The Cranfather Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cranberry, Cherry, and Orange Peel

Review Date 12/29/2023 By John Staradumsky

  Style: Fruit Beer   Brewery: Founders   Country: USA   State: Michigan   $ Per OZ: $.39 (B)   ABV: 11.1%

It’s Christmas 2023, and Founders Brewing Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan has not one but two holiday treats for beer enthusiasts to enjoy. The first one I never found, that being Ginger, Spice, Barreled and Nice, a 12.8% ABV barrel aged spice barleywine. I did better with The Cranfather Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cranberry, Cherry, and Orange Peel. I got a bottle at Total Wine recently and enjoyed it on Christmas Eve while watching the Patriots defeat the Denver Broncos.

Neither of these beers has a listing on the Founders website, so let’s see what they say about The Cranfather on the label, shall we?

If you love cocktail-inspired beers, wait until you try this barrel-aged sipper. The Cranfather highlights a festive cranberry twist inspired by an old-fashioned. Expect complex aromatics of vanilla, dried fruit, caramel and spice with pleasant hints of cranberry and bitter orange peel. This unique release finishes smooth with no shortage of depth of flavor.

Founders The Cranfather Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cranberry, Cherry, and Orange Peel has an alcohol content of 11.1% by volume and I paid $5.99 for a single bottle from Total Wine. It was selling for $18.49 a 4-pack. My bottle is stamped Bottled on 09.18.23.

Founders The Cranfather Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cranberry, Cherry, and Orange Peel pours to a bright pinkish ruby color with a light head and a nose of bright bourbon soaked orange and cranberry fruit. Taking a sip, the beer is medium and body and again very fruity; I get the citrusy orange up front. Then the cranberries come through, very tart but also adding a slightly creamy note. I didn’t get the cherry so much, but the boozy bourbon comes in at the last and complements the warming alcohol nicely.

This was a delicious sipping beer with multiple flavor facets that I really enjoyed. I would peg it as a fruit beer because that is what dominates here, but you could also call it a strong ale and not be wrong. However you style it, I’ll be back for more next year, if indeed it does return.

Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??