Beer Review: Cherry Bomb

Reviewing Cherry Bomb from The Livery out of Benton Harbor, Michigan. This beer is a dopplebock aged in sour wood for 1yr with cherries, cocoa nibs and Serrano peppers.

Score: 80

2012 vintage bottle served in a footed beer glass and enjoyed on 02/19/13. Major thanks to Shawn for the hook up with this one as part of my fantasy baseball BIF last year. Review is from iPhone notes.

Appearance: Reddish mahogany in color. minimal head off pour, which totally settles. No lacing or retention. 2/5

Smell: Hot sauce, peppers and sour cherry. A little oak. No cocoa/chocolate whatsoever. This nose is all about the hot sauce aroma, so if you don't like hot sauce, well... 4/5

Taste: Less hot sauce flavor than nose, more pepper flavor. The cherry flavor is not tart at all. No chocolate notes at all. There is a plastic-like flavor in the finish. Minimal spiciness. 3.25/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, no carbonation. This brew is flatter than a Kuhnhenn's beer. No real lingering spiciness or strong kick despite peppers. 2.5/5

Overall: A non-sour sour and not-spicy chile beer. If you like hot sauce, the beer is a worthy curioso, but nothing more.

Cost: $18 for a 750 ml bottle.