A Year of Beer 2009 #8 - Russian River Beatification

[@ZakAvery]

Thanks John - I was lcky to find someone who not only brought theirs back from the US, but was generous enough to share some with me.

[@DenisLD]

"Beer is better shared" is a wonderful moral! Nice vlog, I hope to read the book you're writing one day!

[@JoeDreviews]

I couldn't agree with you anymore. Beer is all about sharing. It is tons more fun if you share it with someone. That's why I have my share a beer shows. Thanks for your thoughts. I really learn a lot from watching your reviews. Great work.

[@ZakAvery]

Thanks for this. It will be out later this year, certainly before Christmas, in the UK and the USA, and hopefully Australia too. You can bet I'll be blogging on it when it happens!

[@ZakAvery]

Thanks JJ, I'm pleased you enjoy them. Keep up your good work too!

[@John031989]

Zak, you seriously need a television show. Anyways, I live in the states and can't get RR beers (although i have had a collaboration triple style they did with Avery). 5 stars and good luck with the book!

[@markdredge]

Beer is totally better shared, especially when you can talk about it and get excited about it with others. I've had many good beers which have become great just by sharing them. These two sound brilliant. The write-up on the Supplication sounds amazing, I wonder if Phil has any more... I had my first Russian Rivers this week - Blind Pig and Pliny the Elder and thought both were excellent.

[@markdredge]

I picked up three Victory beers at the weekend - Hop Devil, Hop Wallop and Storm King. Liked the Devil, opening the Wallop later. The Pliny the Elder is one to find, it's superb. I've had some good beers with Phil recently, he's based close to me. And smellnig the hops totally counts as brewing! That's the best part of it, except for the drinking of course!

[@cypressbob]

I'd kill to get my hands on it, I'm a huge gueuze fan, cantillon's, girardin black and white but the best so far drie fonteinen oude is absolutely superb...

[@ZakAvery]

Thanks Mark. As I say in the video, Phil shared them with me from his private stash. When he heard about the book, he shipped a boxload of beers to me. I'm gradually returning the favour - I sent him some Victory beers that we've just received, and I'm also hoping to send some IPA that I helped brew at a local brewery (when I say helped brew, I mean that I smelled some hops and said "yes, they are very nice" while someone who knew what they were doing got on and brewed the beer)

[@agubser07]

Russian River makes the best sour ales in the US as far as I'm concerned. They recently released one called "Consecration" which is a sour brown ale aged in cabernet sauvignon barrels with black currants, and it's my favorite sour beer of all time. Russian River makes wonderful very hoppy beers as well. Try "Pliny the Elder" and/or "Blind Pig" if you get the chance. Also, gueuze and beers like Beatification are wonderful with young tart goat's milk cheese or a piquant blue like Roquefort.

[@ZakAvery]

I'd love to try those IPAs - they do have quite a reputation. I think I'll have to track them down next time I'm in the US.

[@agubser07]

I met Phil a couple of days ago at an event for SF Beer Week. He talked about a lot of stuff but mainly how he was going to bring proper American hopping regimes to British breweries. I'm interested to see what the results are.

[@ZakAvery]

And as I say, it's only taken me 20 years to realise!

[@ZakAvery]

Hi Chad, thanks for your comment, pith is the white membrane between the rind and the flesh of a citrus fruit. It has a distincitve bitter taste that isn't totally pleasant, but in small quanitites the flavour can really liven up a beer. While the rind has tart, fruity flavours, the pith has a dry, astringent quality. The next beer up will be one of Port Brewing's IPAs, so do keep checking back.

[@birstallblue]

when is the publication, of the book going to be, zak. i for one will be buying a copy.

[@ZakAvery]

Group hug!

[@Higherlearningfacility]

Avery, I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm not sure what you're doing is healthy. This one may have to go on my blog. You're a bit tender in this, with the whole sharing thing.

[@ZakAvery]

@frostybob123 Thanks bob - this is totally worth seeking out - it's really special

[@sector69102]

Really want to try this but not at $30 a 12.7 oz bottle.