Founders Cerise - Founders Brewing Company

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  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.

Serving type: growler

08-20-2012 02:10:21 | More by chefhatt

BeerBean

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a growler of this at The Beer Store in Southampton - an excellent establishment with an incredible selection and very helpful staff!

Appearance was orange, amber, transparent; what you’d if you combined grapefruit and cherry juice. 2 finger head with little bit of retention.

Smell was the weakest part here, as it was not particularly strong, but the cherries and fruits were evident.

Taste: Cherries, not too sweet, good tartness. The sweetness is reminiscent of pear, the tartness is all cherries and grapefruit. So drinkable, and the tartness just flows with an incredible Lambic-like refreshment. Sweetness increases with temperature, but never dominates. Personal preference: drink it before it gets too sweet.

Medium bodied feel with light carbonation, very pleasant.

Very happy to have a whole growler of this. Not comparable to an unfiltered Belgian kriek as far as my taste for cherry beers, but a very drinkable cherry. Founders wins again!

Serving type: growler

08-25-2011 21:23:25 | More by BeerBean

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer has perhaps the most beautiful color I have ever seen from a beer. It's crystal-clear medium amber with a hint of ruby. My beer glass looked like a precious gem with this beer inside of it. It had a nice white head that seemed to have just a slight bit of pink. I didn't detect much of a nose, just a whiff of flowers.

Very nice flavor that strikes a wonderful balance between malty-sweetness and fruity tartness. As the flavors develop across your palate, the tartness tends to dominate a little, but it's still nicely balanced. Tastes include cookies, toast, and cherries.

Very nicely done. Very flavorful without being overly sweet. Not the kind of think I would want to drink regularly, but something to reach for every once in a while.

Serving type: growler

08-21-2011 01:22:48 | More by deadonhisfeet

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler courtesy of an in person trade with CooperEllis. Thanks! Split this with a friend while watching the Red Sox game. Poured directly into a nice pint glass.

Appearance: Deep orange to light brown in color. Very nice two finger white head. No sediment in this brew at all.

Aroma: Tart cherries dominate. Some wheat in there as well. Slightly astrigent as well.

Taste: Nice balance of sweet and tart cherries here. Not overpowering at all either. There's also some astrigency and some wheat, but they are definitely in the background.

Mouthfeel" Medium to light bodied and crisp.

Drinkability: Me and my friend killed off a growler of this. The 6.5% ABV is barely noticable and the crisp mouthfeel and light flavors make this very drinkable.

Overall, a nice surprise. Really enjoyed how crisp and refreshing this was for the summer. Certainly not the best beer I;ve had from Founders, but still really good.

Serving type: growler

07-31-2010 23:56:07 | More by Gosox8787

cosmicevan

New York

3.9/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a 32oz growler of this yesterday. Poured into Chimay chalice.

A - Poured clear a pinkish reddish color with slick lacing and overall wine cooler visual. The head was pink and frothy when poured into a unibroue tulip for my wife.

S - The nose was very soft. A bit of cherry a bit of vanilla, but not much else. Sweet and sour odor.

T - Cherry is in the front but very soft. Very much like drinking a blush wine.

M - Very juice like. Doesn't feel like beer at all. A bit sour and wine like.

D - Dangerously drinkable. Goes down like a fruit juice without much bite at all. Really enjoyed this one. My wife even went for a glass.

Serving type: growler

05-24-2010 00:02:08 | More by cosmicevan

downeyj4

Michigan

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

For a Fruit Beer, this is good. At the end of the day, it is still a fruit beer. It has a red hue to it and it tastes like cherries. If you want a beer, look for something else. If you love cherries, then you will love this. I'd definitely get it again, but I would have to be in the right mood (and also I would have to make sure that none of my friends would see me drinking it).

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2013 03:42:11 | More by downeyj4

finstadp

Michigan

4.54/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The Founders Cerise from Founders Brewing Company is a great beer. The appearance is both red and murky. The aroma or flavor of the beer has strong notes of cherry which is obvious when looking at the name. The mouthfeel was very light and refreshing. The taste was light, bubbly fruity and sweet. I would strongly recommend this beer to non-beer drinkers as a great place to start.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 20:11:43 | More by finstadp

JustinAniello

Connecticut

3.73/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours ruby red with minimal head, dissipates very quickly to a webbed cap and small but sticky lacing.

S - Dark cherries and bread take up the majority of the nose, possible spice in the background.

T - Flavor matches the scent well. Dark cherries with a hint of sweetness gives way to the slight tartness you would expect from real cherries. Light breadiness throughout.

M - Light body that goes well but too much carbonation in my opinion.

O - Overall not a bad beer, but a bit too much like a cherry soda. Needs less carbonation and the sourness is a little overpowering in the end. Not on the top of the list for fruit beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 00:10:36 | More by JustinAniello

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Single bottle from Premier Gourmet in Buffalo, alongside a few other Founders brews. )First brew back after a bit of a stomach bug, so I wanted something easy drinking to wean me back in!)

Poured into a Founders glass. Bright cherry red, a half inch of head that recedes into a fluffy ring.

Nose is tart cherries, a bit of bready malt and citrus.

Tastes like sweet cherry juice and not much else. I'm really not getting the tartness of the cherries that others are getting. I know it's not supposed to be a kriek, but man this could have used some sour, muskiness to balance the sweet cherries. It's tasty, went down way to fast, but offered no resistance.

Tasty, but not something I'd get again. There's other cherry brews out there that offer more of a diverse palate than this one. Though to their credit, I don't think I've drank a faster 6.5% bottle of beer before.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 19:52:40 | More by JohnnyBarman

milliCAN

Indiana

3.56/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Violently poured into a tulip.

This beer looks like dessert. A nice red tint to the foamy head.

It smells of wet lumber to me but in the best way possible, like walking outside after a rain to go back to splitting logs.

The taste is a pleasant tart and a dry finish like a Malbec. As it warms up I have a hard time not downing it in large gulps.

Overall I like this beer a lot.I wish I had more.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 03:34:04 | More by milliCAN

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from the brewery, 12oz into a tulip. Dated June 6, 2012.

Deep pinkish red, transient white head with a ring of retention, no lacing. Nose has cherry/raspberry, light cracker and some yeast character. Taste has some sweeter cherry pie, raspberry and general berry notes. Some grainy notes, and a touch of bitterness. Medium body, and good carbonation. A passable fruit beer, but not something I'd actively search for.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 01:53:32 | More by liamt07

Gobzilla

California

3.15/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured a dark ruby red in color with fucia highlights and a thin bubbly pink head that barely left any lacing sticking to the glass. Big on the grains upfront on the nose with hints of cherry fruit, slight citrus and a little malty sweetness presence. Like the nose suggested it was filled with a variety of grains in the flavor alongside muted cherry fruit character, malty sweetness, hints of citrus and a touch of juice. The brew was light in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a sweet, grainy, slightly fruity and thin crisp finish. Just a decent fruit beer and nothing more.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 07:54:01 | More by Gobzilla

davey101

Connecticut

3.69/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Date is smudged, but appears to be 05/10/2012. 12 oz bottle into a Founders 15th anny glass.

A - Pours a hazy dark red body that almost borders on purple. Looks like a fruit soda. A small messy cap of light tan foam dissipated quickly. Thin lacing with moderate lacing and retention.

S - Strong cherries. Yaaaa...I don't know. That is it really. Its tart and smells natural, but that is all there is to the aroma.

T - Tart cherries with a sweet and syrupy finish. Again, very natural tasting. It does capture some of that spiciness that a real cherry has, almost cinnamon like but very subtle.

M - Medium bodied, almost syrup like but a moderate level of carbonation cuts through.

O - I won't miss this beer. Its a step up over the faux-fruit lambics, but at the end of the day its just a solid cherry ladened beverage. Bring on the Rubaeus!

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 04:50:42 | More by davey101

SportsandJorts

Michigan

3.54/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Type: 12 oz bottle
Glass: Snifter
From: Founders
Price: $10 for a mixed 4-pack (I got Cerise and RIS)

Appearance: clear pinkish read color. almost no foam whatsoever. pretty nice looking cherry beer

Smell: Cherries a bit sour, but nothing else to apparent.

Taste: Cherries, slightly sour cherries. some wheat that mixes with cherries in a bad way. almost tastes like blood for a second

Mouthfeel: Light in body and pretty pleasant body.

Overall: Not overly impressed but it was worth a try. but probably the best cherry beer i have had.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 18:50:13 | More by SportsandJorts

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.79/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a wellington glass. Bottled 05/24/2012, poured 01/11/2013

Appearance: The color is unique right off the bat, a really light red amber (or dark pink) color that is very transparent. Very few bubbles on the body with a subtle head that is a white-pink color maybe 1/4".

Smell: Has a strong fruit scent, disapears quick through. Smells strong of cherries and

Taste: Holy cherries, It's defintely a sweet beer but definitely not like soda more like a champagne. Light bitterness to it with a strong feeling of fruit

Mouth: Like some champagnes comes off a touch dry. Medium body, after taste is a light light sour.

Overall: Definitely exceeded my expectations, I don't normally lean towards fruit beers sometimes because I think it takes the "manliness" away. This brew is feels like a belgian ale with the wrong label. Would I buy it again, of course though now that i found out that it's retired, would be a little harder. Salud!

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 05:22:02 | More by BlurryVisi0n

Jade

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured Cerise into snifter. Served chilled.

A - Somewhat cloudy light red with small pinkish head.

S - Tart cherries.

T - Tart cherries. Refreshing and tasty.

M - Decent body, yet good carbonation for a fruity summer ale. Refreshing- not cloying at all.

O - Nice change from my usual dark ales. Not Blushing Monk quality, but a good beer. Similar, but better that a 'cooler.' Nothing bad to say. Worth a try for this style of beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 20:15:24 | More by Jade

Lothar666

Rhode Island

3.43/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter from a bottle I grabbed in a mixed six at Nikki's Liquors.

Appearance - Poured a rosy or garnet red body with a frothy white head that left some pretty light lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell - A faint fruity or floral aroma. Nothing spectacular but not awful.

Taste - Hints of sweet malt overpowered by tart cherries; the sourness is off putting to me but might be appreciated by someone who enjoys wine.

Mouthfeel - It drinks almost like a lambic or a goze, but the body is very thin.

Overall not a horrible example of the style, and definitely one that would appeal to those who enjoy fruit / vegetable beers or lambics. I think I had higher expectations for this one simply because everything else I have ever had from this brewery has been so phenomenal, but this one is definitely still worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 02:00:47 | More by Lothar666

vtisme

Oklahoma

4.38/5  rDev +20%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a wine glass
A - Pink and hazy, translucent
S - Tart, definitely can taste the cherry but has some sourness to it
T - Heavy on the cherries throughout, biscuity malt comes through on the finish and with the aftertaste
M - Crisp, not flat, not too much, just right
O - Not the most fruity, sour, or malty beer on the planet, but for the style it is above average. Get it while you can!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:12:48 | More by vtisme

Etan

Illinois

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle.

A: Murky brownish red with small pink white head.

S: Syrupy cherry juice, slightly earthy.

T: Sweet pie cherries and some leafy bitterness. A bit tart.

M: Very light, high carbonation.

O: For syrupy cherry beers, New Glarus' Wisconsin Belgian Red is better.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 01:34:23 | More by Etan

DeltaGolfSierra

Tennessee

3.48/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is a reddish amber color; the smaller-than-average head is a light red color. The scent is weak malts, with not much discernible cherry. The cherry really comes through in the taste. It tastes almost like a cherry soda, but some light malts flavors are present. Slightly sweet, but not overly so like other fruit beers. Mouthfeel is on the thin side. Not bad at all, but not great either.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 21:00:17 | More by DeltaGolfSierra

beagle75

Iowa

3.3/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Hazy, light red-brown color with a fine peripheral ring of medium-sized off-white bubbles. Light lacing remains on the glass.

S: Mild fruit is dark and earthy. Cherry is deliberate but very honest--it smells like fresh fruit.

T: Begins off-dry, with dark fruit followed by metallic iron. Acidity is mute into the middle with more fruit that changes from something identifiably cherry to more generic-mixed. The finish sees fruit flavors retreat, leaving just an earthy metallic residue on the palate.

M: Thin to medium viscosity, wet and slightly acidic on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: While this beer presents some authentic evidence of fruit that makes it worthy of consumption, it also has some detracting features. Flavors are a mixed bag of appealing and otherwise, coming across as just a little too dark and metallic. Thus, overall appeal is constrained.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 17:44:52 | More by beagle75

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a light reddish brown color, with a thin pink head that fades slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains cherries, light caramelized malts and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a sweet burst of cherry flavor. Then a thin malt character comes in along with a mild hops presence to create a decent balance. I was expecting it to be a bit more tart but the cherry flavor isn’t overdone. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

O: A little tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, good representation of style, it’s a decent beer to drink for a while if you’re in the mood for a cherry-flavored beer that has some substance to it.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 19:42:02 | More by TheManiacalOne

blackcompg

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from their 12oz bottle...

Appearance - Pours a finger of pink head, body is a lightly hazed red, with red/amber hilights, and I'm getting some nice webbed lacing in my glass.

Smell - Wheat, sweet malt, wheat, ripe fruits, cherry

Taste - Whoah - CHERRIES! Begins with full flavored cherries with natural cherry sweetness, also some nice cherryskin tartness, I also get alot of wheat, but this becomes more prominent halfway through the sip. Longer into the finish i get some nice cherry pit bitterness and floral hops, with sweet cherry juice pockets in the mouth corners.

Mouthfeel - About medium, nice prominent flavors but not syrupy or mouthcoating, carb is medium and creamy smooth, with a few nice edges at the sides of the tongue. A very drinkable ale.

Overall - I'll tell you what - I Really Like This! There truly is a greaqt complexity and balance here - and the cherry truly tastes natural imho, not flavored or like candy at all. I eat cherries fairly often and that's what I traste - natural cherry. I get natural sweetness, and I also get that mouth-watering tartness that cherries have. I also get wheat beer characteristics, and just enough floral hop to really add an unexpected balance and depth. I think this is heads and shoulders above any wine cooler or flavored malt beverage - it'a cherry fermented ale, just like it says on the label. If you like cherries, I think you're going to LOVE this, and I like cherries ;o)

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 04:13:06 | More by blackcompg

williamjbauer

West Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled served in a weizen glass

A - clear rose with 2,finger gorgeous white bubbly head with good retention and excellent sticky lacing

S - candied cherries, cherry pie, um yeah cheeries

T - sweet semi tart fresh cherry flavor with hints of oak wood an nice wheat background. Very refreshing. No booze. Light flavor overall

M - light body, mod-high carbonation, crisp

O - a nice light cherry beer, white a good touch of wheat. Doesn't touch the greatness of a new glarus fruit beer, but I would drink this one in the summer after cutting the lawn.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 17:27:59 | More by williamjbauer

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

3.8/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle to a Gordon Biersch 0.4l glass (13.53oz).

Appearance- Beautiful clear red with zero head. This is a very pretty looking beer.

Smell- Honestly, I do not care for the smell that much. Some fake cherry smell. Cherry candy like a lollipop.

Taste- This is where the beer comes through. Very nice cherry flavor. Some apple. Not very beer-like though. Very refreshing.

Mouthfeel- Smooth, lightly carbonated. Very light. Doesn't coat the palate.

Overall- This is a nice, refreshing beer from Founders, whom I think make great beers. Totally a summer beer, but I'm still enjoying it in November.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 04:14:18 | More by Seanniek91