Unibroue Quelque Chose

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

I had no idea what to expect from this, but I wanted to to try it because I really like Unibroue. The lack of carbonation is noticeable right away, as is the deep red, almost opaque color. The aroma is that of cherries, cider, spices, and port wine. The taste is sweet and sour, a bit like natural, unsweetened cherry juice with a strange winey finish. For me, it’s a little too glühwein-ish (and I love glühwein), but I like the taste. I haven’t tried it hot, not yet, but I will before I finish the bottle. It isn’t great, and it does remind me of a flat almost alcohol-free (the taste, anyway) lambic. Yes I know it was 8 percent but I don’t sense any alcohol at all, even on the finish. Maybe I’ve had too much 11 percent stuff lately. I like it, I’m glad I tried it, but I doubt I would buy it again. If I want this taste, I will stick to Kriek.

500ml bottle - Since I had the bottle to myself, I tried it both hot, on the rocks, and a few sips closer to room temperature. Especially when hot, it has a substantial aroma of tart cherries and spices. The flavor is sweet and tastes strongly of cherries (obviously) along with those spices (nutmeg, perhaps?). It’s medium bodied and has a tart cherry finish. I enjoyed this one, though the whole bottle for one person was a bit too much cherry. Share it.

Bottled. Thanks to thomat. Dark red colour with absolutely no foam at all. Laid back nose, yet yummy, with notes of stearine, raspberries and almonds. Very very tasty and smooth in mouthfeel. Big raspberry without being salivary. Sweet yes, but not too sweet. Soil and almonds contribute as well. Reminds me of Liefmans Kriek. Feels big, but no alcohol is sensed.

My thoughts of this beer didn’t evolve much past this "a cherry juice combined with Belgian yeast." The lack of carbonation really made it seem like nothing more than that. I have the sneaking feeling fruit beers aren’t for me (could maybe be the fact that I don’t enjoy much fruit) as this beer didn’t prove me wrong. I had Lindeman’s Framboise this past week, and now this, and I think I can say I’m done with fruit beers. I’ll stick with the chocolate/coffee ones.

Bottle 75 cl. Sampled both hot and cold. Great cherry character, spicy and sweet. Reminds you of glühkriek, sans the lambic of course. Great alternative to Swedish Glögg (although much more troublesome to find)

Bottle, 75 cl. Clear ruby colour with almost no head. Aroma of cherries, slightly synthetic like the less traditional krieks, also a hint of mint. Very sweet flavour, cherries, mint and some wood-like taste. Alcohol shines through a little bit.

in bottle. I love this beer!!!! At first all I tasted was cherries, but then as it warmed up the nuances emerged... roasted malt, a touch of chocolate, hops that add spice to the mid-palate. if ever there was a garnet-color beer, this is it. head is not much to speak of, but who cares with all those delicious cherries? While I think this is a perfect beer for any occasion, others might enjoy it in a smaller quantity as an apertif, with a nice chocolate dessert or cheese and crusty bread.

Bottled. Pours out in a clear dark red colour with small bubbly head. Spices, pepper, cherries and dried currant in the deep aroma. Cherries, bitter almonds, brown sugar, raisins and leaves in the flavour . Low carbonation. Quite sweet aftertaste of black cherries with a subtle acididty. A long but subtle bitterness back in the throat of bitter nuts and currant-peels. An interesting beer for sure, a bit sweet though. Could cellar a few of these.( BB. 2021.)