Beer Review: River Horse Imperial Cherry Amber

River Horse Brewing Company Imperial Cherry Amber Ale

This is the second batch in the Brewer's Reserve line from River Horse. A craft brewing company based out of Lambertville, NJ. This is my first River Horse review but hopefully not my last. I like to support Jersey breweries whenever possible. Pours a rich cherry amber color with a decent sized head with some lacing. Aroma is very cherry like with a touch of hops.

Flavor is very nice. You definitely can't tell that this is 7% ABV. The cherry flavor really comes out but doesn't dominate. Hops, malt, and cherry flavors are all present and provide a very rich balanced flavor. The cherries were added in a perfect amount. Enough to taste but not too much. The hop bitterness is very much alive. They provide a nice counter to the sweetness while also imparting a little bit of earthy flavor. Very nice.

This is bound to be very scarce by now but if you see it, give it a shot. Even if you normally don't like fruit beer. This will surprise you. This is a great success from River Horse and I will certainly look forward to the next Brewer's reserve release.

Final Score: 83% (Hops and Cherries, A Nice Departure From The Norm)