Unibroue Quelque Chose

Deep ruby pour, strong fruity cherry aroma, flavor is packed with cherry and some spice, a bit of an oily feel, very sweet but doesn’t hide the alcohol at all, finishes dry, one bottle is a bit too much, would’ve been easier to share.

***review from June 9, 2008***
Damn, I had to dust this sucker off finally.... 2002 Vintage... seems like I bought it a hundred years ago. Cracked just colder than room temperature. Poured out a reddish amber beer, clear, no cap, no carbonation. The aroma is pretty nice but the cherries have faded a bit from what I remember a fresh one smelling like. Still, there is some sour cherry, a medicinal - almost jagermeister quality (it is not weak, but meets the cherry head on... I think it’s cloves... ya, it’s cloves. You know, after leaving it alone for a bit, the cherries really come out. There is some vanilla and nutmeg... ahhhh Christmas. The aroma just gets better and better. The taste is a huge mix of sour cherries (not too dark), cloves, something very tart, almost has an earthy quality to it but that probably comes from the big blend of winter spices, more cloves, - I just realized that the bottle says 8% - are you serious? This seems very much like a mulled wine to me. Maybe a touch of wood of some sort.. yes, it is there. Smooth and velvety, not viscous, on some sips in comes across empty and watered but I think that is a product of getting a mouth full of cloves dulling the senses. Kinda flat though, and that sucks a bit. Somewhat dry mouth feel. Finishes with a 1% of alcohol, 2% cherries and 97% cloves. Excellent beer and a total surprise to me. I could drink a bunch of these. The cherry / clove mix is very unique and this beer is deserving of higher marks I think.

750 ml bottle thanks to JME’s amazing cellar. Pours garnet with orange around the edges. Pretty much zero head. Nose of dark cherries and wood; some herbal notes. Flavor adds a good deal of sweetness; just on the good side of cough syrup. Ever so slightly similar to an Oude Bruin, but more of just a cherry beer. Still, not bad.

"Crystal clear rose in color maybe a slight hint of orange, there was zero head and zero lacing the beer was completely flat, it resembled more of a wine then a beer but since that is what I think they were going for I’ll have to give it average marks. I drank both ways recommended on the bottle ice cold and sipping hot both ways where close it taste and aroma but when colt it was more sweet and refreshing compared to the tartness that came with heating it. In both aroma and taste cherry cranberry and cinnamon dominate with hints of malt in the far back ground, all together it tasted like Christmas. Alcohol could be noticed but fit in well with the other flavors, the beer felt a bit soft to me but that’s probably because it completely flat. Didn’t mind this but couldn’t drink more than one a year and I preferred it cold over hot."

500ml Bottle: Aroma of cherry, wood, caramel, funk, honey, slight acid, slight spices, and some cinnamon. Pours brown/red/amber in color with no head at all. Very hazy. Not sparkling. Heavily sweet flavor. Tastes of cherries, honey, spices, wood, cinnamon, and a hint of tobacco. Medium body. Thin, dry texture. No carbonation. Sweet, cherry, honey, and wood finish is lightly dry.

I did as recommended and drank this over ice. Pretty red color. Aroma of cherries cloves and cinnamon. Disappointing taste. Almost like a watered down cough syrup. I will pass on this next time.

Bottle - This beer looks dead--it just kind of sits there in your glass, stagnant, reddish-amber, and with no head to speak of. The aroma is much better--it smells like ripe, dark cherries, molasses, sugar, and vanilla. Yum. The first sip is smooth and syrupy, with lots of those dark cherries, oak, vinegar, and vanilla. Yeah, it was a bit sweet, and I certainly wouldn’t guzzle it, but I found myself wanting more. Next winter I’ll be sure to pick up another bottle.

Had this one chilled. Cork only made a small pop, like opening a wine bottle. Made only a few bubbles when poured. Pours a ruby red color. Aroma of tart cherries and clove. Flavors of cherries and cranberries with some clove and cinnamon. Medium body with zero carbonation. Interesting and different. To me this is like drinking fruit juice with alcohol.