Cerise - Bourbon Barrel-Aged With Maple
Founders Brewing Company

I missed the Founders dinner at Brews, but have been helping myself to the leftovers at the bar. This one I was seeking out in particular: it's the already-delicious Founders Cerise (ale brewed with Michigan cherries) aged in barrels used first for bourbon and then for maple syrup, then finally for this beer. When Rebecca and I enjoyed a couple of glasses at a late lunch to celebrate the end of my campus interviews, I knew that I had to get a growler while it was still there. I came back a couple of hours later and the keg kicked just after filling my growler. The bartender was kind enough to give it to me for $18 rather than the "Chimay price" of $32 he'd been advised to charge, and even gave me the last ¾ pint that came off the draft line after the growler. Now that's service. I later took it to a party with Mike, Michelle, Nic, Erin, Tom, and Josh, and it was universally acclaimed along with the dark cherry chocolate chip frozen custard we'd picked up at Whit's. Truly the best of Granville.

Appearance:
A finger of slightly pink white froth quickly reduces to a thin but consistent foam. The beer is mahogany or cherry wood-colored, deep and golden with a red hue.

Smell:
A nose full of sweet cherries is quickly pushed out by the distinct sting of bourbon. Vanilla, sweet maltiness, and a hint of maple come through. As it warms, the bourbon and maple become more pronounced, but the power of the cherries holds strong.

Taste:
Intense sweetness and cherry juice dominate the palate at first. Bourbon lightly washes over the tongue, leaving behind sweet dark cherries. Finishes dry with a pucker of the oak that, in concert with the cherries, tastes a bit (though not unpleasantly) like cherry pits.

Mouthfeel:
Light, spritzy, mild carbonation. Juicy throughout, ending with the pucker of the oak. Very satisfying and interesting beer in terms of mouthfeel in addition to its complex combination of flavors.

Drinkability:
It would be tough to get through more than a couple glasses of this beer because of the sweetness, but it is an exceptional treat that I feel lucky to have gotten the chance to enjoy. Cheers to Founders for another mind-blowing barrel-aged experience!!!