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Damnation
Russian River Brewing Company


- From:
- Russian River Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Pale Strong Ale
Ranked #10 - ABV:
- 7.5%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #5,382 - Avg:
- 4.12 | pDev: 9.95%
- Reviews:
- 1,186
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 11, 2023
- Added:
- Sep 19, 2003
- Wants:
- 433
- Gots:
- 1,030
Inspired pretty much by Duvel and other strong golden ales of Belgium. It is medium-bodied, has a fruity/banana bouquet, and a dry, spicy finish.
Availability
Pub draft and bottles, local distribution draft and bottles, some draft to some distributors, bottles to all distributors, year-round
Original Gravity: 1.056
Alcohol by Volume: 7.5%
Color: Golden
Bitterness: Mild
Availability
Pub draft and bottles, local distribution draft and bottles, some draft to some distributors, bottles to all distributors, year-round
Original Gravity: 1.056
Alcohol by Volume: 7.5%
Color: Golden
Bitterness: Mild
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by buschbeer from Ohio
3.99/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12.68 FL. OZ. bottle
Served in an oversized, stemless, wine glass
BOTTLED ON: 021323
This beer pours a hazy golden hue and is topped with a mountain of creamy, beige head that leaves rocky lacing.
Not as aromatic as some BPSAs that I have had, especially the ones from Belgium. I get some spiced pear with hints of banana.
Mild spiced pear flavor. I get some Belgian esters, but it is really not all that flavorful.
Thin bodied with a chalky, yet creamy mouthfeel
My buddy gave me this because he didn't like it, so I can't complain about the price. I love the head on this beer. The flavor does improve as it warms, but there is just nothing to make it stand out other than the fact that this beer was a pioneer in the style. It is a classic, but with approximately 1 billion breweries now in existence, it doesn't really stand out from the crowd.
Nov 11, 2023Served in an oversized, stemless, wine glass
BOTTLED ON: 021323
This beer pours a hazy golden hue and is topped with a mountain of creamy, beige head that leaves rocky lacing.
Not as aromatic as some BPSAs that I have had, especially the ones from Belgium. I get some spiced pear with hints of banana.
Mild spiced pear flavor. I get some Belgian esters, but it is really not all that flavorful.
Thin bodied with a chalky, yet creamy mouthfeel
My buddy gave me this because he didn't like it, so I can't complain about the price. I love the head on this beer. The flavor does improve as it warms, but there is just nothing to make it stand out other than the fact that this beer was a pioneer in the style. It is a classic, but with approximately 1 billion breweries now in existence, it doesn't really stand out from the crowd.
Reviewed by TheBricenator from Oregon
4.59/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.59/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Look: Golden yellow and nearly clear with a silky-looking white head that settles to a lid, leaving a ring of lacing behind
Aroma: Wet hay, floral hop notes, wafts of lemon, straw, some Belgian yeast funk, pear esters, and crackers. This smells awesome
Taste: Flowers and lemon come together and strike first with a plethora of strong citrus blossoms, butterfly bush, and honeysuckle that quickly deepen and intermingle. Wet hay, yeast funk, and pear gain momentum and mix well with the floral/lemon combo as the whole entirety of flavors continue to deepen throughout until it closes with straw, yeast funk, and crackers
Mouthfeel: Full, silky smooth, medium-high carbonation, and smooth and soft on the finish but with a light kiss of dryness
Overall: Simply put – this beer is awesome. I haven’t had, had access to, nor seen this beer in probably 12 years so when I spotted it, I had to have it for old times’ sake and also since this beer helped me develop my palate for Belgian-Style ales. A ridiculously well-made and flavorful Golden Ale that is easy to drink and has seemingly endless flavors/aromas that come on more with each sip (and warming). A classic and one I would easily but frequently if possible. Highly recommended
Nov 09, 2023Aroma: Wet hay, floral hop notes, wafts of lemon, straw, some Belgian yeast funk, pear esters, and crackers. This smells awesome
Taste: Flowers and lemon come together and strike first with a plethora of strong citrus blossoms, butterfly bush, and honeysuckle that quickly deepen and intermingle. Wet hay, yeast funk, and pear gain momentum and mix well with the floral/lemon combo as the whole entirety of flavors continue to deepen throughout until it closes with straw, yeast funk, and crackers
Mouthfeel: Full, silky smooth, medium-high carbonation, and smooth and soft on the finish but with a light kiss of dryness
Overall: Simply put – this beer is awesome. I haven’t had, had access to, nor seen this beer in probably 12 years so when I spotted it, I had to have it for old times’ sake and also since this beer helped me develop my palate for Belgian-Style ales. A ridiculously well-made and flavorful Golden Ale that is easy to drink and has seemingly endless flavors/aromas that come on more with each sip (and warming). A classic and one I would easily but frequently if possible. Highly recommended
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina
4.03/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Look: It pours yellow and quite clear with a pillow like white head. It has excellent head retention.
Smell: There is pronounced grainy malts in the aroma. It has some light spices in the nose with a touch of pear.
Taste: There are some Belgian funk elements with malty grain. There are some spicy elements with light banana and pear.
Feel: It has a medium body with an easy drinking finish.
Overall, the balance between flavors is quite good, but the aroma is lighter than I like.
Jul 07, 2023Smell: There is pronounced grainy malts in the aroma. It has some light spices in the nose with a touch of pear.
Taste: There are some Belgian funk elements with malty grain. There are some spicy elements with light banana and pear.
Feel: It has a medium body with an easy drinking finish.
Overall, the balance between flavors is quite good, but the aroma is lighter than I like.
Reviewed by HipCzech from California
4.13/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.13/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Serving: 375 ml bottle (“bottled on 111722”) poured into a 14 oz Teku glass.
Appearance: Deep golden yellow with increasing haze as the bottle pours, and a rocky, thick head of white foam.
Smell: Grassy, fruity, pale malt and yeasty, phenolic cloves and spice.
Taste: More cloves, pepper, fruity but dry malt body.
Mouthfeel: Medium body and crisp carbonation.
Overall: A solid Belgian-style golden ale with nice balance of malt, hops and spicy, funky yeast.
Jun 22, 2023Appearance: Deep golden yellow with increasing haze as the bottle pours, and a rocky, thick head of white foam.
Smell: Grassy, fruity, pale malt and yeasty, phenolic cloves and spice.
Taste: More cloves, pepper, fruity but dry malt body.
Mouthfeel: Medium body and crisp carbonation.
Overall: A solid Belgian-style golden ale with nice balance of malt, hops and spicy, funky yeast.
Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho
4.27/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Review 1608
Damnation
Russian River Brewing
Date: 08 May 2020
Drinking through one of the lists on BeerAdovcate, this beer is next on the docket. I served the beer in a chalice around 46 degrees. The pour created a massive two-fingered creamy but airy white head. The retention is excellent, leaving gobs of lacing on the glass. The color charts around SRM 8, dark golden yellow with amber hues. The clarity is clear with loads of carbonation. A beautiful appearance.
The aromas in the beer are cloves, phenols, floral, toasted crackers, banana, a touch of funk, and earthiness.
I taste cloves, phenols, floral, herbal, green grass, toasted crackers, bready, a hint of funk, orange, banana, and earthiness.
The mouthfeel is dry and spicy.
The body is medium, has high carbonation, and has a lasting finish.
I was expecting a big, malty, and spicy Belgium beer. I got a lighter malty Belgium Beer with a dry, spicy finish. A unique take on this style. I enjoyed the differences in this beer.
Sep 02, 2021Damnation
Russian River Brewing
Date: 08 May 2020
Drinking through one of the lists on BeerAdovcate, this beer is next on the docket. I served the beer in a chalice around 46 degrees. The pour created a massive two-fingered creamy but airy white head. The retention is excellent, leaving gobs of lacing on the glass. The color charts around SRM 8, dark golden yellow with amber hues. The clarity is clear with loads of carbonation. A beautiful appearance.
The aromas in the beer are cloves, phenols, floral, toasted crackers, banana, a touch of funk, and earthiness.
I taste cloves, phenols, floral, herbal, green grass, toasted crackers, bready, a hint of funk, orange, banana, and earthiness.
The mouthfeel is dry and spicy.
The body is medium, has high carbonation, and has a lasting finish.
I was expecting a big, malty, and spicy Belgium beer. I got a lighter malty Belgium Beer with a dry, spicy finish. A unique take on this style. I enjoyed the differences in this beer.
Rated by gefinley from California
3.96/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.96/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottled 5/27/20.
Aug 30, 2021Reviewed by Emichaelbray from Pennsylvania
3.03/5 rDev -26.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -26.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
I should issue a caveat. The bottle shop had this labeled as a Russian Imperial Stout. You stout drinkers can imagine my disappointment.
It is not that this beer is bad. Looks, smells, tastes and feels like a Belgian. Not a particularly good one so I’m surprised by the ratings. It’s spicy banana Belgian blah blah boredom all day long. Almost as if someone said, “let’s brew a prototypical Belgian.” And strong ale? At 7.5%? I have had abbey ales at 10%+ with heavy duty sediments and incredibly complex flavors. Those are Belgian strong ales. Duvel, though decidedly weaker than some, is light years beyond this. The temerity!
Jul 25, 2021It is not that this beer is bad. Looks, smells, tastes and feels like a Belgian. Not a particularly good one so I’m surprised by the ratings. It’s spicy banana Belgian blah blah boredom all day long. Almost as if someone said, “let’s brew a prototypical Belgian.” And strong ale? At 7.5%? I have had abbey ales at 10%+ with heavy duty sediments and incredibly complex flavors. Those are Belgian strong ales. Duvel, though decidedly weaker than some, is light years beyond this. The temerity!
Damnation from Russian River Brewing Company
Beer rating:
92 out of
100 with
3952 ratings
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