Consecration
Russian River Brewing Company

Pours a deep dark brown with some reddish hues. Not a ton of head. For me, the first sip of this beer was good but after that, the acidity became a bit abrasive and hard to drink.

12.68 FL. OZ. bottle
Served in a snifter
BOTTLED ON: 013023

This beer pours a deep copper hue with burnt orange highlights. It was clear until I added the dregs after which, suspended yeast was visible. It doesn't have much in the way of a head.

It has vinous and berry notes.

Nice sourness with some wine flavors. It has a little funk and dark berry flavors.

Medium bodied with a smooth and dryish mouthfeel

Nice beer.

Really tasty with good tannins in the aftertaste. Pretty substantial Pediococcus after the tannins, which is a bit too funky for my preference. But fun and enjoyable overall.

 

Consecration is well-named; probably is sacred among Wild devotees. I wish I could be among them, but I can't seem to show that devotion. I've reviewed 80 Wilds and only 22 did I rate above the average. (I'm usually about 62% above average, being a lenient old man.) I am a devotee of the saison, a sister style to the Wild... so go figure.

Anyhow, Consecration deserves its praise. In an un-foamy style, Consecration Looks appetising (until the yeasty bottom.) Smells are a contained Wild, not too Bretty that allows the fruits to note my nose. There is substantial balance between all the elements present, but particularly a balanced Brett here. That is not so in most Wilds. Consecration is gently tart, never sour even in the attack. Full-mouthed. Replaces two desserts, crumble and fruit cake.

As for the excellent Overall Hugs, Russian River earns that for capturing and bottling the terroir of Sonoma County, my new temporary home.

 

 

L - Deep rust with a thin tan head that dissipates quickly, leaving behind minimal lacing
S - Brett funk, cabernet sauvignon with currants and oak
T - Brett fun, currants with oak intermixed well cab notes. Notes of tobacco and leather on the backend.
F - light to medium bodied with high carbonation
O - a very well done, complex, wild ale with cab sauv notes.

 

 

2020 bottling date

 

 

 

 

 

Look: Pours a crystal clear ruby-red to amber and the short-lived head quickly fizzles out, leaving no lacing behind

Aroma: Whoa baby. Oak, black currants, hints of dark cherry, wood tannins, leather, faint wafts of chocolate, a berry-led fruity blend, subtle acidity, Cabernet wine, and fine tobacco

Taste: Wow, the taste just doubles down on the nose. Starts off with a slowly building black currant note that is joined by a range of berry-led fruit, Cabernet, and dark cherry and peaks as layers of Brett yeast come to the forefront. Tobacco, leather, oak, and wood tannings take over and the fruity and earthy interplay is extremely dialed in with both components, complimenting rather than combatting each other. The light chocolate and tobacco hold through and lay the groundwork for what is a sour and spritzy finish, while still continuing to be smooth. No ethanol is detectable

Mouthfeel: Full, clean, medium to medium-low carbonation, and tart and smooth on the finish

Overall: This is one exquisite beer. This is my first ever Russian River Wild Ale and one I’ve been wanting to try for over 15 years so finally ponied up for it and damn, it blew my hyped expectations out of the water. A delicious concoction that really sets the bar high for Wild Ales as it incorporates so much depth and subtly into each sip and comes together effortlessly. My big-time praise to RR for this gem and glad I finally experienced this legend-of-a-beer