Founders Rübæus - Founders Brewing Company

maximum12

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Gained this bottle as an extra in one of my early trades, now lost in the mists of time & dozens of other trades, with beerisheaven. Only now rescued from the back of the fridge as my annual lust for a fruit beer has mysteriously struck.

Not surprisingly, this beer looks & smells like a raspberry.

Holy Bartles & James wine coolers. I'm having unholy flashbacks to Colorado, circa 1989, & being the only guy "grandfathered" into the liquor laws & thus being able to buy alcohol with extremely low ABVs, the primary purpose of which was to make you pee, a lot. We used to ride our bikes into Castle Rock, 25 mile round trip (yes I just looked on Mapquest), just to put a bunch of beer & wine coolers in our tents for the weekend. Damn, we were hard back then.

Oh, yeah, the beer at hand. Seriously. Wine cooler. If this wasn't Founder's, I do believe they'd be roundly mocked for making an updated version of the wine cooler. Tastes light & springy & fruity, without a hint of alcohol or beer on the tonuge.

And that can't be bad. Thanks Brian for the trip down memory lane!

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2009 03:28:25 | More by maximum12

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -20.5%
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

kmpitz2

Tennessee

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

The beer pours a deep ruby color with a 3 finger pink head that falls slowly, leaving a lot of lace behind. The nose is big with sweet raspberry with a wheaty beer backbone behind it. I'm not a big fan of the strong wheaty notes. The flavor is also very wheaty. The raspberry is less strong. The flavor is really lacking any gusto. The feel is thick and full, slightly creamy with a moderate carbonation. I get a blast of heat in my belly from the alcohol. The beer is pretty drinkable. The flavor is just missing something in my book.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2005 00:54:54 | More by kmpitz2

Hojaminbag

Colorado

4.08/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I love Raspberries, so I give most Raspberry beers I find at least a shot.

Red, Raspberry colored body with a head that is a different shade of the same color. A little bit of retention, but no lacing.

As soon as I open the bottle I notice a nice Raspberry aroma, very appealing.

Tasty beer too. Real Raspberry flavor throughout. Sweetness in the beginning finishing nice and tart. A malt backbone is noticeable also, but not overpowering. Mouthfeel here is just medium bodied.

Pretty drinkable beer, nice for some raspberry craving.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2008 16:51:48 | More by Hojaminbag

rfgetz

New Jersey

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

From a deleted review from the great crash of '09

Pours a purpley brown color, moderate khaki/pink head and decent lacing. Smell is of tart raspberries with a cereal grain background. Taste follows scent with delicious tart raspberries and a nice cereal grain backbone. Medium bodied, sligltly syrupy but not overly coating and no major aftertaste. Good carbonation for an older bottle. Great fruit beer from Founders, one of the best. Would love to taste a fresh one if ever produced again.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2009 03:46:08 | More by rfgetz

grub

Ontario (Canada)

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

got this one from Aprilluvsbeer as part of BC2. thanks april!

12oz bottle.

pours crystal clear red colour with a wisp pinkish white head. the head quickly drops to a ring around the glass and leaves a bit of spotty lace.

aroma is good. raspberry bread. touch of alcohol. light sweetness. it does come across as slightly medicinal, but not overly so.

taste is good. lots of raspberry. big bready malt. bit of alcohol. light sweetness. slightly tart. bit of earthy hops.

mouthfeel is good. medium-low carbonation level. medium body.

drinkability is good. the raspberry character is strong, but still lets the base beer show through. nice level of sweetness without reaching an undesirable sticky sweet level.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2007 02:33:40 | More by grub

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

msubulldog25

Oregon

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

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a snifter; received in trade from froggyfrog (Oct 2006), questionable whether this one has held up...it's been refrigerated since receipt, so I'll take my chances. No "best by" date.

A: First pour is ruby red, maybe a touch orange, and very clear. Notable bubbly/fizzy head, huge and pure white - at least 4-fingers high... Second pour was similar though became cloudy with the brackish sediment that had settled on the bottom. Still, a pretty color and good carbonation. Lace is minimal...

S: Of course this smells like raspberries, more tart than sour...it's a nice but singular smell and stays in the pint glass rather than bursting from it...

T: Hmm, raspberries? Again, it's pretty one-dimensional (like the smell) but it's a rich, fresh crushed-type flavor, nothing syrupy sweet or artificial. Nicely tart, vaguely sour.

M: Crisp mouthfeel and quite a bit of carbonation. Leaves the mouth a bit tingly. Raspberry flavor thickens as it warms and clings on the front-center of the tongue & cheeks.

D: Fun to try, good berry flavor, almost more fruit drink than beer. Gets to be a little too much towards the end and ABV, at nearly 7%, isn't conducive to having much more than one glass. I'll bet this could be used in some interesting recipes, desserts in particular. Glad to have tried it and worthy picking one up if you see it. Thanks again, Jeremiah.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2007 04:40:20 | More by msubulldog25

tigg924

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: high carbonation, 1/4 inch head that fades away, clear dark pink

Smell: sour raspberries

Taste: sour raspberries

Mouthfeel: I can feel the carbonation of this one dancing on my tongue. A very sweet and light body with a sour finish

Drinkability: Another stellar beer from Founders. The alcohol is barely noticable and this almost drinks like a sour due to the tartness of the raspberry. I could easily drink a four pack of this and am disappointed that it is going away. It is a nice change from the typical wheat fruit beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2009 14:31:45 | More by tigg924

Mitchster

Michigan

4.38/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

$2.59/bottle at Jack's. I picked up a 6'er as I liked it on tap. "Fermented with Pure Raspberries"...thank heaven's they didn't ferment them with the regular old-fashioned, un-pure kind. Evidently about 24 IBU. 6.9% ABV. Raspberries were added at five different stages throughout the brewing process. Pours out to a semi-hazy deep crimson red, forming a soapy dark-pink head with average retention and scant lacing. The aroma is nice..the tartness of the raspberries really shines through and they smell like fresh raspberries, not some knockoff concentrate like most other fruit brews. The taste is akin to a raspberry champagne without the spritzy dry mouthfeel. It's well balanced and not terribly sweet, with a tart, crisp finish. Medium carbonation, medium-light bodied. Never cloying, but one bottle is a dessert in itself. Burps bring up a nice toasty grain note. Bitterness is mild, but combines nicely with the tartness and sweetness to create a wonderful package. Alcohol isn't tasted, and it's cleanly fermented with some apple and pear characteristics from the ale yeast.

A wonderfully done fruit beer, amongst the best I've had. Despite this it still has that "wine-cooler taste" that may shy some people away, especially when you could buy a raspberry wine-cooler for cheaper. Still, Founder's delivers on their promise of making kick-ass beer. What style haven't they conquered yet? Hrmmm...Imperial Rye Dopplebock. I would drink that!

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2006 22:02:15 | More by Mitchster

Crosling

Colorado

3.15/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Raspberry juice in color with a small and quickly diminishing head. Medicinal fruit aroma, raspberry mainly, but a hint of cherry as well, with light hints of malt and hops barely showing through the fruit aroma. Flavor is overwhelming with raspberry and although it is quite vibrant, I can’t say I enjoy the malt and hop combo. Light caramel and cookie-like malt is present on the palate as well. Overall, I found it to be a nice alternative to American wheat beer

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2006 00:35:56 | More by Crosling

prototypic

Ohio

3.33/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: This is an interesting looking beer. It's crystal clear and pours a berry red color. Sitting on top is a strawberry cream colored head that's a finger and a half deep. It dissipated quickly and left a very light lacing on the glass.

Smell: The nose okay, but underwhelming. It's dominated by rasberry fruit notes. Somewhat reminds me of New York Seltzer. There's a little bit of an earthy/grainy smell to it. Perhaps a touch of hops. It smells good, but there's not much that's reminiscent of beer.

Taste: The flavor profile is very heavy on the rasberry. No shock there. It's a nice taste though. It's very sweet and sugary. It does have a striking bitter bite that emerges. Perhaps it's attributable to the infusion of some hops. I'm not quite sure. It is a little earthy. No alcohol is noted. Finishes very sweet and a little bitter. Honestly, it's got an okay taste. It doesn't have a lot of beer-like qualities, but enough to get by.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: It's light bodied and has a decent feel. It features very active carbonation that really impedes its journey toward being smooth. It goes down relatively easy despite that quality. Drinkability is average. This bottle's going down pretty quickly. But due to it's sweet, non-beer nature, I'm ready to move on to something else.

Rübæus is an okay fruit beer. I'm not a fan of the style and this one suffers the same flaws as others. Primarily, it's very heavy on fruit and sweetness and short on ordinary good beer qualities. There's some here, but not enough. That being said, it's okay. It's difficult to offer any meaningful criticism. That'd probably lead to it no longer being a fruit/vegetable beer. All in all, it's alright. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2008 02:38:00 | More by prototypic

bditty187

Nebraska

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

Clear, rosy red in hue with a magenta tint, the liquid looks more like wine then beer. The head was white-pink in color, at the apex the foam was over three fingers in height. The bubbles quickly faded to a chunky cap; at least I was now able to pour the remainder of the beer in my glass. The subsequent lacing was very spotty and hardly noteworthy. Overall, this is an attractive looking beverage.

The nose smells akin to raspberry pie. The fruitiness is fresh and alive. I am very impressed. The maltiness is secondary, it is lightly bready. There really isn’t much development beyond that, which is to be expected. Moderate potency, I wish it was chattier. Still, the aromas are inviting.

The palate comes across more beer-like then the nose led on. The fruit is turned down, or maybe I should say, balanced with the malt. Upfront are fresh raspberries, which linger into the middle. At this point the bready malt develops and by the finish the malt is the focal point. Tart at times, it never becomes sugary sweet, in other words, there is a natural fruit arc to the palate. In the realm of raspberries the flavors are well-developed. I can’t detect the alcohol. It tastes like a malty wine cooler… well, I mean, this is clearly a beer; it just happens to be a light, fruity beer. The flavors are lively enough to keep my interest, much like Lindeman's Framboise or New Glarus Raspberry does… from time to time. I must note, I think both of those beers are much better then this one.

Medium-light in body, the carbonation is very active and scrubbing. I like the refreshing nature of the mouthfeel. The fruitiness is not allowed to loiter, which I think is a good thing for this beer.

This beer is drinkable but I am not overly impressed. I mean, it is what it is. Sure, it is a tasty fruity beer. Hell, it is even a fruit beer with balls. I could see this beer working in the right circumstances. I bet this would kick ass with a big green salad with a fruity vinaigrette dressing. Oh yeah! When all is said and done, this is a tasty beer but it just doesn’t wow me. I would like the raspberries to be richer… I like the fact the malt is accounted for however. Close. Very close to greatness. This sample was provided by BuckeyeNation. Thank you very much!

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2005 00:38:54 | More by bditty187

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

My last bottle of Rubaeus from the cellar. I hear this one's going on hiatus and being replaced by Cherise. Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into my snifter. Appears a beautiful shade of maroon with about two fingers of fluffy pink foam. Smell and taste is dominated by, what else, raspberries. The flavor is tart and refreshing with a pleasant bitterness. Moderate body and carbonation. This is a unique fruit beer. One that I believe was made for people that are not keen on the usual fruit beers. This is akin to a raspberry IPA. So, if that sounds like something you'd dig, seek this one out and give it a try before it goes on vacation.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2009 04:38:16 | More by ClockworkOrange

mcallister

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very dark bland red with hints of brown. Slight white pinkish head with some lacing.

Aromas of sour raspberries, with a sweetness also. Even a little cherry aroma to it. Some hops in the smell also somewhat hidden with a yeast drop.

This is a great fruit beer. Upon entrance is a succulent sweet raspberry that melds into some slightly sour notes. On the back of the palate and throughout the long long finish is a wheaty hop flavor that leaves a great feeling in your mouth. Makes you want more. Makes it taste more like a beer.

On a warm day I could drink quite a number of these. Tasting great after just mowing the yard.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2006 20:47:25 | More by mcallister

rye726

Colorado

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

Pours a rich raspberry color but the head is lacking. The nose is of sweet berries and light grains. Taste has a good amount of tart raspberries followed by some subtle malts. Body is a little fizzy, but goes down well. A nicely balanced fruit beer. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2008 02:37:36 | More by rye726

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

blitheringidiot

Pennsylvania

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

Top label notch right of center.

Hazy magenta, headless, with particles settling to the bottom.

Earthy sweet tart candy nose with raspberry pancake syrup.

First swigs: Hard candy almost Jolly Rancher. Raspberry flavor is complimented with a floral bouquet. Earthy with a tight tartness. Slightly sour, but not to a fault. Lots of candy sweetness and fruit. There must be a ton of fruit in here.

Feel is undercarbonated and restrained which adds to the drinkability. Almost juice like and clocking in at 7.0% is quite a trick. A well built fruit beer. Thanks SkinnyElvis.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2006 13:08:10 | More by blitheringidiot

CrellMoset

Virginia

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

Bottle courtesy of BrewerB - thanks!! Poured into a little cervoise.

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazed, deep reddish amber-bodied brew, almost purple at first - perhaps somewhat like raspberries? - with a relatively fast-fading, one-finger, dirty white head. The lacing on this one is thin and delicate but definitely has a measure of stick, leaving a few streaks and blotches of lace.

Aroma: Whew. This one smells like precisely what you'd expect - raspberry bread. The fruit is surprisingly upfront, authentic, and well-integrated with the lightly roasted, sweet malts here.

Taste: Very authentic and pretty moderate, actually. Raspberries are large up front and are definitely the dominant note here, though they're accompanied by slight caramel, other light fruity overtones - perhaps pears - and a slight, light amount of bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Very well-carbonated in a medium-thick body, yielding a big, fluffy, and very even but still crisp mouthfeel. Has that nice, fructose-fruit sugary feel, too. As with all fruit beers, however, this one's a little uneven, bubbly, frothy, and sort of falls apart as it warms.

Drinkability: An interesting and unique brew. I'm not much a fan of fruit beers, but I'm a huge fan of Founders, so I knew I had to give this one a try. It didn't disappoint - very authentic and very intense, sweet and fruity, perhaps a little too sweet and fruity for some but pleasant for me. I enjoyed it, and though it's certainly no NG Raspberry Tart, it's solid and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2009 03:47:43 | More by CrellMoset

bashiba

Iowa

2.63/5  rDev -32.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured bright pink with now head at all, lookes more like a wine cooler than a beer.

Smells like fresh tart raspberries.

Taste exactly like the smell, like raspberries, absolutely no standard beer flavors at all, no detectable malt, no hops, no yeast, just sweet and sour raspberries.

Mouthfeel is light and slightly slick

Overall the flavor isn't bad, but has absolutely no beer qualities, taste as much like beer as the Smirnoffs, Bacardi's, and Bartles and James of the world. I will avoid this one. The first let down I have had from founders.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2006 03:21:52 | More by bashiba

homebrew311

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Received in trade with Potia99- thanks! Was sad to see this beer retired in favor of Cerise... I wonder how its holding up after a year or so...

A: pours a brilliant reddish pink with a nice bone white head. Leaves very sticky lacing in glass.

S: the raspberry hasn't faded as much as I may have expected. The fruit character is pretty much all I get on the nose with some subtle bready malts coming through on the end

T: the raspberries taste much tarter than the nose would suggest. Flavor no longer lives up to the aroma as I recall from previous tastings of this beer. The mid palate has kind of a funky sourness which seems to be a result of the age on this beer. There is nothing bad or offensive in the flavor, but it seems that this beer has lost the wow factor it once had.

MF: lighter carbonation than I'm used to with fruited beers with a medium body

D: This beer is a nice refreshing fruit beer. I enjoy fruit beers when they are done well, and this is an example of one. I find Rubaeus to be much better than Cerise and wish Founders would brew this one again. It seems to have held up pretty well with age considering its style.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2009 02:05:44 | More by homebrew311

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

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

Hazy red body, topped by three fingers of level white foam with a slight pink aura.

Plenty of raspberries in the nose.

Taste is sweet juicy raspberries, far more real than the "typical brewpub raspberry (American) wheat". And there is enough quality craft beer present that this is not like some super sweet wine cooler. Just don't look here for a detailed description of the non-raspberry portion of this potion.

Light to medium mouthfeel. Good drinkability - if you like raspberries.

If you're looking for quality fruit beers, definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2008 04:09:39 | More by RonfromJersey

JDV

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle thanks to WeeHeavy
Pours deep maroon with a big fresh raspberry smell and a touch of malty "beery"ness to it as well. Tart, fresh and sweet raspberry flavor and nicely and crisply carbonated. Some grain like beer flavor in the finish that keeps it short of cloying. Fantastic flavor, and very well done. So far, my favorite beer from Founders. Big thanks for this one Jon!

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2008 20:16:51 | More by JDV

Bierguy5

Ohio

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

Pours a slightly hazy reddish color, with an interesting light pink foamy head. The head disappears very quick. Raspberry, fruity, and winey aroma. Slightly tart and sweet raspberry flavor. Finishes a bit harsh, as if something is not quite right. It became better as it warmed slightly. Not too sweet, might use a bit of sourness. Light body, but not overly carbonated. Interesting, and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2006 17:40:26 | More by Bierguy5

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.55/5  rDev -9%
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