Founders Rübæus - Founders Brewing Company

tectactoe

Michigan

4.19/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Rübæus pours a blood-red cranberry color, accented with some deeper crimson in the center. Exceptional clarity - very clean and sharp looking as it sits in the glass. It's capped with a pink-tinted cumulonimbus layer of foam that leaves back some chunky pieces of lacing and is very slow to digress into a skin. A very elegant looking beer.

Raspberries done right. Very fresh and vibrant, rather than chalky, artificial, or medicinal, much like Founders' other fruit beer, Cerise. This smells like freshly crushed raspberries, reduced and puréed. Aside from a faint, dry malt undertone in the finish, the aroma is all raspberries... It isn't exactly "complex", but the fruit is done extremely well, and it smells great. So juicy, lightly sweet, and plentiful.

"Raspberry juice" is the first thing to come to mind when I take a sip. Soft and sweet with a light residual sweetness backing up the explosion of raspberry flavors. A mild tartness just tingles the back of the tongue but stays far from the realm of "sour". The sweetness is very controlled and apparent all at once - very juicy and jam like in the finish. Raspberries as far as the palate can taste.

The only other things I can possibly identify other than raspberry spin-offs would be some very light, dry grassy notes, but even then, I may just be reaching for something else. Otherwise, this beer is dominated by raspberries, up and down. Again, not the most complex or revealing beer out there, but who needs complexity when your raspberries taste this good? The mouth feel is thin-medium and kind of slick and oily with medium-high carbonation and a nice snap.

Awesome fruit beer. Much, much better than its "sister" beer, Cerise. The difference is the fresh and pure aroma and taste of the raspberries here, as opposed to the slightly artificial and medicinal notes from the cherries in Cerise. Refreshing and easy-going, drinks more like a wine cooler than a beer, but it tastes great and I love raspberries, so I don't care. I'd love to see Founders make this an "every year" specialty.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 11:33:10 | More by tectactoe

bobbyr5

Michigan

4.4/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: The color looked pretty damn good with a dark red color with a pink head.

S: obviously raspberry.

T: Not too sweet, good crisp/sharp raspberry taste.

M: Good carbonation you normally get from a fruit beer.

O: Haven't tried enough "good" fruit beers but I had to try this since it was from Founders and has received some buzz around where I live.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 05:51:04 | More by bobbyr5

camil1mj

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

So glad they brought this one back. Blushing Monk Junior.

A: Deep reddish-purple. Some white head.

S: Explosive fresh raspberries.

T: Sweet raspberry taste. Alcoholic raspberry juice. Better than Raspberry Tart.

M: Medium body. Well carbonated.

O: Hoping to stock up before this one is gone. So great!

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 00:30:49 | More by camil1mj

womencantsail

California

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The pour is amber in color with a finger of white head. A very sweet fruit aroma to this, as expected. Lots of raspberry with maybe a touch of cherry to it as well. Not much else going on. The flavor is sweet with notes of sugar and raspberry. Maybe just a little bit of lemon in there, too.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 15:57:04 | More by womencantsail

Duff27

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Hazy red-pink body with a short-lived white head on top. Not much lacing if at all.

S- Candied raspberries. Like the smell a lot.

T- Raspberry soda pop! Very different. Somewhat tart. Flavor shows some age/oxidation but still drinkable.

M- Medium mouthfeel. Carbonation is a little low due to age.

D/O- Held up pretty well. Would drink again but don't know how much longer this will still taste good. Per usual, I'm bless I live so close to new Glarus as no other fruit beers come close. Thanks for the cellar save TATURBO.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 21:10:09 | More by Duff27

jcurtis55

Indiana

3.63/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aroma is definitely raspberries, but the taste came across as a nice balance of raspberries and malt. I did not find this to be too syrupy at all although there is more than a hint of the berries in the taste. Still, finishes somewhat dry and tart. Excellent fruit beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 00:17:20 | More by jcurtis55

Bendurgin

Maine

3.85/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I got this as an extra in a recent trade. Poured into a tulip. The color on this is really nice; a hazy red that reminds me of grapefruit juice. No head on this but it still has a solid body that looks terrific. The smell is shockingly enough full of raspberries. Sweet and tart raspberries, this is fun to smell! The taste is slightly tart raspberries to start and a nice subtly sweet finish. Very nice. The mouthfeel is light and this is a great beer for sipping on. Easy to drink and will be missed.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2010 18:17:26 | More by Bendurgin

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appears a clouded yeast ridden suspension tone pink tinged with a large foamy pink head. Looks a bit like Raspberry Jame in color. Thin lace sticks sporadically around my pint glass. Aroma has strong raspberry puree' not overly candy, but it has a nice earthy mix that goes really well tegether, even a bit of raspberry seed. Flavors toss in tart raspberry slurry touch of alcohol presence with realy natural semi swee fruit juice notes, again it's hard to deny the earthy raspberry seed coming through. Mouthfeel is medium bodied crisply carbonated with an assertive sparking raspberry wine dryness left behind on the palate, not syrupy or overly sweet at any time, a killer fruit ale. Drinkability is solid all around strudy alcohol stands up to the earthy fruit sweetness a surprisingly pleasant experience in my glass.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2010 19:32:06 | More by WVbeergeek

levifunk

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

had this and blushing monk next to each other.

a - rich red color. cloudy white head.

s - smell is of sweet raspberry candy and a bit of tartness.

t - sour tartness on the sides, but sweet down the middle. its got afunky flavor I can't place. Much more fruity than Cerise. some slight bitterness.

m - medium body. good carbonation. somewhat of a syrupy feel.

overall - very tasty and way better than cerise.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2010 21:07:37 | More by levifunk

aasher

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I grabbed the last four pack the store I work at had. The four pack is at least three years old.

Appearance: pours light, is a light crimson in color, off white head with hints of pink in the foam, translucent and not very cloudy

Smell: smells great, of tart raspberries, light and crisp, not very sweet. smells just like a raspberry tart.

Taste: tastes of tart raspberries and is not overly sweet, slightly malty, is dry and appealing, delicious. it tastes like a raspberry tart.

Mouthfeel: very light bodied, very crisp and well carbonated

Drinkability: extremely drinkable. I've had this beer before but this is top notch aged. I'd greatly recommend grabbing a bottle from someone if any remain. It's too bad this is retired.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2010 17:04:52 | More by aasher

PEBKAC

New York

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Last bottle folks. Stored in the fridge since I heard the news.

Poured into my usual Ommegang anniversary glass. Half sea foam, half strawberry puree. It settles a touch, but is still quite cloudy.

Smell is still big on raspberries. Not as bright as before, but still very juicy & somewhat sharp. Enough fruit to negate almost anything else except the acid shriveling my tongue.

Tart raspberries & just a little soft strawberry-ish sweetness. Wafer-ish malt & slight oxidation. Jammy, but not enough to alter the texture. Cherry pit bitterness in the finish. Still very good.

Feel was a touch hairy, & the carbonation was big. A sour bite has arrived, but that is sort of welcomed. Alcohol is muted by the acidic nature of the beer.

Cerise? What is this crap?!

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 05:13:10 | More by PEBKAC

portia99

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle I've been holding on to...poured into a Dogfish Head signature glass.

A - Pours practically a cranberry juice pinkish red color - crystal clear with a thin, uneven cap of white foam...more a collar than a layer on the surface...just some straggling islands sitting on the surface of the beer.

S - Fresh raspberries waft up from the glass with an intensity every bit equal to that of a New Glarus Raspberry Tart (the benchmark for raspberry beers, in my opinion). Not much else comes thru (nor does it need it), maybe just the slightest hint of sweet malt, but pretty much inconsequential. Not very complex, but if you like raspberry, you will not be disappointed...I know I'm not.

T - Taste is of raspberries (shocking) with a dull, somewhat off-tasting malt (wheat?) backing. The raspberry is way up front and as the beer flows over my tongue, I expect a sweet finish, but instead I get a somewhat dry and definitely grainy, and a bit off finish. Can't quite place the flaw here, but thinking probably oxidation with some wet cardboard, a dull, lifeless bitterness and an old grainy flavor too. To be fair, I don't know when this was brewed/bottled... nothing on the bottle. It is a screwtop and at least a year old (as this was discontinued). I seem to remember a better tasting experience when fresher, but this is what you can expect now from this one). Still probably quite good to the raspberry lovers out there, but the age is definitely showing itself here a bit.

M - Thin and a bit on the watery side. Carbonation is medium...just a bit on the tingly side. A somewhat unusual alcohol inhale...seems to be a combination of the raspberry and the alcohol - gives a weird, dry and somewhat stale feeling in the mouth.

D - Think this is a bit past its prime...definitely some age on it...at a guaranteed year on it. Definitely has its merits still, but has seen better days. I will continue to have my last couple periodically thru the summer and still enjoy them, but I know I waited too long on these and missed out on a better experience with these. Oh well...only so much you can drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2010 00:43:01 | More by portia99

tpd975

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a reddish pink with a small white head. No real retention or lace noted.

S: Aromas of light raspberry, candy sugar, and pale malts.

T: Raspberry for sure not sweet not tart, just somewhere in between. Light malts with hints of caramel sweetness.

M: On the lighter side of body, peppy carbonation.

D: Not bad, just not a favorite of mine.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2010 23:36:45 | More by tpd975

hwwty4

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to jtrockchalk for cleaning out his cellar. Thats how this 2 year old puppy came into my hands.

Poured a 12oz bottle into Fling Saucer globe. I guess this has been discontinued for a while but since I wont have the opportunity to try this again, I figured I would give it a review. This beer pours a mashed raspberry red with a decent 2 inch head that leaves just a little bit of lacing. From the reviews I've read before, the aroma has kind of dwindled off. Crush sweet raspberries with a little bit of pilsner malt. That's all that really comes through. The flavor is much the same. Crushed sweet raspberries mixed with a light malt flavor. Just a slight hint of oxidization which is a bit surprising because most of the older twist top Founders bottles I've had have a heavy layer of cardboard. The mouthfeel is light leaving a lingering raspberry on the palate. Over all this is a good beer. I would have like to have it fresh.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2010 03:41:15 | More by hwwty4

Bellabananas

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Probably the last time I will ever drink this! I tried this when it was still part of the line-up and fell in love. I nearly cried when it was discontinued. So obviously this bottle is past its prime...
A-Darker pink tone, nice fluffy white head.
S-Lovely waft of raspberries, at this point a slight hint of funk
T-slight sweetness, I seem to recall it tasting better and with more clarity in taste when it was fresh. Taste is now flat with some sweetness.
M- Carbonation doesn't come across in the taste anymore, very flat and one dimensional. I remember it being sweet and glorious a year and a half ago though!
D-This would be so easy to drink glass after glass of, and if it was still around I probably would!

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2010 23:15:16 | More by Bellabananas

techfed87

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a well sized, rosy head to it.

Smells heavily of sweet, tart raspberries, almost on par with a lambic. However, unlike a lambic, this has a bit more bitterness to the after taste. That being said, this is a sweet, sweet beer. In essence, it is fermented raspberries in a bottle.

It does seem to be somewhat one dimensional in that regard. However as a semi-lambic, I'm more than comfortable with that title.

If you're into a sweeter beer, this one is definitely for you. Double if you're a fan of raspberries.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2010 03:05:46 | More by techfed87

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.85/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Courtesy of capra12 via a 9AM 3 hour beer run to Philly from NY. Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a Surly pint glass.

A: Vigorous pour yields a .5 finger head with bad retention. Brew is a clear bright red. Lacing is stringy but surprisingly ample.

S: Simple and clean. Raspberries. Juicy (as in ripe and as in "smells like juice"). There's also a subtle and weird apricot somewhere in there.

T: Opens sweet with a nice subtle tartness. A bit rough around the edges at times with a slight bitterness like when you bite into a seed. Raspberries are very prominent and dominate the rest of the flavors but its nicely balanced.

M: Light to medium bodied, slightly coarse and rather carbonated. Watery and finish is messy with a sweet tartness that linger a bit.

D: I like this one for its simplicity and the body makes it more drinkable than it should be. However, I wouldn't go out of my way for this one because of lack of complexity and character.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2010 03:53:45 | More by SpeedwayJim

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I'm a huge fan of Founders, and I even have their t-shirt on thanks to kkipple. I bought this beer though.

A: Light fluffy head that fades quickly like a good sour bottle conditioned beer. Dark and bright rosy reddish pink and hazy color.

N: Nose is raspberry! Some sweet syrup aromas, and the slightest crisp ale aromas, but almost like a raspberry juicy aroma.

T: Starts with a slightly sweet syrup and tons of raspberry. It's got a thick syrup but not too much with sweetness. Again the slightest crisp ale flavor. The raspberry just takes over everything. A slight bitterness. Not much for sour, wild, funky, anything that would give this a beer like taste, or a lambic like beer, instead its just lots of fruit juice.

M: Slight thickness and lots of carbonation.

F: Slightly bitter, and dries off a bit, but mostly still the raspberry juice. This is not a beer, its a fermented raspberry juice. This might be great for some people, especially a feminine beer, but the complete lack of any real beer qualities makes this not reach anywhere near my top beers. I wish I only got 1 instead of a 4 pack.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2010 02:35:01 | More by jlindros

capra12

New York

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed solo @ home poured into a tall wine glass.

Appearance: strawberry red with a hint of light brown, 1/2 finger of head.

Smell: freshly squeezed sour rasberries with a hint of funk.

Taste: opens with a definite rasberry tart. Joining the flavor profile is a malty and slightly funky profile that carries into the finish and aftertaste. The rasberry in this is a real lingerer.ha

Mouthfeel: light bodied with moderate carbonation, and pungent, slightly drying as it warms.

Drinkability: I would have this again, and recommend this to all craft drinkers alike that want to enjoy an ale full of rasberries with a funky tartness that doesn't overpower the but isn't underwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2010 19:23:29 | More by capra12

homebrew311

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Received in trade with Potia99- thanks! Was sad to see this beer retired in favor of Cerise... I wonder how its holding up after a year or so...

A: pours a brilliant reddish pink with a nice bone white head. Leaves very sticky lacing in glass.

S: the raspberry hasn't faded as much as I may have expected. The fruit character is pretty much all I get on the nose with some subtle bready malts coming through on the end

T: the raspberries taste much tarter than the nose would suggest. Flavor no longer lives up to the aroma as I recall from previous tastings of this beer. The mid palate has kind of a funky sourness which seems to be a result of the age on this beer. There is nothing bad or offensive in the flavor, but it seems that this beer has lost the wow factor it once had.

MF: lighter carbonation than I'm used to with fruited beers with a medium body

D: This beer is a nice refreshing fruit beer. I enjoy fruit beers when they are done well, and this is an example of one. I find Rubaeus to be much better than Cerise and wish Founders would brew this one again. It seems to have held up pretty well with age considering its style.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2009 02:05:44 | More by homebrew311

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a deleted review from the great crash of '09

Pours a purpley brown color, moderate khaki/pink head and decent lacing. Smell is of tart raspberries with a cereal grain background. Taste follows scent with delicious tart raspberries and a nice cereal grain backbone. Medium bodied, sligltly syrupy but not overly coating and no major aftertaste. Good carbonation for an older bottle. Great fruit beer from Founders, one of the best. Would love to taste a fresh one if ever produced again.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2009 03:46:08 | More by rfgetz

beertooth

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is probably the last bottle of this I'll ever drink. Not because I don't like it, but because they haven't made it in a long time and won't brew it ever again.

12oz bottle poured into a goblet.

This beer is the color of overly ripe watermelon with a thin layer of white head that forms an even thinner collar around the glass.

The nose is raspberries, a little hay, oxidized malts, and some grassy elements. This beer has been aged for quite some time and it had a much more juicy raspberry nose when fresh.

The first sip follows the nose, but much less tart than I thought. Very sweet, sort of dusty malts and mild berries. Hay, grass, a little bit of alcohol hits me as well. The finish is a little tart and last until the next sip.

Mouthfeel is sort of thin with mild carbonation.

I'm sad to see it go, but this beer has seen better days.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2009 02:30:25 | More by beertooth

craytonic

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: ruby-purple pour with a bit of pink head.

Smell: Aroma of thin raspberries, bit of sweetness

Taste: Raspberries, similar to the aroma. Very sweet, with a bit of sour mixed in for good measure.

Mouthfeel: A bit thin

Drinkability: Fun to try, not sure why one would ever want a second helping.

*NB: A bit watery, stick with blushing monk. However, it does come through that they used real raspberries, which tend to be quite expensive, as opposed to artificial flavor and corn syrup.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2009 23:10:18 | More by craytonic

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very dark ruby red color with dark cherry red hues when held to a light source and a 2 finger foamy off-white head with a slightly pink tinge. Decent retention, slowly fading into a lasting ring with minimal lacing.

Aroma is dominated by raspberries with a bit of an artificial syrupy presence as well as a tart funky note.

Sour and tart but not too puckering that nicely balance out the sweetness of the raspberries and syrupy fruit flavor. This sweetness is still the dominant flavor but without the slight tart feel it would be a bit overbearing.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2009 23:07:00 | More by corby112

BigAl723

Michigan

4.72/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I purchased this beer as a single bottle at my local market.

A: This is one wicked good looking beer. You would have to be careful with this stuff around kids. They could mistake it for a cup of juice. It's light pink with a beautiful ruby red that's second to none. Not much of a head but the color alone makes up for it.

S: Very bitter and tart. Raspberries!!! And lots of them! This is the definition of a fruit beer. The sweetness makes me just want to dive in get a taste.

T: This a true gem from Founders. The taste resembles the smell a lot. Raspberries and tartness. I'm not a huge fruit beer fan but there's something about the taste of this Rübæus that keeps me taking frequent sips.

M: Light and not too tart. Carbonation seems to be just about right.

D: Very drinkable. It's basically like fruit juice with alcohol. And a decent amount to boot.

Overall I really dig Rübæus. It was the first fruit beer I ever tried and unfortunately it will be no more very soon. I will continue to search for however much is left on planet Earth. Thank you Founders for the good memories!

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2009 04:36:07 | More by BigAl723