The Craft Critique: Organic Cherry Ale from Samuel Smith

I recently wrote a review for this brewery's Organic Raspberry Ale and the time has come to follow up that review with a new one. This installation of my Bottoms Up! review series centers on Samuel Smith's Organic Cherry Ale.

Samuel Smith describes its cherry ale as:

"High natural acidity makes sour cherries a great choice for creating an ultimate fruit beer. The vibrant cherry character of this beer is perfectly underpinned by deliciously complex beer notes which result from the multiple yeast strains used for fermentation."

Here are my interpretations of this beer:

Appearance-The appearance of Samuel Smith's Organic Cherry Ale is a reddish hued beer that is topped off with a soft, hazy, pink head that fades away to a light to medium amount of lacing in the glass.

Smell-This ale offers a fresh fruity scent that imparts obvious notes of cherry. Upon smelling this beer, my mouth immediately began to water in anticipation of its cherry flavor. The scent of alcohol is almost imperceptible.

Taste-The taste of Organic Cherry Ale is immediately and strongly that of cherry juice balanced with a light hoppy finish. As this beer warms, the cherry flavor fades as a hoppiness begins to creep in. It has a crisp tartness paired with a slight hint of malty sweetness that is more of an aftertaste. The blending of flavors in this brew are magnificent as none overpowers the others and they truly blend together in a harmonious fashion.

Mouthfeel-Organic Cherry Ale is much lighter on its carbonation than Samuel Smith's Organic Raspberry Ale. It is a medium bodied ale that glides across the palate cleanly with a crisp feeling on the tongue.

Overall Impression-This beer is very easy to drink and I highly recommend it to those who don't like the hoppiness of most other beers. It lacks the fake flavor that comes with many fruity beers. I can honestly say this has been my favorite fruit beer to drink to date. I highly recommend this beer for a hot summer day or to serve with your holiday desserts. Pair with soft cheeses and fruit, chocolates, ham and chicken dishes. This beer would also make a great beer float!

For more information about Samuel Smith Brewing and their Organic Cerry Ale, please visit Merchant du Vin online, on Facebook or on Twitter.

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