Founders Rübæus - Founders Brewing Company

LittleBreeze

New York

4/5  rDev +2%
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 -0.5%
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 -7.4%
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 -13.8%
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

Foxman

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It pours a basic brownish amber, but in the light, it takes a a pink rose blush. A finger of lavender tinged head sustains with a little life. Thin spritzes of lacing sprinkle the inside of the glass.

The aroma is, above and beyond all else, raspberry sprinkled with powdered sugar. A hint of yeast lurks underneath, but this is about the berries.

Upon tasting, again, it's the raspberries taking up the space, and it's a nicely sweet, fresh from the bush berry sweetness, with no sign of extract or concentrate. A mild tartness mitigates and leads into an underlayer of bready yeast with distantly crisp esters. Malt comes through slightly near the close with a residual, more earthy sweetness that is crisped by a general spiciness. The finish lingers with a mild crisp bite. This is what berries can do when done well.

Between light and medium bodied, the carbonation is more pronounced on the palate, lending a pop character to the fresh feel.

Once again, I find another beer that undermines my stale "no fruit in my beer" stance. This is like a peppy, well played berry beer soda, which in this case, is all good. The aroma didn't deliver full announcement of what was to come, so it was a bit surprising, and in the end, it drinks smooth, with a little sugar to the tooth, and with a refreshing finish. So from now on, all beer, even those with fruit, are fair game. Except maybe for apricot. We'll see.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2008 18:09:14 | More by Foxman

ATPete

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle

A- Pours a pinkish, red, brown color with a solid pink/white head.

S- Remember those raspberry candies your grandmother used to always have out...that.

T- Tart and semi-sweet, fresh raspberry and some mellow bitterness.

M- Bright like a lambic, but feels like an ale, slightly coating with a thin/medium body, good amount of carbonation.

D- I liked this one. Could i see myself drinking a 4 pack of this, no.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2008 13:08:07 | More by ATPete

Domingo

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Grabbed this on my midwestern summer beer trek to the Chicago area. I like raspberry beers, and Founders can seemingly do no wrong...so it seems like a great buy.
Pours a pinkish color with more carbonation that you might expect, so a white head forms with no issues. No pink head, so which is a really good thing. If you look closely there are a lot of fruit bits suspended in it.
Smells fruity, but it's still clearly a beer. Not overwhelming, but there's no mistaking this is a fruit-based beer...which is the goal, right?
Tastes just like what a fruit beer should be like. It's got the rasberry flavor that you want, but it tastes real (not some syrupy extract) and yet it still has a nice grain flavor and a little hops in the finish to "keep it honest"
At nearly 7% this went down like water. Makes me wish I'd gotten a second 4-pack.
Short of the New Glarus brews (which are great, but even less "beery") this is about as good as a fruit beer can be.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2008 03:01:57 | More by Domingo

sholland119

Pennsylvania

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

A very tasty fruit beer. Looks like a glass of rose, smells tart with a bit of raspberry. Tastes moderately sweet but not overdone, with a nice balance of tartness. Mouthfeel is very drying. Quite drinkable.

This is a very nice beer for the style. A great balanced taste.

HV

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2008 23:42:35 | More by sholland119

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.73/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A pretty easy concoction to drink- pleasant enough, sweet, and sparkling. However there's not a lot of beer character in this beer. The attenuation of the beer is super clean, complete, and completely dwarfed by a solid dosage of raspberries. The berry character is all over this beer, from the pink-ish hue to the mouthwatering scent, tart flavors, and mildly astringent mouthfeel. Over-carbonation gives the beer a zinfindale character throughout as well. Not syrupy sweet and the carbonation helps to lift the sugars off the toung. Surprisingly crisp and clean in the finish. I liked the session, but if I want a beer, I'll likely go elsewhere.

Notes from '08 NHC

Serving type: on-tap

06-24-2008 17:30:48 | More by BEERchitect

Lupe

New York

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ok - from the pour you know this is a fruit beer that's not playing around. Light red raspberry color with pink hues and a small pinkish white head. Not much retention and very little lacing. Lighter in color than Lindeman's Framboise Lambic, but more color than any other fruit beers (excluding those delicious fruit stouts & porters).

Upfront raspberry aroma and a hint of alcohol. Mild malt sweetness mixes well with the fruit and does give off the disconnected graininess of typical fruit beers.

Again, raspberry dominates but not too overpowering. Wonderful sweet-tart flavors provide the right about of tangy sourness. Light bitterness towards the end, along with a dose of some alcohol spice. Finishes with lingering raspberry, sweet malt, a hint of spicy hop.

Medium bodied, smooth and crisp with low carbonation. Finishes dry and surprisingly refreshing and drinkable. Great drinkability, but as with many fruit beers it can get tired.

A special beer and one of the best in the fruit category. This beer does not play - you want raspberry, here is raspberry!

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2008 18:03:41 | More by Lupe

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Founders- Rübaeus

A- Light ruby red with a small filmy head.
S- Raspberries, thats all.
T- Sweet raspberry candy. Sugary sweet with a hint of powdered corn starch?
M- Very sweet and dry with a touch of alc. heat in the end. Very acidic.

Overall- Blah. Sweet fruity beer good to drink with some chocolate cake otherwise pass on this. Overrated!

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2008 20:57:44 | More by NJpadreFan

kasper

New York

3.43/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Pour reminiscent of a pink champagne, with purplish / magenta body and airy single-finger pinkish head that doesn't stick around, but leaves water droplet lacing around the glass.

S: Lots of ripe small red fruits, reminds me of a spiked juicebox drink your mom would pack for you in elementary school.

T: Taste is a lot like a berry malt beverage from Boon's Farms but only better. Real sweet up front with some tangy tartness. Honestly, a little better tasting than I was expecting. Kinda like a high-class wine cooler.

M: Medium bodied, carbonated like a wine cooler; nice and smooth.

D: Overall, this is a decent fruit beer that beat my expectations, but overall tastes like a cross between a malt fruit beverage and a wine cooler. Lots of sweetness. I wouldn't turn one of these down but I'm not sure I'd actually purchase another 4 pack anytime soon. Who among us really drinks a ton of fruit beers anyway?

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2008 01:46:33 | More by kasper

Ego

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +13%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

summer's trace is the braze of red path across my neck, to quench the thirst of season I reach for...

eyes...
1 finger of head sticks around as long as the french army in WW2, she recedes back to a gentle o-ring at record pace, lacing and legs are apparent and adequate, cloudy dark roset, a modicum of carbonation is making the pilgrimage to the holy o-ring of foam, decent looking all in all

nose...
raspberries and then more raspberries, a slight tinge of sour in the end but this just smells like a box of fresh berries, one dimensional ? sure. But when that one dimension makes you forget about the other dimensions.. it demands note. delicious.

taste etc...
the carbonation smacks a bit (nicely) making this refreshing, good fullish sensation in the mouth, the flavor is as expected, an ale with tons of raspberry flavor, the tartness of the berries really lends to the drinkability here, the ABV is no where to be found (maybe a bit heavy handed for a summer brew, but not for me). Like Pam Anderson, this beer goes down great (every time).

verdict?
like rasp lambics but don't want so much acid ? or a little more ABV kick ? find this stuff (go now, I'll still be here when you come back)

this beer is delicious...

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 02:40:01 | More by Ego

FtownThrowDown

Ohio

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

On draft at the Dilly Deli.
Pours a light, soft, red in color with no head forming. Plenty of carbonation bubbles racing up the glass. Smell is indeed raspberries. Taste is much the same, of course. Not dominating, overpowering, raspberries, but an almost perfect dose. Another warm weather beer, that's perfect for sitting outside and enjoying. This one went down way too fast to even notice the near 7% ABV.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2008 14:00:46 | More by FtownThrowDown

Donnie2112

Alaska

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

appearance: rose in color a bit of pink head that dissipates into a film

smell: raspberries amd a bit of nuttiness

taste: a bit of raspberrie juice sweetness and sourness, a bit of light seedy bitterness on the finish.

mouthfeel: light carbonation, medium light body, a bit of astringence on the finish

drinkability: This stuff is not bad, I could drink it every once in a while if it were available. It's special and it's well executed but it's not neccesarily my thing.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2008 02:33:39 | More by Donnie2112

ThatWineGuy

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was a gift from Viggo, given to accompany the Blushing Monk I picked up last October at Merchants in Dearborn, MI, shared with biegaman. I believe this to be well aged. Enjoyed in an Affligem goblet that might have spread the head a little thin. Light red, a few large bubbles at mid-glass, suspended yeast particles from the last half of the bottle. Inviting smell of fresh cranberry, raspberry from which it came but also a lot of melon and pomegranite. Taste, texture and mouthfeel are light but run the gamut of cherry, wild berries, passion fruit with a malty finish. Low acidity was a real treat considering the menagerie of fruit present. The alcohol was very well hidden and the finish smooth and silky despite the relatively thin body. Overall, a nice treat and I can't wait to compare it to the Blushing Monk. Thanks, Viggo!

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2008 03:58:35 | More by ThatWineGuy

Goliath

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a rich semi clear (but not hazy) ruby color. Absolutely no head formed on the pour.

Aroma is nice. Simple scents, with sweet raspberry, and some very familiar aromas that for some reason I can't put my finger on right now.

The taste is much better than the average raspbery hefe for me. They are usually really weak and boring. The raspberry flavor is more pronounced in this beer. A tart note follows. Alcohol also present, which is not impressive since it's only 6.9%.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with gentle carbonation.

Drinkability is moderate to low. Flavor is decent, alcohol is moderate, but I just don't see it being consumed in bulk. A 12 oz may be difficult to finish.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2008 03:38:46 | More by Goliath

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz twist off bottle. No best before date but a sample I'm sure has been slightly aged.

A delightful appearance showcasing flashes of different colours. It resembles a ripening pomegranate; some parts ruby red, others a pale pink, and still yet in other spots, a distinct tinge of orange. No head less a thin suddy collar.

The aroma is wonderfully fruit filled, with raspberry easily overlooked among the cherry, cranberry, passion fruit, pomegranate, honey dew, and strawberry that ALL seem present. The aroma doesn't merely give 'hints of', or the 'impression of' ... I damn well believe I am smelling strawberry, cranberry, passion fruit, and pomegranate.

The mouthfeel is thin and flat but refreshingly sweet. Both bitterness and alcohol are non-factors, as sweet , sugary fruits take over all aspects of this beer. It is flat and sweet like juice. The sweetness drowns out any presence of hops or malts.

To no surprise it taste purely of ripe fruits. Mandarin, cherry, strawberry, passion fruit, melon, honey dew, tangerine, and especially pomegranate and (of course) raspberries. All of them! A hint of honey too, maybe?

This is no lambic but it certainly doesn't seem to be your standard fruit beer either. The sheer amount of fruit (both in number and in depth) that they've extracted is unbelievable. I know this beer was fermented with only raspberries, but I swear I am a tasting whole fields, whole orchards, whole fruit stands and produce sections ... and I am very impressed.

A big thanks to Viggo and ThatWineGuy !!!

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2008 01:50:50 | More by biegaman

becktone

Ohio

5/5  rDev +27.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Done in a horizontal tasting with Thirsty Dog Raspberry Ale and Great Divide Wild Raspberry(from notes).

Eye: Not quite clear, cloudy and the color of dark grapefruit juice. The head is beautiful, creamy with the perfect size and great retention, color of it is pinkwith white added to lighted it a shade or two. Beautiful sandstone type of lacing-layers. Great looking all around.

Nose: Smells of real raspberries, just like you've opened a bag of them and pureed them. Simple and Pure. Great aroma, just pure raspberries.

Tongue: Tartness and the flavor of real raspberries, nothing processed about this beer. Tastes like all natural raspberries. This is by far the best fruit beer I've had to date. Hops are present just enough to balance it out, just slightly noticeable in the taste. This is an excellent fruit beer, one of the best all around...a bit of tartness and some bitterness perfectly balance out the sweetness.

Mouthfeel and Drinkability: My first thought when this one hit my palate was-Smooth, velvet-like. It has a ferfect amount of carbonation to compliment the tartness in here. NIce medium body, with a semi-dry finish. First slightly wet finish that leads to to a dried finish then back again. Certain parts of my mouth call this dry whilst others...well not so much so. this is one that I'll buy again, pending I can find it next season.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2008 06:03:49 | More by becktone

nrbw23

Ohio

2.48/5  rDev -36.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A- Pours a nice bright red color with a pinkish colored head that fell quickly leaving just a bubbly layer and little lacing.

S- Very very fruity. Raspberries raspberries and more raspberries.

T- Again very fruity and that's about all I could pick up. Not over powering just follow your nose.

M- Light to medium. Not too bad at all maybe a little dry to the finish

D- I suppose for the style its pretty nice just not me type of thing. Too fruity for me glad I got to try it.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2008 09:06:35 | More by nrbw23

thickerfreakness

Texas

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

This beer pours a beautiful ruby red with a pinkish white head. It smells very strongly yet also very pleasantly of sweet raspberries. The taste is just extremely strong of raspberries and sweet malts. No real hops to speak of. A very bubbly mouthfeel almost champagne like and its very drinkable for a fruit beer. This is one of my favorite regular fruit beers to date.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2008 05:40:09 | More by thickerfreakness

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +7.7%
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

CameronCosby

Michigan

4.65/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This beer drinks really easy and isn't very filling, which is what I liked the most about it. Have it on tap at my bar (Old Chicago in Okemos Michigan). Nothing to complain about with this beer except the price. Founders makes great
beers, holding it down in the Midwest market.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2008 01:23:12 | More by CameronCosby

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Founders Rubaeus is a basic raspberry ale but without any extract flavor and not too much wheatiness. It pours the typical very hazy golden body beneath a short-lived head of dark white froth that quickly subsides to an average collar. The nose is fruity and malty, and malty and fruity... with a decidedly raspberry-tinged character - but it's not slap you in the face, it's much softer than that. The flavor follows suit, and it's malt and fruit up-front, with the most dominant sweet-fruitiness at that point. The malt then steps in and mellows it. A tinge of tarness passes quickly, and then it becomes sweetly malty across the middle and into the finish as it warms in the mouth. Surprisingly, it's not sticky in the finish at all. The balance is very good, keeping the bitterness well heeled, and letting the natural tart sweet fruitness of the raspberry ride and bob across the surface of the slightly honeyish malt base. I'd personally prefer a beer that had a little more of an edge to it, but I can't fault it as it's very nicely balanced for what it is. Worth trying? If you like the style, absolutely.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2008 00:37:12 | More by NeroFiddled

yourefragile

District of Columbia

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

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Slightly hazy rosey amber color with a light pink head that quickly dissipates to a ring with no lacing. A little sediment made it into the glass as well.
S: Relatively strong smell of fresh raspberries and a little grain. Slightly sour with a little alcohol punch.
T: Light body with a lot of carbonation. Very sweet up front with taste of slightly sour, fresh raspeberries. Surprisingly not much of an artificial taste. Strong malt body, however finish has a slightly grainy, cloying taste with a warming alcohol punch. I enjoyed this, but would like to try a fresher sample.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2008 20:38:48 | More by yourefragile