Unibroue Quelque Chose

Limited Edition bottle 2002. Pours a hazy brown with ruby hues. No head whatsoever, and very small microscopic carbonation bubbles. Hmmm. Now to the aroma, sugary cherries, cinnamon, and malt. Heavy flavor of cherries (little tartness), apple juice, and cinnamon. I doubt there are any hops in this beer. The sweetness is at its limits, anymore and it’s overdone. The finish is sweet and slightly sticky. You can’t feel any carbonation. In general, this tastes like a spiced holiday sweet cider, not a beer. Maybe why that’s the label says you can drink it on ice, heated up, or like a beer. For what it is, I like it alot. But I would have to be in the right mood for this to drink again. Is this really a beer? Heck, I think my mom would drink this.

Oi,oi,oi, what happened! A mad fan from way back of the wonderfully unique Liefman’s Glühkriek and under the impression Riva assisted with the creation of this one, I’m amazed this rates higher. The Liefman’s child has a slight acidity and zing to the palate with a rounded deep and complex fruit aroma and flavour whereas this just seemed content for monotone at room temperature and only just excites warm.<!-- br -->
A 2002 (room temp.); pours an oily looking ’tawny-port’ red that grips a slick, glossy film to the glass as it swished around. Aroma initially has ripe cherries but it quickly dwindles to show it’s true character in a very savoury, aged mix of fruit; quite dry like my grandma’s famous fruit cake mix just prior to adding the dough. There is just a nibble of spice with a late addition of dry oak, almonds and sherry. In the mouth it seems thin and just a little lifeless (not the carbonation, the overall effect). Just a small residual effervescence is present on the tip of the tongue but after that its slightly oily and dull. Flavour is medicinal, vinous, and the fruit flavours seem reminiscent more of over-ripe apples with just a touch of refermented cherry juice. Spices like nutmeg and cinnamon tickle the mid-palate before it slips off oily and shows a light depth of that same ’old’ fruit for some length. Holds the alcohol amazingly well with it slowly creeping up on me like a fine ’burnt wine’ (brandy). Not exciting like I hoped. <!-- br -->
2002 (70ºC); pours the same but with winter unseasonably upon us steam rose atop the oily port body. Aroma is piercing now, pungent yet controlled but still wavering around those fallen cherry tones with a touch of baked apple and cinnamon. In the mouth it seems an elixir I might use for ridding myself a cold. Tangy, with more warmth present from the alcohol or is that just the heat. Flavour is very similar as at room temperature with apples ruling where cherries should be and the spice is just lost in the alcohol tingle. Even warm it is quite simple and lacks what the Glühkriek should be famed for. Just needs more complexity, or is it artisanal aide!?! <!-- br -->
Overall, not bad, but I expected more. (both 50cL corked, 08/08/02, Int’l Beer Shop, W. Leederville)

Aroma: cherries, apples, cinnamon, vitamins/health food store <!-- br --> Appearance: golden, uncarbonated <!-- br --> Flavor: tart cherries, sourness, apples, cinnamon, and vitamins/health food store <!-- br --> Palate: slightly sour, tart cherry and vitamin aftertaste <!-- br --> Overall: it grows on me

Looks a bit like apple juice, fairly small head. Smelled pretty good, full of apples, cinnamon, maple and sweet honey. Texture was quite light, a bit thin, but the taste of dark cherries and slightly sweet honey is pretty good.

I first tried a glass of this as recommended hot. I did not like. I preferred it cold. Very rich in cherry flavour, a little too fruity for a beer in my opinion, much more like a cider. Otherwise a fine drink.

Tastes a bit like cherry cider. Tart and sour. Good bit of apple flavor on top of the cherry. Somewhat musty. Pretty good amount of spices, including nutmeg and cinnamon. Not sure why they chose to bottle it still. Hardly resembles a beer, but is still a tasty beverage.

2 Bottles sampled with Stegosaurus, and i have cellared 3 also. Poured a bronze/ reddish copper color, good smell of cherries and alcohol. Flavor is sweet, not tart at all, smooth excellent.

Bottle. Dark, red color, nice whitish head. Lovely cherry aroma. Very flavorful, stong cherries, yeast and a very warming alcohol afterburn. Drank it moderately cold (I can’t drink hot beer either, after having hot pilsners in Germany!).