I like a good fruit beer. To me that means a good flavorful beer that is enhanced . . . but not overwhelmed . . . by the addition of fruit. I want to taste the beer not a mouthful of beer flavored fruit.I selected Founder's Cerise because the bottle looked interesting and the name was enticing . . . it's all very classy.
Cerise is an ale that is fermented with cherries. One of my favorite fruits is the dark red bing cherries that are so abundant in the summer months. So, it was a no brainer to try this one. I hate those sickly sweet maraschino cherries and my only fear is that Cerise would emulate the flavor of those nasty little things.
It pours a gorgeous ruby red . . . much like fresh cherry juice . . . with a head that starts out high but quickly settles into a lingering pink foam around the edge of the glass. It smells as much like cherries as it looks . . . fresh and inviting . . . with yeasty undertones.
The taste . . . from the nose I was expecting a sticky lambic. That's not what I got. I tasted tart cherry, malt and a surprising earthiness I'd attribute to the hops. There was a kind of a medicinal taste to the finish . . . I'm don't know how I feel about that. I'm not sure if it was due to the alcohol, the way the hops interact with the cherry or something else. It wasn't entirely bad but a little distracting. I liked the effervescent mouthfeel which enhances the drinkability. I also like that it's not sweet. You can taste the cherries but you also get the hoppy bitterness of the beer.
Cerise different from any other beer of this style I've had. I think if you like cherries you'll appreciate this brew. Overall, it makes for a refreshing summer beer that's worth a try.
(6.5% ABV)
For more information about their beers visit Founder's website or check them out on Facebook.
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