Beer of the Week! 03/03/2020

Lagunitas Cherry Jane

Regularly $13.99 / Now on sale for $11.96
Sour Ale with Turkish Delight Cherry Juice

Though Lagunitas is known for their hoppy beers, let us never forget that they are a collection of very clever (occasionally toked up) craft brewers, and if we have forgotten, here comes the Cherry Jane to remind us. The Cherry Jane is a beer that's full of surprises. It's billed as a sour ale "brewed with Turkish Delight cherry juice." Whatever associations that tagline pulls up, put them aside. They will not be met. 

First off, this is not a candy beer. This is a straight up sour ale, the result of mixed fermentation by Lactobacillus bacteria and Brettanomyces yeast (introduced after initial fermentation with Lagunitas' house yeast). The Cherry Jane is, indeed, brewed with cherry juice, but it is a tart cherry juice. So you've got tart and sour, but here's the thing ... the resultant beer is smooth. It's tart and sour -- in fact, it may be the fullest expression of sour cherries in a beer ever -- but, inexplicably, it's easy to drink, with a low carbonation. Sour cherry fans, we have the beer for you. 

Look! It’s Mary Jane’s tarter younger sister!