Founders Rübæus - Founders Brewing Company

CraftAle

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at brewpub. I'm not a fan of fruit beers, and have found peach and blueberry brews acceptable---not not repeatable. However, this dark pink brew had an exceptional rasberry smell and taste, with the necessary malt and hops, to make it a beer and not a soda pop! I will buy again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2006 21:54:49 | More by CraftAle

wheelinshirt

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a very rich, deep, dark red with a thin foamy pink-white head that disspates quickly. I wish the head lasted longer and that there wasn't little pieces of sediment floating in it. Probably not yeast, more likely raspberry pieces but im not sure.

The smell is all raspberries, tart and sweet. Taste is similar with a bit of a boozy finish. Fairly well balanced for a fruit beer, a bit too sweet but i guess it has to be to balance out the tartness. Mouthfeel suffers mainly from the little pieces of whatever that make it a bit gritty. Very drinkable, though. my girlfriend loved it which did not surprise me as she likes a lot of fruit beers. Good to try but a bit pricey.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2007 02:47:18 | More by wheelinshirt

stangski83

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Girlfriend flat out loves this stuff. Not nearly as sweet as berry weiss but still has lots of good aroma and very drinkable. Not too sweet and you can definitely smell the raspberries. We love drinking Lindeman's Framboise - but you cannot drink that in quantity. This is the perfect balance of fruit flavor in a beer merged with drinkability. Has a fairly high alcohol content to boot - a few of these will definitely satisfy you on a friday/saturday night if you are a fan of fruit beers (or if your lady is so inclined). Price can be a bit high (we paid 9.49 for a 4-pack, but worth it if you love it - pretend it's $2.50 bottles at the bar!) A nice example of how to balance fruit with beer and not go too far in either direction. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2008 22:31:43 | More by stangski83

clvand0

Kentucky

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a red/pink color with a tall head that falls slowly and leaves a lot of lacing on the glass. The aroma is all fresh raspberries. I can't get much else, but it smells really good. The flavor has a certain emptyness to it across the tongue. Has nice raspberry flavor at the first taste and on the finish, but there's really nothing in the middle. Very odd. Tasty too, but odd. The body has a certain thickness, as if from oats or wheat. Drinkability is very good. Tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2005 00:52:20 | More by clvand0

Winter

Wisconsin

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First attempt at pouring filled my glass with a foam. Pours a tawny ruby red in color. Cloudy in appearance. Airy light pink head. Sweet red raspberries on the nose. Some alcohol too. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied. Taste initially is filled with the taste of sweet raspberries. Not overly sweet though, as it exhibits a nice berry tartness to it. Malt flavor follows. Alcohol definitely present in the finish.

This is what a berry beer should be. Assertive raspberry flavor that's not cloying at all. The 6.9% abv give this beer some punch. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2005 02:56:10 | More by Winter

alexgash

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Small, tight, violet-white head sits atop a dark cherry body. Tart raspberry and cherry, sourish apple skins, sweet candy (cherry pixie stix?). Interesting aroma. Ripe raspberries and cherries at the forefront. Sugary at first then turning tart and juicy. mellow malt backbone provides a nice platform. It tastes like they put a ton of fruit in here! I like that. Tart, acidic finish. Moderate body with a mellow feel. Not as effervescent as other raspberry beers I've had. Nice job on a unique beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2006 19:57:53 | More by alexgash

oberon

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I passes on this beer a few times when home last year but this year I grabbed a couple up and actually I am glad I did.A nice deep red pour with a tight thinner but well formed pink head leaving spotty lace around the pint glass,tart "real" raspberry aromas along with an underlying toastiness, very appetizing.The use of all natural fruit makes this beer its sweet and tart and very juicy,what can you say its just damn good.Iam the first to say I shy away from these beers but this is a gem of a fruit beer no doubt.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2007 23:38:41 | More by oberon

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Reddish amber with a pink tinged thin white head. Left nice lacing down the glass.

S-Very pleasant twang of sour, tart raspberries.Nothing crazy but it gives you the impression of real fruit and not fake extract garbage.

T-I have always been a sucker for this beer. No annoying cloying sweetness only the sharp, tart tang raspberries. A wee bit of hop bite in the finish...and nicely supported by the pale malt...and not the typical wheat bill!

M-Medium body with a lovely sharp crisp feel. This is a great summer brew.

D-IMHO one of the best sessionable fruit beers out there. Others are surely better but you aren't able to have one after another. I applaud Founder's on making such an outstanding fruit beer!

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2008 18:56:06 | More by Deuane

Nutleybeer

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Founders never seems to disappoint. At $9 a 4 pack, this better be good. It was. Poured with a cloudy, pinkish color. Slight head retained. Lacing is present. Mild carbonation seen.

A pleasant, tart scent. The taste matched the smell. Fruity, but not sweet. The sour tartness is clear in the flavor, but not too much, yet enough to leave your mouth slightly puckered after a sip.

It falls somewhere in between a raspberry lambic and a sour ale. Not fully either, though. Quite drinkable, in moderation. Would probably pair well with cheese and nuts, not necessary a full meal.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2008 20:44:01 | More by Nutleybeer

spointon

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this one from a 12oz bottle with no drink-by date - poured into a stemmed wine glass.

A= Poured a very deep reddish color, sort of like overripe strawberries. The brew was cloudy with some raspberry debris floating in the bottom. The head was out of control - HUGE, white, and foamy! Once the head settled, it maintained well, but produced no lacing down the glass.

S= Pleasant but complex. The first two things I pick up on are raspberries and a sour vinegar smell. There are some minor hop notes and a bit of earthy grass notes too. If you really agitate it, you get a whiff of alcohol.

T= I am thrilled that this beer lacks the cloying sweetness of other fruit beer I have had. I taste malt, tart raspberry/cherry notes, and that vinegar sourness. The sour aspect stops short of being to much and probably is what balances the fruit sweetness. I suspect this balance is hard to achieve and I salute Founder's for pulling it off so well.

MF= This one has a huge effrervescent quality that stops short of being crisp or biting. Slightly heavy body makes it a sipper.

D= Its not my favorite style of beer, yet it is more beer-like than any other fruit beer I have had (and that's meant as a compliment). I wouldn't want to drink very many of these in a row, but its an outstanding beer!

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2008 22:43:36 | More by spointon

ngandhi

Illinois

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

Despite the pure, bleeding raspberry fruit, Rubaeus is never cloying. It shows the transporting balance of an aged Flanders Red. Tart and austere, yet nearly filling in body and flavor, this beer is in a league with New Glarus' Belgian Red--though, Rubaeus is perhaps a bit more drinkable. Dry, but never painful. Acidic, but never caustic. The finish lingers for minutes.

Relax, relax.
ng

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2005 12:18:04 | More by ngandhi

12vUnion

Illinois

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

Rübæus pours a gorgeous red. Dark, maroon at it's thickest. Ruby up to the light. Stunning. There is a foamy mountain of white/light pink on top. It fades quickly. Very carbonated.

Smells of raspberry, alcohol, a sort of soap and roasted malty goodness. It doesn't smell real sweet. With a good whiff I can almost taste it.

The taste is something different all together. What's actually in here is not like a roasty stout, but somewhat like a dopplebock in the malt. The raspberry is bitter and tart. Fully tastes like a raspberry. It adds a long, tart taste. Not very sweet. It's in there, but I more expected a Belgium level of sweet. The more I drink, the more I like the balance. It bubbles up into my nose. Very nice. Not at all what I would have expected. It's very unique. A good drink to go with a salad I think. Or maybe a sorbet. The roasted malt and lack of sweet make it fit for a meal. But the raspberry makes me want to call it dessert like a lambic. Not close to a lambic at all. Pretty darn good.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2005 06:19:30 | More by 12vUnion

PatYoda

Colorado

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

Pours pinkishly copper with a humungous head of tiny popping bubbles. Smell is mostly raspberry. They definitely used raspberries in this. There is some bready malt underneath and a little alcohol. Taste is sugary sweet on the tip of the tongue and very raspberry tasting. As you swallow, the taste morphs into a very tart raspberry finish. As in the smell, there is some maltiness and alcohol underneath for sure, but they blend together with the raspberry well. The finish is clean and crisp with the raspberry lingering for a couple seconds. This is probably one of the most carbonated beers I have tried, which works well for the style and prevents it from tasting like raspberry syrup after awhile like the New Glarus beers, though the raspberry flavor isn't as in your face as the Raspberry Tart either, which I like. Very nicely done. I could definitely drink a few bottles.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2005 15:57:06 | More by PatYoda

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle:

Poured a brilliant ruby colored ale in my stein...2 finger frothy pink cap...moderate carbonation..cap laces well signifying a good malt base in this brew.

Aroma was splendid...pungent floral- berry fruits and subtle grass and grain tones...very nice.

Slightly sweet up front but this lasts only a second as the tartness from the fruit and hops rush in to balance...although there is a big dose of bready malt here it rides in the shadow of the fresh berry fruit...and that’s not so bad...this leaves the impression of chewing a fresh warm biscuit smothered in raspberry preserve...no cloying in the delivery either...finishes wet and slow where the fruity tartness, woody hops and thick bready malts sort themselves out on the palate in a long finish...slightly bready after taste.

This is definately one of the most authoritative, freshest tasting fruit beers I have ever tasted....there is nothing synthetic about the ample berry flavors and it rides on a substantial malt spine to carry the whole thing off....well done!

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2006 23:29:31 | More by pootz

letsgopens

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This fella pours a deep magenta red with a thin red tinted head that recedes very quickly leaving minimal lace.

The aroma is impressive, fresh tart raspberries. Very much so, with a nice undertone of roasted malt. The combination works well. Very pleasant.

The flavor is of ripe juicy raspberries. Tart initially but fading in to some nice sweetness. Again there is a bit of underlying malt that works well on the palate. Much of what I expected, but done very well none-the-less.

Well carbonated and crisply textured. Tangy and a bit acidic. If there is any downside it would be that the flavors are very straight forward, even for a fruit beer. Besides the slight shortcoming in flavor complexity, it is a great selection. The raspberry is very authentic.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2007 02:06:19 | More by letsgopens

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

DurtyNellie

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The Rubaeus label is awesome! I knew this was going to need specialty glassware... I chose a tall footed pilsner.

The pour got away from me - I wasn't expecting the framboise carbonation. You will need to pour very slowly using some drama and you're sure to get lots of ooohs and ahhhs. Once I got the head under control I found the perfect raspberry body with a pink-tinged giant head. (I'm thinking Lindemans now). The aroma is of fresh raspberries, not syrup. Hmmm, what's up with this beer?

Another unexpected surprise; the taste is clean, a little malty on a medium-light body. Then the finish - I was expecting hops (this is Founders, right?), but noooo... A tart (not mouth puckering) finish with the real raspberry flavor. A nice heady, relaxing feel from the 6.9%. Would that be too much in the direct sun?

Overall this is a beautiful package. It is a great drink for summer and would show well in a specialty glass the looks of the beer alone would sell it to onlookers in an instant! As for style, I guess it has to go with the Fruit beer, but it is so much more. Much better than Lindemans Framboise (which is too sweet)--a "training wheels" beer for the Belgian Lambics.

This beer is a real attention-getter!

I'm ordering a case from my distributor tomorrow and will try out on my adventuresome Bud drinkers next week and will report back.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2005 00:42:08 | More by DurtyNellie

orbitalr0x

Illinois

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

Pours from the stubby bottle with stylish raspberry artwork a deep dark purple with hints of red...yes I said purple. A volumious three finger light pink head of bubbly foam rises up and has great staying power. A nice fresh raspberry jam aroma greets me along with lemon and light grain tones. Sweet and inviting.

First sip brings a nice pale maltiness that is highly accentuated by a natural raspberry lemonade flavor. The raspberry is not overpowering melding well with warm yeast tones. Good interplay between sweet and bitter. A very enjoyable fruit beer that does a good job of not going too overboard with the fruit.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a rolling wall of dense carbonation. Quite effervescent. An easy drinking beer that would go down nicely poolside on a hot day. Another good one from Founders and a nice change of pace. Well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2005 02:46:44 | More by orbitalr0x

Bighuge

Minnesota

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

Deep looking ruby/scarlet red. Thick froth of pint tinted head. Very foamy and long lasting. Lace is quite good as well. Fresh raspberry aroma. Very nice. Like a raspberry torte. Also a little toasted maltiness in the background. Very inviting to say the least. The flavor is not quite as good as the aroma, but still, it's good. Raspberries offer sweet and tart traits. There's a happy medium between the two. The aftertaste is a little sour/tangy. Seems like some caramel maltiness lying below. The body of the beer is about medium. Nicely carbonated. Spritzy feel to it. Alcohol is not noticeable, and I guess this is about 7%. Pretty high for a fruit beer, but it works. This is a solid offering in the fruit department.

Thanks for yet another Founders brew cokes.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2005 05:21:49 | More by Bighuge

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

keoki182

Wisconsin

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

Rübæus pours a nice vibrant red with just enough brown notes to suggest this isn't artificially colored. Minimal head; just white lacing five minutes after pour into glass. Aroma is very subdued raspberry, mildly sweet malty aroma. The sip has an exquisite tartness that I wasn't expecting. Really a unique beer. There is just a really nice low-key sweetness from the raspberry, but the sourness is what makes me want to keep drinking. Hides the almost 7% pretty darn well. The drinkability numbers are a pinch lower than they should be because the raspberry sweetness might get a bit cloying after too many of these. Very nice fruit beer from the good folks at Founders.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2008 21:01:31 | More by keoki182

BirdFlu

New Jersey

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

This was probably the best fruit beer I ever had.. if you've had the Cerise now, its very similar but obviously with a raspberry flavor.. The pour is a nice pinkish red, smells and tastes like raspberry soda but also has somewhat of a beer character to it.. Again, like cerise its similar to a lambic.. mouth is light and crisp, giving it a really high drinkability. I you are a fan of fruit beers certainly look for it. If not, try it anyway, it may not be loaded with hops and malt but its delicious.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2009 17:44:14 | More by BirdFlu

PEBKAC

New York

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
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

bnuttz

Wisconsin

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

Pours a wonderful fairly clear pink color with a fizzy pink carbonated head. Smell is mainly raspberries, tart, but with some sugary notes present as well. Taste is somewhat malty, some grainy notes are present in the background, but the tart raspberry flavor shines here. The raspberry flavor is definitely real, not sickly and artificial tasting like most fruit flavored brews. This is very nice on the mouth, smooth as can be. Their is a different aftertaste here I cannot put my finger on. Overall all a very nice fruit brew that is very drinkable, but I wonder if I could handle drinking more than 2 of these at a time. Nicely put together Founders.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2005 00:38:42 | More by bnuttz

UnionMade

Colorado

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

Huge thanks to UncleFlip for the bottle, as part of his way-too-generous beer trade. I understood it was his last one, too. Quite a guy.
Pours a hazy, muted rose color, topped with a pale mauve head. The head erupts violently upon pouring, foaming up to the top of the glass with less than an inch of liquid at the bottom. I finally got all the bottle's contents in a tumbler, with a mountain of pale mauvey-pink erupting out of the glass. Whew! Holds a ton of lace, however, sticking in sheets. Great retention, fed by furiously rising streamers of carbonation.
Pungent raspberry in the nose, more tart than sweet, with a backing of wheaty, slightly sour malt. Some toastiness.
The flavor begins with softer maltiness, helped along by initially sweetish raspberry. Pleasant fruitiness, not overbearing. It shares dominance with the malt. Unlike most fruit beers, this brew actually has some body and presence. Raspberry flavors become a bit tart into the finish. Real raspberry, all the way down to that wierd sharp tartness of the seeds. Some wheaty sourness, and a slight alcohol burn in the back of my throat. An odd kind of tart prickliness in the swallow, too. Charged carbonation, relatively full bodied. Very smooth, with a pleasantly dry finish.
Pretty good, especially for being a fruit beer. Fruit flavor isn't overbearing, and the tartness of the raspberries only works with the beery qualities. I'd had this beer on my radar for a bit, and I have to thank Uncle Flip again for sending it to me. I like Founders' brews, and I had to see what they did with a fruit beer. Everything I expected. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2005 03:04:40 | More by UnionMade