Founders Rübæus - Founders Brewing Company

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
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

SierraGS

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I've had this on tap at the brewery, and from the bottle. Both are good, but tap fresh is best.

This fruit beer pours a beautiful deep, dark ruby red with a light pink cap. The nose is unmistakably raspberry. The fruit flavor is intense and tart, and not sticky-sweet. The malt and hops balance the fruit so that it finishes more like a beer than a fruit drink. The alcohol is nearly completely masked by the intense blend of flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2008 05:24:26 | More by SierraGS

dave1822

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a great red/pinkish color. The smell is very sweet and filled with raspberries. It has a great taste and is perfect for a summer night. My only complaint is that it is almost too overwhelming with fruit but only after the first few. Great beer give it a try.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2008 23:34:12 | More by dave1822

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

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Unquestionably, the best aspect of this beer was its beautiful, deep, dark pink color. It arrived with no head, but instead, just a white ring around the edge of the glass. The nose was unmistakably of raspberry. The mouthfeel was light to medium with lots of raspberry flavor in the mouth. The finish was dry, but not intensely so. Jonathan let me try some of his Blushing Monk to compare, but the tart dryness was too much.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2006 01:57:58 | More by woodychandler

wingman14

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a bright Kool-aid red with hardly any head by the time it got to the table. It smelled very sweet, a small hint of hops, but mostly rasberry. Tastes like rasberry Kool-aid, the only reason I knew it was beer was for the alcohol. I was least impressed with this beer although it does have its own merits. Maybe I will try this from a bottle, but after having some of the strongest offerings from Founders, this one just couldn't hold up. A decent beer worth trying if you are into the fruit beers.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2006 02:58:03 | More by wingman14

nmyers

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer had a light ruby color to it with a nice pink head on it. Raspberries with a hint of hops is the best way I can describe the aroma of this beer.

The taste of this beer starts out sweet raspberry and the quickly turns into a tart raspberry taste. The taste of this one lingers on long afterward.

Almost champagne like feel in your mouth, really felt like and reminded me of a Lambic style beer.

Other than this beer being on the sweet side, I found it rather enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2006 23:18:13 | More by nmyers

francisweizen

Australia

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the tap room in Grand Rapids. This one is a dark ruby red colour with an off-white pink-tinged head of foam that held up pretty nicely. Aromas of artificial raspberries and booze as well as some earthy/musty hints way in the background. Taste is cookie malts with a nice boozy raspberry syrup sort of taste. Drinkability is good, although the mouthfeel is a little coating and overcarbonated. A decent enough, higher abv fruit beer. Scarily many of the regulars were mixing this in half and halfs with the breakfast stout, imperial stout, and even devil dancer!

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2006 15:43:25 | More by francisweizen

rteis

Michigan

4.78/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Great fruit beer. I typically prefer a little more carbonation, but still very good. Rasberry flavor was very balanced with the beer. Comparable to some of the Belgian Lambics. If you've never been to Founders, it's definitely worth the trip. Come thirsty, but not hungry because they don't serve any food.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2005 02:43:27 | More by rteis

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