Paradise Lost - Spiced Cherry
Blood Brothers Brewing

Leading an outing of The Responsible Beer Drinking Club; on tap and chilled, 4oz. in a flight of two beers. My 23rd beer from the Toronto, Ontario brewery, and 8th for 2026. Watching Diana Krall at Caesars in nearby Windsor this evening...

Oh, boy!

Spiced cherry at it again. Retired and then out of retirement in 2025.

Pours a red color. Smells of cherry juice.
Tastes very cherry. Unlike their other drinks, not noticing a whole lot of spices. Add more cinnamon.

Taste is not bad at all. No shortage of sour cherry. Sweet and sour.
I've been more impressed with other cherry sour drinks from other breweries overall.

Don't think I'd get this one again in particular, but the online website did give me the urge to try it once here.

Good strong sour and spice taste

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Aug 18 2023 and served slightly chilled.

Pours deep purplish-fuchsia, with a brilliant cherry red hue when held to the light; two fingers of creamy, foamy pink head melts away within a matter of minutes. A tight, creamy collar of pink suds is left surrounding a filmy thin cap; some stringy lace is produced with a swirl of the glass. Intriguing aroma of sour cherry & red cherry juiciness, with hints of baked apples, cherry cola, nutmeg and mulled wine. I did get some leathery funkiness on the first sniff, but the cherry takes over as the glass warms.

The first sip takes you on a long ride from start to finish - juicy and tart initially, followed by straight-up sour, then finally a spicy-sweet back end that lasts. I'm getting sweet cherry juice and cherry cola, with sour cherries, wild funk & cherry pit coming through mid-sip; this become more complex and nuanced towards the finish. Hints of nutmeg, cinnamon and apple pie join forces with the cherry sweetness, lasting briefly into a juicy, tart aftertaste with suggestions of vanilla and mulled wine. Medium in body, with moderate carbonation that feels crisp and spritzy, giving some bite to this brew's smooth, juicy mouthfeel. This is a very solid sipping sour for the winter months.

Final Grade: 4.24, an A-. Paradise Lost Spiced Cherry is not a beer I'd want to drink every day, but it's definitely worth experiencing at least once. Downright delicious all around, with the spice blend accentuating well-developed flavours of sour/sweet cherry and apple pie - I was shocked at how drinkable this was for a 6% sour spiced ale. A standout brew that all sour-loving Ontario beer geeks should seek out and try for themselves; I'd buy this again in a heartbeat.

Out of retirement. LCBO purchase for $6.50 CDN. Canned October 18, 2022. Served cold into a pint glass.

Appearance - Dark pink in color, maybe red. Looks like darkened Tahiti Treat from the days growing up. Head is about as small and lasts as long too. Semi-hazy, dark pink/reddish color.

Smell - Lots of spiced notes, some cinnamon and nutmeg with a hint of clove and allspice. Maraschino cherry and hint of orange. Aroma still leans sweet, with slight sour undercurrent.

Taste - Semi sweet with some tart bits. Sour cherries prevail with some cinnamon, allspice and clove filling things out. Wheaty background and then everything just fades away quickly.

Mouthfeel - Medium-full bodied, carbonation is prickly but light, finish is pretty wet.

Overall - As far as sours go, this one's fruity, sufficiently sour yet also sweet and the spices are a nice accent. Very well executed.

 

 

Make this a quick one. The thumb of head of this beer doesn't last very long, although it has a nice, dark cherry red body. Smells as advertised, cherries up front with notes of all spice, cinnamon and nutmeg in the back that didn't need warming. Unlike many cherry sours, the spice of this one restrains it, giving a more balanced vibe. Carbonation is a bit low, but it transitions with a toasty caramel malt that leans more and more into the cherries that are well balanced by the spices. It's like cherry pie, only replace the sweet with sour. Overall, an enjoyable sour that distinguishes itself from a style that has become a bit of a samey pack now a days.

Pink like dull Hawaiian Punch fruit juice, some haze, capped by a thick white head like a pink marshmallow. A couple minutes retention, good but not great.
Plenty of cinnamon on the nose, and some clove - the spices really dominate. An underlying hint of tart fruit, green apple. Actually it's a lot like apple pie.
Having a hard time figuring out how to describe this, everything blends together so well - it's a delight. The spice follows through from the nose, paired with pulp fruit, I don't get a sense of cherry, it's apple to me. Apple pie again. The sourness is at a perfect level, not too intense and not light. Mouthfeel is also fantastic, juicy and soft, medium body and carbonation, . Dry finish lingers.

Given the flavour profile, this is well suited for Winter or the Holidays. Tastes pure, intrigues the palate, spot-on feel. Pair with pork or even chicken, fennel salad. I'm curious to try other variations when they come out.