Unibroue Quelque Chose

Brewed by Unibroue (Sapporo)
Style: Fruit Beer
Chambly, Canada

BB 07-21. Pours a fairly clear, flat, cranberry color with a very small, white, frothy head which is nearly all diminishing and leaves minimal lace. Heated, the head grows to an average, frothy, creamy, cream-colored, mostly lasting head leaving tight frothy lace. The nose at cellar temperature is spicy with cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, black cherries, and subtle hints at vanilla and doughy yeast. The hot nose is similar but the cinnamon notes are dominant and spicy enough to tingle the nose and the cherry notes are like warm bing cherries from a hot cherry pie; other minor notes of honey and vanilla. The flavor from the cellar temperature is dull and uninviting with mainly notes of black cherry juice with minor spicing; almost medicinal. Hot is quite nice and much more inviting; it’s almost like drinking a cherry cider with a cinnamon stick. Flavor start with some overripe cherries and cinnamon and progresses to include lighter notes of honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and maybe some hints at some earthy, woody notes. Palate is mostly full, syrupy, and flat, which would be horrible in a beer served cool but not all bad in a hot beer. Finishes with some medicinal qualities and a some lightly bitter, earthy tea notes to round out the cinnamon and cherry syrup notes. Certainly a beer best served hot, in small quanities, and on cold nights. Certainly something unique and unlike beers served at cooler temperatures but the slightly medicinal qualities and the syrupy texture stopped it from being great. Fun and interesting to try with some friends on a winter night.

Foam Rangers tasting. No notes on appearance or aroma, but I do remember cherry on the nose. Flavor is big time cherry with malts and some spicy tartness. This was served at room temp, but I’ve heard of others warming it up in the winter and having as you would a cider. I’ll have to try that for fun with my bottle next winter.

750ml bottle from BevMo. Very interesting brew - it’s hard to imagine that this is a beer at all, but it tastes very good nonetheless. This ale would go really nice with cheese and crackers. Overwhelming cherry flavor, with a perfect bit of tartness. No head on a red body. Smells strongly of spicy cherries. Drank at room temperature.

Richmond Industry Gathering 2007. Clear red body with an off-white head. Sweet cherry aroma with some caramel hints. Sweet cherry flavor and more caramel.

Color is a kind of ruby or some red jewel. Pungent, tart and soothing if drunk warm. Little carbonatation makes it feel like an old wine. Is perfect for special moments. I think about it as the champange of the beers. Cork helps in this.

Clear vermilion in color, Quelque Chose lights up with fiery orange highlights, passionate but devoid of any froth. Perky, the aroma conveys its intent, a warming beverage for the winter months, keenly expressing the brumal flavors. Spices are the cynosure, a pumpkin pie blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, clove and allspice. Cherries are explicit too, sometimes candy-like but plenty of fruit is apparent. Brown sugar, speculoos, wild strawberry and a remarkable hint of smokiness add beautiful layers of complexity. Slight whiffs of alcohol enhance the experience, implying the solicited warmth. The carbonation is subdued, enjoyably so, and the evident sweetness is never cloying. Cherry candy, an almost Swedish Fishy experience is at the forefront. The spices are insinuated, and take on a minty piny Ricola effect. Honey, pear and subtle sourness are pleasant. I fear I might be under the sugar’s charm. This 2002 bottle is well aged showing excellent balance and complexity, but I might have spoken too soon, Quelque Chose might be just a little too sweet. (13/04/2007)

16.9 oz bottle, 2002. Murky brown with maroon edges and a few bubbles. Nose is cherry with wood and a touch of vanilla. No carb, body a bit syrupy but thin. Taste is of course cherry but muted with more candi than fruit. Vinous hints, maple, lightly tart. Faded but curious.

750 ml pours burnt reddish brown. no head. strong aromas of tart cherries and juicy cranberries. there’s even a faint ketchup smell, but it’s oddly pleasant. The cherries in the aroma come through as cherry/boysenberry syrup. the taste has a mere hint of carbonation, and a big taste of a red fruit blend...strawberry puree, cranberry and cherry juice, and back palate of a cherry pit blended with toasted nutty wood barrels. the palate is smooth, fruity, and clean. it’s a beer that should most definitely be placed in its own category.