Cellaring Russian River Supplication

It's far superior fresh IMO. I was let down with a few years of age.

 

This is absolutely one of my favorite beers. It tastes very good with age on it. HOWEVER, when fresh, there is a very bright and fresh character that it loses over time. I love "bright" (or, some may call it acidic") in most things, wine, food profiles, etc. So, for me, and while I actually don't mind this one with age, fresher is simply just that; "fresher." It's bright and just more vivid in all respects.

(And, even though you didn't raise it, I view Sanctification pretty much the same way. I have a bit of a different feeling on Consecration which I think loses a lot with age. It takes on an "oxidized, aged wine" character that I don't like, whereas Beatification gets really wonderful and I've found to actually improve with at least 6 months or a year on it - although pretty good whenever you get it!)

 

the sour cherry, like all fruit additions in beer, will probably get less intense / noticeable with time.

 

We should wait for themind to chime in.

 

This is how I feel after cellaring batch 003 and 004.

 

None that I saw. The cherries go away and its just not as good.

 

it becomes more #rare

 

I tried it at about 1.5-2years and one benefit was a slight vinegar aftertaste in the fresh one had dissipated.

 

Well it is the one of the, if not, rarest beers on earth...

 

I had a fresh and a 3-year old side by side last Summer. From what I remember, the aged one was funkier and maltier while the fresh one was fruitier and tarter. I think the cherries are a bit much in the fresh one, so I liked the aged one better, but it looks like I'm in the minority here.

 

mind if i tag in with a similar question about consecration? aging thoughts?

 

Put a year on it and drink it. Too much beer hype with aging. Beer does not "mature" over time. It just mellows and rounds out sharp edges over time.

 

consecration ages pretty well actually, i dont mind this one. the last batch one i had was stunning. still have a batch 3 stashed away

 

The fruit fades with age (obviously), and the barrel becomes more dominant in the flavor profile. I had a batch 008 a few weeks ago (bottled in 2011, IIRC) and it had a ton of tannic pinot noir character. I thought it was delicious, but I think I might be in the minority on that.

Consecration ages beautifully.