Flathead Cherry Ale
Glacier Brewing Company
- From:
- Glacier Brewing Company
- Montana, United States
- Style:
- Fruit and Field Beer
Ranked #603 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 64
Ranked #39,743 - Avg:
- 2.17 | pDev: 40.55%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 10
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Aug 15, 2024
- Added:
- Oct 12, 2011
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 3
SCORE
64
Poor
64
Poor
Our Flathead Cherry Ale is a spring and summertime favorite! Due to overwhelming demand, we produce the beer all year. The Flathead Cherry Ale is a refreshing blend of a light-colored ale with a cherry flavoring.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by muchloveforhops3 from Montana
4.05/5 rDev +86.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.05/5 rDev +86.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16oz can courtesy of my brother-in-law
Poured into a pint glass
O- I may be in the minority here, but I found this to be quite the nice cherry ale; elements are akin to a cherry cream ale, imo; fairly bold cherry profile offset by grassy notes; not overly sweet; no off notes detected; creamy mouthfeel that supports the profile well; would have again
Review date: 08.07.21
Can date: n/a
Aug 15, 2024Poured into a pint glass
O- I may be in the minority here, but I found this to be quite the nice cherry ale; elements are akin to a cherry cream ale, imo; fairly bold cherry profile offset by grassy notes; not overly sweet; no off notes detected; creamy mouthfeel that supports the profile well; would have again
Review date: 08.07.21
Can date: n/a
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
2.61/5 rDev +20.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
2.61/5 rDev +20.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
12 oz bottle at share. Dark golden pour with off-white head. Cough syrup, cherry candy for the aroma. Taste is more of the Ludens cough drops flavors, overly sweet and a bit medicinal.
Dec 05, 2023
Reviewed by SteveO64 from Montana
1.5/5 rDev -30.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
1.5/5 rDev -30.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
Very disappointing, should have read the label and reviews before purchasing. My fault. Figured I was getting a brew with real Flathead cherries, not RED #40! Garbage! Someone suggested pouring it into a Kettle House Cold Smoke--I would NEVER disrespect a Cold Smoke like that...
Nov 22, 2017
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas
2.75/5 rDev +26.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
2.75/5 rDev +26.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
Poured from bottle into a pint glass
Appearance – The beer pours a lightly hazed golden amber color with a one finger head of billowy white foam. The head fades relatively quickly leaving just a trace of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is heaviest of a cherry smell mixed with a good showing of a booze and alcohol (for a 5.5% it is rather potent), giving the smell a somewhat medicinal cough drop smell.
Taste – The taste begins with a rather malty and bready flavor mixed with a little bit of a cherry taste. As the taste moves on more and more sweet artificial cherry joins the original nice cherry taste with some corn syrup and caramel joining the tongue as well. All the while a little bit of a boozy medicine alcohol taste comes to the tongue as well, and with a hint of a grainy and hay taste, ends up leaving one with a medicinal cherry cough drop like flavor to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is rather thin with a carbonation level that is moderate. A higher carbonation level would have likely hide some of the off flavors better and matched the cherry flavors more nicely creating a cleaner sipper overall.
Overall – Not really my kind of cherry brew. This was a bit too cherry medicinal for me.
Aug 07, 2015Appearance – The beer pours a lightly hazed golden amber color with a one finger head of billowy white foam. The head fades relatively quickly leaving just a trace of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma is heaviest of a cherry smell mixed with a good showing of a booze and alcohol (for a 5.5% it is rather potent), giving the smell a somewhat medicinal cough drop smell.
Taste – The taste begins with a rather malty and bready flavor mixed with a little bit of a cherry taste. As the taste moves on more and more sweet artificial cherry joins the original nice cherry taste with some corn syrup and caramel joining the tongue as well. All the while a little bit of a boozy medicine alcohol taste comes to the tongue as well, and with a hint of a grainy and hay taste, ends up leaving one with a medicinal cherry cough drop like flavor to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is rather thin with a carbonation level that is moderate. A higher carbonation level would have likely hide some of the off flavors better and matched the cherry flavors more nicely creating a cleaner sipper overall.
Overall – Not really my kind of cherry brew. This was a bit too cherry medicinal for me.
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota
2.94/5 rDev +35.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.94/5 rDev +35.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A: reddish amber to gold with a whimpy white head
S: Some cherry in the nose but it smells more like syrup than the real thing.
T: Like a cherry flavored soda pop with a trace of light malt that has a winey finish.
F: Fizzy, light, some alcohol burn on the finish.
O: Might work well basting grilled chicken.
Apr 15, 2015S: Some cherry in the nose but it smells more like syrup than the real thing.
T: Like a cherry flavored soda pop with a trace of light malt that has a winey finish.
F: Fizzy, light, some alcohol burn on the finish.
O: Might work well basting grilled chicken.
Reviewed by spycow from Illinois
2.29/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
2.29/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.25
Had this beer over dinner a few weeks back. It basically tasted like water carbonated with fruit flavor. No balance, fake cherry flavor, and way too carbonated. Just not what I expect from a fruit beer. Would not recommend.
Mar 02, 2015
Reviewed by Spritology from Montana
1.25/5 rDev -42.4%
look: 1.25 | smell: 1.25 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 1.25
1.25/5 rDev -42.4%
look: 1.25 | smell: 1.25 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.25 | overall: 1.25
On the most part I HATE fruit beer, and I am using the word hate here. However, I can tell you why this beer is available year round: MIX IT WITH COLD SMOKE. The best beer in Montana. There are other combinations I have heard of and tried, but this is by far the best. This is a CHERRY BOMB. I usually go 3/4 Cold Smoke and 1/4 Flathead Cherry but some do it the other way (I would never). 1/2 and 1/2 is not bad either, and you can poor the other half of the bottle of Flathead Cherry right into the Cold Smoke can.
Nov 04, 2013
Reviewed by Murrhey from Washington
1.36/5 rDev -37.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
1.36/5 rDev -37.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Reviewed live.
A- Half finger white head. Weak retention, some soapy lacing. Light orange body, high clarity.
S- Smells like a cherry cordial. Punch in the nose cherry smell. That's about all I'm going to get out of this beer. Cherry cough syrup smell.
T- Did I say cough syrup. Good god. This beer brings back memories of being sick as a child.
M- Thicker than I expected. Finishes biting.
O- I poured half of it out. Disgusting.
Sep 12, 2012A- Half finger white head. Weak retention, some soapy lacing. Light orange body, high clarity.
S- Smells like a cherry cordial. Punch in the nose cherry smell. That's about all I'm going to get out of this beer. Cherry cough syrup smell.
T- Did I say cough syrup. Good god. This beer brings back memories of being sick as a child.
M- Thicker than I expected. Finishes biting.
O- I poured half of it out. Disgusting.
Reviewed by Duff27 from Illinois
1.8/5 rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5
1.8/5 rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5
"Ale with artificial flavor and certified color. FD&C Red #40"
A- Full inch tall white dense head on a cloudy pink-hued light gold beer. Very nice lacing and above average head retention.
S- I don't know what red nail polish smells like but I bet it's this! Makes my face do funny things.
T- More of the nail polish thing, this time mixed with bubble gum. Slight citrus, pears? Has this weird (not good) aftertaste that makes me want to have another drink just so the aftertaste isn't there...does that make sense? If I had to guess at the ABV I'd say 5.5%
M- Mouthfeel aint bad...a little thin. Good carbonation.
D/O- I'm not sure how this beer makes it into the real world, maybe it's demographic isn't BAs. I could see 18 year old (boys and) girls having rainbow parties with a keg of this in the corner. Worth a try!!
Thanks fdkayti...you're the best?
Dec 14, 2011A- Full inch tall white dense head on a cloudy pink-hued light gold beer. Very nice lacing and above average head retention.
S- I don't know what red nail polish smells like but I bet it's this! Makes my face do funny things.
T- More of the nail polish thing, this time mixed with bubble gum. Slight citrus, pears? Has this weird (not good) aftertaste that makes me want to have another drink just so the aftertaste isn't there...does that make sense? If I had to guess at the ABV I'd say 5.5%
M- Mouthfeel aint bad...a little thin. Good carbonation.
D/O- I'm not sure how this beer makes it into the real world, maybe it's demographic isn't BAs. I could see 18 year old (boys and) girls having rainbow parties with a keg of this in the corner. Worth a try!!
Thanks fdkayti...you're the best?
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!