Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale - New Belgium Brewing

tang214

Texas

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

Granted I haven't tasted a lot of beers coming from this style but this is an excellent brew. I have always been impressed with New Belgium Brewing, Inc. and this just helps confirm that idea. Not to mention that I was worried that I may never get to taste this beer since it is one of their special releases. It pours a deep ruby color that has a full creamy head that lasts all the way down leaving a nice lace. The smell is as you would expect, strong of raspberries and the taste is just the same. It has the raspberries along with a decent malty flavor as would be expected with a brown ale. It continues on with that fruitness with the mouthfeel similar to that of a rich raspberry juice with some carbonation. It is very drinkable but the fact that it is so fruity makes me feel like I shouldn't drink it like regular beer. Overall, I find this brew to be quite excellent and will definitely get it again if it comes around again. Plus, this beer makes an excellent holiday brew in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2002 22:09:23 | More by tang214

hyuga

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2003 batch

Apparently this year it was brewed with the yeast strain normally used for their Abbey, or am I remembering what I heard wrong? Anyway, I think I do like this year's better. More malty and Belgian yeasty goodness along with what seems like a bit more hoppiness to offset the fruit, which in this beer's case is not at all a bad addition. Probably the best fruit beer I've had.

2002 batch

Dark red, almost opaque brew topped with a huge reddish off-white (raspberry colored!) head. Kind of fizzy, goes down to a thin lace. I must say, it's a great looking beer. And the aroma, wow, HUGE aroma. Powerful natural raspberry aroma that almost knocks you back, in a good way. Underneath are subtle hints of spicy hops and a bit of grainy malt. Again in the palate, raspberry dominates. The tangy raspberry goes quite well with the spicy hops, which are second in the medium body. Grainy malt hangs in the background in a subtle way, yet is the big supporter for this brew at the same time. Tingly mouthfeel from the overall spiciness. It even warms, with what I expect is not so high an ABV. Great choice for a winter brew. I wonder how many pounds of raspberries are used per batch for this beer? It must be a generous amount, because it's hard to find this much fruitiness in a beer brewed with fruit, with the exception of a fruit lambic. Would be great for pairing with chocolate, raspberry desserts, or just plain raspberries. Good holiday brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2002 16:27:04 | More by hyuga

beernut7

Massachusetts

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

This unique tasty offering pours into a deep dark ruby color and a foamy pink head. The aroma of candied raspberries is very similar to many flavorful red wines. The initial sweet tanginess of the berries is supported and balanced by a generous malt profile and a deep spicy hop presence. This is a very tasty brew that, IMO, will also cellar very well.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2002 13:57:42 | More by beernut7

BeerBob

Nebraska

4.63/5  rDev +26.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Frambozen pours a deep raspberry red from a 12oz brown bottle. Huge raspberry milkshake head went well over two fingers and leaves a textbook lace down the side of the glass.

Nose is a fragrant deliciously appealing raspberry that leaves a warm and fuzzy feeling. Palate is... the second verse same as the first, what you smell is what you get along with a nice warm and fuzzy feeling you get knowing that you just had a very good fruit ale.

I have gone through some hit or miss fruit ales / beers before but Frambozen by New Belgium is right on the money, a nice fruit ale repast.

Thanks bditty187 for the trade so I could review this beer!

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2002 21:14:27 | More by BeerBob

bditty187

Nebraska

4.33/5  rDev +18%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear ruby-brown hue, it is an absolutely gorgeous color, the off-white head never develops much height, maybe a fourth of a finger, sparse in the middle, fuller around the rim. Laces rather well, very webby. The nose is raspberries and malt, there is pretty good depth to the raspberries, a little sweet, a little tart, a little like pie, yet I can’t help but say this is a one trick pony. Yes, the malt is noticeable but what does it really do? It has an inviting aroma nevertheless. The palate is impressive, that is all I can say. The maltiness is very sturdy, typical of a Brown Ale, hence the name. The raspberry taste is very pie-like, a touch tart and a touch sweet, I detect more chocolate notes than I have typically. The finish is largely “brown ale” in nature, the hops are not noticeable, the bitterness is minimal; the aftertaste has a burst of raspberry and then maltiness. Drier than you’d expect, the taste is far from cloying. This beverage begs to be paired with cheesecake or a chocolate cake. This fruit beer is much different than 99% of its competition. I look forward to Frambozen every year; it is worth a six-pack for sure. I do like it better on-tap however. This is an impressive beverage. I would recommend this to anyone who thinks fruit beers are either “girly” or “too sweet.” This ale is damn tasty. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2002 15:27:45 | More by bditty187

Gusler

Arizona

3.7/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I have had this on tap, from the bottle, and just wish they or someone would put it in an Oak aged whiskey cask “yummy”.

The pour is an opaque dark sanguineous color with the head moderate in sized and spumous in texture, the color a toothsome light tan and the lace a thick and sticky blanket to coat the glass. Nose is raspberry, hints of malt, sweet, and altogether quite pleasing to "Sniff" with the front nicely malt laden and somewhat sweet, the top light. Finish is tart and befittingly hopped with the acidity moderate and quite dry aftertaste, a nice drinking beer that I sample often.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2002 16:13:54 | More by Gusler

mattmaples

Oregon

1.7/5  rDev -53.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

They did adecent job with the two cherry but there is something wrong with this beer. It looked good, ruby/brown color and the mouthfeel was alright. It had a sharp smell and a weird bitterness to it. Bitter almond might describe it best. If this was from the hops I have never had a hop that tastes like this. I have also made plenty of fermented raspberry beverages and none of them had a bitter flavor (astringent yes but not bitter). I will try it again in case this was just a bad bottle.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2001 17:21:14 | More by mattmaples