A general rule: If anyone offers you a beer brewed by Russian River, you drink it.That said, Supplication is a shocker if you don't know what's coming. I recently had it at a wonderful Seattle bar, The Dray. My friend and I each ordered Supplication. The bartender insisted we sample it first, just so we knew what we were getting into.
The simple explanation: It's sour as hell. It's brewed with sour cherries, and you can sure taste it. It's a surprising and -- let's face it -- off-putting taste at first. For most beer drinkers -- even those enlightened enough to enjoy intense imperial stouts and uber-bitter IPAs -- lip-puckering sour flavors seem foreign in beers.
And I get it. I want to like sours. The most refined beer-drinkers do. But it's hard for me. It took me about an hour to sip through the Supplication. Don't get me wrong, I liked it. It's a beautiful golden-brown ale, almost like a Saison, with a sharp sour bite. I appreciate it, but at this point I can't say I love it. A few more sours, and maybe I'll enjoy the Supplications of the world a bit more.
The details:
Name: Supplication
Brewer: Russian River Brewing Co.
Beer Advocate rank: 14
Style: American wild ale (sour)
Alcohol: 7 percent
Cost: $8.50 for a 12-ounce pour
My Grade: C+ (for my taste, though in the style it's definitely an A)
Skinny: A sour golden ale that smacks of the oak barrels it's aged in. As far as sours go, it's a great one. But my problem is, I don't really like sours. I'm trying. Honestly.
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