Founders Rübæus - Founders Brewing Company

ghostwalker

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Cloudy, hazy, pink/red pour. Huge frothy white head, rose up very quickly too.

Tart, snappy nose. Raspberry scent dominates, some yeast, malt too.

Great tart raspberry flavor. Crisp and tangy with a clean finish. In character, it's much like my favorite lambics. Maltiness is present in a significant portion as well. I don't get any real sense of the alcohol.

Mouthfeel is zippy, must be greatly refreshing on a hot summer day. Still, it tastes pretty good even on a rainy October evening.

Overall, very good. Drinkability is high, for the style. I would be happy with just 1 or 2, especially in the summer season. My wife, however, loving fruit beers, would probably drink these all night.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2005 22:10:11 | More by ghostwalker

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

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

Frozensoul327

Michigan

4.65/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Damn, this beer near killed me when I opened it. A loud pop like a .22 rimfire. Don't know why or how. Anyway, so upon pouring, the carbonation rears it's head and i'm left with 4 inches of foam, and 1 inch of beer. Ok... Um, this is different. Finally it cooled off and I was able to pour it and really get into it. Dark raspberry red color with high carbonation. Major foamy head was present. Aromas of raspberries and some malt with a touch of sweet alcohol. Taste is exceptional. Right up a the fruit beer alley; flavors of raspberries, strawberries, malt, sweet hops and alcohol blend in fantastic harmony. Tartness is present yet not overpowering, adding to the presentation of the flavors. Sour finish is smooth and slightly warming. Mouthfeel is light and airey, not watery or sticky like some other fruit beers. This beer has a high level of drinkability, as this could be enjoyed year round, but more so in the summer. Highly recommended beer for this unique style. If you want raspberries in your beer, look to this, not a rasberry eisbock.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2005 01:32:28 | More by Frozensoul327

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

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle purchased as a single at Julio's, Westboro, MA.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 5" blush-hued head over the 1/2" of raspberry-tinged amber brew. Head fades very slowly, I had dinner while it receded, with heavy, frothy lacing as expected with such a head. Aroma is something to behold, effervescent raspberries dominant. Taste is the same berries upfront, mellows with some malt body, and then closes with a bit of a sour tinge. Mouthfeel is not quite as smooth as I had hoped/expected, and seemed a bit over-carbonated, but still not bad. Drinkability was somewhat limited by how long it took to get in the glass. Not a bad fruit brew, but I've had better.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2005 22:51:31 | More by ppoitras

Golden2wenty1

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a single at Riley's here in Madison.

Either I had a funky glass or this stuff is seriously pressurized, cuz when I popped the cap on this one, let's just say science fair volcano here. After the geological event subsided, I was left with an attractive fuscia colored beer with a light pink head. Paris Hilton would be proud. The nose is the winner here, a bouquet of sweet fresh raspberries. The taste, while complex, didn't sit with me quite as well. A transition from cloyingly sweet to puckeringly tart left my palate exhausted, with a slight lingering "beer" aftertaste. Kinda reminded me of the sparkling juice I used to have to drink on new year's eve when I was young. Mouthfeel is light and crisp, but the super sweet/super tart thing made this a one at a timer for me. A nice fruit beer here, but I've had better.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2005 17:48:10 | More by Golden2wenty1

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

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

Ripe raspberry red with rose colored trim and hyperkinetic carbonation. The loud pffft! upon opening led me to pour slowly. I'm glad I did. The glass filled instantly with pink foam that's still a space hog several minutes later. The beer and head combination looks a little frou-frou, but given the ingredients, I suppose that can't be helped. Good cap persistence with several large splotches of chunky lace.

Rubaeus has a wonderful nose of crushed fresh raspberries, yet is still easily recognizable as beer. Thankfully, it doesn't smell like one of those sweet, syrupy fruit beers (although I don't mind them in small doses). There's an undercurrent of earthy hoppiness that gives an added dimension and a certain seriousness.

This is one complex fruit beer, at least more so than most of its peers. The dominant flavor of juicy, sun-ripened raspberries isn't complex, it's just damn good and is as reminiscent of the actual fruit as any fruit beer that I've ever had. The thing that makes each mouthful a treat is the interplay among sweet, sour and bitter.

Like most beer that possess all of those qualities, it starts out favoring sweet. At the midway point, sour comes on with a rush, only to be nearly overtaken by bitter on the back end. Sweet never goes away, however, and is still (barely) noticeable on the finish. It's quite the interesting whirlwind of ever changing flavor sensations.

The mouthfeel is light-medium and isn't nearly as carbonated as the appearance would suggest. I take back what I said above. The final version of the kaleidoscopic flavor profile is devoid of sugar. It's an amazingly dry, puckery finish that would be better if it contained the slightest bit of countering sweetness. The 6.9% ABV, which seems high for a summer fruit beer, is nowhere to be found on the palate.

Rubaeus is another quality offering from a brewery that makes a habit of brewing quality offerings. It's an excellent fruit beer that would be even better if it contained a tad more sweetness. Other brewers take note: this is how it's done.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2005 13:41:19 | More by BuckeyeNation

goodbyeohio

Oregon

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

thanks to orbitalr0x for this treat

clear.. or maybe cloudy.. essential red pour. two finger soapy foam of an off white coloration.. perhaps a light sprinkling of pinkness to it. what i suspect might be raspberry esters wafting from the glass, upon further inspection, seems to be more of a berry-flavored 7-UP thing happening. light botanical hops masquerade as berry stem, or something, in the aroma. unique fruit beer aromawise. initial sip is lindeman's sucrose-laden fruit sweetness with a burst of booze. this beer is a sipper that wants to be a thirst quencher, making for dangerous possibilities at nearly 7%. fruit soda meets sparkling wine with a beery nuttiness. crazy. despite my lack of ability to nail the style, it seems well balanced. a guilty panty-dropping pleasure.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2005 07:08:49 | More by goodbyeohio

beveragecaptain

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours out purple with a huge pink head. The aroma is real raspberries with toasted malt, and a little distracting sourness. The flavor is a wheat beer body with lots of raspberries. The berries taste good, the right combination of tart and sweet. I did not like the yeast in this beer. It has a sour taste that's noticable even with all the raspberries. Mouthfeel is medium. I don't think I could drink many of these in a session. Better than most fruit beers, but nothing extraordinary.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2005 01:50:22 | More by beveragecaptain

eclectic

New Jersey

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

Pours a heavenly ruby red with massive head that slowly dissipates to leave a thin covering of pink bubbles.. Smells of sweet raspberries, extremely carbonated, tastes of real raspberries although not as sweet as the nose suggested.. more of a tart raspberry flavor. The taste is rather clean and crisp, very approachable for even the non fruit/lambic beer fan.. can see this as being a good gateway beer to fruit/lambics as the fruit flavors are not overpowering.. will have to recommend this one to my friends that usually shy away from these styles.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2005 03:30:50 | More by eclectic

ypsifly

Michigan

3.73/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Undated 12oz twist top stubby poured into a pint glass.

Clear crimson with a huge, Whitish pink head that leaves globs of lace.

Smells of real raspberries, not berry flavoring. Some floral hops underneath pair well with the berry tartness.

The raspberries are also strong in the taste, with the suggestion of hop bitterness again working with the berries. Not much else going on, but I do appreciate tasting real berries instead of generic berry juice/synthetic flavoring.

Moderate to light mouthfeel. Unimpressive but I don't see anything fuller helping this one out. This could be a good hot day beer, or a good one to pair with poultry.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2005 05:37:52 | More by ypsifly

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

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

DrJay

Massachusetts

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

Red grapefruit colour, hazy, topped by white foam with a pink cast. Smells like... raspberries! But still definitely beer. There's a bit of maltiness that comes through in the aroma. Starts with a little malty sweetness, but that's quickly overshadowed by a tart flavour that's not overly acidic. Dry overall with some fruity sweetness throughout. Slightly syrupy texture and ample carbonation. Long finish that tastes like you just finished eating some raspberries. Quite a nice fruit beer, not overly sweet with a good acidity level.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2005 23:44:08 | More by DrJay

PatandDavid

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Saw this at Downtown Wine and Spirits yesterday and bought a few bottles. Was disapointed that it was so carbonated upon initial pouring, not sure why it just immediately came out of the bottle and overflowed my glas. so much. There's a good deal left though, so here goes. Actually left pink cotton candy floss on the sides of my glass. Aroma is maybe it's best feature, this one really smells like fresh raspberries. Tastewise, I guess I expected more....I think the rasberries only show themselves in the finish. Upfront there's some malt, and a strange yeastiness (anything wild at all in this one??). It does appear to be unfiltered as colorwise, it is cloudy/dusty raspberry in color. It is tart, I don't really find it that sweet at all. Mouthfeel isn't bad.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2005 23:23:00 | More by PatandDavid

Dogbrick

Ohio

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

Definitely one of the best Fruit Beers I have tried. Bright red color with a thick and lasting pink head. Nice coating of lace too. The sweetness that makes a lot of fruit beers too cloying for me seems to be tempered by the higher-than-usual ABV. Super tart raspberry flavoring with a bit of spice and hops. The finish is fruity and bubbly, with a lingering aftertaste of raspberry. I don’t say this often about Fruit Beers but I will surely have this one again.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2005 15:34:48 | More by Dogbrick

warriorsoul

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Many thanks to orbitalr0x for this one...just received today. Must have took a beating in shipping, as it lost a bit of its contents en route. Popped the cap to tons of carbonation as expected.
Pours a real dark cherry color w/ sudsy pink head...pretty cool.
Tons of head w/ very impressive lacing sticking to the side of my pint glass.
Smell dominated by rasberries of course, but a nice amount of malt as well.
The taste is enjoyable...could be a bit cooler, but under the circumstances I wanted to crack this one open before too much air spoiled the experience. A full on explosion of rasberries and a nice bitter finish...very clean in its aftertaste w/ no lingering flavors.
Again, a nice dose of malts to keep this one from being too fruity or "wine cooler" like.
Mouthfeel is average and the carbonation is what I was expecting...even thanks to our friends at FedEx.
I could enjoy a couple of these w/ little effort.
Another fine offering from Founders...a nice addition to my latest trade.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2005 22:57:51 | More by warriorsoul

OldSock

District of Columbia

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation and Appearance – 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Excessive creamy, light pink head fills much of the glass initially, but the head falls to a moderate level after a few minutes leaving sticky lacing all over the glass. The beer itself is a beautiful ruby-red with rapid carbonation.

Smell – Loads of sweet fresh raspberries as well as some tart notes and some graininess. Not much beer smell going on.

Taste – It’s nice, but nothing spectacular. It is almost exclusively fruit flavored, with both sweet and sour aspects. There are little hints of grain and no hops to speak of. The flavor is vaguely Belgian, in a sour-fruity kind of way, but sweeter. Not my cup of tea, I like fruit to be a supporting player to a beer not the soloist.

Mouthfeel – Pretty medium-light body, pretty refreshing.

Drinkability and Notes – This is an ok fruit beer, too much fruit for my taste and not enough beer flavor. If you have ever had Purple Haze from Abita, this is much better, but a similar beer. All in all not a bad beer if you have been drinking too many beers and want a major flavor change, or if you just plain hate the flavor of beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2005 04:55:40 | More by OldSock

Gaisgeil

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very lambic-like in appearance. Pours a deep red, like a fruit juice. Nose will knock you out, heavy wafts of fresh raspberries. Very sweet and succulent. Initial taste was quite sour, but is backed up by a very nice fresh fruit sweetness. There is a faint beer like character, but mostly it is lots of fruit and fizziness. This is a very nice brew, a distinct change from the usual summer wheat beer schtick.

Makes a very nice after dinner treat on a warm summer evening.

Släinte!

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2005 05:01:25 | More by Gaisgeil

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

( Served in an American pint glass)

A-This beer opened with a big “Pssst” and poured a full glass of light raspberry colored foam. The tiny body is a hazy reddish orange hue with a strong carbonation.

S- The aroma is a big fresh sweet raspberry with a hint of tartness but not a yogurt sourness.

T- The flavor is a big raspberry tartness without the berry flavor and some hoppy floral taste. There is a finish of pale malt in the body.

M- medium mouthfeel with a bit of fizz. There is some astringency or maybe just a big tartness.

D- This beer has the big nose of a great raspberry beer but it is missing the flavor. It was really over-carbonated but I don't think that affected the flavor much. It was missing flavors like fresh berries or malt or hops to balance. It just needs something besides sour.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2005 02:45:15 | More by rhoadsrage

jasonpeckins32

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a reddish-purple hue, topped off with a fizzy, light-pink colored head. Looks very much like a glass of pop when first poured. Midway through, it takes over the foamy, nice-lacing look of a good brew. The nose is strong of raspberries, as you would imagine, and there is a faint sweet malt scent hidden in the background.

Wow, the taste is powerful. Heavy raspberries, blackberries, and other tart fruits completely take over the taste of this beer. ( It is still a little warm, I couldnt wait for it to get cold, which might have a lot to do with the overwhelming raspberry aftertaste.) Yet it is quite tasty considering the style, I will try this one again, ice cold, to see if it brings out any other flavors.

The mouthfeel ranks a little higher than medium-bodied, which I didnt expect. Very outstanding balanced on the way down. This one is good, but drinking more than one would be too sweet and too much berry overload. Not really my style, but still definitly worth a try. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2005 13:11:26 | More by jasonpeckins32

dwvarner77

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours a purpelish red, with a tall rose colored head that takes its time subsiding eventually leading to a thin frosting that nicely compliments the color.
the nose providess raspberries and blackberries, yet somewhat subdued. nice, but not ourstanding. a little dirty malt aroma lingers in there as well.
taste is relatively mild at first, i get a sour blackberry with a hint of raspberry. the sour flavor lingers for a moment, as does a dirty wheat malt impression. there's even a little woody, tannin-like flavor in the far background. the malt, i would say, gets in the way of the raspberry expression that might otherwise be the spotlight. doesn't give any impression of sweetness like a nice ripe raspberry would elicit. a slight indication of the alcohol is detected, but it's also far in the background.
mouthfeel is ok but not great; somewhat dry and sour, but a little sweetness to represent the raspberry and a bit of carbonation would have enhanced the experience.
drinkability is somewhat above reproach; it goes down good but not great. could drink a few, but would leave me wanting something better. maybe i'm just getting spoiled....

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2005 06:08:57 | More by dwvarner77

mjohn27603

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Pours pinkish clear in color leaving a head which overfills the glass then quickly calms down to a film. Looks very carbonated. Smell is of raspberries and toilet water(?). Extremely tart with a punch that leaves a very sweet and tart aftertaste. Carbonation is much less than it appears. A smooth creamy mouthfeel that is becoming the trademark of Founders' products. After a sip it just sort of melts in the mouth with no prickly carbonation. Not syrupy or overly sweet. More tart than sweet. Leaves a tart sensation on the tongue and the liquid disappears. Very drinkable for a 6.9% and fruit beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2005 02:46:57 | More by mjohn27603

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