Unibroue Quelque Chose

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

Winey aroma. Tart, complicated, warm, vinegary. Utterly flat. Good mouthfeel, no cloying tart aftertaste. The vinegar and allspice put me in the mind of pickled peaches, or those bright red/green apple rings that come in jars. Unusual.

Drunk hot with family with desert on Thanksgiving. 2002 vintage. Poured with no head at all into a tea-cup. Massive aroma of cherries and cinnamon. Taste was very warming, strong alcohol kick, very wassail like, with a big cherry flavor and gentle spicing. Hardly tasted like beer, though very enjoyable and unique.

(Release 2002): The first glass at room temperature, just can’t bear the thought of ice at it advises, “On The Rocks”, the second glass will be mulled to the suggested temperature about 135 degrees or sipping hot.

(Room Temperature - Brandy Snifter): The pour a translucid cherry red color, absolutely no head and no lace to speak of? The smell of over ripe sweet cherries dominates the nose, quite sweet as one would imagine, spicy almost Wassail like in its spiciness, very pleasing to the senses. Extremely sweet and the essence of cherries predominant, top skimpy in feel, finish, dry and sweet, little or no carbonation, same for hops, tart and not bad, as I see it would make a great desert or even an aperitif.

(Mulled – Brandy Snifter): To me the difference is that it deepens the cherry sweetness and increases the tartness and the acidity also sharper, personally I like the “Mulled” better, as the flavors brighter and more impressive. Over all a pretty decent once a year type brew, or as a desert in its own right.

This beer indeed is the perfect christmas beer! Had it both warmed up and at room temperature and found it most interesting warmed up! Clear copper colored with no head. Lots of berries in the aroma along with christmas spices such as cinnamon and vanilla. Flavor is sweet and spicy and fruity with notes of cookies. Almost like drinking gløgg [mulled wine containing raisins and almonds]. Very interesting and different!

[254-20070407] 1pt9.4floz (w/ jerc). Sweet cherry and vanilla aroma. Deep red body with little or no head. Tart cherry flavour then becomes smooth. Medium boozy body. Great cherry fruit blending. (8/3/7/3/16) 3.7

[2359B-20090731] Bottle. Sweet floral syrup aroma. Slightly hazy, dark amber brown body with a quick foamy off-white head. Nice sweet syrupy flavour has a malty fruit plum sugar base and finishes long and sweet. Medium-full body. Smooth and tasty. (9/3/8/4/17) 4.1
(Vintage 2001; w/ others @ BCTC; Cooperstown, NY)

I’m taking the *mulled to "sipping hot" temperature* approach on this one. Maybe the entire nature of this beers varies wildy, based on the serving tempature. So it’s a risk. Here goes! Appearance: Deep (cherry) red in color and sporting almost zero carbonation. Perhaps we gained cherries upon cherries at the expense of the head, but them’s the breaks. Smell: Ripe cherries interspersed with a distinctive spiced aroma. Cinnamon and nutmeg come to mind ("coriander!" my friend AndoBrew bellows). Immediately after heating, it gives off some strong alcohol vapors that thankfully dissipate as the beer begins to cool somewhat. Taste: Quite warm right oughta the double boiler, so I took small, careful sips. Crawl before you can walk. Tart, acidic, and bursting with cherriness as your cheeks burst from the sourness. Occasionally, a cherry lollipop flavor emerges before return to the acidity. The spices are enduring in the flavor as well, with the cinnamon dominating. It suggests a hot cider. Mouthfeel: Medium-thin in body, with just the very, very faintest hint of carbonation. Not overly drying, but the acidic nature of this brew can be a bit puckering at times. Drinkability: Certainly fun to try and experiment with, but I was thankful to have my friend there to split the bottle with.

Can’t believe I haven’t gotten around to trying this before! Ended a wonderful night at Volo with this served perfectly warm (75 degrees) by Ralph, just as the Patio was starting to get chilly. Incredibly strong cinnamon and cherry aroma - more cherry as it cools. Very dark ruby red in the glass. Incredibly warm cherry taste. Hides alcohol very well. Stayed warm for the whole bottle as well. The perfect after dinner or dessert beverage and one of the finest unique drinking experiences I have ever had.

Bottle: Drank this at room temp and warmed. At room temp: Aroma is apple pie with some cinnamon. Don’t quite get the cherry I was expecting. Pours a transparent orangish-reddish-brown. Almost no head. Flavor is apple and cinnamon with a cherry tartness in the finish. Served warm: Apple pie aroma is intensified. Less of a head. More apple and less cherry tartness. Bitterness makes only a slight presence. Outstanding. Better warmed.