Consecration By Russian River Brewing Company
Compared to other American sour beers, Consecration is great. However, if judged against an Oud Bruin or another classic style of Flemish sour, Consecration is a middling affair with an astronomical price tag.
Would it be fair to judge Cali’s Russian River Brewing Company on the same metric as breweries with yeast cultures older than our country’s constitution? I don’t think so, especially since most Americans won’t have access to those quixotic Flemish brews. Their first experience of the style will probably be this bottle, and I don’t want to dissuade a single soul from the experience.
The aroma has an element of almond and black cherry along with the impressive lactic sourness. A whiff of cinnamon and star anise round out the scent quite well. On the palate, the sour is balanced by a medium body and then the fun really starts. The sweat and leather of brett, the spice of oak, the bite of lactic, and the richness of fruit all come together into a clean and bright and complex brew.
Epikur is a magazine about food and drink, with a focus on our hometown of Philadelphia.
