Founders Cerise - Founders Brewing Company

Pentastar

New York

4.33/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Golden orange with a little red tinge to it. This beer is topped with an off white head.

Aroma: Only a little hint of tart cherries.

Taste: A little sour with delicious sweet and tart cherry flavor. Like a cherry pie. The sourness and cherries cover up most of the malt.

Mouthfeel: Effervescent carbonation, almost champagne like.

Drinkability: Nice and light for such a beer, good drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2010 19:20:53 | More by Pentastar

chrisgn

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer is exactly as it claims to be. It is a great combo of tart and sweet. Both of those characteristics come through from the cherries. It is thin in body and light in carbonation head, but fits as Founders Spring/Summer Seasonal. This is an excellent example of a fruit beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 02:18:05 | More by chrisgn

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +18.6%
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.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 03:54:16 | More by ngeunit1

Mcculler

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Vigorous pour builds a pretty head that quickly dissipates. Clear amber beer with a slightly pink head.

On the nose, solidly honey and cherries. Nothing else.

Tastes beautiful, partly because it nails a complex natural Michigan tart cherry flavor, but also mainly because of the progression of the flavors, from dry cherry to sweet and honeyed to sour and slightly, pleasantly vinegary. The progression works, especially at a cold to cool temperature, to build to sweet but just before becoming too sweet it quickly turn sour to clean the palate. Perhaps it is - slightly - too sweet at room temperature.

Nice mouthfeel for a beer between a desert beer and a quaffable fruit beer.

Highly drinkable for over 6 percent and as fruity as this is.

Not sure why this beer is rated B. I think this is a very good fruit beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2010 03:25:11 | More by Mcculler

jtierney89

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a gorgeous and vibrant cherry red color with pink and purple highlights. Half finger of pink tinted head. Smells of peaches, cherries, and a touch of wheatiness. Touch of medicinal funk. Head is extremely clingy.

Rich creamy mouthfeel. Feels almost like the consistency of a rich oatmeal stout oddly. Sweet candy like malts up front followed by rich cherry and peach flavor. Not syrupy at all, more like a berliner weiss with cherries. I feel like theres gotta be a touch of wheat in here due to the palate cleansing finish and lingering after taste. Sweet cherry almond cookie like finish. A touch of nuttiness as well. An extremely layered and complex beer. Touches of cereal like grains. The grain bill on this beer must be a nightmare to brew but it works out so well.

One of the deepest fruit beers I've ever had. Insanely delicate, flavorful, and complicated. This is how fruit is supposed to be used. This is a beer with fruit added. Not a fruit beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 00:03:38 | More by jtierney89

HopDerek

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at The Drafting Room Exton.

Poured a clear ruby red with 1 finger of white head with some pinkish edges into a goblet. Good retention and some spotty lacing. Smells of sweet cherry syrup like in a pie, along with some brown sugar and grain. Tastes of tart cherries and cherry syrup followed by some honey, brown sugar, and doughy bread notes. A slight earthy hop finish as well. Medium in body with some prickly carbonation. Sweet with a touch of tartness, like a liquid cherry pie. Very easy to drink, definitely could see myself enjoying many of these while lounging by the poolside in the summer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2009 23:20:19 | More by HopDerek

ElizabethCraig

Indiana

4.28/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Founders Brewing Company

Appearance: Medium raspberry amber, minimal white head.

Scent: Mild raspberry with a background of toasty semi-dark malt

Taste: Tart berry tempered by a yeasty ale taste. There is an interesting thing that happens with this beer. first you get lemon/berry, then you get hops. Then it goes back and forth again. It's a beer that gives you a little bit of a ride if you're paying attention. If you're paying too *much* attention, the crosschatter may be too much.

Finishes very clean with a hint of dry berry.

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2011 11:47:19 | More by ElizabethCraig

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Founders Cerise was on tap at out local watering hole. The beer came in a pint glass. The color was a ruby red with decent white head that did not lace....I have noticed fruity/sweeter beers do not lace. The smell....HELLO....cherry malt. The taste to me was like a grenadine infusion that really made the beer like JCM song title...."Cherry Bomb". The sweetness and overpowering cherry flavor made the mouthfeel a bit tricky....I drank half then switched it with someone else. Overall a great beer that hit its mark.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2011 12:25:53 | More by WoodBrew

vfgccp

New York

4.28/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A – White head doesn’t amount to much, but what’s there stays awhile. Bright copper orange body with pink hues and highlights – a really interesting color.

S – Soft, tart dark cherry and cherry pits. Hint of copper. Wax candles. Lightly bready.

T – Tart raspberry up front. Downshifts a shade darker and earthier in the center with black cherries and pits. Citrus pith and sweet white grape on the finish, especially as it warms.

M – Medium body is silky smooth. Low carbonation, but pleasant for the style.

O – Not overly sweet. I think a little age did this beer well.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 02:29:48 | More by vfgccp

BeerAndBourbon

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A. Pours a beautiful cherry red with a very thin bright white head that dissipates almost immediately without any residual lacing.
S. Light malt background with some cinnamon and some tart cherry.
T. Spicy upfront (cinnamon) with acidic cherries as you swallow. The cherry becomes more evident as you continue drinking - it develops into a cherry tart flavor.
M. Wonderful. Thick body with a light level of carbonation.
D. This is a delicious brew. My wife gave it two thumbs up.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2010 00:47:14 | More by BeerAndBourbon

smakawhat

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on tap at Meridian Pint DC into a tulip glass.

Cherry red body, giving way to pink/orange hues as body subsides. Head is soupy a little picking up the body with some subtle pink hues even some orange matching the off white color. Body contains some slow rising carbonation bubbles, and while drinking is some fantastic looking spider web like lacing. Very good looking drink here.

First note of the bouquet is an obvious cinnamon. Red hots candy also with muted cherry. Minimal sweetness, not much tart or sourness either. However, after a few snips the nose seems to vanish or make it's presence known.

Taste is brought from the nose. Minor sour light cherries with a sweet finish bringing a mild cinnamon red hot candy. Very light bodied and seems lighter than the abv would depict, but also a little bit of fizzyness though.

Overall though this is a very solid beer and a great tasty fruity beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2011 01:40:52 | More by smakawhat

unclejazz

New York

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is becoming one of my guilty pleasures due to an incredible special on this in a 4-pack. The 12oz. bottle poured into a Goose Island glass, wine glass shaped.

A-reddish-orange color like the turning leaves of autumn. Thin pinish head, carbonation not visible but its there.

S-a malty tone with tart cherry notes along with almonds and melon.

T-tart but not too sweet. There was a faint layer of cream ale kinda fluffiness. There is an undertone of bitters and lemon peel.

M-refreshing, the bitterness brings a mouth-watering reaction which cleans up any aftertaste.

O-this is a great fruit beer. Look out Abita strawberry, because the sour notes of this bring a domestic beer even closer to that elusive and expensive lambic. Good for you Founders!

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 02:09:58 | More by unclejazz

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cerise pours a reddish color with a small pink lacy head. The smell has a dry malty undertone, like a pils, with strong sweet tarty cherry aroma. The taste has a mixture of sweet and, with a mellow cherry flavor ontop of a dry pilsner like flavor. Very easy to drink, the fruit isnt over powering, but present. Overall a very nice fruit beer, blended well and great in the summer.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 02:38:10 | More by vette2006c5r

ToasterChef

Maine

4.23/5  rDev +15.9%
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.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 02:26:42 | More by ToasterChef

duceswild

Maryland

4.23/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received as an extra from Sendbeer.

12oz bottle poured into a Founders Imperial Pint Glass.

Pours an amber red, with about 1 fingers worth of a reddish tinted head. Smell is of cherry, juice, sugar, and a little bit of grain. Taste is cheery, almost cheery juice like. I don't get any sense of alcohol. Some of the reviews mention a sourness, but I don't get much perhaps a slight tartness. Taste is also sweet. Mouthfeel is light with a moderate amount of carbonation. I get some creaminess on the swallow.

For someone who doesn't like cherries by themselves, I surprising enjoyed this beer. Solid offering from Founders.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 00:15:59 | More by duceswild

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It certainly looks good. Pinkish foam over a ruby body with orange highlights. It's hazy but it's obviously intended to be. Small particles of yeast can be seen floating within. Unfortunately, the head retention is a bit limited and it dwindles shortly to a thin collar and whispy surface covering.

The nose is fruit-pulp-like with a hint of watermelon rind, strawberry, cherry, and subtle tartness.

The flavor is sweet and tart, bursting with berry and cherry flavor. Intense! It's almost like a Jolly Racher, there's just too much flavor there! I should note however, that unlike candy, there's absolutely nothing artificial about the fruitiness here. Kudos for that!

Overall, it's loaded with cherry, just the right amount of tartness, and it's somewhat spritzy, light, and refreshing. Nicely done! One of the better straightforward fruit beers I've tasted!

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2009 21:29:36 | More by NeroFiddled

atpben

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the Founders Brewery. Poured into a pint glass. Appears an pinkish amber color with a thin head. Of course the aroma has plenty of cherries - boy this beer smells good. There were aromas of other berries coming in too. Taste starts off quite tart and then the sweetness kicks in mostly of cherries and some raspberry. Wow, I love the way this beer tastes. Very well balanced and a great dessert beer. My lady friend with me enjoyed it quite well too. Founders needs to be in TX soon.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2009 18:32:59 | More by atpben

PatrickJR

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into nonic pint glass.

A - Very interesting looking stuff here! Rose-colored with quite a bit of haze, with a finger of pink head. Retention is fairly short but surprisingly some lacing is left behind.

S - I'm not sure if there's actual cinnamon in Cerise, but cinnamon is the first aroma to hit and very distinct. Underneath is a simple cherry tartness with trace of candylike or artificial notes. Nothing "beer-y" that I can find, just simple, clean, and upfront fruit.

T - For something called a "beer" this tastes very little of any sort of grain, and I can't find a trace of hops. That being said, it still tastes great. Moderately sweet cherry comes in immediately bringing with it a pleasant tartness that grows throughout the sip. Late palate with the sweetness at it's lowest and the tartness at its peak, vague notions of grain bounce around, but it's not a flavor I can pinpoint in every sip. The finish and aftertaste yeild more of the cinnamon from the nose.

M - Light to medium bodied with a soft carbonation. Curiously, other reviewers have described this brew as "spritzy;" I don't know if my bottle is off or what but the low carbonation suits it well, maintaining the sweet/sour balance.

D - As has been the case during this review, it's really hard to think of Cerise as a beer. The whole time I've been thinking of a sort of sparkling wine with some obviously lowered ABV. At any rate this stuff tastes great which is almost unheard of when brewers start throwing fruit in their beer. Although you won't find the seamlessness or pure synergy of fruit and beer as in the case of Bell's Cherry Stout, you will get a very clean beverage showcasing natural tasting fruit rather than a sort of fruit "esscence" superimposed on a weak, off-tasting American wheat. Cerise wouldn't be a bad choice to have a couple of, it certainly goes down without a fight. I can also pleasurably imagine finishing off a night with this brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2009 05:41:11 | More by PatrickJR

srandycarter

California

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours amber with an ounce of marichino juice. One half inch head, also red tainted, dissipates fast to ring. Some cling lace.

S - Funky barnyard. Expect to be raking this in instead of drinking. Some acidity with tartness there.

T - The meat of the matter. Cooked, completely cooked, cherry pie. Spices assist, but that is the predominate flavor.

M - Medium body, fair carb, pretty good balance considering the strangeness of the beer.

D - Easy enough to drink, fun and not all that tiring.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2009 06:19:52 | More by srandycarter

Backer2004

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Okay, paying $4.50 for a single, I said "this better be good". Then I saw average reviews and lowered my expectations. good thing, because this beer isn't bad at all. I know I have not tried Wisconsin Belgian Red, but this is what i would expect. Nice sour notes and enough cheery flavor to hit the spot. Not sure of any realy flaws. Founders always does it right.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2009 23:29:07 | More by Backer2004

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep red with a fluffy white head that dissipates quickly, but never disappears completely. Smells of cherries, sour cherries, faint perfume, and a brown sugar malt sweetness. Taste is a puckering tart cherry up front and sweet malt with a syrupy sweet lingering cherry flavor in the finish. Medium body and carbonation with a syrupy mouthfeel. I liked this one, I think this is a very well done fruit beer. I love cherries but sometimes fruit beers can be well over-fruited.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2009 23:02:19 | More by johnnnniee

steve8robin

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Got this on a trip to Kalamazoo...

A: Beautiful deep copper the color of honey with a small white head that fades super quickly and leaves a small lace atop the brew.

S: Cherry hops unfront blended with boozy oaks in the middle and woody malts on the backend. Hints of honey blended throughout. Good.

T: Sweet sugary cherry upfront blended with hints of port. Honey earthy barley in the middle with hints of raspberry on the backend. Very good.

M: Doesn't leave a whole lot on your palate. Nothing special here.

D: Goes down super easy. Very good.

All in all, this brew is pretty good. Better than I expected as most Fruit beers have disappointed me. Good to try if you like your brews sweet.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2010 03:18:58 | More by steve8robin

sidetracked

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light amber with a slight red hue. Off-white head with a pink tint.

Smell is cherries, wood, and dank earth reminding me of an actual cherry orchard.

Taste is sour, tart cherries and then more cherries. None of the typical malt or hop flavor.

Light to medium body and creamy. The creaminess keeps the carbonation low preventing it from seeming like a cherry soda.

Taste is one-dimensional, but interesting enough for me to keep wanting more. Good level of cherry flavor--not overpowering and not just a component of the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 12:31:28 | More by sidetracked

htomsirveaux

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle tried 23 May 2010.

Poured in a 0.4 L Steiner Pils snifter. Think white-pinkinsh head. Medium carbonation. Cloudy rosy amber color. Aroma is tart, earthy, cherry pits and a touch of cherry pancake syrup. Flavor starts fairly sweet-tart. Lots of juscy cherries. Sweet dark cherry in the middle, almost cherry pie like. Nice light puckering towards the finish. More sweet than tart.

Not too complex but tasty.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2010 04:17:14 | More by htomsirveaux

berpwillie

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

pours a transparent copper color with good white head and good lacing that receded quickly. lively fizzy carbonation, and strong fruity cherry smell. taste was much the same very fruity, cherries definitely apparent. light bodied and short flavor duration. very crisp and refreshing. moderately sweet with a thin texture. finish is lightly sour and tart. very good brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2010 14:37:55 | More by berpwillie