Unibroue Quelque Chose

Deep amber body with a very little head; Very fruity sweet cherry spiced nose, a very little oxidized; Medium sized fruity acid sweet balanced body; Long intense spicy cherry finish.

Quelque Chose comes in a 750ml corked bottle. When I popped her cork, there was very little evidence of carbonation, but that is not unusual for this particular beer. She poured a dark red-brown with tinges of amber light glinting through along the edges of her glass. Almost murky in its browns and reds, but in a good way. The nose speaks of elegant ripe cherries, sour cranberries, and a tinge of graham cracker crust. I am reminded of the canned dark cherries I used to eat as a child. Not overly sweet in the nose, sour notes keep Quelque Chose from being cloying. Her body is smooth and sweet up front with the crisp puckering sour notes coming in a close second. She is not super sour like some other sour beers, but instead a pleasant compliment to the sweet cherry notes. Faint hints of vanilla and cinnamon can be found in the warm spices. Quelque chose has a full mouthfeel, though overall I didn’t find her to be a heavy beer. A good balance of depth and weight. I imagine she may be more viscous and heavier when warm, though the opposite may be true. A hint of fresh cranberries near the finish which remind me of a tart. Quelque Chose finishes not with a bang, but a smooth caress of sweet canned cherries, sour cranberries, and spice.
Quelque Chose is meant to be drunk hot, though I partook of mine this time cool. I am looking forward to picking up another bottle and enjoying her ripe cherry depths and addictive sour notes warm instead.

My first bottle I drank cold in July ’04, and enjoyed. I remember a weak head, but took no notes. Tried my second bottle (now retired) in Dec. ’07, heated. Served at Volo Cafe, apparently heated by placing the open bottle in a boiling pot of water until steaming hot. The cherry aroma was fairly strong. I tasted dark cherry leading to cinnamon. So strange to sip a steaming hot beer like warm cider! It was perfect on an icy day in Toronto, wiping slush from my boots, and one of the most unique beer experiences I’ve had. If only they’d start brewing this one again.

Pours reddish brown with no head. Aroma is strong of cherries, grapes, with a bit of sweet malt and caramel. Flavor is quite sweet of cherries, caramel and a slightly tart finish. Quite fruity- all the flavors work well here in combination. Palate is smooth and lacking carbonation. Amazingly balanced and flavorful.

Presentation: It was poured from a corked and caged 750ml bottle into a pint glass. It has a hazy, reddish brown colored body with almost no head at all. There were just a few small, light tan bubbles around the sides of the glass. The aroma is light with a modest tea like herbal hops and chopped up fresh cherries in the nose. The flavor has a mix of sweet, sour and tangy fruits and spices that reminds me off mincemeat pie filling with a warming brandy flavor note. Hop flavor is mild and herbal. All these flavors mix and mingle nicely on the tongue within a smooth and slightly sticky full body. This beer has a very deep interesting flavor and a wonderful full body that made for a nice slow sipping after dinner treat.