When most craft beer drinkers think American Wild Ales, Russian River immediately comes to mind. Known for their expert use of barrel aging and wild yeast, the wild ales in their portfolio are top notch. Temptation is one of those, a blonde ale aged in French Oak Chardonnay barrels and fermented with brettanomyces and other spontaneous bacteria.

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One bottle I’ve been letting condition in my fridge is the Hopus Ale from Brasserie Lefèbvre SA, directly out of Belgium. This is an interesting twist on the typical IPA I’m used to, generally that of the English or American variety. True to their roots, this bottle conditioned blonde is considered a Belgian IPA and is packaged inside a suctioned rubber release cap.

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