Thunder Canyon Black Cherry Wheat

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Sampled on tap at Thunder Canyon, October 2007
The beer pours from that tap a hazy, dark, drab, reddish plum color and does not have any real head at all. Perhaps a bit of a wispy ring clings to the very edges of the glass. This smells fairly tart and not sweet and cloying like I was expecting. There is a bit of a muddy quality to the aroma as well as a light cherry skin note.

The flavor is definitely sweet, though not overly so. The beer finishes with a light tartness as well as a lingering note from the sweetness. Of course there is a sweet cherry flavor here, but there are also touches of cherry flesh and a hint of tannic character, which could be contributed by cherry skins. Hints of malt flavors peek through the dominant cherry flavors sometimes; notes of caramelized malt and hints of dusty grain are noticeable from time to time. The beer has a bit of heft to it (the sweetness definitely contributes a bit to the fullness of this brew), but it is still quite drinkable.

This is very simplistic, yet it is not overly done. It is quite easy drinking, even enjoyable. Somehow I am always surprised how not-disgusting these fruit beers, from Thunder Canyon are. Steve, the brewmaster here, does a good job with this persistent fruit beer theme. Sure these are introductory beers at best, but I always feel like I should be finding fault with these beers (simply because they are a tired variation on the fruited wheat beer theme), but I never can. Quaffable in its simplicity & I like that the fruit / sweetness is not overdone.