After years of only really liking darker, malty beers, I transitioned to the IPA lifestyle about a year and a half ago and never looked back. Something about the crisp bite of hops just brings me more satisfaction than the mellow smoothness of a porter or a stout.
Lately, I’ve been in search of even more of that tart, sharp flavor and texture, which has led me to sours. Not even a year ago I would’ve cringed at even the thought of a sour beer, but now I can’t seem to get enough – especially after trying a little sample of Under My Plum at Lithermans Limited a couple weeks ago.
That’s why I had to go back this past week and try another one. Lithermans has been putting out more sours lately, and since I liked Under My Plum so much, I figured I’d try another fruit-based sour: Cherry Bomb.
Cherry Bomb is a sour Berliner Weiss made with organic cherries. It checks in at 4.8 percent alcohol by volume, and comes in a splendid reddish hue (sadly, you can’t tell by this black-and-white photo, but just take my word for it) that isn’t as cloudy as you might expect from a Berliner Weiss.
While Under My Plum has a definite sharpness to it, Cherry Bomb’s attack is more modest and restrained. It is most certainly a sour, but it doesn’t have quite the same pucker-inducing qualities as the plum offering. This one has the sour profile you’d expect, but it’s pretty manageable.
One thing I noticed was that this beer barely lingers around after you’ve taken a sip. While some sours will stick around, leaving that acid in your mouth for a minute after swallowing, this one has a pretty clean finish.
The cherry flavor is pleasant but subtle – you won’t really think of this as a “fruit beer” as much as just a sour beer with some fruity notes to it. It also does not have much of an aroma to speak of – if you sniff really hard, you’ll smell a cherry sour beer.
The light texture, color and alcohol level make this an easy drinker that goes down quickly and refreshingly. If you like sours, you have to give this one a try.
