Éphémère (Cassis / Black Currant) - Unibroue

FondueVoodoo

British Columbia (Canada)

3.54/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Giant 3 fingers of blush head and a copper/coral clear brew. Unfortunately the head doesn't last long and leaves no lacing - but it's clean and clear with just a few flakes
of yeast floaties.

S: Familiar Unibroue yeast smells, with tart red berries of cassis and raspberries. Dry notes like that of a rose wine, followed with grains and blond malts.

T: Dry and tart up front with tart, similar to rhubarb. Some yeasts followed by some pale malt. Finishes tart & dry with subtle grains.

M: Lots of carbonation pickles up front and a dry enough to suck onto the tongue.

O: It's a light drinker with a mild presences suggestive of a rose or prosecco. Not the strongest offering from Unibroue, but would make a terrific mixed beer cocktail.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 21:43:34 | More by FondueVoodoo

weonfire

Kentucky

3.66/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A - Peach/Red hue, finger thickness of white head, low lacing.

S - Cherry, orange, black current, white grape champagne, green apple

T - initial: sour current, orange, cherry, maybe some cranberry. finish is a sour fizziness.

M - high carbonation, low viscosity, fizzy, light, tickles the tongue - very similar to a fruity champagne.

O - Too much carbonation. drinks like a champagne but the flavor isn't as good.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 19:51:26 | More by weonfire

Mavigo

Michigan

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

Bought this from discount drinks on 12 mile and halsted, had a nice election of unibroue beers, chose this one. Poured in a snifter.

A: Interesting color, never seen it before in a beer. Poured a cloudy peach-pink color with a quarter inch white head that dissipated fast with small amounts of lacing.

S: Smells fruity, apples, raspberries, blackberries, yeast, malts, grains

T: Very sweet, sort of lacking on flavors, very smooth though, has a champagne feel to it, very light

M: Good balance, nothing offensive to it, very smooth but maybe a bit lacking on flavors, still good and well balanced.

O: Overall it was pretty good, but it was a bit disappointing, it didn't blow me away like other Unibroue beers, and it was still rather expensive so for the price I would buy something else but it was still good to try, very interesting.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 23:30:21 | More by Mavigo

RickS95

Indiana

3.33/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

It's a fairly strange looking beer in that it's basically orange in color. Maybe burnt orange, but very orangey. There's lot of 'stuff' floating around in the orange liquid. Even the white head is tinted with orange highlights. Moderate retention and slight traces of lacing.

It's got a very fruity smell. Even for a fruit beer it's aggressive in the nose. I can't say I've ever been exposed to black currant, but it's got a grapey, raspberry-like scent. There's something else in the nose that's a bit odd, but I can't put my finger on it. Kind of a yeasty smell.

Clearly has a fruity taste, but again, not being exposed to black currant before, I can only speculate that that's what I'm tasting. It's almost got a watered down flavor. Malt is obviously, but there's no hop presence.

With it's watered down flavor, it's got a thin, watery feel to it. Carbonated bite, particularly in the swallow where it literally burns the throat going down. Light bodied and effervescent. Tries to be dry in the finish, but it's only partially successful.

Probably the worst Unibroue beer I've had. At best it's average and that might be because I'm feeling generous. Looks and tastes more like a sparkling water or wine cooler than a beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 03:44:48 | More by RickS95

Serge

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours pinkish orange with a voluminous light pink head that leaves no lacing. Aroma is mostly black currant with faint citrus and wheat notes. Flavor is more balanced. Lots of black currant, some orange, a bit of clove, coriander, pepper, and wheat. The flavor opens up as the beer warms. Light mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 04:10:24 | More by Serge

brewskifan55

Mississippi

3.95/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass at the Avenue Pub, New Orleans.

A: Reddish orange with undertones of black cherry. A huge 2-3 finger head that stayed for the happy hour; thick and frothy. Fruitful lacing.

S: Smell the dark fruits. Black currant followed by coriander, wheat, spices, yeast, citrus. Almost like a wine.

T: Fruity and sweet, but not cloying. Wine and champagne qualities follow nose. Light, semi-dry. Divine. A nice surprise. Several people at the bar were pleasantly pleased, too.

M: Medium with frothy carbonation.

O: An after-dinner sipping beer. A regal taste. One of my new favorties from Unibroue.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2012 16:13:12 | More by brewskifan55

superspak

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, best by 6/22/2013. Pours hazy reddish orange color with a fluffy 2-3 finger white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Some nice foamy lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big black currant grapes, coriander, orange zest, pepper, floral, wheat, and yeast spiciness. Damn nice authentic smelling fruity aromas, with good strength and balance. Taste of orange zest, coriander, black currant, pepper, herbal, wheat, and yeast spiciness. Pretty dry on the finish; with a bit of light lingering notes of lightly tart currants, orange zest, and yeast spiciness on the finish for a short bit. Nice flavor balance and complexity; though it comes out as being weak, the aromas had me thinking it would have a bigger amount of fruit flavor. No cloying sweetness or unpleasant flavors at all. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a foamy, crisp, and smooth mouthfeel that is good. No alcohol warming noticed at all as expected for 5.5%. Extremely refreshing and easy to drink. Overall this is a very good fruit flavored white ale. Very crisp and refreshing; with a good amount of fruit flavor and complexity. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 04:20:53 | More by superspak

Founders_Fanatic

Michigan

3.45/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I am not a fan a fruit beers, but in the Netherlands they serve a cassis soda which I drank frequently when I was a child. Which is why I'm grading a beer style I don't usually try. I poured this beer into a pilsner glass
A: Vibrant red/orange, 1 finger of fine pink head which faded quickly, cloudy, champagne like bubbles. There also some black specs that are suspended in the beer, I'm assuming they are berry seeds? I looked in the bottom of the bottle and there is much sediment. This looks like a very petite lady drink, I wouldn't order this with by friends at the bar.
S: I could smell the blackcurrent before I even poured it into the glass, flowers, sweet berries.
T: Blackcurrent, tangy, some lemon in there, juicy berries. It taste like the cassis soda I used to drink, but this is not overly sweet like a soda.
M: It is very crisp, champagne-like carbonation, sticky mouthfeel, dry, medium body. I don't know if it's the dryness of the beer or the hot weather, but it's hard to stop drinking
O: Not bad for a fruit beer. I would drink again on a hot day, it's easily quaffable. I would pair this with some desserts, I think cheesecake would be an excellent pairing.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 22:31:46 | More by Founders_Fanatic

UCLABrewN84

California

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Haven Gastropub in Pasadena, CA.

Pours a murky cranberry red with a foamy reddish-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain, black currants, and berry aromas. Taste is much the same with some slight yeast flavors as well. The fruit flavor is also pretty mild based on what I was expecting from the smell. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but in my opinion it smells better than it tastes.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2012 01:24:42 | More by UCLABrewN84

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

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

750 ml cork and caged bottle poured into a Unibroue tulip.
5.5% ABV, Best before 08-22-2013 printed on the shoulder.

A - Interestingly colored, this beer pours a pink-ish hue that's more like a fire-y orange in the glass. Strong carbonation produces and overabundant head with moderate staying power but a total lack of lace on the glass.

S - Sadly, this aroma reminds me quite a bit of the Wild Black from AB I tried the other day, though a fair amount more pleasant. Sugary, pancake syrup-like sweet fruit pulp mixes with a grainy malt backer to even out nicely. Hops poke through for a homebrew dry-hopping-like nose while still in the fermenter, and it finishes with a splash of coriander spice and citrusy notes.

T - Ephemere Black Currant takes a huge step forwards in the flavor department; strong and rich fruitiness with very little syrup concentrate flavors going on. The base witbier showcases a little more "beer" here too; wheat and grainy pale malt with subtle coriander and orange peel citrus additions. Classic Belgian yeast notes escape the tongue though.

M - Abundantly carbonated, Ephemere is like champagne on the tongue, sparkling from start to finish though the light body and bone dry texture that's left on the tongue.

O - Not one of the better beers I've had from Unibroue, especially when compared to the apple Ephemere which I really enjoy. The Cassis / Black Currant version does an ok job showcasing this fruit in a beer, but it's certainly nothing to get excited over as it still suggests artificial notes throughout.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 22:19:37 | More by BeerFMAndy

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light reddish brown color, bubbly white head, moderate retention. Scent brings tart fruit notes blended with tangy wheat malts, light mustyness, faint spice. Taste brings initial sweetness but fades into tart and and sour, rinds and zest of citrus, somewhat bright. Finishes dry, lighter side of medium bodied, crisp and refreshing. A decent fruit beer option.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2012 14:32:45 | More by rfgetz

ianjsullivan

Maryland

3.48/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

ST: 750ml poured into a weizen glass. ABV and DBD.

A: Cloudy, grapefruit pink with a fluffy full finger head. The head cuts to half in about a minute, but a good swirl will revive it. It leaves spotty lacing around the glass.

S: Tangy currant, citrus, spice, wet metal.

T: Sweet at first, but quickly gone, then tangy, bitter sour currant which dominates the flavor. There is a bit of zing and green at the end.

M: Medium and dry.

O: Most beer drinkers ridicule fruit beers. As long as fruit beers are done well, I enjoy them on warm days in the sun. Unibroue always makes a quality product, so I gave this beer a shot. Tangy, bitter, dry and tart rather than sweet: these are the proper attributes to a good fruit beer. Ephemere has a few of these. It is a little unbalanced in its bitterness (the green taste at the end), and the beer aspect is a bit hidden behind the currant. It is, however, not overly sweet, and it does have a refreshing characteristic which is nice for warm days.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 20:06:09 | More by ianjsullivan

SHODriver

California

3.88/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pours a cloudy pink with a large light pink head that recedes to a small pool and collar over the drink
S: smells of spicy yeast and fruit
T: tastes of currants, lemon juice, some spice, a little pale malt and a bit of banana. aftertaste is more currant, a bit of lemon and some more spice
M: slightly prickly carbonation on a light body. very drinkable
O: Not a bad beer at all but after pouring it in the glass I'm glad nobody is watching me drink a pink beer from a duvel tulip... Enjoyable in a guilty sort of way.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 12:08:45 | More by SHODriver

flagmantho

Washington

3.9/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 750mL bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: cloudy pink hue with a thick finger of creamy pink-ivory foam. Candylike, but style-appropriate, I'd say.

Smell: very light malt with a sweet blackcurrant aroma. Good fruit content, but a bit on the sweet side for my taste.

Taste: nice malt flavor, almost wheaty in character. The flavor seems drier than the aroma, which I quite like. The coriander really complements the blackcurrant quite well, I would say. I like it.

Mouthfeel: light body with a great big carbonation which creates a thick, effervescent creaminess. I like it.

Overall: quite a good fruit beer. The aroma suggests a sweet, candylike beer, but the flavor is much drier and more refreshing. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 20:13:07 | More by flagmantho

Rijtjeshuis

Ontario (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

look ~ this one pours a grapefruit pink color and is very cloudy. The head is very good: come up large off the put; very creamy; bone white; falls at a decent pace; no lacing. Good visible carbonation. I got some floating bits in there as well (I'd normally say trub, but this looked like fruit).

smell ~ good aroma. dominated by the fruit (black currant and berr flavors) and unibreau yeast. the yeast flavors are common to many of their beers and the spice and citrus plays pretty well off of the fruits. The grain bill, hops, and alcohol are all very weak compared to this dominant pairing.

taste ~ similar to the nose. there is a stronger grain presence here, but it is of the lighter variety (cracker, breadcrust, a bit of wheat maybe). The fruit flavor is obviously black currant and has some grape and other berry tastes in there. Again, the yeast plays well off of these flavors. No real hop taste, but enough bitterness to balance the sweetness (along with some citrus from the yeast).

feel ~ decent for the tastes that are playing out here. Light body (but I think there is a feeling of substance from the suspended yeast, like in a hefe). High carbonation. This makes a fluffy feel that compliments the fruit nicely.

I'm not crazy about brews where added fruit take away drastically from the malt-yeast-hops trifecta. That being said, this was a decent fruit beer that was well balanced, if not very complex. I'd take this over a fruili any day.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 23:54:06 | More by Rijtjeshuis

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - hazy and very bubbly, rosy hue, very tall light pink head retained well given the constant stream of carbonation rising from the bottom
S - strong black currant aroma, some leafiness and adjunct aromas
T - sweet and tart black currant flavour, some estery yeast, mild leafy and grainy
M - light body with strong carbonation, sweet with a puckering feel
O - tasty if you are a fan of berry flavoured beer, I believe this accomplishes what it sets out to, just not something i would drink regularly, still worth a try as with anything from Unibroue

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 04:33:42 | More by joemcgrath27

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.55/5  rDev +23.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Strong aroma has a malty core with a firm, though not overpowering, overtone of fruit - currant, orange, and a hint of sour apple, plus a touch of what must be the coriander. Has me salivating like a mastiff! It pours a beautiful slightly hazy dark orange-amber, a nice tangelo color I have not seen before in a beer. The foamy head is pale orange-tan and leaves some generous lacing. Flavor is mainly fruity, again with currant and orange, a bit sour but not puckeringly tart, with hints of coriander and lemon. Thick but not syrupy texture has plenty of fizz and sass. According to the Unibroue website, this is available only in Canada. Bonjour! I bought my bottle in Atlanta - well, Roswell.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 20:27:35 | More by Cyberkedi

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Body is murky bright pink. Fluffy white head.

It smells sweet, like a lambic actually. Its very reminiscent of Lindemans' lambics-very sweet. Except this one is more naturally sweet. Didnt really get any kind of spices, but the taste is very good and sweet.

I dont mind this one so much, its very sweet and I wouldnt recommend more than 1 pint. It did come in a pretty glass.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2012 18:11:49 | More by VncentLIFE

thekevlarkid

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Out of a bottle this beer was a clear, pinkish gold color like a romantic sunset with lots of rising carbonation that formed a clingy, head. The retention was good as a soft layer that floated atop my glass and left lacing as classic fishnets. The aroma was of crystal malt, currants, generic berries, sweet malt and a hint of hops. The flavors were mostly of tangy wheat, crystal malt and tart but non-descript berries. The finish was crisp, dry and clean. The mouthfeel was smooth, the body medium and the carbonation high. A refreshing summer quencher and worth a try if you can find it!

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 13:42:28 | More by thekevlarkid

leaddog

Alberta (Canada)

4.58/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- Pours a hazy pink grapefruit colour with a finger width of foamy light pink head.

Smell- Black currants, orange (citrus), and general fruitiness.

Taste- Tart and tangy black currant are the star flavour. There is a hint of the citrus character to this. It is sweet but not overpowering.

Mouthfeel- Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation. The aftertaste leaves a indication of eating skittles. Quite interesting.

Overall- A nice take on a fruit beer by Unibroue. I enjoyed the tart and tangy characteristics and the unique usage of black currants in this beer. You don't see many(if any) black currant beers out there. A pleasure to drink and worth a try!

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 04:08:28 | More by leaddog

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.8/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served unto a flute (bottle labeled best to drink out of).

Appearance: A hazy dark pink, pinkish offwhite head is roughly 1/2" off the body.

Smell: Light yeast, scent of grape or berry garden.

Taste: Slightly sweet, berries are pretty evident. Yeast is pretty evident.

Mouth: medium to heavy carbonation, so smooth you would be crazy not to like.

Overall: well crafted beer, this is coming from a guy who normally isn't too particular to fruit beers. Hope you all enjoy, Salud!

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 01:58:13 | More by BlurryVisi0n

mlazzaro

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle w/ cork and cage. exp. 6-22-13.
Beautiful color, strawberry pink with light pink head. Foamy and dense head, beer looks great. Low carbonation which is surprising considering the cork and cage method. Smells like raspberry or blackberries and tart dark currents. Light yeast aroma. Flavor is very clean. Light soft malt, clean neutral flavored yeast. Bright acidic ending. Black current and orange isn't sweet or overbearing. Thin body. Smooth mouthfeel. Black current is suiting flavor. Simple, unique and delicious. This is by far the best Ephemere I've had. I enjoy it even though it hasn't made the leap to being soured or funkified. It does come off as a naked Lambic, I believe this beer would be exceptional soured.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 23:59:01 | More by mlazzaro

Pencible

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: This poured a cloudy pinkish copper with off-white head.
S: It smelled like fresh apricot and cranberry, with lots of wild yeast and lemon peel, and a little coriander and currant.
T: It tasted like sweet apricot and bitter lemon peel, with some wild yeast and coriander and currant, and a little apple cider vinegar. It had a clean aftertaste that was sweet and tart.
M: It was thin and fizzy. Surprisingly light body.
D: This was a nice unique beer, but not as much currant as I expected or hoped. It had a nice scent and taste, but weak body. Easy to drink. Could probably age well.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 22:52:46 | More by Pencible

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 ounce pint - Taco Mac in Canton, Georgia.

Appearance: Served up an opaque, rosy-russet hue with a small, though persistent, white head.

Smell: Softly fruity, scantly tart with thin, thin traces of herbs and subtle malted wheat.

Taste: Modestly tangy wheat malt, with a low sweetness upfront and throughout. Subdued cassis flavor, faintly tartish and including a tenuously tannic edge. Small hint of herb. Lightly fruity finish with a neutral grain quality in the background.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Finely carbonated.

Overall: A decent, refreshing fruit brew that, while I didn't love, I did enjoy a bit more than the standard Éphémère apple.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2011 16:33:16 | More by ChainGangGuy

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

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

On-tap 12/4/2011 at Rose Alley Ale House in New Bedford, MA served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a light reddish brown color with a thin white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin on the glass.

S: The aroma contains berries, light Belgian yeast but not much else.

T: The taste starts out with tart and sweet flavors of the black currant. The malt character is very thin and there’s almost no hops presence but that is expected with this type of beer. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: A little tasty, goes down easy, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, it’s a decent option if you’re in the mood for this type of beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2011 02:40:45 | More by TheManiacalOne