Ale would be more than a typical wheat. Avery's involvement ensured that. The brewery's special releases are almost always amped-up, or "imperial," beers containing at least 7 percent alcohol, and sometimes more than twice that.
Adam Avery and his crew came to Durango July 1 to brew Wheelsucker along with Ska head brewer Thomas Larsen. Wheelsucker was released July 24 in 22-oz. bomber bottles. It is also available on tap at Ska and, I hear, Lady Falconburgh's Barley Exchange.
Wheelsucker pours triumphantly, a cascade of bubbles rising to form a substantial creamy white head. It quickly settles down, an indication of the beer's strong alcohol content (around 6.6 percent).
The mouthfeel is very full; it's almost a little bready. It reminds me somewhat of an orange smoothie.
Flavor comes in waves, first a full wheat taste, and then a moderate orange note. It goes down exceptionally easy. This is a beer one could drink in substantial quantity if not for the assertive presence of alcohol.
In short, I loved it. Wheelsucker tastes great and mixes easily with Sprite or syrups to create a Radler, a traditional German drink. It's a refreshing summer ale and a notable accomplishment for two breweries that, despite their excellent lineups, have little experience with German styles.
Soggy Coaster would also like to make note of the price. Wheelsucker is available around Durango for about $4 plus sales tax per 22-oz. bomber bottle. That's cheaper than most of Ska and Avery's own bombers, not to mention expensive out-of-state breweries. It's as good or better than beers more than twice its price. Get it while you can.
Wheelsucker is the best wheat beer I have ever drank. Nevertheless, the style lacks the complexity of say, the best saisons, abbey ales and imperial stouts. Even the best wheat ale cannot measure up to the very best beers in the world. Yet Wheelsucker accomplishes all a wheat ale can be, and Soggy Coaster heartily recommends it. A-
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Working on it
Soggy Coaster is working on a long post about a trip last weekend to the Front Range that included stops at Avery Brewing, Great Divide Brewing and the Falling Rock Tap House.
In the meantime, your correspondent enjoyed a pint of Santa Fe Prickly Pear Hefeweizen at Lady Falconburgh's in Durango last night. It was refreshing. The pear note was subdued, unlike in Carver's tasty seasonal Braggot. Unfortunately, like most hefeweizens, the Sante Fe brew disappeared before I realized I was drinking it. I hate it when that happens.
Also, as Anon. helpfully noted in a previous comment, Russian River's Pliney the Elder remains on tap at Falc's. I have no idea how much is left, but it was still there as of Monday night.
In the meantime, your correspondent enjoyed a pint of Santa Fe Prickly Pear Hefeweizen at Lady Falconburgh's in Durango last night. It was refreshing. The pear note was subdued, unlike in Carver's tasty seasonal Braggot. Unfortunately, like most hefeweizens, the Sante Fe brew disappeared before I realized I was drinking it. I hate it when that happens.
Also, as Anon. helpfully noted in a previous comment, Russian River's Pliney the Elder remains on tap at Falc's. I have no idea how much is left, but it was still there as of Monday night.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Russian River flows to Durango
Some very good news: Russian River beers are now available in Durango.
The Sonoma County, California, brewery makes some very tasty Belgian-style ales and is also well known for its line of IPAs.
Until Saturday, Soggy Coaster had never seen a Russian River beer in Durango. Fortunately, Star Liquors has apparently started carrying Russian River, as a visit to the store yesterday turned up the Damnation, a Belgian-style golden ale (7 percent ABV, 25 IBUs), and the Blind Pig IPA (6 percent ABV).
Soggy Coaster last encountered Russian River on a trip to Oregon last winter, when he thoroughly enjoyed a Damnation.
Your correspondent couldn't resist picking up another bottle of Damnation at Star. It wasn't cheap - $11 or so - but the bottle-conditioned, corked 750 ml ale will be worth every penny. A friend picked up the Blind Pig, and if Soggy's brief taste is any guide, it's one of the better IPAs out there.
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