St. Ambroise Framboise

Deep amber in colour, long lasting off-white coloured head, good lacing. The aroma is of sweet raspberry jam, light grainy malts show up. The flavour is of very fresh raspberries, icing sugar, fruity (plums and grapes). Very sweet mouthfeel, medium/light body, medium carbonation. Finishes quite long, prickly carbonation, lots of sweet raspberries. This isn’t all that bad but I’m not sure if its worth the $6 that they charge for it.

341ml bottle from the <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/quebec/gatineau/march%E9-jovi/347.htm target=blank>Marché Jovi in Gatineau, Quebec.
Best before December 31, 2006.

A nice package and not a whole lot of raspberries and yes it was a unique summer ( okay fall ) time treat. Page 290 of Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide and only 199 of his 500 Classic Brews to go.

341 mL bottle from La Trappe à Fromage, served at cellar temp from a tulip glass. FE 23/07

App.: clear red-pink with brown hues (like oxidized cranberry juice), decent pinkish-tan head. Aroma: fresh, juicy raspberries, raspberry jam, some resinous and piney hops, peppery, kinda sharp and green. Palate: thick and syrupy, fine, soft carbonation. Flav.: raspberry jam, tart, fresh raspberries, a bit metallic, a touch bitter, raspberry aftertaste, a touch of malt (hints of caramel, and roasted characters).

Not spectacular, but decent beer for $3.

[bottle] Pours reddish brown color, with a short-lived pink head. Subtle fruit aroma. Tart, mildly acidic raspberry flavors mix with a somewhat weak malt background. Finish is very dry, with a touch of woodiness. Not really something I’d pick up again, even if it comes in a fancy box.

Slightly clouded red body topped by a short-lived pink head. Aroma of wood and raspberry pastry. Taste is better than expected although I should specify that I expected it to be bad. The advertised raspberries sit on top of crisp/crunchy malts. The fruity flavours are seedy more than juicy. Some tartness but less than expected for the style. Body is rather thin. Finish is surprisingly hoppy and its bitterness doesn’t work very well with the fruity acidity. Refreshing more boring than anything else. Almost $6 (tax incl) for a 341ml is way too much. It’s not the first time I pay $6 for a boring beer although usually there’s a stainless pole in the room.

Held up to the light it’s a deep red, with a tall frothy head. Aroma is strong but pleasant raspberry. Smooth feel with a tart berry finish. The best fruit beer I’ve had to date.

Bottle. Nice brown/ruby body topped with a lasting beige foamy head. Good malty/hoppy aroma with enjoyable raspberry notes. Taste is well balanced but lacks complexity. It ends with a decent sour finish. This is a quite honest fruit beer.

Big brown head, brown/red color. Strong raspberry aroma. Wheaty at the beginning, then heavy raspberry taste comes in that feels like syrup. Too sweet. Medium body. And well, the raspberry is there for the finish too.