Beer Review: Supplication (Batch 10)

Reviewing Supplication from Russian River Brewing Company. This is one of the most highly regarded sours out there, and I am very excited to finally get the chance to try it. Thank you Matt Hope for sending me this beer!
Score: 93

Batch 010. 355 ml bottle served in a Great Lakes snifter and enjoyed on 05/17/12. Review is from notes.

Appearance: Pours a dark copper color with a thin layer of fizzy head at pour that settles into a fizzy ring around the glass. Poor lacing, but decent retention. 4/5

Smell: Funky vinegar and lots of white grape and pear. Stale/dirty/earthy orange malt. Some "cheap plastic band-aid" aroma too. 4/5

Taste: Bright orange, white wine and acidic, tart white grape. Sour cherries and a little fruity pear flavor too. Lots of crisp flavor, but a very nice bitter sweet-and-sour mix of flavors with only a modest funk. Layering, dry tartness and increasing pucker effect. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, high carbonation. Nice zesty tart citrus pop and sizzle on the tongue. Tart, dry finish. 4.5/5

Overall: A very tasty sweet-and-sour wild ale. The nose was pretty funky, making me skeptical as to whether I would enjoy the beer, but the taste is much smoother and not very funky.

Recommendation: A great non-funky sour. I'd recommend this even for the casual beer drinker. Fans of Citra-hopped beers like Zombie Dust and Heady Topper will probably enjoy this one a lot.

Pairings: Eight year old white cheddar cheese with Parmesan black pepper crackers.

Cost: $10 for a 355 ml bottle made from glass that is so thick, you'd swear this was a blunt weapon.