O’so Brewing Company - Blood of the Cherry

Blood of the Cherry proves to be the most complex of the group so far. That warming and almost cinnamon-like wood character blends beautifully with the fruit presence, and there’s an immediate appeal once this beer’s poured. Toasty cherry-pie notes appear all throughout.

This pours with a vibe similar to Scarlet Letter’s, though more watermelon and cherry juice than a peach sunset. The off-white foam offers particularly good lacing. The aromatics here are immediately on point: spicy wood, bold ripe cherries, and tart citruses syncing behind. It is firmly acidic and funky. But that tart-cherry-cinnamon focus makes this easy to get into.

It proved tough to choose favorites from this group of beers. Blood of the Cherry offers up exceptional depths of cherry character while always keeping things lean and firmly sour, and those accompanying pieces of vanilla and bright wood, crisp tannins, and lemony acidity are ideal for showcasing the Door County fruit. This often feels like well-realized Belgian kriek, albeit with the funk and tartness turned down a quick notch. Of the group, this might be the one we’d open for friends looking for a genuine fruited-sour-beer experience without going off the deep end. That aroma’s stunning, and the woody spice is a perfect accompaniment.

This one’s tasting great at the moment, though it should be resilient enough for a bit of time in the cellar. That cherry and spice component had us thinking along similar pairing lines to Tuppen’s Demise, with vanilla/pastry desserts. More savory options: duck, or pork carnitas.