Founders Cerise | Founders Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Founders Brewing Company
Michigan, United States | website
Style: Fruit / Vegetable Beer
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.50%
Availability: Summer
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by philbe311 on 04-03-2009
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Reviews: 605 | Ratings: 1,503
3.68/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
I got a growler of this at mari's 6 pack.
I poured it from the growler it has a nice dark rose color body wiht no head or lace to it. The smell is of light cherries and sugar with some grain coming through.
The taste is up front sweet like cherries with the malt character coming on the back of the tonge. The sweetness stays the whole way through. The mouth feel is good, nice and smooth, carbonation is good. Overall a sweet and drinkable beer. I would want to session this but one once in a while for a change is good for me.
★ 529 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
I got a growler of this at mari's 6 pack.
I poured it from the growler it has a nice dark rose color body wiht no head or lace to it. The smell is of light cherries and sugar with some grain coming through.
The taste is up front sweet like cherries with the malt character coming on the back of the tonge. The sweetness stays the whole way through. The mouth feel is good, nice and smooth, carbonation is good. Overall a sweet and drinkable beer. I would want to session this but one once in a while for a change is good for me.
★ 529 characters
2.87/5 rDev -20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Appearance: Bright red. Not fire-engine, but deep ruby/garnet. Relatively clear. I'll call it dusky rose/ Head is a creamy light pink. Drops to a thin cap with some minor lacing. It looks like dessert. Lively carbonation.
Smell: Cherry pits and stems. Some cherry flesh. Tart, dry cherry. Juicy. Pale, grassy malts play underneath. Very clean, very light. Lacks some of the deeper cherry notes I was hoping to find. Mild phenolic backing.
Taste: Light cherry juice. Some tart cherry flesh and skin. Pale malts bring some sweetness. Mild touches of grass and straw. Macerated tart cherries. No fruit sweetness. Pulls a little more of the actual fruit out than the nose let on. As it warms the cherry pushes toward medicinal and cough syrup. Phenols.
Mouthfeel: Light. Clean. Carbonation is moderate and works. Very clean.
Overall: Worth drinking at least once. Probably no more than that.
I've tried this beer 3 or 4 times at this point and each time it lets me down. I had Rubaeus the last year it was around. That was a killer fruit beer. The flavors never really meld here. It's pale and fruity. I expect more from Founders.
★ 1,132 characters
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Appearance: Bright red. Not fire-engine, but deep ruby/garnet. Relatively clear. I'll call it dusky rose/ Head is a creamy light pink. Drops to a thin cap with some minor lacing. It looks like dessert. Lively carbonation.
Smell: Cherry pits and stems. Some cherry flesh. Tart, dry cherry. Juicy. Pale, grassy malts play underneath. Very clean, very light. Lacks some of the deeper cherry notes I was hoping to find. Mild phenolic backing.
Taste: Light cherry juice. Some tart cherry flesh and skin. Pale malts bring some sweetness. Mild touches of grass and straw. Macerated tart cherries. No fruit sweetness. Pulls a little more of the actual fruit out than the nose let on. As it warms the cherry pushes toward medicinal and cough syrup. Phenols.
Mouthfeel: Light. Clean. Carbonation is moderate and works. Very clean.
Overall: Worth drinking at least once. Probably no more than that.
I've tried this beer 3 or 4 times at this point and each time it lets me down. I had Rubaeus the last year it was around. That was a killer fruit beer. The flavors never really meld here. It's pale and fruity. I expect more from Founders.
★ 1,132 characters
3.83/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass
Appearance –The beer has a vibrant hazy pinkish-red color with a just off white head. The head fades quite quickly to leave a very light level of lacing.
Smell – The aroma is not as heavy in cherry as I would have expected from the look. It has a light cherry aroma with heavier sweet smells of a sugary/candy nature as well as smells of grain.
Taste – The taste begins of a sweet cherry taste mixed with some malt base. As the flavor advances however the sweetness of the cherry begins to fade some and sour and tart notes come to the tongue. The maltiness however at the end seems to be accentuated and balances out the more sour flavors of cherry to leave a mellow candy semi-sweet taste on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew was rather moderate with the carbonation level being very average. Both fitting for the sweet and sour fruit tastes of the beer.
Overall – It is a refreshing and easy drinking beer and although a bit sweet, it is quite nice. If a fruit beer is something you are craving, then I say go for this one, as it is rather nice.
★ 1,113 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass
Appearance –The beer has a vibrant hazy pinkish-red color with a just off white head. The head fades quite quickly to leave a very light level of lacing.
Smell – The aroma is not as heavy in cherry as I would have expected from the look. It has a light cherry aroma with heavier sweet smells of a sugary/candy nature as well as smells of grain.
Taste – The taste begins of a sweet cherry taste mixed with some malt base. As the flavor advances however the sweetness of the cherry begins to fade some and sour and tart notes come to the tongue. The maltiness however at the end seems to be accentuated and balances out the more sour flavors of cherry to leave a mellow candy semi-sweet taste on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew was rather moderate with the carbonation level being very average. Both fitting for the sweet and sour fruit tastes of the beer.
Overall – It is a refreshing and easy drinking beer and although a bit sweet, it is quite nice. If a fruit beer is something you are craving, then I say go for this one, as it is rather nice.
★ 1,113 characters
3.66/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams pint glass.
A- bright red and slightly cloudy. Very small head, half a finger of that. Some lacing
S- malty and earthy. No sign of cherries though
T- very smooth and light, easy to drink. It's pretty sweet but the cherry flavor is not overwhelming. More fruity than cherry
M- my least favorite part of this beer. Maybe I got a bad bottle, but there was virtually no carbonation. Felt like I was drinking fruit juice
overall refreshing and drinkable. Try it
★ 505 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams pint glass.
A- bright red and slightly cloudy. Very small head, half a finger of that. Some lacing
S- malty and earthy. No sign of cherries though
T- very smooth and light, easy to drink. It's pretty sweet but the cherry flavor is not overwhelming. More fruity than cherry
M- my least favorite part of this beer. Maybe I got a bad bottle, but there was virtually no carbonation. Felt like I was drinking fruit juice
overall refreshing and drinkable. Try it
★ 505 characters
3.8/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from 12oz bottle into Globe.
A. Pours 3 fingers of pink head. Color is a vibrant cloudy reddish pink. Decent retention. A little lacing.
S. Smells a little musty. Has a yeasty nose. Get some sour, a little citrus, and a definite earthy belgian yeast aroma. Get some tart cherries as it warms.
T. Pretty sweet. Not overpowering on the cherry flavor. Nice solid pale malt bacbone with the cherry coming out after the fact. Pretty smooth. Not a lot of sourness or tartness, what is there is really on the back of the tongue and works nicely. Very easy drinking. Not a lot of flavor, but it is nice and mellow.
M. Medium/light bodied. Medium carbonation.
O. Probably one of the better fruit beers I have had. Not super sweet or super sour. Could probably drink more than a few of these. Might be a good beer to mix with others. One I will seek out again to see what it does to a Stout.
★ 896 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from 12oz bottle into Globe.
A. Pours 3 fingers of pink head. Color is a vibrant cloudy reddish pink. Decent retention. A little lacing.
S. Smells a little musty. Has a yeasty nose. Get some sour, a little citrus, and a definite earthy belgian yeast aroma. Get some tart cherries as it warms.
T. Pretty sweet. Not overpowering on the cherry flavor. Nice solid pale malt bacbone with the cherry coming out after the fact. Pretty smooth. Not a lot of sourness or tartness, what is there is really on the back of the tongue and works nicely. Very easy drinking. Not a lot of flavor, but it is nice and mellow.
M. Medium/light bodied. Medium carbonation.
O. Probably one of the better fruit beers I have had. Not super sweet or super sour. Could probably drink more than a few of these. Might be a good beer to mix with others. One I will seek out again to see what it does to a Stout.
★ 896 characters
3.19/5 rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
The dreaded fruit beer, it’s like smoking or sex with a six. I know I shouldn’t but I do.
STYLE: Fruit/Vegetable Beer
ABV: 6.5%
LOOK: All it needs is a lemon twist. It has more of a ladies’ night cosmo vibe than any beer I’ve had before. Full cherry and raspberry red, lightly carbonated, and a well-shaken cloudiness. What surprises me the most is the stickiness. This isn’t #9.
NOSE: Um? No cherries? Well, that’s maybe not fair, but really no cherries? I’ll be blunt, it smells mostly like poster board. The kind you present your science fair project with. There is a captive cherry in there somewhere dying to get out, lost, I believe, in the successful desire to balance the maltiness with the tartness.
MOUTH: Soft cherry, red apple peel, and grape skins. Not overwhelming at all, I dig it. It needs a bit more acidity, however. Some lemon hoppiness could do this brew a world of good. I was expecting a shock-and-awe cherry bomb and am happy to report it’s actually quite mild, quite balanced … from a flavor profile. It is, unfortunately, a bit flat on the tongue, again missing some kind of pop. Try it, yes. Love it, eh.
Beeradvocate Rating: 83
Hayward Abbey Rating: 79
★ 1,204 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
The dreaded fruit beer, it’s like smoking or sex with a six. I know I shouldn’t but I do.
STYLE: Fruit/Vegetable Beer
ABV: 6.5%
LOOK: All it needs is a lemon twist. It has more of a ladies’ night cosmo vibe than any beer I’ve had before. Full cherry and raspberry red, lightly carbonated, and a well-shaken cloudiness. What surprises me the most is the stickiness. This isn’t #9.
NOSE: Um? No cherries? Well, that’s maybe not fair, but really no cherries? I’ll be blunt, it smells mostly like poster board. The kind you present your science fair project with. There is a captive cherry in there somewhere dying to get out, lost, I believe, in the successful desire to balance the maltiness with the tartness.
MOUTH: Soft cherry, red apple peel, and grape skins. Not overwhelming at all, I dig it. It needs a bit more acidity, however. Some lemon hoppiness could do this brew a world of good. I was expecting a shock-and-awe cherry bomb and am happy to report it’s actually quite mild, quite balanced … from a flavor profile. It is, unfortunately, a bit flat on the tongue, again missing some kind of pop. Try it, yes. Love it, eh.
Beeradvocate Rating: 83
Hayward Abbey Rating: 79
★ 1,204 characters
3.41/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle poured into HF glass.
A- Pours a slightly translucent dark cherry red with a very thin white bubbly head that quickly dissipates. Some white sedimentation floating around in the glass. Some spotty lacing left around the glass. Fairly light carbonation.
S- Light cherry syrup, sweet, smells a little bit sugary, not too aromatic, but not bad smelling.
T- Lightly sweet cherry, a little bit of berries, slightly artificial tasting, a little bit sugary, and not overly complex drinks almost like cherry juice. Not terrible, but definitely not great.
M- Light, not too much carbonation, goes down easily. A little bit too flat.
O- This was okay, but definitely a little bit disappointing for a Founders beer. Not too much aroma, a little bit artificial tasting, and fairly flat. That being said it was fairly easy to drink and it wasn't terrible (just had high expectations). I'd recommend trying it if you are a fruit beer fan, but probably stay away from it if you aren't.
★ 987 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle poured into HF glass.
A- Pours a slightly translucent dark cherry red with a very thin white bubbly head that quickly dissipates. Some white sedimentation floating around in the glass. Some spotty lacing left around the glass. Fairly light carbonation.
S- Light cherry syrup, sweet, smells a little bit sugary, not too aromatic, but not bad smelling.
T- Lightly sweet cherry, a little bit of berries, slightly artificial tasting, a little bit sugary, and not overly complex drinks almost like cherry juice. Not terrible, but definitely not great.
M- Light, not too much carbonation, goes down easily. A little bit too flat.
O- This was okay, but definitely a little bit disappointing for a Founders beer. Not too much aroma, a little bit artificial tasting, and fairly flat. That being said it was fairly easy to drink and it wasn't terrible (just had high expectations). I'd recommend trying it if you are a fruit beer fan, but probably stay away from it if you aren't.
★ 987 characters
3.38/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle at fridge temp poured into a snifter. bottled 6/6/12.
pours out a deep pinkish red color with a small slightly off white head that faded to a thin ring rather quickly. slightly cloudy, no lace.
not much aroma, exspecially when its still pretty cold. as it warms, some sweet cherries are noticable, a bit cough syrup like, some grains noticable as well.
sweet cherries with a little bit of tartness towards the finish. some grains noticable. hints of cough syrup and sugar.
medium to light in body, good, refreshing feeling carbonation.
a decent summer brew, but i maybe expected more from founders. easy drinking.
★ 632 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle at fridge temp poured into a snifter. bottled 6/6/12.
pours out a deep pinkish red color with a small slightly off white head that faded to a thin ring rather quickly. slightly cloudy, no lace.
not much aroma, exspecially when its still pretty cold. as it warms, some sweet cherries are noticable, a bit cough syrup like, some grains noticable as well.
sweet cherries with a little bit of tartness towards the finish. some grains noticable. hints of cough syrup and sugar.
medium to light in body, good, refreshing feeling carbonation.
a decent summer brew, but i maybe expected more from founders. easy drinking.
★ 632 characters
3.67/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A-Clear ruby red, one finger head, some carbonation along with sediment.
S-Cherries, some malt, more cherries. A sweet smelling brew.
T-Sweet cherries, more cherries, no bitterness. One dimensional could use some more flavors.
M-Light, nice carbonation, crisp summer beer.
O-Easily the worst Founders beer I've had. You'd think they'd be able to make something better for the summer.
★ 387 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A-Clear ruby red, one finger head, some carbonation along with sediment.
S-Cherries, some malt, more cherries. A sweet smelling brew.
T-Sweet cherries, more cherries, no bitterness. One dimensional could use some more flavors.
M-Light, nice carbonation, crisp summer beer.
O-Easily the worst Founders beer I've had. You'd think they'd be able to make something better for the summer.
★ 387 characters
2.74/5 rDev -24.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bottled 05/24/2012.
Into a pint glass (also a snifter, nothing changed):
A: hazy strawberry red body that is too cloudy to see any carbonation. A small white head mushroom capped and turned into the body within ten seconds.
S: cherry and alcohol up front with some grains and malts very lightly in the background.
T: tart and sweet through the cherry combining with the malts, reminds me a bit of cherry pie once I noticed how the malts combined
M: light to medium with slight carbonation felt on the tongue.
O: well, I never had a cherry pie for a beer, but with the alcohol smell I can tell its a beer. Two more, I probably will be able to finish, but will probably not buy this again.
★ 693 characters
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Bottled 05/24/2012.
Into a pint glass (also a snifter, nothing changed):
A: hazy strawberry red body that is too cloudy to see any carbonation. A small white head mushroom capped and turned into the body within ten seconds.
S: cherry and alcohol up front with some grains and malts very lightly in the background.
T: tart and sweet through the cherry combining with the malts, reminds me a bit of cherry pie once I noticed how the malts combined
M: light to medium with slight carbonation felt on the tongue.
O: well, I never had a cherry pie for a beer, but with the alcohol smell I can tell its a beer. Two more, I probably will be able to finish, but will probably not buy this again.
★ 693 characters
3.45/5 rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Bottled 05/24/2012.
Pours strawberry soda red with great clarity. Lacy little centimeter of carnation pink head. Hey, it still looks like a beer.
Tart cherry aroma, husky grains, and a slightly metallic malt whiff. Simple nose.
Heavy and sweet cherry pie filling flavor with a gob of flaky pie crust malt in there, too. Tartness is there as a pucker, but there's a lot of sugar and caramel flavoring all mixed in. Metallic twang up-front that washes away slowly and carries the finish with that buttery pie crust flavor. I like the malt presence that's in this beer, but I'm not a fan of this kind of a cherry beer. Just my preference.
Sudsy with a medium body. Definitely noting that my lips stick together a bit when I smack them.
Possibly my least favorite Founders beer. Not to say that it isn't its own beast. It's a fruit beer with pie flavor. If you're a cherry pie fan, this is your speed.
★ 902 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Bottled 05/24/2012.
Pours strawberry soda red with great clarity. Lacy little centimeter of carnation pink head. Hey, it still looks like a beer.
Tart cherry aroma, husky grains, and a slightly metallic malt whiff. Simple nose.
Heavy and sweet cherry pie filling flavor with a gob of flaky pie crust malt in there, too. Tartness is there as a pucker, but there's a lot of sugar and caramel flavoring all mixed in. Metallic twang up-front that washes away slowly and carries the finish with that buttery pie crust flavor. I like the malt presence that's in this beer, but I'm not a fan of this kind of a cherry beer. Just my preference.
Sudsy with a medium body. Definitely noting that my lips stick together a bit when I smack them.
Possibly my least favorite Founders beer. Not to say that it isn't its own beast. It's a fruit beer with pie flavor. If you're a cherry pie fan, this is your speed.
★ 902 characters
3.61/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Pours a clear ruby red in color with light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation near the surface of the beer. The beer has a half finger tall fizzy pinkish white head that reduces to a large patch of thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Minimal amounts of lacing are observed.
S: There is a very mild aroma to this beer with just a little bit of natural cherry (including some tartness and some sweetness).
T: This beer has a moderate to strong flavor of natural cherries that introduces both sweetness and tartness. There is a light amount of malt sweetness but overall this beer is very well balanced.
M: Light to medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink but not really a flavor profile that is sessionable to me. I enjoyed this beer and would probably have another at some time in the future.
★ 874 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Pours a clear ruby red in color with light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation near the surface of the beer. The beer has a half finger tall fizzy pinkish white head that reduces to a large patch of thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Minimal amounts of lacing are observed.
S: There is a very mild aroma to this beer with just a little bit of natural cherry (including some tartness and some sweetness).
T: This beer has a moderate to strong flavor of natural cherries that introduces both sweetness and tartness. There is a light amount of malt sweetness but overall this beer is very well balanced.
M: Light to medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink but not really a flavor profile that is sessionable to me. I enjoyed this beer and would probably have another at some time in the future.
★ 874 characters
4.08/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled on 5/8/12
a: This is a beautiful orange tinged, red ale with fairly good clarity. The long lasting off-white head picks up a slight pink hue.
s: The nose is fairly subtle on this beer with an initial moderately-low tartness in the aroma followed by moderate cherry aroma. There is a light malt sweetness and barely any hops aroma with just a hint of alcohol.
t: There is moderately cherry flavor with a moderately-high cherry tartness. The tartness is offset by a malty sweetness with the the balance slightly in favor of the tartness. There is just enough malt character and hops bitterness to let you know you're drinking a beer. Although it is somewhat sweet to start it ends with a dry finish.
m: This beer has a medium-high body with a moderately-low carbonation.
o: This is good beer with a pleasing cherry flavor and tartness with just the right balance of sweetness. The cherry flavor is spot on but I would like a stronger cherry presence in the nose.
★ 975 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled on 5/8/12
a: This is a beautiful orange tinged, red ale with fairly good clarity. The long lasting off-white head picks up a slight pink hue.
s: The nose is fairly subtle on this beer with an initial moderately-low tartness in the aroma followed by moderate cherry aroma. There is a light malt sweetness and barely any hops aroma with just a hint of alcohol.
t: There is moderately cherry flavor with a moderately-high cherry tartness. The tartness is offset by a malty sweetness with the the balance slightly in favor of the tartness. There is just enough malt character and hops bitterness to let you know you're drinking a beer. Although it is somewhat sweet to start it ends with a dry finish.
m: This beer has a medium-high body with a moderately-low carbonation.
o: This is good beer with a pleasing cherry flavor and tartness with just the right balance of sweetness. The cherry flavor is spot on but I would like a stronger cherry presence in the nose.
★ 975 characters
2.71/5 rDev -25.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
12oz bottle into tulip.
A - Pours a deep cranberry red with a small white-pink head.
S - A very light aroma of sweet, tart cherry.
T - Taste follows the nose, with a very sweet cherry flavor throughout. Slightly tart. Reminds me of a dollar store cherry soda. There is a slight medicinal quality to the finish. Not undrinkable, but very disappointing.
M - Light body, prickly carbonation, watery. Slightly astringent.
O - I tend to enjoy fruit beers but this one really missed the mark for me. The flavor is weak and very one dimensional. It was hard to finish the bottle.
★ 577 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
12oz bottle into tulip.
A - Pours a deep cranberry red with a small white-pink head.
S - A very light aroma of sweet, tart cherry.
T - Taste follows the nose, with a very sweet cherry flavor throughout. Slightly tart. Reminds me of a dollar store cherry soda. There is a slight medicinal quality to the finish. Not undrinkable, but very disappointing.
M - Light body, prickly carbonation, watery. Slightly astringent.
O - I tend to enjoy fruit beers but this one really missed the mark for me. The flavor is weak and very one dimensional. It was hard to finish the bottle.
★ 577 characters
3.64/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottled on 6/6/12 into a pint glass.
Appearance: Pours a bright and clear cranberry red. Interesting how bright the color was. Two finger light pink foamy head that has excellent retention and bubbly lacing all over the glass.
Aroma: Tart cherries. Yep that's about it.
Taste: Cherries. Light tartness, surprisingly sweeter than expected. Solid natural flavor, not artificial tasting. Light malts bring up the finish.
Mouhfeel: Light & fizzy but this all works fine for this beer. Fruity. Good cherry flavor just a bit one dimensional. Would have liked to tasted more tartness. Probably wouldn't be able to drink too many of these either. I only bought one.
★ 661 characters
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Bottled on 6/6/12 into a pint glass.
Appearance: Pours a bright and clear cranberry red. Interesting how bright the color was. Two finger light pink foamy head that has excellent retention and bubbly lacing all over the glass.
Aroma: Tart cherries. Yep that's about it.
Taste: Cherries. Light tartness, surprisingly sweeter than expected. Solid natural flavor, not artificial tasting. Light malts bring up the finish.
Mouhfeel: Light & fizzy but this all works fine for this beer. Fruity. Good cherry flavor just a bit one dimensional. Would have liked to tasted more tartness. Probably wouldn't be able to drink too many of these either. I only bought one.
★ 661 characters
3.65/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - loved the pink color of the beer, you cant do that without adding tons of cherries at all levels of the beer making process, well done founders - poured nicely into a footed 12oz glass
S - hints of malt and cherries, appealing
T - This is where I was hung up, I wanted something more tart, and instead ended up with something more in the realm of soda, still really good though
M - completely appropriate
O - A great cherry beer, but lacked the tartness and complexity I was hoping for.
★ 494 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A - loved the pink color of the beer, you cant do that without adding tons of cherries at all levels of the beer making process, well done founders - poured nicely into a footed 12oz glass
S - hints of malt and cherries, appealing
T - This is where I was hung up, I wanted something more tart, and instead ended up with something more in the realm of soda, still really good though
M - completely appropriate
O - A great cherry beer, but lacked the tartness and complexity I was hoping for.
★ 494 characters
4.03/5 rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Got this from Founders Tap Room. The bottle date is blurred?! Can't be to stale though.
Pours really pink/red and looks beautiful with a nice white head. Really bubbly.
The smell is of cherries, but does not blast out of the gat by any means. A let down.
Cherries are up front on the taste with a sour following. It's pretty refreshing I must admit. It had such a good cherry flavor(not fake-REAL, it's hard to not like. I have had the bourbon barrel version of this and it's much better. This is one dimensional, but Nywego is better.
Carbs are high and mouthfeel is thin.
Refreshing fo sho, but not the beer I'm wanting to settle down with.
★ 647 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Got this from Founders Tap Room. The bottle date is blurred?! Can't be to stale though.
Pours really pink/red and looks beautiful with a nice white head. Really bubbly.
The smell is of cherries, but does not blast out of the gat by any means. A let down.
Cherries are up front on the taste with a sour following. It's pretty refreshing I must admit. It had such a good cherry flavor(not fake-REAL, it's hard to not like. I have had the bourbon barrel version of this and it's much better. This is one dimensional, but Nywego is better.
Carbs are high and mouthfeel is thin.
Refreshing fo sho, but not the beer I'm wanting to settle down with.
★ 647 characters
3.78/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear light tan color with a substantial strawberry tint and a fleeting inch and a half ivory head that dissipates quickly, but leaves a quarter inch layer of foam.
Sweet caramel malt, a bit of toast, and an underpinning of cherry comprise the aroma. There's a bit of graininess.
Sour cherries, reminiscent of cherry pie, are dominant throughout the flavor, with a bit of grain and caramel malt taming the finish. A touch of floral hops closes out the flavor, along with a touch of bitterness.
Body is a touch light, with high carbonation, a touch of astringency, and slight alcohol warmth.
This is cherry pie in a glass.
★ 633 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear light tan color with a substantial strawberry tint and a fleeting inch and a half ivory head that dissipates quickly, but leaves a quarter inch layer of foam.
Sweet caramel malt, a bit of toast, and an underpinning of cherry comprise the aroma. There's a bit of graininess.
Sour cherries, reminiscent of cherry pie, are dominant throughout the flavor, with a bit of grain and caramel malt taming the finish. A touch of floral hops closes out the flavor, along with a touch of bitterness.
Body is a touch light, with high carbonation, a touch of astringency, and slight alcohol warmth.
This is cherry pie in a glass.
★ 633 characters
2.31/5 rDev -36.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
12oz bottle into Duvel tulip. Should be fresh; Founders just arrived in CT.
Appearance: Free pour yields a half inch fizzy pink head that dissipates quickly. Pours a hazy pink. No lacing.
Smell: Faint cherry (indistinct variety). Malt underneath. Best I can say is there's no foul odors.
Taste: Very sweet. Slightest suggestion of sour cherry among the sugar. Decent malt backbone comes out as the beer dries way the hell out.
There's sort of a medicinal flavor up front, along with some coffee (???). Cherry and strawberry donut aftertaste. Weird. Sour cherry again comes out in the finish, sharing the same long-aftertaste flavor as dried tart cherries... it's as if my mouth ate some delicious sour cherries, but didn't tell me about it (in fact, it gave me this story about going to Dunkin Donuts instead).
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. Almost no bitterness. Sugary up front, really dry at the end. Low side of moderate carbonation.
Overall: Michigan tart cherries are some of the most delicious things to eat in the world. As a celebration of that ingredient, this beer is a travesty. The people at Founders really ought to have eaten the cherries and used the fermenters for their good beers.
That said, the ridiculous strawberry donut flavor isn't *that* bad. Maybe I'm slightly more forgiving since I can still remember the similar (but several orders of magnitude worse) Ommegang Aphrodite. This beer is cloying and, to get right down to it, bad, but I can probably finish the glass. I like donuts every so often I guess.
★ 1,535 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
12oz bottle into Duvel tulip. Should be fresh; Founders just arrived in CT.
Appearance: Free pour yields a half inch fizzy pink head that dissipates quickly. Pours a hazy pink. No lacing.
Smell: Faint cherry (indistinct variety). Malt underneath. Best I can say is there's no foul odors.
Taste: Very sweet. Slightest suggestion of sour cherry among the sugar. Decent malt backbone comes out as the beer dries way the hell out.
There's sort of a medicinal flavor up front, along with some coffee (???). Cherry and strawberry donut aftertaste. Weird. Sour cherry again comes out in the finish, sharing the same long-aftertaste flavor as dried tart cherries... it's as if my mouth ate some delicious sour cherries, but didn't tell me about it (in fact, it gave me this story about going to Dunkin Donuts instead).
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. Almost no bitterness. Sugary up front, really dry at the end. Low side of moderate carbonation.
Overall: Michigan tart cherries are some of the most delicious things to eat in the world. As a celebration of that ingredient, this beer is a travesty. The people at Founders really ought to have eaten the cherries and used the fermenters for their good beers.
That said, the ridiculous strawberry donut flavor isn't *that* bad. Maybe I'm slightly more forgiving since I can still remember the similar (but several orders of magnitude worse) Ommegang Aphrodite. This beer is cloying and, to get right down to it, bad, but I can probably finish the glass. I like donuts every so often I guess.
★ 1,535 characters
3.08/5 rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Beer comes across like a little less cerise in the appearance versus just like a normal beer, sure there are some running pink highlights through it, and some pinkish white head. Overall, its still pretty. Aroma, eh, more like some cherry kids drink.
The taste is much the same, far from authentic quality cherries here, but its not sugared up water either, there's a decent malt aspect to it, and even minimal hops, but for a Founders product, its pretty disappointing to have to say its unqualified enough and results in an average rating. Mouthfeel, the carbonation is there, but there was nothing heavy taste or flavor wise, so I'm still kind of confounded. Ultimately, this beer neither delivers on the potential of cherries. It doesn't have the awesome cherry flavor of something like New Glarus, and lacks the tartness of some of the more sour cherry beers (Cascade, Allagash, belgians etc. . . ).
So who is this beer for? I dunno. Can't figure that market out. Its not a bad beer, but its far from even average in the Founders lineup.
★ 1,045 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Beer comes across like a little less cerise in the appearance versus just like a normal beer, sure there are some running pink highlights through it, and some pinkish white head. Overall, its still pretty. Aroma, eh, more like some cherry kids drink.
The taste is much the same, far from authentic quality cherries here, but its not sugared up water either, there's a decent malt aspect to it, and even minimal hops, but for a Founders product, its pretty disappointing to have to say its unqualified enough and results in an average rating. Mouthfeel, the carbonation is there, but there was nothing heavy taste or flavor wise, so I'm still kind of confounded. Ultimately, this beer neither delivers on the potential of cherries. It doesn't have the awesome cherry flavor of something like New Glarus, and lacks the tartness of some of the more sour cherry beers (Cascade, Allagash, belgians etc. . . ).
So who is this beer for? I dunno. Can't figure that market out. Its not a bad beer, but its far from even average in the Founders lineup.
★ 1,045 characters
3.33/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle date is 5/15/12. One of the few Founders regulars I've never had or reviewed.
Poured into my forgotten about Ebenezer's tulip. The color is a slightly hazy cranberry red, a bubbly pink head retains well as a thick and swirly cap, leaves some good lace.
Cherries obviously make up the bulk of the smell. They give off a sweet+jammy feel, slightly stemmy/grassy, and perhaps some caramel malts there as well. Somewhat faint.
Taste is similar, quite light and faint, pretty much straight up cherries. Reminds me of a less intense Wisconsin Belgian Red (ironic since this has higher ABV.) Kind of a cherry pie vibe with stemmy tastes and a slight tartness. Some other red fruits also come to mind (cranberries, raspberries). Finishes with some toastiness and a touch of caramel.
Feels light for the ABV, slightly foamy with medium carbonation.
Pretty good cherry taste but the flavor overall is too weak. Still, doesn't come off as overly sweet or artificial like many fruit beers so that's a plus. I think Founders was going for an accessible change-up for their lineup, and it succeeds there, but not really up to par with their other work.
★ 1,150 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle date is 5/15/12. One of the few Founders regulars I've never had or reviewed.
Poured into my forgotten about Ebenezer's tulip. The color is a slightly hazy cranberry red, a bubbly pink head retains well as a thick and swirly cap, leaves some good lace.
Cherries obviously make up the bulk of the smell. They give off a sweet+jammy feel, slightly stemmy/grassy, and perhaps some caramel malts there as well. Somewhat faint.
Taste is similar, quite light and faint, pretty much straight up cherries. Reminds me of a less intense Wisconsin Belgian Red (ironic since this has higher ABV.) Kind of a cherry pie vibe with stemmy tastes and a slight tartness. Some other red fruits also come to mind (cranberries, raspberries). Finishes with some toastiness and a touch of caramel.
Feels light for the ABV, slightly foamy with medium carbonation.
Pretty good cherry taste but the flavor overall is too weak. Still, doesn't come off as overly sweet or artificial like many fruit beers so that's a plus. I think Founders was going for an accessible change-up for their lineup, and it succeeds there, but not really up to par with their other work.
★ 1,150 characters
4.3/5 rDev +18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A - Pours a hazy orange-red with a half-finger of fizzy white head. The head fades down fairly quickly leaving behind some decent lacing.
S - Aroma is full of tart cherries with some light wheat and a touch of citrus.
T - Starts off with sweet and tart cherry flavor with some grains and wheat and a touch of lemon. Through the middle, more bold cherry flavor and tartness comes through with a touch of vanilla and sourness. The finish is a mix of tart cherries with some wheat and a touch of lemon zest.
M - Medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a tart and dry finish.
D - Very drinkable. The tartness and boldness of the cherry flavor is really nice. Very crisp and refreshing.
★ 710 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A - Pours a hazy orange-red with a half-finger of fizzy white head. The head fades down fairly quickly leaving behind some decent lacing.
S - Aroma is full of tart cherries with some light wheat and a touch of citrus.
T - Starts off with sweet and tart cherry flavor with some grains and wheat and a touch of lemon. Through the middle, more bold cherry flavor and tartness comes through with a touch of vanilla and sourness. The finish is a mix of tart cherries with some wheat and a touch of lemon zest.
M - Medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a tart and dry finish.
D - Very drinkable. The tartness and boldness of the cherry flavor is really nice. Very crisp and refreshing.
★ 710 characters
4.2/5 rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The beer is translucent and ruby colored. A thn head of pink foam rests on top.
Black cherry aroma with some musty yeast.
The beer has a very nice fruit flavor. Cherries are a bunny and provide a robust sweetness that canned cherry pie filling wishes it had. I detect no sourness, so Kirk fans be warned. A subtle black cherry flavor lingers after I swallow.
The beer has plenty of carbonation. The tiny bubbles play on my tongue. A coat is left behind, but it isn't a very sticky beer.
I like this one a lot. It is a well made fruit beer that doesn't feel gimmicky or overly sweet. I'll definitely have this one again.
★ 627 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The beer is translucent and ruby colored. A thn head of pink foam rests on top.
Black cherry aroma with some musty yeast.
The beer has a very nice fruit flavor. Cherries are a bunny and provide a robust sweetness that canned cherry pie filling wishes it had. I detect no sourness, so Kirk fans be warned. A subtle black cherry flavor lingers after I swallow.
The beer has plenty of carbonation. The tiny bubbles play on my tongue. A coat is left behind, but it isn't a very sticky beer.
I like this one a lot. It is a well made fruit beer that doesn't feel gimmicky or overly sweet. I'll definitely have this one again.
★ 627 characters
3.72/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Finally decided to try this one.
Pink leaning towards red in color with just a bit of what could be considered soapy white head.
Nose has plenty of tart cherries and some floral notes but that may just be the cherries.
Tart and refreshing. No hops to speak of and besides carbonation and cherries there isn't much else here. 6.5% is well hidden as this drinks well. More tart bites on the tongue and back of the throat to go along with the dry finish.
This grew on me a bit.
★ 479 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Finally decided to try this one.
Pink leaning towards red in color with just a bit of what could be considered soapy white head.
Nose has plenty of tart cherries and some floral notes but that may just be the cherries.
Tart and refreshing. No hops to speak of and besides carbonation and cherries there isn't much else here. 6.5% is well hidden as this drinks well. More tart bites on the tongue and back of the throat to go along with the dry finish.
This grew on me a bit.
★ 479 characters
Founders Cerise from Founders Brewing Company
3.63
out of 5
based on 1,503 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Light ruby red. Big pink hues when held to light. Really nice fine head. Good lacing and carbonation trails from the bottom.
Smell: Sweet cherries. Sugar, with some tart. Really nice and sweet but not as floral and pronounced as I would have hoped
Taste: Sweet and tart cherries. Nice clear aftertaste. Not a whole lot of depth but very nice and refreshing. I really enjoy this.
Mouthfeel: Pretty thin but I tend to enjoy that with this flavor of beer. The carbonation plays really well with the tart flavor of the cherries and create a nice pairing.
Overall: A great summer sipper beer. Tart, refreshing, smooth and very drinkable.
★ 649 characters