I wasn't going to review this.
I was going to skip over it, because I was disappointed. Moreso disappointed in myself for expecting more, knowing all too well that after over a year in the warehouse, the cherry in this beer would have almost completely disappeared from the overall flavor.
But I've changed my mind, and I'm doing it for the novelty. I'm doing it because.... well, as good as Rubaeus was this year, I missed it. I thought after the bad cherry crop last year, we'd be done suffering, but of course a year later you realize last year no beer was made, and thus this year there is none to be had.
This is a quick peak at how last year's Founders' Cerise held up (6.5% abv).
It didn't. Not really, in my mind.
Don't let that fluffy white head in the photo deceive you.
You can see a little bit of sediment sticking to the side of that bottle from how long it's been sitting.
I got this at free beer Friday at my job. I figured, it's free, let's give it a try.
The color had browned a bit from what I remembered in 2012. I remember a bright, ruby red with some haze. This guy still has a gorgeous color to it, but it's darkened I think.
This fluffy head from the picture died instantly to a sad, sorry layer of nothing.
Aroma had little cherry anymore. My boyfriend actually hit the nail on the head when he took a whiff and said "huh, smells more like wine." It did, it smelled a little floral, a little musty, and definitely like a huge handful of red grapes. Kind of red zin...ish.
Anyway, a biscuity malt quality has kind of taken over this brew and dilluted the pure, concentrated cherry tartness from its fresher days. It still has a lingering tartness, but once again is more reminiscent of grapes and tannins than cherries. It hasn't held much of its initial carbonation, but it hasn't thickened or become syrupy. It's still light and airy.
Overall, it's not bad. It really isn't, but it's definitely beyond its peak. And I was sad. So tonight, I will review something magnificent... or maybe just ok. I won't know until I try it.
