Stopping back through Chicago at the end of our summer travels, Mrs. Absalom and I were once again gracefully accepted under the roof of Br. & Mrs. Thelonious. In celebration, Br. Thelonious and I shared a bottle I discovered in Philadelphia, Russian River's Consecration, their strong sour ale aged with currants in cabernet barrels. This not being something one can find in the Midwest (or most other places) and being such a marvelous, complex sour, it was a rare treat, and very satisfying to share with a fellow member of the Order.
Date: 30 July 2012
Venue: Damen Abbey (Br. Thelonious's)
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Appearance: Clear cherry amber; head burns off quickly.
Smell: Berry, lots of warm mellow wood, a little tartness. This is the first beer to which I can actually attribute a measure of "barnyard" aroma; it's only slight, and in no way objectionable.
Taste: Sourness right from the start. Tart cherry continues to intensify through the entire draught, deep oak & red wine in the middle to the end. Despite being 10%, the alcohol does not show itself here. The tart to tannic transition is seamless; very well integrated.
Mouthfeel: Prickly carbonation lifts the winey finish, keeping it from hanging on too long.
Overall: An incredible, complex beer that really shows the cab barrel character. A shame the distribution for this is so limited; just about has me ready to road trip out to California for more right now.
- Br. Absalom
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