Compunction
Russian River Brewing Company

npolachek from New York

4.33/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Solid beer yellow in color a bit better not as bad as some of the other offerings from Russian River either way solid good and enjoy drinking it outside for the first time in a while

Jun 03, 2021

Alieniloquium from Florida

4/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

375 mL bottle. Pours a little cloudy and orange. Smells of plum more than apricot, oak, a touch of vanilla. Tastes is more apricot than plum, but it's got a healthy sourness to it that turns to plum. Oak and wine. Medium body and moderate sourness. Good fruit flavor and an excellent beer all around.

Mar 16, 2021

bret27 from California

4.31/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottle from the brewery.
Bottled last November ~9 months old.
L: murky blood orange look. Fizzy Off-white head that dissipates fairly quickly.
S: Oranges, nectarines, plum, bretty funk, wood, hay.
T: tart, orange, oak, white wine, funk, medicinal.
F: pretty dry, medium, mouth-coating.
Overall: definitely some wild Russian River bugs at work here. Not super fruity. Well balanced.

Aug 24, 2020

thebeers from Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a hazed plum-orange color with a finger of lightly pink-tinted head. The head quickly settles into a lasting wisp and crown, but leaves almost no lacing.

Soft, delicate, wheat-like aroma with light sourness, breadiness and fruitiness that does give both plum flesh and dried apricot impressions.

The taste doesn’t live up to the superb nose, but is still very pleasant. A quick acidic bite shows first — more of a nip than one that draws blood. This is quickly followed by that soft wheaty quality; a touch of funk and wood; and very low fruitiness — more plum skins than flesh here. A few minutes after sipping, however, some light apricot and plum does coat the mouth though, making for an excellent aftertaste.

The mouthfeel is soft with tight carbonation.

The softness, funkiness and acidity of this are all dialed in perfectly. I would have loved for a bit more fruit — but, overall, this is truly excellent. 11/27/19 bottling date.

Aug 09, 2020

unclekeith from Alaska

4.59/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Bottled 11-27-19. Not a pretty beer - murky lake water with a fast fading head. Aroma of plums, apricots. Sour bordering on puckering. Bursting with fruit, oak, tannins, must. Personal whale that exceeds my high expectations.

Apr 29, 2020

RedMak from California

4.91/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This beer is FANTASTIC. This sour will overpower the beginner. Very complex fruity flavor. I took some SoCal friends to the River for a few beers and told them I didn’t know if they would like Compunction but I really liked it. We ordered a round and they all loved Compunction. Sadly, the other day, the River was all out. This beer is worth waiting for and I’ll be back next year for another taste.

Apr 22, 2019

fireazzi from Massachusetts

4.85/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Was lucky to try this a few months back at the Toronado in San Diego. The best sour I've had from Russian River. Wish they would bottle this one as I have never seen it in the bottle. Great taste, great smell, perfect amount of funk.

Jul 05, 2016

gandres from Philippines

3.73/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Tap to glass @ Russian River Brewing tap [email protected] Santa Rosa,CA
A: golden, hazy, cloudy,
A: Fruity, passion fruityy
T: tart heavily sour
MF:
OA: Excellent beer for the style, not to repeat, look for- not my preferred style
Drank: April 19, 2016

Apr 20, 2016

Rothobinide from California

4.59/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at O'Brien's Pub on 1/30/16. My tasting notes:

2015 release. Woodsy flavor and dry finish no doubt imparted from the Chardonnay barrels. Lemon-tartness marries pretty nice with the permeating stone-fruit flavors and sweetness. Best of the RR beers in a long tap list of stellar offerings.

Mar 25, 2016

Beerswag from California

4.57/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Apricot flesh colored, lacing thin but present. Smell is apricot, plum, some funk. Taste is puckering, oak up front and theoughout, pluot is mid-palate, and finishing slightly sweet and crisp. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with tartness level bringing this beer together. Complex and balanced.

Mar 25, 2016

BeerSamurai34 from Texas

4.5/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Russian River can do no wrong on these sours. This one drank super dry and reminded me a lot of Consecration but with a nice juicy finish. Beautiful cloudy peach color and nice clean white head.

Mar 09, 2016

dmk82 from California

4.82/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This was my personal highlight of Pliny the Younger time @ Russian River, and that includes the Younger. The pluots absolutely shine in this sour, which looks unassuming at first glance. But oh man, that taste just wallops you in a way that is unforgettable. I enjoyed this far more than Beatification, Supplication, and Consecration, which are all outstanding in their own right. Others are saying the base beer is Temptation, which is probably correct, though I'm too ignorant to judge (despite having had Temptation).

Seriously, I'd be willing to wait in a Younger-length line just for this beer. Without exaggeration, this is the best sour I have ever had.

Mar 03, 2016

mdlb44 from California

4.71/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

On tap at the Brewery on Feb 14 during Younger time. This beer is flat out amazing. Ton of flavor while not being overly sour. So well balanced and up there with Supplication as my favorite RR Sours. What a treat.

Feb 17, 2016

RBassSFHOPit2ME from California

4.5/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this gem inbetween my second & third Younger. Super funky, super tart, super clean, super crisp, nice & dry, and super refreshing. The pluots used were a very nice compliment to the base beer. Temptation I believe. This almost stole the show for me. Much better than I remember it being two years or so ago.

Feb 12, 2016

rodbeermunch from Nevada

4.67/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Orange in color, lighter shade, solid white head on it, 1/3". Aroma hit those unique plout feels, best of both worlds. Good brett character. Very solid aroma.

Taste hit those sour but not overly acidic stride, clean, clings in the mouthfeel, brett really well done here. Light bodied but full on taste. Plenty of sourness, brett, oak, fruity goodness on this one.

Feb 03, 2016

kevanb from Illinois

4/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Toronado SF, part of a Russian River take over on 2/12/13. Review is from notes. 6oz pour into a stemmed tulip.

The beer pours a nice soft lemon color, bits of straw and gold, slight chill haze, lots of bubbles rising to the top of the glass, a small fizzy white head sits atop the beer but recedes immediately and leaves no lacing. The aroma is nice, light hazy grain, funky hay, light citrus, tart fruit character, possibly the pluot? I'm not that familiar with pluots, it has some apricot character to it, but not getting any plum. The aroma is nice and easy, but the fruit is a bit faded and muted, but inviting. On the tongue there is light citrus and some soft fuzz fruit flesh, again, must be pluot, funky brett character, light vinegar and some pale grain at the finish. It's easy to drink, refreshing and lively, but the fruit seems a bit muted. The body is juicy and full, less lively than expected with lower carbonation, a bit of a funky dry finish.

Verdict: A good sour from Russian River, but sub standard in comparison to many of their creations. I enjoyed drinking this, but wouldn't choose it again over their standard trio of sours.

Feb 14, 2013

UCLABrewN84 from California

4.38/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at O'Brien's Pub in San Diego, CA.

Pours a murky honey orange with a foamy beige head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is sour and tart with some fruity and acidic aromas. Taste is much the same with a fruity and wood flavor on the finish. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is very tasty and easy to drink.

Jan 21, 2013

drabmuh from Maryland

4/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler, thanks Geist.

Beer is yellow and hazy with a minimal head and low lacing, moderate to low carbonation.

Aroma is fruity, sweet, lactic, acetic mild.

Beer is clean and bright, effervescent, nice fruitiness, the temptation base comes through nicely. I prefer temptation over this but this is a nice beer overall.

Oct 25, 2012

cpetrone84 from Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Russian River for the T25 party. Pour is a ruby grapefruit red, very hazy and a thin white head. The nose is a bit subtle, the plums are most prominent with some red wine notes, light acetic and lactic behind. The flavor is much more bright, strong plums, red wine and dry oak, assertive dusty brett funk, assertive sourness and light lactic note. Great body, light and airy with great carbonation and a dry finish. Very well balanced, nice sourness to balance the sweetness with a good barrel characteristic.

Oct 09, 2012

RblWthACoz from Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Been a while since I've had a new sour beer from Russian River. I, of course, have no objections.

Lactic tones are most prevalent on this one. Woody funky tones are in there also with a mildly fruity edge. There is a vibrancy that is nice also.

Gotta love the RR sours. This is in line with all the great ones. Makes your mouth pucker with a bit of dryness that might detract for some.

Aug 31, 2012

starrdogg from District of Columbia

4.54/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to Geist for bringing this forbidden growler the tasting.

Beer pours a hazy golden orange with a thin white head. Smell is incredible - it's one of those sour/vinous beers that really gets my mouth watering. Flavor is fantastic as well. I don't get a ton of fruit, but the wine characteristics are excellent and it's very sour and awesome. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and quite nice. Overall, this is yet another awesome wine barrel aged sour from Russian River. These guys consistently roll out the best sours in the U.S. and this is another one in that vein.

Aug 26, 2012

Huhzubendah from District of Columbia

4.59/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

So excited to try this. Shared at Starr's bday tasting.

A huge thanks to my buddy for the hookup on the sly. What an incredible gesture.

The beer is golden orange and mildly hazy with a soft head of broken bubbles. The aroma is fantastic, offering apricots, stone fruits, wild yeast. Smells like a fantastic Russian River beer. The flavor is distinctly Russian River. Well balanced and fantastic, with apricots and plums. Sour and tart, and very easy to drink. A very anticipated beer that definitely delivered.

Aug 26, 2012

Dreadnaught33 from District of Columbia

4.3/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler thanks to Huhzubendah, thanks a lot for this Matt. This is my 500th review, and a fittingly rare beer to have for this review. We all bow to the Russian river sours.

The beer pours a color similar almost to an ipa with an orange semi hazy hue, but the head is very bubbly not fluffy white at all. Sme lacing left on the sides, and some bubbles in the body of the beer clinging to the glass.

The smell is very nice, a great blend of berries, stone fruits like apricot or peach and funkiness, a very nice aroma that I expect from Russian river sours. clean and not overpowering.

The beer is quite sour, but has nice flavor to back it up. High acidity in the front, almost citrus like and then a biscuit type malt center and an abrupt finish. Great fruit notes in the flavor, peach and apricot, some berries.

The feel is tart and nice, almost like a very lemony tea with a little carbonation in the feel.

Overall a nice beer, glad to have tried it.

Aug 26, 2012

DovaliHops from California

4.67/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at T-25 weekend at RR. Pours a somewhat hazy dark orange color with a very small white head. Scent is absolutely fantastic. Very sour aromas with a good amount of funk. Some nice oaky aromas with tart apricot. I just learned what a pluot was, so I guess the apricot makes sense. Nice stone fruit aromas with some lovely barrel characteristics. Taste is just as fantastic! Great stone fruit flavors with intense sourness. If they had Temptation on draft, I would be able to do a side by side, but I'm almost positive this one is more sour. Funky yeasty flavors with nice oak and fruit. Mouthfeel is dry, light, and puckering. Drinkability is very high. Overall, one of RR's best beers. Wish they would bottle this one. Had it side by side with T-25, and although I really enjoyed both, Compunction is the better beer IMO.

Aug 15, 2012

elNopalero from California

4.8/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is brewed with pluots.

This pours a clear golden straw with tight white bubbles and tight lacing.

Overwhelmingly sour and tart aroma hits you upfront, almost immediately—as I approached the glass to nose it the aroma caught me off guard. Strong and to the point, I like it!
Like a pluot? Maybe if said pluot was squeezed and some of the spray caught you in your eyes?

The flavor is sharp, intensely tart, it has a mouthpuckering sourness upfront and just rolls off the tongue.

Shippable, fantastic, dry finish.

So good I I made my sour drinking friend jealous. Best part—at the end, as it warmed, I caught some toasted coconut. Yet another amazing brew from Russian River.

Aug 06, 2012