Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale - New Belgium Brewing

Morris729

Texas

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

Pours deep ruby in color with a thin creamy light pink colored head that quickly fades into a trace amount of lace. Nose is fresh raspberry and sweet malts. Crisp with a good amount of carbonation to tickle the mouth. Taste is a nice blend of tart raspberries and sweet malts with a bit of fruity citrus. The raspberries in both the aroma and taste seem very natural with no artificial notes that tarnish so many brews of this type. A delightful brew that makes for an excellent after-dinner drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2003 19:15:32 | More by Morris729

Lupe

New York

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

Light brown color with ruby highlights and a frothy, off-white head that leaves sticky rings of lace. Juicy raspberry aroma upfront with soft toasted malt scents in the backround. Flavor is similar to the aroma, starts with juicy raspberry, sweet with a little tartness. Raspberry subsides as toasted grain flavors come into the profile. Hints of cocoa and caramel lie in the backround. Medium in body and very smooth. Not dry like a lambic, nice and juicy. The raspberries balance very well with the brown ale. Highly drinkable and delicious. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2004 01:11:34 | More by Lupe

pentathlete

Virginia

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

Another New Belgium winner, this beer came in BIF18 from babydoc. Thank you again.

Pours a near opaque, barely translucent muddy brown. Not much head and the aroma was brown ale all the way. Some fruit was in the nose, but not too much. That semi-chocolatey brown ale smell was the first thing I tasted. Without the fruit, this would have been a pretty decent brown ale, but with the raspberry flavors it becomes a classic brown. Most browns have a finish that I find off-putting and dissatisfying (think Legend Brown if you've had it). This beer finishes smooth with just the right hit of that typical flavor. Loved it. Again, I wish that NBs were readily available here.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2005 02:33:24 | More by pentathlete

RBorsato

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +18%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Brown (chocolate and chestnut) with a nice full light brown head at first that's gone quickly. Light carbonation .. not very lambic-like. Very strong raspberry truffle like aroma and flavor. Tates like a chocolate and raspberry Belgian truffle -- very rich and dessert-like. Medium bodied and smotth without the typical lambic airiness.

A definitely nice dessert beer !!

Per Label: "Ale Fermented With Real Raspberries"

Best Before: 03/28/04
Tasted: 06/01/06

(Z. Wood)

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2006 21:03:52 | More by RBorsato

brentk56

North Carolina

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

Appearance: Pours a burnt sienna color with a beige head that retains well and leaves a good deal of splashy lacing

Smell: Lovely aroma of raspberry filled chocolates

Taste: Slightly tart raspberry and cocoa flavors dance together both before and after the swallow; just when you think one dominates, the other emerges; a touch of nuttiness for the holiday season as well

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Unlike so many fruit beers, this one is a real pleasure to drink; very different and really enjoyable; not the most complex beer out there but a very nice standard for the holiday season

Thanks, Oxymoron, for the pleasure and cannabanaceae, for the second opportunity

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2007 23:31:50 | More by brentk56

mactrail

California

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

I do think this has one of the best aromas of any fruit-flavored beer, which is probably why I've liked it a lot over the years. Fizzy, champagne mouthfeel, reddish tint to the amber color in the New Belgium snifter.

Taste is a little sour, in keeping with real-world raspberries, with enough roasted malt to give it some mellow beeriness. Not much sweetness and a light body. Fruit flavor comes through on a high note.

Aside from the powerful fruit nose, it's a subtle experience. I can see why some may not like the flavor, but I look forward to it every year as a favorite Christmas seasonal, an alternative to the dark raisin bombs.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 03:28:06 | More by mactrail

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

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

Poured into a New Belgium globe.

The beer is a soft ruby brown. An off white head recedes to chunks of bubbles while sheets of lacing coat the glass.

The beer smells bubbly, like champagne with raspberry, faint malts and hops, and perhaps subdued nuttiness.

The beer tastes bright and fruity with raspberry and cranberry notes. A silky malt body brings lingering notes of nuts and cranberry bread.

Mouthfeel is smooth, but spritzy and dry.

Overall this is my favorite New Belgium beer. It's not overbearing, it's clean and refreshing and I can always have several without feeling like its a dessert.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 01:31:22 | More by JuicesFlowing

beertaster13

Washington

4.3/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a fabulous beer, I've never had anything like it. Pours a deep dark brown with a tan head that has great head retention. The smell is of deep dark chocolate and raspberry. Smell like a nice truffle, hints of caramel and cream. The taste was fabulous, it is like drinking a chocolate covered raspberry, the chocolate upfront taste blends nicely with the raspberry sweetness. The milk/honey blends well with the chocolate. This is medium bodied and goes great with Raspberry Cheescake or chocolates, great dessert beer. The drinkability is down just because the beer is really sweet, more like a glass a night with dessert than a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2004 22:51:36 | More by beertaster13

woemad

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle bought at Huckleberry's in Spokane. Poured a reddish brown, with a decent head colored somewhere between off-white and pink. Scents of raspberries (duh), a pleasing sweet and sourness. A little maltiness, but way in the background. The taste. is fruity, with a little bit of tart lemony flavor in there along with the raspberries, but not at the same level. There's also a bit of maltiness hovering in the background, just enough to make you aware its there. This is a very pleasing beer, perhaps not traditional enough to please hard core fruit beer drinkers, but quite tasty nonetheless. I had to grade it down in the drinkability area, as this is just too fruity for repeated pints. This would probably be great with a rich chocolate dessert. Now I want one. Doh!

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2003 08:12:50 | More by woemad

Zach136

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap at Trappeze Pub. Served in an Allagash Flute.

12 oz. / $5
half pour / $3

A - Light Auburn with a three finger beige head. Excellent lacing.

S - Raspberry and a hint of peanut butter and jelly sandwhich.

T - Raspberry sweetness with a solid malt background. Virtually no hops to speak of.

M - Light and crisp, very refreshing for a brown ale base.

O - One of the better fruit beers i've ever had. Really reminded me of a liquid peanut butter and raspberry jelly sandwhich throughout the drink.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2013 18:24:31 | More by Zach136

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

What a wonderful little brew with an exceptionally nice looking color with its dark syrupy brown with deep raspberry red tints and glowing even deeper when up to the light. Small off-white that fades fast and there isn't any real lace being left, which is fine by me cuz the glowing reddish quality is superb to see. Like looking into the heart of a raspberry jelly jar. Speaking of which, thats the smell of this delightful treat, fresh raspberry jam, albiet a bit subdued, but its there and freshly so. Some alcoholic hints and malts find there way past the raspberry jam aroma making this smell like a raspberry popsicle dipped in a alcoholic punch. Taste is exactly like the smell, a good amount of raspberry jam, somewhat lightly flavored and easier then I was hoping. Its not the raspberry tart of the New Glarus variety, not by a long shot, but this about being more calm and subdued, or at least it comes across that way. One dimensional in its character with easy fruity tang of raspberry jam all over the place, a touch of the alcohol pokes through along with a pleasant little orange flavor and finishes lightly of banana and sweet malts. Feel has a creamy start with a little fizz in the midway point with light carbonation and finishes with a tingley little raspberry zip and slight fruity dryness. Super drinkable and a nice little treat, would make for a great after meal dessert drink. Finished it no time and wanting more.

Thanks to jeffboo for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2003 02:57:06 | More by tavernjef

Gagnonsux

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The color is a cloudy ruby brown. The creamy head is a bit on the small side, but the light brown color is interesting due to a slight pink tint. The aroma is of fresh raspberries, definently not an extract smell, with an underlying toasted malt body. The taste has plenty of fresh raspberry flavor upfront, with all the tart and sweet nuances that you'd get if you had just popped a berry in your mouth. The underlying malt is ever present, with a flavor similar to Fat Tire, and serves as an excellent balance to the unique raspberry flavor. This is the best fruit beer that I've had, for raspberry fans this is a must try brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2005 00:40:41 | More by Gagnonsux

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: lovely dark garnet hued, with a fine, dun-colored head atop, settling swiftly down.
Aroma: wonderful! Sweet, yet tart, like chocolate-covered berries, beautiful, complex, and brilliant.
Taste: bright and tangy, full of gorgeous fruity flavor and lush texture. Tasrtness first, then sweet, and very, very mellow.
Frombozen here has the distinct advantage over raspberry lambics of having this brown ale base to it, making it sturdier, tastier. The raspberries blend well with the ale, doesn't stick out so terribly much, aiding drinkability. A remarkable notion, excellently executed!

Thanks to Mr. Jeffboo for sharing!

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2003 18:07:03 | More by feloniousmonk

LuckySevens82

Florida

4.2/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle courtesy of babydoc.

Pours a deep ruby, with brown tinges. A small pink and tan head forms on top of the beer.
Aroma is very strongly raspberries (well duh), sweet and toasty malt, yeasty characteristics, and a bit of hops. Alcohol is present in the nose, but it well balanced with the rest of the aromas.
Taste is tart raspberries, caramel and toasted malts, a slight alcohol warming while going down, and just a little bit of hop bitterness. A very distinctive belgian yeastiness also is present.
Overall, a very interesting beer and an excellent fruit beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2005 03:16:05 | More by LuckySevens82

mulder1010

Australia

4.2/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A-- Poured a raspberry brown color. Highly carbonated. Dirty pink colored head. Started at two fingers beofre receeding. Spotty lacing on the sides of the glass.

S-- Tart raspberry. Very juicy. Just a hint of carmel and a very sweet nose.

T-- Raspberry in the front and carmel in the back. Good amount of tartness to this.

M-- Medium high carbonation. Medium feel. Lots of raspberry to this and some carmel to balance it out. Long lasting tartness from the raspberries.

D-- Excellent. One of my favorite Christmas seasonals. ABV is up from previous years but still well hidden and easy to drink 2-3 in a sitting. Perfect for a sitting next to a fire. Good to have again.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 03:38:06 | More by mulder1010

GilGarp

Colorado

4.18/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours from a 12oz. brown bottle into a pint glass. It has a striking deep red amber color, ample head and excellent lacing.

Aroma is mostly cranberries with some hints of brown bread.

Flavor is certainly rich in berry goodness with cranberries and raspberries. There's a nice tartness from the cran but also some sweetness to balance it out. It would be interesting to taste the base beer (without fruit) to see how it compares.

Mouthfeel is dominated by the tart flavor but it has a nice level of carbonation and medium body.

Drinkability is very good for a fruit beer but I really enjoy it as an end-of-the-evening sort of treat.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2008 04:11:43 | More by GilGarp

silver0rlead

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a ruby color with mahogany highlights and a pink tinged tan head that retains well and leaves beautiful lacing...really impressive looking. The aroma has fresh, tart raspberry notes in spades, along with dark chocolate and toffee, sour cherry juice and a bit of alcohol...not particularly complex but very inviting nonetheless. The flavor is reminiscent of a dark chocolate truffle with a raspberry filling, notes of sour cherries and raspberries, some chocolate and toffee, lactic sourness, NB's trademark yeast, biscuit and some alcohol. The mouthfeel is moderate and drinkability is good but just shy of great because of the acidity. The is a particularly tasty offering from New Belgium, not a training wheels fruit beer by any means...probably my favorite offering from this brewery so far.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2010 02:15:07 | More by silver0rlead

lstokes

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pour is very dark red-brown with a tiny off-white head. It smells mostly tart, and then the taste is also tart--not all that sweet, really, but definitely like a tart, fresh berry, combined with a weak brown ale. My boyfriend says it's like they isolated all of the parts of the berry without the natural sugar. It's a little bit chocolate and toasted biscuit in the malt underneath, but that's been dialed down, and there's honestly not much development throughout the glass. That raspberry bouquet is what stays after the swallow. It's a touch light in the mouthfeel, but it's possible that a thicker beer would drown out the raspberry complexity. We both quite liked it.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 04:50:08 | More by lstokes

Halcyondays

California

4.18/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours brown with a finger of white head. Nice retention, spotty lace.

S: Sweet and tart raspberries, some malt.

T: Great true raspberry flavour that lasts throughout the whole experience in the mouth. Light brown sugar character, like a raspberry cookie.

M: Medium-bodied, frothy carbonation, creamy, thinner finish than I'd expect. Very mild acidity, slight tart at the end.

O: I finally got to try this legendary effort. While it's been around the Mountain States for a while it's never made it to CA until this year and it has in a big way. If it continues to come each year, I have another beer to add to my winter seasonal must buy list.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 01:19:34 | More by Halcyondays

rawfish

California

4.18/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours ruby tinged brown and clear with a small pink tinged head. Poor retention and messy lacing left behind. Glows when it's held up to the light.

Berries up front, thin and uplifting dried cranberries and raspberry. Hay and crusty rye bread, nice blend like jam on toast.

Raspberry juice immediately distinguishable but not syrupy or over the top, dry crusty bread, grassy hop, lemon zest, spearmint. The fruit is light on it's feet and adds a nice flash to what would be a sessionable amber. Dries well and doesn't leave much acidity on the palate.

Crisp and snappy carbonation pairs well with the berry. Hops dry very well and clean. Alcohol could be toned down a twinge but otherwise near perfect.

Terrific holiday beer that features the fruit without being over done, malt and drying hops balance well then cleanse the palate for the next sip. Crisp, uplifting and makes this beer feel like a celebration.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 07:17:09 | More by rawfish

davexisxrabid

California

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a deep reddish-brown color with a half inch white head. There appeared to be almost no carbonation present, although there was excellent lacing all over my pint glass.

Aroma of cherries and honey. A little funky.

Good sour flavor, a lot like chocolate covered cherries. A sour cherry, malty flavor prevades with almost no hop bitterness detectable.

Medium-full mouthfeel although the flavor dies out quickly on the palate and doesn't linger much, I'm guessing due to the fact that it was a tad bit flat.

Good enough to have a few as they are not too sweet and have a good beer backbone but this beer would be great if it just had a little more carbonation in it.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2009 16:19:50 | More by davexisxrabid

uwmgdman

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This ale pours a beautiful crystal-clear ruby color with an off-white head. The aroma is moderately malty--nutty and toasty with a pleasant fresh raspberry aroma. The flavor is a nice marriage of tart raspberry and nutty malts. The finish is crisp and clean with a bit of tart raspberry lingering. The carbonation is moderate and body medium. Overall this is a very flavorful and well crafted beer that can be drunk all night.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2011 04:27:43 | More by uwmgdman

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.
6.5% ABv, Serve at 50°F, Best Before 24FEB13

A - Steady carbonation rises from the glass' nucleation point through the vibrant dark ruby colored beer to keep the loose pile of light pastel pink foam afloat. As the suds slowly sink, they leave drifts of lace all over the glass.

S - Frambozen opens with a robust raspberry aroma that's reminiscent of the fruit-filled lambics of Belgium though not quite as sweet. In fact, more tartness than anything blankets the faintly roasted brown malts which provide a complimentary cocoa and chocolate quality, however dull. Exactly what I'd imagine a brown ale with raspberries added smells like.

T - Gently raspberry fruitiness nudges the base maltiness of this beer with a tartness which works very well with the mildly roasted malts which provide a touch of chocolate to the beer. Cocoa and hops linger on the finish with a dry earthiness.

M - Medium-bodied and well carbonated, this brown ale starts with a classic dryness which lingers and is aided by tart raspberries for a refreshing and soothing beer with a light, crisp bite.

O - New Belgium carefully manages to extract the core concept of a fruity framboise and applies it to a brown ale while maintaining the beer qualities keeping it level and fruity without being completely fruity. Frambozen is a nice winter seasonal that offers gentle festive cheer without being over the top fruity or strong; these could be kicked back by the 6-pack at family gatherings no problemo.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 23:14:06 | More by BeerFMAndy

hoppyweasel311

California

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a reddish brown color with a quick disappearing head.

Aroma- Tart raspberries, slight alcohol

Taste- Creamy mouthfeel, light carbonation, tart raspberry... and thats about it for me... the tartness is overpowering any other flavors. It kind of reminds me of champagne.. all in all this a really good holiday beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 22:20:13 | More by hoppyweasel311

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