Temptation
Russian River Brewing Company
- From:
- Russian River Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Wild Ale
Ranked #21 - ABV:
- 7.5%
- Score:
- 98
Ranked #290 - Avg:
- 4.45 | pDev: 8.76%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1,073
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 17, 2025
- Added:
- Sep 19, 2003
- Wants:
- 1,782
- Gots:
- 1,051
SCORE
98
World-Class
98
World-Class
A blonde ale fermented with a special strain of yeast, then aged in French oak chardonnay barrels. Flavors of wine and oak absorb into the brew throughout twelve months of aging. During this aging process, a secondary fermentation occurs using a yeast strain disliked by most brewers and winemakers called Brettanomyces.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DOCRW:
Rated by DOCRW from Kentucky
4.74/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Sep 23, 2025
4.74/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Sep 23, 2025
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by BeerEssentials96 from Texas
4.37/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.37/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours golden with a bit of opacity and a thin, active head. The nose is very dynamic with notes of hay, brett, grapes, and a bit of oceanic salinity. The taste is very classic sour - lemon zest, bright white grapes & green apple, barnyard funk, light hay. Super solid, super refreshing.
Sep 26, 2025
Reviewed by dajjorg from Spain
4.54/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.54/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This is the most Gueze-like of all the Russian River sour ales, in my opinion. Much better than Beatification, I think. Truly a great funky ale. Hate the new bottle design, though.
Aug 22, 2025Reviewed by Sinfull from New York
4.29/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Golden color. Big white head. Fruits, oak, and light funky notes in the aroma. Moderately sour with a dry finish. Extremely drinkable. A legendary beer at this point.
May 28, 2025
Reviewed by dfillius from Iowa
4.51/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.51/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Bottled on: 032823
Found this one at County Line in Erie, CO while visiting family.
Pours luminously golden with lovely white lace that sticks around for amazingly long. Most wild ales have non-existent or tragically ephemeral head retention.
Smell is complex with notes of oak and soft cheese as well as tart fruit.
Flavor is tart fruit as well with some white wine notes. Very tasty but not terribly complex.
Mouthfeel is tart with an astringent finish
Overall this is another great wild ale from Russian River.
Jan 23, 2025Found this one at County Line in Erie, CO while visiting family.
Pours luminously golden with lovely white lace that sticks around for amazingly long. Most wild ales have non-existent or tragically ephemeral head retention.
Smell is complex with notes of oak and soft cheese as well as tart fruit.
Flavor is tart fruit as well with some white wine notes. Very tasty but not terribly complex.
Mouthfeel is tart with an astringent finish
Overall this is another great wild ale from Russian River.
Rated by MikeySea from Arizona
4.67/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.67/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
2023 bottling date
Dec 25, 2024
Rated by moysauce from Illinois
4.25/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From Untappd 2019
Mar 06, 2024
Reviewed by MaddDoGG5150 from California
4.48/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.48/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a translucent gold color. A thin foam head that doesn't retain very well.
Aroma: grapes and white wine. A slight touch of oak and leather.
Taste: somewhat follows the nose, with a malty sweetnes in the background. Moderate bitterness with a tart finish.
Oct 16, 2023Aroma: grapes and white wine. A slight touch of oak and leather.
Taste: somewhat follows the nose, with a malty sweetnes in the background. Moderate bitterness with a tart finish.
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!