Hello Beer, meet Mr. Wine...

Russian River Temptation - officially described as a blonde ale aged for 12 months in used french oak wine barrels, with a secondary fermentation happening in bottle to add carbonation, caused by the addition of the yeast strain, Brettanomyces.

Highly controversial, this strain of yeast adds a lot of flavor, but they are flavors that are considered by many to be unappealing. Notes of leather and barnyard funk are common. In moderation, IMHO, these aromatics add aromatic complexity and can produce a wonderfully distinctive product.

But who cares, this beer is AWESOME! It feels like a sour ale, without the prerequisite sweetness of most. The wine barrels add winey notes of ripe tree fruit. Think apricot, nectarine. Acidity is intense! and I love it. This is one of those beers that divides people. It creates so many different arguments, you almost have to like it just for the amount of tension it creates in the beer world.

At the end of the day, I know a big reason I like this so much is because, as much as I like beer, I'd rather be drinking wine. This has a lot of similar aromatics. This isn't a classic beer in any sense. There are those that debate its overall quality because of that. But I really don't care what you call it. Call it Bine, or a Weer, if that makes you happy. Just make sure you drink this if you get the chance.