Sanctification
Russian River Brewing Company
- From:
- Russian River Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Brett Beer
Ranked #2 - ABV:
- 4.8%
- Score:
- 96
Ranked #1,007 - Avg:
- 4.33 | pDev: 8.78%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 668
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 28, 2025
- Added:
- Oct 27, 2004
- Wants:
- 1,175
- Gots:
- 868
SCORE
96
World-Class
96
World-Class
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.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Nyoder:
More User Ratings:
Rated by Sinfull from New York
4.14/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.14/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pale yellow color. Medium-sized, white head. Lemon, apples, Brett funk in the aroma. Tart, dry taste. Very lively carbonation.Flavorful and balanced.
May 28, 2025
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri
4.19/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a straw color with a hint of orange. Head is two fingers of white foam and retains well. Aroma is stone, grass, herbs, cellar stone, straw, and oak. Very sly tartness to it, but much more dry. Flavor profile is cellar stone, grass, green grapes, herbs, straw, and oak. Acidity and tartness is very mild, with the finish leaning heavily into dry. Mouth feel is fluffy with a medium thickness. Overall, pretty mild and light, but still funky and fun.
Served in a 15.5oz Spiegelau tulip from a 375mL bottle. Bottled on 010919, consumed/reviewed 8/24/24.
Aug 24, 2024Served in a 15.5oz Spiegelau tulip from a 375mL bottle. Bottled on 010919, consumed/reviewed 8/24/24.
Reviewed by RyanK252 from California
4.18/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottle poured into a snifter
A: Pours slightly hazy golden yellow with a frothy off white head that settles out and leaves a little spotty lacing.
S: Light funk, grassy, mild spice, pleasant tartness, a little citrus, white grape, and some crackery biscuity malt.
T: Pleasant green apple tartness, grassy, citrus zest, lemon and lime, slightly spicy Brett funk, hints of white grape and under ripe pineapple, crackery biscuity malt, with a nice dry finish.
M: A bit on the lighter side of medium body, moderate carbonation.
O: I haven't had many Brett beers, but I'm really enjoying this one. Bright and refreshing, definitely not as funky as some of the others I've tried.
Oct 27, 2023A: Pours slightly hazy golden yellow with a frothy off white head that settles out and leaves a little spotty lacing.
S: Light funk, grassy, mild spice, pleasant tartness, a little citrus, white grape, and some crackery biscuity malt.
T: Pleasant green apple tartness, grassy, citrus zest, lemon and lime, slightly spicy Brett funk, hints of white grape and under ripe pineapple, crackery biscuity malt, with a nice dry finish.
M: A bit on the lighter side of medium body, moderate carbonation.
O: I haven't had many Brett beers, but I'm really enjoying this one. Bright and refreshing, definitely not as funky as some of the others I've tried.
Reviewed by Prager62 from Colorado
4.07/5 rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.07/5 rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dated 05/30/14 and stored in a box down in the dark cool basement. Poured in a fluted glass for a quick review.
A sparkling dark gold pour that produces zero foam and nary a carbonation bubble. The weak cork pop kind of gave away the carbonation deficiency. The smell is mostly brett funk and some light fruit. A taste that begins with white grapes followed by some brett funk and a hint of musty wood. The feel is slightly acidic and dry.
Overall I'd say it has aged gracefully for being 9+ years old. A little more carbonation would have been nice but it's drinking very well on a 90 degree afternoon.
Jul 18, 2023A sparkling dark gold pour that produces zero foam and nary a carbonation bubble. The weak cork pop kind of gave away the carbonation deficiency. The smell is mostly brett funk and some light fruit. A taste that begins with white grapes followed by some brett funk and a hint of musty wood. The feel is slightly acidic and dry.
Overall I'd say it has aged gracefully for being 9+ years old. A little more carbonation would have been nice but it's drinking very well on a 90 degree afternoon.
Reviewed by Sludgeman from District of Columbia
4.4/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.4/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
From a 375 ml bottle for $20 (pricey) at Monks in Philly. Poured into a tulip-like glass. Bottled on 090517
In my opinion more sour than Brett. Straddling the line. 4.25
A - Pours a clear very pale golden yellow with an almost zero head, which faded quickly to just a thin constant ring around the glass. 4.25
S – Brett aromas with some minor funk and a good amount of stomach acid sourness. Minor citrus notes. 4.25
T - Tart but not overly sour or mouth puckering. Faint sweetness when coupled with the tartness reminds me of an oddly carbonated lemonade. No metallic or minerally feel like I get in some sours. 4.5
MF - Medium light body with a dry tart finish. 4.75
Mar 18, 2023In my opinion more sour than Brett. Straddling the line. 4.25
A - Pours a clear very pale golden yellow with an almost zero head, which faded quickly to just a thin constant ring around the glass. 4.25
S – Brett aromas with some minor funk and a good amount of stomach acid sourness. Minor citrus notes. 4.25
T - Tart but not overly sour or mouth puckering. Faint sweetness when coupled with the tartness reminds me of an oddly carbonated lemonade. No metallic or minerally feel like I get in some sours. 4.5
MF - Medium light body with a dry tart finish. 4.75
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania
4.24/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
375 ml bottle, corked and caged. Dated bottled "010919" so assuming January 2019
Pours a crystal clear light golden in color, the picture looks more hazy because it's humid and there was instant condensation. Bight pillowy head that condenses down to a thin cap, but great head retention, and leaves rings of lacing on the glass. Bright slightly tart lemon aroma, a touch of grassy funk. Taste starts with crackery pale malt, in the middle hits some floral and citrus notes, then finishes quite dry. Thinner bodied, effervescent lively carbonation. Overall very nice, seems deserving of it's #3 spot on the Top Rated list of Brett Beers.
Aug 29, 2022Pours a crystal clear light golden in color, the picture looks more hazy because it's humid and there was instant condensation. Bight pillowy head that condenses down to a thin cap, but great head retention, and leaves rings of lacing on the glass. Bright slightly tart lemon aroma, a touch of grassy funk. Taste starts with crackery pale malt, in the middle hits some floral and citrus notes, then finishes quite dry. Thinner bodied, effervescent lively carbonation. Overall very nice, seems deserving of it's #3 spot on the Top Rated list of Brett Beers.
Reviewed by pthoolihan from Pennsylvania
4.11/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.11/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours clear with a lot of bubbles, a 2 finger head. Smells rich, like it’s aged in wine barrels. Tastes like Carbonated dry with a little bitterness. Dry feel, more dry than a Chardonnay.
Apr 13, 2022
Reviewed by HipCzech from California
4.32/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.32/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Serving: 375 ml bottle (“bottled on: 090721”) poured into a Spiegelau beer tulip.
Appearance: Slightly hazy straw yellow with a sudsy cap of white foam and faint lace.
Smell: Yeasty pizza dough, wet wool, citrus blossoms.
Taste: Crisp, light, dry and delicate with farmyard funk, minerals, spice and a light acidity.
Mouthfeel: Light body and gentle but lively carbonation.
Overall: Complex yet restrained, dry and refreshing with some nice nuance.
Mar 31, 2022Appearance: Slightly hazy straw yellow with a sudsy cap of white foam and faint lace.
Smell: Yeasty pizza dough, wet wool, citrus blossoms.
Taste: Crisp, light, dry and delicate with farmyard funk, minerals, spice and a light acidity.
Mouthfeel: Light body and gentle but lively carbonation.
Overall: Complex yet restrained, dry and refreshing with some nice nuance.
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