Sanctification | Russian River Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Russian River Brewing Company
California, United States
rrbeer.com
Style: American Wild Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.75%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Who’s afraid of the "big bad BRETT?" We’ll tell you who: winemakers! Because of our close proximity to several hundred wineries, we often get winemakers visiting our brewery. (After all, it takes a lot of great beer to make great wine!) Because we use 100% Brettanomyces yeast to ferment Sanctification, most winemakers will only smell the glass, and only a very few will venture to taste the beer. They think the Brettanomyces will attach to their clothing and end up in their winery. A simple solution was offered: keep a smudge pot burning at the door of our brewery so they can burn their clothes when exiting, but even that was not enough. After giving it more thought, we concluded that winemakers think Brettanomyces might scar their taste buds and possible even permeate their skin? Either way, Sanctification is one of the most unique beers you will ever taste! It was fermented with 100% Brettanomyces, rather than the traditional Saccharomyces.
Added by Bierman9 on 10-27-2004
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 2,768 | Reviews: 635
4.15/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pale, cloudy, light yellow body; thin head. Well-balanced scents of brett and citrus; lemony and spicy; cardamom. Lemon and lime flavors dominate; tart and mildly sour. Medium bodied; bright and bubbly on the palate; tart notes all around; finishes with a combination of juiciness and dryness.
My palate and tastes may not be so nuanced that I can wax poetic about 100% Brettanomyces vs. Saccharomyces, but I do know what tastes and drinks well for me. Like many a wild ale, this one has the tartness but also little (if any) of the barnyard funk one might attribute to such beers. In any case, a fine, enjoyable offering from Russian River Brewing Company...
660 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pale, cloudy, light yellow body; thin head. Well-balanced scents of brett and citrus; lemony and spicy; cardamom. Lemon and lime flavors dominate; tart and mildly sour. Medium bodied; bright and bubbly on the palate; tart notes all around; finishes with a combination of juiciness and dryness.
My palate and tastes may not be so nuanced that I can wax poetic about 100% Brettanomyces vs. Saccharomyces, but I do know what tastes and drinks well for me. Like many a wild ale, this one has the tartness but also little (if any) of the barnyard funk one might attribute to such beers. In any case, a fine, enjoyable offering from Russian River Brewing Company...
660 characters
4.26/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From a bottle dated 9/5/17. Golden color with a ring of bubbles. Smells of lemon and yeast, distinctly sour. Medium weight with small bubbles. Taste is lemon sourness followed by funk and a slightly dry floral finish. Interesting & definitely worth a try.
255 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From a bottle dated 9/5/17. Golden color with a ring of bubbles. Smells of lemon and yeast, distinctly sour. Medium weight with small bubbles. Taste is lemon sourness followed by funk and a slightly dry floral finish. Interesting & definitely worth a try.
255 characters
4.44/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.34/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.43/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.46/5 rDev +3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at the brewery.
Beautiful yellow slightly cloudy glow. Thin soft white bubbly heady floating on top. Tons of lemon zest, hint of banana, some spice. Taste follows the nose with a really pronounced lemon and belgian yeast character with a nice bready/crackery support. Soight banana on the finish with some spice and then a soft a mellow brett character that dries and lingers for only a brief moment.
Remarkably similar to their damnation belgian golden ale with the lemon, banana, spice, and breadiness but an amazing kick of brett character. Imparts a balanced sourness that most craft beer drinker can enjoy.
620 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at the brewery.
Beautiful yellow slightly cloudy glow. Thin soft white bubbly heady floating on top. Tons of lemon zest, hint of banana, some spice. Taste follows the nose with a really pronounced lemon and belgian yeast character with a nice bready/crackery support. Soight banana on the finish with some spice and then a soft a mellow brett character that dries and lingers for only a brief moment.
Remarkably similar to their damnation belgian golden ale with the lemon, banana, spice, and breadiness but an amazing kick of brett character. Imparts a balanced sourness that most craft beer drinker can enjoy.
620 characters
4.25/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.46/5 rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.31/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.28/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.49/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.37/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.74/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A - Minimal head that dissipates quickly. Off-yellow color, that is more orange towards the top. Murky with big bubbles.
S - Citrus; orange; grapefruits; grass
T - Carbonated grapefruit juice; sour
M - lots of carbonation; medium weight
O - Not really my favorite type of beer, but very good for what it is. Great for sour beer lovers, maybe not for others.
366 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A - Minimal head that dissipates quickly. Off-yellow color, that is more orange towards the top. Murky with big bubbles.
S - Citrus; orange; grapefruits; grass
T - Carbonated grapefruit juice; sour
M - lots of carbonation; medium weight
O - Not really my favorite type of beer, but very good for what it is. Great for sour beer lovers, maybe not for others.
366 characters
4.21/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Really nice rounded Brett profile balanced with the base Belgian beer. Enjoyed the added level of hay, citrus, and grassy notes from the Brett on top of the traditional Belgian base. I enjoy this more than the fruited sour offerings.
233 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Really nice rounded Brett profile balanced with the base Belgian beer. Enjoyed the added level of hay, citrus, and grassy notes from the Brett on top of the traditional Belgian base. I enjoy this more than the fruited sour offerings.
233 characters
4.4/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.03/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
If an apple a day keeps the Doctor away, then Raul is going to chug a few Sanctification’s during flu season. Green Apple goodness all over the place for days, which is met by a beautiful and familiar brett mustiness. And we aren’t talking jock strap musty, we’re talking about Martha Hunt after a game of couples badminton, musty
This beer makes Raul’s shuttlecock go boing!
385 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
If an apple a day keeps the Doctor away, then Raul is going to chug a few Sanctification’s during flu season. Green Apple goodness all over the place for days, which is met by a beautiful and familiar brett mustiness. And we aren’t talking jock strap musty, we’re talking about Martha Hunt after a game of couples badminton, musty
This beer makes Raul’s shuttlecock go boing!
385 characters
4.44/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2014 Bottle, taster flight at Wades Wines in Westlake, CA.
Pours a hazy gold, some settling sediment, nice lace on the glass.
Lemony citrus aromas, hints of vinegar, and a yeast mustiness to round it out. Mild but really nice.
Again getting that yeasty funk and citrus dominating the flavor profile. Tart and awesome.
Slightly heavier body than expected. Crisp, refreshing, tart.
384 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2014 Bottle, taster flight at Wades Wines in Westlake, CA.
Pours a hazy gold, some settling sediment, nice lace on the glass.
Lemony citrus aromas, hints of vinegar, and a yeast mustiness to round it out. Mild but really nice.
Again getting that yeasty funk and citrus dominating the flavor profile. Tart and awesome.
Slightly heavier body than expected. Crisp, refreshing, tart.
384 characters
4.4/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours a crystal-clear gold with a fine white head. I like yeast so I did a full pour and let the it free, adding some chunky haze.
Aroma is funk, lemon and a touch of vinegar.
Tastes great: tart lemon, light funk, slight vinegar, touch of sweet lemon meringue pie.
Mouth is medium and very bubbly.
Excellent.
308 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours a crystal-clear gold with a fine white head. I like yeast so I did a full pour and let the it free, adding some chunky haze.
Aroma is funk, lemon and a touch of vinegar.
Tastes great: tart lemon, light funk, slight vinegar, touch of sweet lemon meringue pie.
Mouth is medium and very bubbly.
Excellent.
308 characters
4.34/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Sanctification from Russian River Brewing Company
Beer rating:
4.33 out of
5 with
2,768 ratings
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