Unibroue Quelque Chose

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

500 ml 2002 Vintage Holy cow. Huge and enormous thanks goes out to CB for hooking me up with this brew. What an experience. Firs off let me say that while this may not be one of most liked beers when compared to some others, I am scoring it high because I think it is so complex and unique, that it deserves no less. The finest fruit beer and one of the best I have ever had. Pours a dark and cloudy orangey/red body with a very thin and delicate beige head that rests just around the edges of the glass. Aromas are nutmed, cinnamon, floral, berry and finally faint cherries. Incredible. Taste is sweet. Nutmeg and cinnamon are up front, followed by a mild cheery-esque friut flavour blast. Aftertaste is long lasting bitterness and spices and fruit. Nice bite on the palate and I don’t know what else to say except wow. I envy those who have this available to them on a regular basis. I don’t think I could ask for more in a fruit beer. THANKS EMILY!

Pours dark red with no head. Aroma is very distinct of cherries and holiday spices. Before I read the tag that came on the bottle, I thought the aroma and flavor were very much like mulling spices. Lots of sourness and acidity from the cherries. Not bad, but not something I could have too much of.

bought a pint of this for Sunday. Nice dark read pour, wine like, with absolutely no head. Taste is overwhemingly smooth with Hedelfingen and Cavalier cherries. Very different, but cold, carried the same vibe as the Duchess, though not as offensive. Im sure mulled this stuff will be great. First glass I had was cold, and was easier to drink but less intense. Warmed up to room temperature gives you the entire experience. A pint is about all I could handle in a night as it’s so sweet!

Poured a clear dark red with a tiny white head that dissipated completely. Aroma is of cherries, alcohol, and a touch of cinnamon. Taste at room temperature is cherry sweetness with a large amount of tart acidity with a dry finish. Warming it up seems to triple the acidity, which makes it very difficult to drink. I can’t imagine how that’s supposed to make it better. It also enhances the cinnamon in the aroma, making it more reminiscent of cider. Having it on the rocks seems to have the opposite effect by enhancing the cherries and the sweetness. I wouldn’t recommend this beer be served hot, but at room temperature or cooler it is a tasty and refreshing cherry ale.

In the course of our travels, we came across a field of cherry trees. The trees were of such beauty;: full, red, airy, casting shadow and light in intricate patters; and the fruit of such fine taste: tart, vinuous, hints of cinnamon and red wine; that we decided to linger. The day grew warmer and our thoughts grew slower, until we succumbed to sleep, dreaming red dreams under cherry trees.

This has never been a favourite of mine. I’ve had it hot, cold, room temperature, and I just can’t bring myself to like it. It smells incredible, with an enticing sour cherry scent, and it is a fantastic looking dark beer. But the taste... I don’t know. Just too damn sour. It tastes off, even though I know that’s the way it’s supposed to taste.

Saturday AM its 30 f and the wind is blowing and this ratebeerian is trying to homebrew a Baltic porter in his garage. I would rinse my kettles in my drive and ice crystals would form instantly. I finally got the mash started and the process was starting to smooth out it was noon and I wanted a beer. I was freezing and I was going for the hot 2002 Quelque Chose. Per instructions I got out the double boiler and poured the bottle in the pan, it is a dark brown brew with no head, the cork was really shrunk up (a sign of age), I heated it up and poured into a coffee cup. It was virtually flat but as it was heated what little CO2 was in the beer expanded to form a creamy head. The aroma was gigantic the heat really brought it out, Cherry, Tobacco and faint allspice The cork had obviously added to the nose on this bottle. I loved it, my wife and daughters Thought the odor was a little musty and did not care for it. The taste was of tart cherries in a leather pouch along with cinnamon and cloves soaked in a nice Belgian brune, medium to light mouthfeel. The alcohol in the beer as you sipped gave almost a Vicks vapor rub kind of effect it really is for sipping on the ski slopes. I would like to try some fresh!

2002: Served piping hot. Like tart cherry pie in a glass. Warm, slightly sweet and slightly tart. Aroma is very lambic with yeast roughness, a spicy element and a twist of cherry. Pours fizzy. Smooth on the tongue and easy on the palate. Tastes a bit watered down. Quite pleasing and well worth the try. Actually better as it cools (can’t say that about very many beers).