Founders Rübæus - Founders Brewing Company

jwc215

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours pinkish red with a thin pink head that becomes a white creamy cover leaving some trailing lace sliding down the glass.

The smell is of raspberries - real - not "artificial syrup" as many Am. fruit beers have. There is a tartness/sourness, caramelish maltiness and a touch of earthy bitterness. It smells like a nice beer with fresh raspberries.

The taste is of raspberries - again, real - not the artificial syrup-like fruitiness - with light tart/sour and a bitterish dryness in the finish. There's a slight alcohol warmth.

It is on the fuller side of light-bodied. The carbonation is light to begin with but hits towards mild/moderate as it progresses.

It's no "lambic", IMO, but better than the typical syrupy American fruit wheat beers. It comes in a four-pack at the same price as six-packs of other styles from this brewery. While it didn't particularly excite me, it's nice that it held it's true fruitiness.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2008 21:48:51 | More by jwc215

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a clean reddih/ orange color with a light pinkish head. In the aroma, a small tart raspberry fruitiness. In the taste, small tart, and small raspberry fruitiness, yet quite clean. A smooth and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a dry, small raspberry aftertaste. Kind of faint flavors, and a nice small tartness, ok, but expecting more flavor.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2008 14:53:25 | More by OWSLEY069

kmeves

Wisconsin

3.6/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light red with a tiny white head. Aroma is tart raspberries, grass and some dough. Flavor is wonderfully tart and somewhat grainy. Finishes short and tart. Light to medium bodied, sticky texture. One of the better fruit beers I have enjoyed in recent years.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2008 18:42:28 | More by kmeves

Mgrad92

Michigan

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

This brew poured almost flat, but tasting revealed a light carbonation upon drinking. The color was a very nice raspberry tinted amber. Just what you might expect from this kind of brew.
The taste was much better than most fruit beers I've experienced. The hop profile actually made itself known, but the raspberries were not hiding behind them. Overall it was a nice balance between fruit and beer.
The body was light, but since I don't know the underlying beer for this brew, it's hard to say if they hit the mark here. All I will say is that it was very refreshing and drinkable. I could have a few of these on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2008 16:32:59 | More by Mgrad92

engisch

New Jersey

1.93/5  rDev -50.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

I usually really enjoy drinking Founder's brews. This is the first exception. I have seen this in 4-packs all over the place, and I have been meaning to pick one up, but this was the first time I have seen it on tap (at the Tally Ho in Bethlehem, PA). So I order one.

Watching the bartender pour I immediately notice this beer has an almost unnatural red tint to it. It holds almost no head, but it still looks a little promising. As he places it down in front of me I am overloaded with raspberry smells. It is nice as an air freshener, but I am now concerned. I take a sip and immediately identify the "fake" taste of sour raspberries. It is missing much of the character that Founder's usually has from its selection of hops and malts. I couldn't finish this, as it reminded me of raspberry pucker. Somewhere someone probably really likes this brew, but it was way too sweet for me.

Sorry Founder's, but this seems like you tried too hard and failed. I will never have this again. I'll still have other Founder's brews because of there fairly good track record with me.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2008 14:45:54 | More by engisch

Billolick

New York

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ouncer, twist top, no freshness/brewing date info. Pours quite low carbonation , next to no head sticking around and then zip lace. Lovely raspberry nose, fresh and fruity. Fine quality fruit beer, raspberries up front, middle and through the long tasty finish. Tart/sour/sweet all going on and dancing with each other. Nice summer refresher. I'd like to try it with a fruity light dessert, would make a nice beer to do a before meal toast with, instead of champagne.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2008 21:04:22 | More by Billolick

drxandy

Michigan

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz to standard pint, pours a bright red/slight pink shade, head fades to nice lacing.

smells of sweet raspberries, slight malts, bitter cotton candy

tastes of raspberries! malty alcohol, as drinking continues the alc presence is less noticable and becomes more of a sweet raspberry nectar, sourness, malts compliment nicely, bitter, tart, nicely done - blushing monk is even better!

mouthfeel is light, sweet, crisp, easy drinking for a high abv of this style

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2008 14:56:14 | More by drxandy

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Poured a pink grapefruit color that appeared much darker in the glass of ruby-orange. The head was eggshell white in color, thin, bubbly, with pink hues. Upon closer inspection there was a big haze and turbidity nature to the beer with a few floaties to be seen.

S: Tart, fruity raspberries and some sugary sweetness combine to produce a soft, perfumy aroma.

T: sugary sweet raspberries. Very fruity and sweet overall. Wish I had more to say and elaborate on but that was pretty much it in a nutshell.

M The mouthful was medium, oily with almost no carbonation detected, while it left a tart berry tang behind on the swallow.

D: Overall it was overbearingly sweet at times and hard to imagine putting more then one of these down at a time. A six pack may last awhile and may be a bit much as don't see this beer having much redrinking value.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2008 13:38:48 | More by beerthulhu

AlexJ

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A sloppy pour yields two incehes of pale pink foam resting atop a lightly hazed diluted purple brew. The head falls quickly, leaving light lace.

Nose is soft, sweet and tart berries with a light toffee and husky grain note.

Flavor opens with semisweet fresh raspberry and orchard fruit. Not as sweet as expected, which is a nice thing in this case. It has a decent honey and caramel malt character complimented by earthy and herbal hops in the finish. Unique.

Mouthfeel is lush and creamy with a slick texture and good drinkability for a fruity beer. Complex enough to keep you interested and refreshing. Didn't even realize this was almost 7% until I looked here on BA!

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2008 21:53:55 | More by AlexJ

Chinon01

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is a beautiful cranberry color with a foamy head. The nose is dominated by raspberries and a hint of funk. The taste is a gush of raspberries with a twang and a bit of tartness. The mouthfeel and drinkability are both highly informed by the thirst quenching tartness and acidity. A really wonderful beer. Could have drank several.

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2008 01:15:26 | More by Chinon01

GClarkage

California

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

08/07/08- Purcahsed at Chuck's Wines and Spirtis in Chagrin Falls, OH.

Presentation- 12oz bottle with no freshness info. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

Appearance- Raspberry puree in color. 1/4 inch head at most forms and quickly evaporates. No real lace traces to speak of.

Smell- Reminds me of a nice fresh raspberry field. Not to sugary in the nose.

Taste- Not like the lambic style I was thinking it would be. This one has a quick dash of sweetness followed by a very slight tartness that comes in after the swallow. This one also has a nice malt base and even some hops that jump in the mix. Raspberry flavor is very fresh.

Mouthfeel- Medium carbonation, not a huge lasting aftertaste.

Drinkability- Worth trying for sure. Don't expect Lindemann's, but it's still got enough sweetness to almost be considered a lambic. Quite good.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2008 16:02:52 | More by GClarkage

kinger

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

No doubt that this is a raspberry brew wooo this is tart, sweet, and nice. Poured into a merlot glass, color is a light mahagony with an enormous carbonated head that is a lighter shade of red. Dark sediment collects at the bottom indicating the use of real raspberries. Aroma is a strong tangy scent of raspberries and sugar. The taste is just what I was anticipating real fruity with just enough alcohol presence from the malt and fruit to remind me that this still is beer. Raspberries are my favorite fruit used in beer and this example reinforces why I like them so much. The mouthfeel is alright slightly over carbonated for my liking but with this much fruit presence it is expected. Out of the ordinary but well worth it.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2008 17:31:03 | More by kinger

gford217

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

Pours ruby red with a small pinkish head that doesn't stick around very long and leaves no lacing. Smell is, not surprisingly, raspberries, mostly sweet but with a hint of sourness at the end. The taste is also dominated by raspberries but there is definitely a beer backbone in there - malts and a faint hop taste in the finish. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with decent carbonation. The drinkability is pretty good on this one especially since the sweetness is toned down a little in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2008 02:02:03 | More by gford217

dsa7783

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Single, twelve-ounce bottle copped from Super Saver Liquors on Route 22...
Pours a light-purple, reddish hue with a minimal head and minor lacing...
The aroma was replete with fresh raspberries literally bursting out of the bottle...
Taste was very crisp, clean, and smooth for a fruit beer... The raspberry flavor was obvious and pronounced, yet still very tasty and drinkable, even though I personally am not a fan of raspberries...
Good mouthfeel along with a good level of drinkability... The nearly 7% ABV is nowhere to be found...
Worth a try...

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2008 21:31:51 | More by dsa7783

DavidSeanNJ

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

A- Ruby/pink reddish color. Not much head and no lacing. Carbonation is evident.

S- Candy raspberry scents, sour at times, but overly sweet.

T- Tasted very much like a raspberry lambic. Similar to a raspberry creamsicle as well. No hops at all and a ton of sweet flavors. This was very "soda" like. 6.9% ? Damn, that is not evident at all!

M- Medium bodied, creamy feel, carbonated as hell.

D- Easy drinking and a nice changeup beer for the summer.

Not bad, but not exactly my cup of tea.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2008 01:21:21 | More by DavidSeanNJ

JoeMayo

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a reddish-pink with a light, frothy, but quickly disspiating head.

S- Smells like a raspberry lambic. Lots of raspberries, and slight floral and yeasty aromas.

T- Surprisingly tart compared to the sweetness of the smell. Although it's very good, not much comes through beyond the flavor of raspberries, maybe a little crisp citrus.

M- Light, crisp, pretty heavily carbonated.

D- A little heavy on the carbonation, but not too sour or too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2008 18:46:44 | More by JoeMayo

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Translucent cranberry red... Slight fizzy head... Nice lacing... Coats glass well... Ever so slight carbonation...

S - Obviously the raspberries are first and foremost... Slight hints of honey and salt... Reminds me of a fresh jelly donut...

T - Sweet but tart... Raspberries, balsamic vinegar undertones, cherry licoroise, and salt... Fruit taste realistic and not artificial...

M - Thick for a fruit beer... Lush... Silky smooth... Puckering... Very rich... A little more carbonation would add to the majesticness of the brew...

D - Aggressive fruit blended brew... A little much, but still very enjoyable... One or two of these on occasion wouldn't be a bad thing... Easy drinking...

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2008 02:42:23 | More by philbe311

mynie

Indiana

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle, part of a 4 pack purchased at Eagle River Liquors in Fulton, Illinois.

Pours like a lightly carbonated Juicy Juice. This may seem like an insult but remember that Juicy Juice was the juice that was 100% juice and so wasn't all unnaturally fluorescent. Still it's kind of dull.

Smells like fresh, juicy raspberries. Nice. Everyone likes those. But that's all it smells like. There's nothing else there. Just big, firm raspberries. Is this juice? I mean, it's pleasant but there should be at least a little beeriness, right?

Tastes like a really firm and juicy raspberry lambic only with none of the yeast funk (and none of the yeast). It's very creamy and smooth. Tastes more like a raspberry smoothy than anything else. Big, big fruit, the teeniest bit of an ambiguous middle that tastes like neither malt nor yeast but is probably beer or else something resembling beer. Then more raspberries. This is still a wonderful taste and still pretty complex, but it's not quite up to the level of the New Glarus beers I assume it's trying to imitate.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2008 07:15:45 | More by mynie

daftafne

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter having a red/orange color and no head. Smelled completely of raspberries. Tasted lightly of raspberries and finishes tart. Not very strong flavor. Kind of a watered-down mouthfeel and light alcohol warmth. It was nice on a summer day.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2008 00:16:16 | More by daftafne

HopDerek

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear raspberry red color with floaties. One finger of pinkish cream colored head has good retention and leave nice lacing. Smells of tart red raspberries as well as some blackberry and strawberry for good measure, and just enough wheat malt to keep this beer-like. Tastes of tart red raspberries and sweet pale grain with a slight hint of grassy hops in the finish. Medium in body with nice gently fizzy carbonation. Sweet, lightly tart, and malty with a little touch of hops. One of my favorite fruit beers that hides its alcohol well, goes down easily, and is quite sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2008 01:40:22 | More by HopDerek

Jerzdevil1116

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle purchased at Joe Canal's in Egg Harbor Twp., NJ. Served in a pint glass.

A: Clear,deep pink/red body. 1 finger of bubbly white head, falls into a thin film after a few minutes. A lot of carbonation rising in the glass. Minimal lacing quickly slides down the glass.

S: Faint smell dominated by fruity raspberry, backed by hints of yeast and malt.

T: All tart rasberry with a noticible alcohol presence. Similariteis to some red wines I have had.

M: Light to medium bodied with plenty of tingle from the carbonation.

D: A nice beer that is pretty refreshing. Although not on a regular basis, I would drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2008 05:28:10 | More by Jerzdevil1116

LittleBreeze

New York

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I like the red. The smell is of course raspberry with a little malt in the background. Balance is good. Raspberry without being heavy sweet sticky mess. It also seems to need a few months to enhance. The bottles I drank in late April and May were nice, but not as developed as the bottles I've have this month.

Drinkability is high for those liking the style. Full flavor and moderate ABV. I've enjoyed this one. Sad to see the case coming to an end.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2008 17:27:20 | More by LittleBreeze

Keith238

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Nothing special about the appearance. Think head that quickly dissipates with very little lacing. The color is a bit more along the lines of an Irish red than the purplish color of Fort or Framboise.

Clean and crisp with a balanced raspberry flavor. This doesnt' leave any lingering aftertaste. Overall drinkability is good. I wouldn't drink the whole 4 pack in a sitting but I did have 2.

Enjoy

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2008 03:02:10 | More by Keith238

shroompod

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a raspberry color , small head , no lacing.

Aroma is tart raspberry , kool-aid comes to mind.

This is easy , tastes like raspberries , no cloying sweetness.

Mouthfeel is thin , light. Carbonation is low.

Overall a nice beer to try , not sure If I'd like to drink more than one.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2008 22:43:59 | More by shroompod

AltBock

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. stubby bottle with a simple good drawing of a raspberry bush up close. You can see all the plump raspberries growing on it. On the top of the label is you'll find Founders' notched bottling code. Mine was in the top right hand corner. Whatever that means. It's capped with a twist off cap.

When poured into a Stoudt's pint glass, I didn't expect this beer to a solid raspberry red. I expected this beer to be a red color, but not a raspberry red color. On top of this raspberry colored beer was a thin and fizzy head of white foam. I noticed that sometimes even the head of foam had a small tint of red in it. This head of foam quickly fizzled away, but did manage to leave behind a handful of red foamy rings. It didn't bother to leave any lace behind, but I still liked the color of this beer.

The aroma was heavy on the juicy red raspberries. The only other aroma in this beer was a small amount of malted wheat. That is it, just red raspberries and malted wheat.

The taste was nothing but lightly sour and tart red raspberries. No malted wheat or hops, just the red raspberries. If there was anything else in this beer, then the strong raspberrries would have covered them up completely.

The mouthfeel was light with a creamy aftertaste of (you guessed it) red raspberries. Also in the mouthfeel was alot of carbonation.
The carbonation even seemed quite high for a fruit beer.

If you like drinking alcoholic red raspberry juice, then you'll really like this beer. If you want something with a little more variety, then you better go somewhere else.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2008 17:07:00 | More by AltBock