Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale - New Belgium Brewing

match1112

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

pours a nice deep burgandy color with just a thin head on top. fair amount of lacing from start to finish. upon prying the lid off there was an instant raspberry aroma that filled the room. the taste is very raspberry forward at first, then turns to the base beer which is not that impressive.mouthfel is lively with a good amount of carbonation. goes down smooth with a slight sour after taste. overall i'm glad i finally tried it but not looking forward to the other five in the fridge. for a fruit beer it's alright, but for a raspberry beer there are many others out there that are lots better.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 17:13:41 | More by match1112

onewetpaw

Tennessee

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip

A- Rasberries hit you in the face. Not much else able to be detected.

A- Dark ruby with a nice one to two finger white head. The head dissapates after a minute or two. The clarity is good.

F- Rasberries are upfront. Theres a little tartness that ends the experience. I do detect a little maltiness, but that's definitely in the background.

M- Crisp carbonation. Dry sensation on the palate afterwards. Feels like I just ate a bunch of berries.

O- The best fruit beer I've tasted yet. The raspberry flavor is very forward, but the lack of sweetness and gentle tartness make this very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 00:55:42 | More by onewetpaw

ChugginOil

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Frambozen.

Pours very dark brown with ruby hues. There is over an inch of fluffy tan head. Stringy lacing.

The nose has an abundance of raspberries which basically dominate the nose. Some sweet caramel malts are also noticed.

The taste is also raspberry forward with a nice mix of sweet, caramel malts. Not really balanced as the berries are so damn potent.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a low but suitable amount of carbonation.

Overall, I actually loved this brew. You get the raspberry goodness along with some brown ale characteristics. Pretty nicely integrated but would be better if the berry was toned down or the malts were amped up.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 06:17:20 | More by ChugginOil

FungusBrewer

Illinois

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

I've come to expect much from New Belgium. Beers like this remind me why. It pours a fleeting- weak lace; not amazing, but pretty none the less. Holding it up to the light I'm seeing a deep-rose amber color. It smells like chocolate covered raspberries, making me hungry. It tastes like chocolate covered raspberries, sating the hunger beast. Finally, a beer that tastes like what you've come to expect. Frambozen states it's a, "Raspberry Brown Ale". By the gods it tastes like a Raspberry Brown Ale. Rejoice, and drink up.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 23:58:02 | More by FungusBrewer

DarthKostrizer

California

3.55/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle purchased for my wife but she didn't really care for it so I was forced to drink more than anticipated

Look: Dark red in color with a 1/4 inch off white head and ok retention with some spotty lacing

Smell: The nose reminds me of raspberry iced tea

Taste: Very raspberry forward and a bit malty with a touch of chocolate. The beer reminds me a bit of a chocolate covered raspberry

Mouthfeel: A bit thin and mildly carbonated

Overall: Unique and not something I could drink all the time

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 21:06:09 | More by DarthKostrizer

phishsihq

Colorado

3.08/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Frambozen pours a deep ruby red, bordering on brown, with a half-inch of tan head that resiliently stays firm and provides much lace. Fresh raspberries fill the nose, dominating the aromas, although a little nutty malt pokes through. Slightly sour and extremely tart raspberry flavors explode onto the pallet, leaving only trace hints of chocolate and toastiness. Frambozen is medium bodied with a medium-light level of carbonation, and a sweet, syrup-like finish.
Good for a six pack every holiday season.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 17:00:46 | More by phishsihq

denver10

Colorado

3.05/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours brown with a white head. Smell is largely sweet and kinda tart raspberry compote. The tartness from the aroma is not present in the flavor, instead it's a sweet, juicy raspberry flavor with the brown ale simply serving as a base. Very crisp and silky mouthfeel. Not a bad beer by any means but not a beer that did anything for me either. NB continues to keep me unimpressed when it comes to what they offer in the 6 pack format.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 01:50:01 | More by denver10

DavidST

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, best before 26 Feb 2012. This pours a nice amber color with a large tan head with a nice lacing. The smells are of a little fruit, some nuts, brown sugar. The feel is medium to light. The taste is more tart than I expected, but also light, a little fruit, brown ale, okay.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 01:27:34 | More by DavidST

RunForYourBeer

Indiana

3.6/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark red/brown with thin to white head.

S: Dark chocolate with some nuttiness. Also has a bit of raspberry.

T: Dark chocolate again with the same nuttiness and tart raspberry. Some grassy hops are present as well.

M: Medium with medium carbonation.

O: Overall a good beer but a little different.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 00:48:35 | More by RunForYourBeer

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes.

Appears a dark red color, two finger eggshell colored head that has good retention and medium levels of lacing left behind with each sip. Smells mostly of chocolate covered raspberry cordial candies. Underneath that there is a very light yeasty and white bread aroma playing hide and seek with your nose. The flavor of the brew throws the emphasis a bit too much onto the tartness of the raspberries and de-emphasizes the chocolate malt. However, having said that, it is quite a nice change up to see a fruit beer that is not afraid to pair a darker malt with fruit...I just wish that the chocolate malt was truly allowed to display it's full potential in the flavor. Medium bodied, fairly well carbonated, almost sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 23:26:38 | More by WastingFreetime

ncketchum

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to RoamingGnome for this bottle.

Served slightly chilled in a Duvel tulip.

A - Pours an orange/brown with a pink/orange head. Head dissipates to leave a small amount of lacing.

S - lots of raspberry jam with a bit of malt

T - tart raspberries up front with a malt backbone and a bit of bitterness in the end. Not too fruity or sweet.

M - very smooth, refreshing with really no hint of alcohol

O - this is a nice offering from New Belgium, not an every day beer in my rotation but a good one to mix things up a bit on occasion. I was very happy with the fact that the raspberry didn't completely dominate, but had a strong presence. I will definitely pick this one up again.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 03:36:17 | More by ncketchum

samie85

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- Pours a brilliant ruby color with two fingers of light tan head.

S-Smells strongly of raspberries and some biscuity malts.

T-Starts off with mildly sweet raspberries and then turns tannic and slightly bitter.

M-The mouthfeel is actually quite nice with a medium body, low carbonation, a slick feel.

D-While not exactly my thing, I could see how some would really like this beer; it is primarily a one-note beer with raspberries being the note.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 03:33:47 | More by samie85

Doppelbockulus

Florida

1.95/5  rDev -46.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours a ruby brown color with a head that immediately reduces.

Smell is of spoiled raspberries. It's funky, and I don't enjoy it.

Taste is a bit astringent. I had great expectations for this and it is falling short. Tastes like vegetables and spoiled raspberries. I don't want anymore of this.

Average mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 23:49:07 | More by Doppelbockulus

notchucknorris

California

3.18/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Brownish is color with a bit of a ruby hue when held to light. Thin light brown head.

S: Syrupy raspberry aroma along with some grape cough syrup. Maybe a touch of chocolate as well.

T: I don't know, this one just didn't quite do it for me. The raspberry is there, but it has a strange sourness and a bit of an off bitterness. Some malt and chocolate in the background don't help the flavor much. Wasn't really my thing.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 04:39:55 | More by notchucknorris

ScorpyX

Colorado

2.85/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I'm going to admit something right off the bat. Fruit-flavored beers are very low on my enjoyment list. Never been a big fan. So that'll bias this review lower than usual. Here we go, though.

A: Great looking beer. A deep ruby red with a thick, two-finger width head that stays with it throughout the drinking. Leaves behind quite a lot of lacing.

S: Raspberry, raspberry, and raspberry. Great surprise there. Lot of sweetness in the smell.

T: Raspberry tartness at the forefront, a sharp, tart taste. Really big in the back of the throat. A little bit of malt flavoring, too.

M: Medium-bodied, fairly smooth. If I was a fan of the fruit beers, this would probably be pretty high up there. As it is, not bad for the style, just far from my favorite style.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 20:30:26 | More by ScorpyX

Heavenisbeer

Georgia

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

A: This is actually a very good looking beer, ruby red and blemish free, with a thin, but resilient head and firm, foaming lacing.

S: Very straightforward and expected: the raspberries take the lead, with some malty notes in the end. Smells of fresh berries rather than syrup.

T: Like the nose, simple but enjoyable. More sourness than the nose suggests, which I like. A lightly coated chocolate covered (tart) raspberry. This would go great with cheesecake.

M: Firm with some light carb. A little more body wouldn't hurt.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 07:55:43 | More by Heavenisbeer

kpoole25

Arizona

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Haven't had a ton of fruit beers but this is probably my fave. Just the right balance of fruit, you can tell it's raspberries but it's not like soda or zima (or like sucrets, which is how Boston Brewing's Cherry Wheat strikes me). Kind of on the tart side which is how I like it, a bit mouthwatering (a bit like a lambic). And also glad it's not another (primarily) wheat based fruit beer, it's a better balance to have the darker,richer malt and chocolate. Good job New Belgium!

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 04:18:55 | More by kpoole25

PintOHops

California

3.3/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Glass - Tulip

A - A hazy amber/mahogany colored brew with a 1-2 finger slightly off white head. The head dissipated rather fast. It left a bit of broken lacing on my glass.

S - It smells allot like raspberries and chocolate. The raspberry aroma is rather strong but not in a sickening/over powering way. It also doesn't strike me as very tart either. I pick up toasted rye bread and brown sugar as well.

T - Allot more tart than the smell lead me to believe. Tart raspberries flood the palate and it almost made me pucker a bit. Underneath I definitely get chocolate and a touch of toasted bread. Bitterness is almost absent, and I don't pick up much hop flavors.

M - Lite and thin with medium-high crispness.

O - I thought the raspberry flavor was refreshing and tart, and the appearance was nice and inviting. I wanted a bit more malty chocolaty/biscuit like flavor to balance it out a bit though. I think I'd drink it again but probably not buy again. Worth a try but it's just not something that I like allot.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 02:11:02 | More by PintOHops

JosiahS

California

3.18/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

glass: tulip

Dark cloudy brown color with a slick, almost milky, 1-finger tan head. Small splashy lacing. Big raspberries on the nose, a bit sour, faint chocolate and mocha as well.

Tart raspberries dominate the taste, a little sour as well. Beneath, i get mocha, chocolate, a little date and brown sugar. That's about it. The body is medium with a fair amount of carbonation.

Although a nice change of pace, this beer is too fruity and tart for my taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 02:03:22 | More by JosiahS

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a D'achouffe tulip.

A- dark ruby, Semi-transparent with a 2 finger light tan head. Some lacing remains on the glass.

S- toasted malts and some raspberry.

T- sweet toasted malts, raspberry, chocolate. No real sourness or tartness at all.

M- light body and carbonation.

O- picked up a single bottle because I saw this beer all winter and always wanted to try it. I am glad I just got 1 bottle. This beer is ok but has no good characteristics or anything that stands out.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 00:52:44 | More by kawilliams81

midworken

Nebraska

2.93/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A deep, dark red body giving way to a creamy red head. These colors really let you know what lies inside...
Upfront aromas of juicy, tart raspberries - overpowering other flavors that come through.
Taste is overly sweet. Raspberries are overpowering here as well. I'll try letting it warm up a bit more... nope - the "beer" part of this still isn't showing through. More of a juice than a beer. The beer in this brew is more of a medium to carry the raspberry flavor, it's a bystander who watches the raspberry take all the glory. I would like to see a more harmonious existence between the beer and raspberry. The taste appeals to a specific crowd of beer drinkers (which is fine), but doesn't necessarily appeal to me. It is tempting to rate this down, but in view that this is a fruit beer, it does deliver decently according to it's style.
Loved the looks of this beer, was OK with the smell and taste. If they are wanting to have the raspberries as the showcase in this beer, they could have still added some spices that would play along with the raspberry to give this beer some more complexity.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 20:20:12 | More by midworken

tdm168

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a ruby amber with a half inch of dense, off white head that has decent retention. The nose is predominantly raspberries. The taste is intense raspberries up front with some caramel malt undertones in the finish. This is a medium bodied beer with a good deal of carbonation.

Overall, this is a decent beer if you really like raspberries. In my opinion it's a little sweet and one dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 01:52:03 | More by tdm168

beagle75

Iowa

3.58/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a goblet.

A: Clear, dark rosy amber color with less than one finger of diminishing off-white foam head. Moderate lacing remains on the glass.

S: Generally mild, featuring raspberry fruit that is fairly honest and not at all cloying. There is not much depth or variety present, which means that the smell is one-note, focused on raspberry fruit, but it does not stray toward smelling like bottled iced tea.

T: Begins dry, with faint toasted malt and earthy hop flavors. Acidic fruit develops during the middle, juicy despite the dryness. The finish is not bitter but rather clean, with enduring fruit that turns off-dry and develops a woody raspberry authenticity alongside resurgent earthiness that is delicate.

M: Thin viscosity, wet and slightly astringent on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: This fruit beer is easy to drink while retaining some authenticity thanks to a lack of obvious saccharine qualities. The brewer plays it safe to cultivate mass appeal, so the sensory profile tends to become repetitive--though never challenging. It is probably best served unaccompanied, or with lighter fare; it could be perfect with a soft goat's milk cheese to bring the unctuous funk that it lacks.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 16:56:06 | More by beagle75

zdk9

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Looking through the glass reveals a ruby gem of a beer. There's a full finger of head and lacing that trails down in spurts like some sort of strange beer language characters.

S- Raspberry is the strongest smell there, but it's by no means superpowered. There's some dark wheat bread crusts, some herbage- rosemary and basil. Hints of maple syrup, but not a ton of this.

T- The taste has stronger raspberry notes, sweet and sour and earthy, and above all fruity- not a super fresh fruit, but maybe closer to a jam, or defrosted frozen fruit. Anyway it's still great fruit notes surrounded by malts and hops. A good bit of malt, like the bread crusts again.

M- Really nice balance- not at all too sweet, good bitterness on the back of the tongue with some lemony/ citrus/ roses type hop flavors.

O- One of the most balanced fruit beers I've had. You really taste the "this is a beer that was built around this fruit, but it's still a beer" rather than "here's a fruity beer". Nice job

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 06:32:32 | More by zdk9

rundocrun

Iowa

3.73/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12-oz bottle into a snifter.

A - Pours a brownish-amber color. Has a finger of coarse off-white head. Poor retention. Minimal lacing.

S - Has a definite toasty, nutty aroma. Milk chocolate, caramel, hints of vanilla, but no noticeable raspberry.

T - Straightforward sweet milk chocolate and raspberry flavor. A litte over-sweet and lacking in tartness. Some mild astringent roasted grain character joins the mix in the middle and the finish is a little more noticeably tart, but retains some caramel flavor.

M - Medium body with good carbonation and a sticky, syrupy finish.

Overall - For what this beer lacks in looks, it approaches redemption in the aroma and taste. A little too sweet and lacking on tartness for my liking, but in all, it does taste like a sweet, nutty brown ale with some raspberry thrown into the mix. I guess you can't fault NB for delivering what the label says.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 02:17:04 | More by rundocrun