Maudite - Unibroue

BeerLover729

New York

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Dark red beer with light creamy looking head.

S: Cloves, currents, with sweet/spicy Belgium yeast phenols.

T: Spicy flavor with sweetness for balances. Strange fruit tastes that I can only identify as raisins and currents.

M: A little fizzy, could just be from the tap. Medium body with thin texture.

D: Goes down well. Spicyness creates a interesting palate although sweetness can get a cloying.

Notes: Overall delicious beer.

Serving type: growler

02-06-2008 23:39:17 | More by BeerLover729

ruckus232

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 Ounce brown bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance: Cloudy brown with a large amount of tan head that stayed like that for most of the drinking,

Smell: There are fruit and spice scents with a little bit of a hint of alcohol. The fruit smell is almost pear like.

Taste: Very nice flavor of maltiness mixed with some spices that remind me of a weisen but slightly stronger in flavor.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 00:14:30 | More by ruckus232

scratch69

Missouri

4.26/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I poured a bottle into a tulip glass.

Appearance- Cloudy amber brown color with two fingers worth of light tan head. Fair amount of runny lacing.

Smell- Nutty aroma with notes of caramel malt and Belgian yeast.

Taste- Caramel malt flavor with some nuttiness and some fruitiness with just enough hops on the back end for balance.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied with a high amount of carbonation.

Overall- Very good example of the style. Tasty and a lot better than some of the other Belgian strong dark ales that I've had.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 20:02:24 | More by scratch69

Kooz

New York

3.91/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a standard pint glass to an opaque amber brown color with a tight tan head.

Smells malty and inviting.

Tastes sweet up front, then some spices kick in and they add complexity. I am getting something like cinnamon--whatever it is, it's good. The flavors are well-balanced. The sweetness takes the edge off of what would otherwise be an over spiced beer. Excellent.

There's a warmth to this beer, but it isn't as full bodied as I'd prefer. Still, the mouthfeel is better than a lot of beers out there.

This is a good beer or capping off the night, sitting in front of the television watching some show on the old dvr. I'd happily have this again and recommend it highly.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 01:50:47 | More by Kooz

take_it_sleazy

Vermont

4.14/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Picked this up at a local convenience store. Was flabbergasted to see it between the Sierra Nevada and bud light tall boys. Poured into a snifter.

A: very rustic, dark copper color. Almost brown.

S: sweet fruit with hints of coriander. Slight hints of malt and hops.

T: lovin this one. Sweet fruit and spice stand out the most, with a very faint hoppy character in the background. Maltiness is well balanced along with the other flavors.

M: medium bodied with a decent amount of carbonation. They nailed it square on the head here. L

O: will definitely head back for another. Great beer that could be even more interesting when aged. Great beer by an even greater brewery. Unibroue continues to impress.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 00:44:11 | More by take_it_sleazy

microbrewlover

Pennsylvania

4.61/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

This brew pours a deep, opaque brown/red color with a two finger head which dissipates fairly quickly. Some of the head does sit on top of the brew until the end. Moderate lacing on the glass throughout.

The smell is nutty, fruity, (pears and apples?), caramel and malty all at once.

The taste is caramel, sweet and roasted malts. Nuts and fruit; everything is well balanced. There is just enough hop character on the backend in order to keep this brew from becoming too sweet. The alcohol is very well masked.

The mouthfeel is bready, thick and chewy. The beer goes down very smoothly.

This brew is very good. I think it beats Chimay's Blue reserve. Enough said.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 17:55:45 | More by microbrewlover

lawlerj

Nebraska

4.26/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. glass into a Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a deep mahogany with a frothy white head that dissipates at a moderatae pace.

S - The aromas is definitely on the sweet side, with some dark fruits in the mix as well.

T - Dark fruit, a bit more sweetness and some nice malt in the mix.

M - Medium, with a nice full carbonation level.

O - Overall, this a very good beer. It say for a while in my basement, and it didn't seem to hurt it at all.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 22:20:26 | More by lawlerj

IchLiebeBier

Virginia

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Cloudy; orangish-brown body; no real head on the pour

Aroma: Malty; spicy notes; some hints of coriander

Taste: Coriander; citrus (orange); dry, nutty finish

Remarks: Did not score A, T, S, M at that time; so please disregard those scores

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 15:33:57 | More by IchLiebeBier

tviz33

New York

4.68/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle in to a Duvel tulip.

A- Pours an opaque dark amber body with a small tan head of one finger.

S- The aroma is sweet fruit, but not necessarily dark fruit. Maybe strawberries with some apple.

T- All I can say is "wow." Sweet fruits, a bit of a sour kick, and awesomeness, of course. The Belgian spice is there in the background

M- Very bubbly and enjoyable on the tongue.

O- I actually live this beer. Go get it.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2013 03:29:53 | More by tviz33

utopiajane

New York

4.53/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Poured a hazy honey brown with champagne effervescence. Thin sudsy head that lasted down to a cap, soapy lacing. Aromatic and exotic. Complex with lots of Belgian yeast dominant. Thick fruits and a little spice. The sweet malt in the background comes to the nose like temptation. The hops are revealed on the palate floral and herbal. The malt is especially deep and full. Peaks smoothly with moderate carbonation and devilishly plays tricks in the glass with a slight reddish tint. Not too heavy to enjoy and lightly boozy at 8%. It’s demure but not afraid. What a wonderful way to keep your eyes on heaven.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 14:48:56 | More by utopiajane

ElijahRivera

New York

4.65/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

I bought this about 3 months ago. The bottle says “best before 04-10-13”. I wasn't purposefully aging it. I just had it sitting around waiting to be reviewed.

A- Pours a very murky dark brown with some red hues. The color is slightly lighter and more translucent than I remember it being. The soapy, billowy head was very quick to show off the active carbonation, and just as quick to die down to a thin, barely present film.

S- I stole a sniff right after I popped the cap, and I have to admit the first thing that came to my mind was “Oh no! I waited too long and let this beer skunk”. Now that I'm smelling it out of the glass, I realize that I am smelling a beautifully sweet and spicy Belgian funk. This definitely reminds me of some of the sour beers of tried much more so than a fresh Maudite does.

T- All of the sweet, malty, spicy, and boozy flavors I've come to expect from a Belgian Strong Dark Ale are there, but now they have an in your face sour emphasis followed by a sharp, tart finish. Then it leaves its bittersweet dark malts on your palate, and its warming 8% ABV on your breath.

M- Medium body with very high carbonation probably caused by the bottle conditioning. I remember the body being fuller and the carbonation being less in a fresh Maudite, but this bottle has effervescent and playful carbonation that really add to the depth and complexity of this beer.

O- I've always liked Maudite, but I'm really loving this beer right now. Maybe the Damned Maudite is just hitting me now, or maybe the short aging this bottle went through is just perfectly compatible with my palate. I'd like to compare a fresh Maudite to an aged one. In any case, I'm going to have to pick this beer up again, and I recommend you do the same since you are still reading this. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 00:41:35 | More by ElijahRivera

Roman5150

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

bottle into Duvel glass

appearance: dark mahogany brown with a slight red tint, 1 finger bubbly white head

smell: dark fruits, coriander, bubble gum

taste: highly carbonated, reminds me of a trappist... plums, vanilla, dark fruits, bubble gum, sweet malt presence with a sparkling aftertaste.

mouthfeel: very, very carbonated, medium body

overall: All the Unibroue beers i've had aresomewhat similar, and are all damn good beers. This is no exception, if I had this blind I would guess it's from Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 05:51:53 | More by Roman5150

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

APPEARANCE: Rich amber color, tightly carbonated foam. Good retention and staying power.

SMELL: Dark fruits, apple brandy, sweet brown sugar.

TASTE: Fig, raisin, caramel, toffee and creme candies, with a kiss of heat. Big time fruity, some faint citrus and muted bitterness.

FEEL: Medium bodied, smooth, lightly carbonated. Drinks effortlessly and all the flavors worked very nice with a cleaner finish.

OVERALL: A fine beer, enjoyed with good company. Fruity, Belgian and darkly mysterious, the Maudite is always a welcome addition to any glass. Can stand up to a compliment of salty cheeses and grilled meat.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 01:44:41 | More by Stinkypuss

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.75/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

6th Feb 2013: in La Trappe, San Fransisco: sat in a dark area, so had trouble seeing the true colour of the beer, front label on bottle bright enough but my glass seemed to hold a dark orange brew within it, on top what looked like an off-white foaming crown.

Semi-sweet aroma with malts leading the way, with yeastiness and fruit esters just behind in strength.

The taste is a pleasant blend of biscuity malts and dark fruit flavours intermingled with yeast traces and some hop spruce hints. Very drinkable.

Body depth was fine and the alcohol sat nicely within the flavours.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 04:36:11 | More by BlackHaddock

AlfaMale

Virginia

4.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

I'm not usually a red ale type of person, but this beer can get one past that. It is a fine mix of hops and brandy like quality that make it a pure treat for the senses. The last time I had a Belgian style red ale this good was when I was in Belgium. The beer pours smoothly into your tulip ale glass with a substantial head and a bouquet of early sumer floral tones that whet the palate for its imminent arrival. A sip will not last long, as you will want to recharge your tastebuds posthaste and repeatedly. The colour, as you would expect, is on the red side of amber, but not crystal clear, nor too cloudy. As you can probably tell I liked this beer a lot and will search high and low for in on my many road travels. Frankly, I've had three different Unibroue beers over the past several days and they have all been brilliant.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 21:28:28 | More by AlfaMale

dar482

New York

4.49/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Comes in a murkey copper color, a reddish brown. In the light, it has this lovely dark amber color. The head is a small bubbled one finger head that quickly dissipates to a little white ring around the glass.

The aroma has a big bright fruity smack of Belgian yeast and breadiness. It’s not really super dark fruits like a quad, but maybe some dried cherries, raisins dried apple, and clove. A nice aroma on this.

The flavor follows through, but it’s quite surprising. There’s some sour apple, a bright caramel, and toffee. It has this slight bitterness about it that just grows and eventually grips your tongue slightly. Not like a hop bomb IPA, but surprisingly for a Belgian style. It almost reminds me slightly of Duvel, but stronger and richer. It’s quite prominent and refreshing actually. The fruitiness however pushes it towards La Chouffe instead of Duvel.

Like Trois Pistoles, this beer has a wonderful tiny bubbled carbonation and mouthfeel. Almost like a super fizzy champagne.

The finish has almost a metallic taste, which is not really a dig at the beer. It’s not in an offensive manner that makes to beer taste skunked or anything.

It’s quite a complex beer. Extremely drinkable. The fruit, spice, and tinge of bitterness are wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 07:36:00 | More by dar482

confer

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

It's hard to find much wrong with this beer.
It is a cloudy lighter brown when held to the light. A real thick foamy tan head that lingers.
Smells sweet like a mix between a tripel and a quad.
Just slides down, sweet goodness with just a hint of alcohol in the finish.
Another great beer from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 00:20:39 | More by confer

N3rdM3t4l

Oregon

3.41/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

750ml corked bottle into wine glass.

A: no head at all. Based on other reviews this makes me nervous. Cloudy amber beauty a little closer to brown than red. Tiny bubbles sit around the edge.

S: sweet with that Belgian funk. Malty with no hop on the nose. Solid smelling Belgian strong dark. Because of the lack of head I am having issues getting too much aroma.

T: obvious astringent notes expected from the style. fruity esters like apple but they are hidden a bit. The Belgian funk is wonderful. Finishes a tad bitter surprisingly.

M: medium bodied, somewhat thin. I think my bottle has lost some carb because it is pretty flat. Thst explains the non existant head.

O: this is good and if my bottle weren't a flat flop it would be better. I can feel the potential in the beer. Still a good drink though. I would happily buy it again in hopes my second try isn't as flat.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 01:50:45 | More by N3rdM3t4l

ThaneMcC

Maryland

4.44/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: long neck bottle, poured into tulip glass

Appearance- reddish brown, persistent white foam, thin

Smell: mild floral, herb

Taste: so carbonated and evervescent with a clean, balance of acidic crispness and clean/tart mouthfeel and complex sweet/dry with clean finish.

Notes: overall a very complex, hard to articulate the complexity. I have a preference for sweet, maltier beers, this is a reliable none too sweet, crisp and clean finished beer that goes down easy,

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 00:02:40 | More by ThaneMcC

MattChaos

North Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Phenomenal beer! Purchased a 725ml bottle alongside a Eau Benite from a Unibroe boxset (and very reasonably priced at $25 for the both).

The Maudite pours from the bottle into a standard pint class with barely a quarter-inch head with no descernible lace. A quick sniff would suggest spring-time fruits complimenting the front-end with no bite at all. The back-end is slightly chewy but pleasant. The color is nothing but gorgeous; golden-brown until the second half when it turns into a brilliant and bright caramel hue.

I've yet to find another beer like Maudite and the entire Unibroue brewery deserves laurels. Chalk me up for another, please!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 01:28:44 | More by MattChaos

THANAT0PSIS

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Unibroue Maudite

Appearance: Maudite’s head flows out of the bottle before the drinker even pours it. After a display like that, the head is exactly what one would expect: huge (three fingers) and lingering. It is an off-white, and, when it eventually does settle, it is a nice, yet effervescent crust. The beer itself is also extremely effervescent and a very deep amber; this appears to be Unibroue’s take on the dubbel style as La Fin du Monde is to tripel and Trois Pistoles is to quadrupel. It is also quite cloudy and has a small bit of sediment (but that may be the fault of the pour). The lacing is very underwhelming, however, this is a great looking beer.

Aroma: There are lots of banana esters, raisins, some figs, a bit of a fruity and bready yeast, which, of course, comes along with Unibroue’s typical spiciness. Surprisingly, there are also a bit of citrus fruits in the form of apricots, tangerines, peaches, and, though it is not citrus, pear (another classic Unibroue characteristic); presumably, this is mostly from the malts, which also incorporate a nice, sugary sweetness. The alcohol is also quite present. This beer smells like a wonderful cross between the aforementioned two Unibroue beers (La Fin du Monde and Trois Pistoles), which is a bit like what the dubbel style is anyway. There is lots of complexity here, which is a lot to love.

Taste: The banana is strong with this one, basically dominating the flavor from front to back. There is a mild bubblegum character from the yeast, some dark fruit sweetness (raisins, figs, grapes, and plums), notes of pear and the citrus fruits mentioned above, some cola, and just a touch of an earthy hop character to bring it all to a halt and make the drink refreshing. There is a bit of a residual bready and spicy yeast aftertaste, but for the most part it is really quite clean.

Mouthfeel: Maudite is medium-bodied, creamy, nicely (naturally) carbonated, sticky, and extremely refreshing. It definitely does not taste like an 8% ABV beer, apart from the mild warming. There is something wonderful about bottle-conditioned beers, and Unibroue always seems to nail it.

Overall: Does Unibroue do any wrong with their year-round lineup? They do Belgian styles wonderfully, perhaps the best outside of Belgium (though perhaps Ommegang and certainly Allagash could give them a run for their money). They are always very true to style, and Maudite is no different, and the price point cannot be beat next to the Belgian imports. This sampler pack was an excellent decision, and I encourage all those not on the Unibroue love-train to buy it or throw caution to the wind and purchase four four-packs of Maudite, La Fin du Monde, Trois Pistoles, and Don de Dieu. 17.5/20

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 03:44:03 | More by THANAT0PSIS

smooth_aleing

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 12oz bottle into tulip, part of Trader Joe's 'Unibroue Sampler Pack.'

A= Pours a clean, nut-brown with some haziness. Good, two-finger head that fizzles down nicely to a mild froth.

S= Bready yeast, banana, molasses, brown sugar, with good floral notes.

T= Plums, candied fruits, raisin, caramelized sugars. Slightly sweet, but not overwhelming. Good amount of sugary malts, with a hint of a booze kick to it, given that it's lower in the Strong Ale spectrum at 8% ABV.

M= Good carbonation, no lingering sourness, which can ruin an otherwise pleasant Belgian Strong.

O= Excellent beer, as one can expect from Unibroue. Though I prefer Don de Dieu or Fin du Monde, this is nonetheless a great beer and well-worth trying, and a fine example of a Belgian dark/strong ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 23:55:26 | More by smooth_aleing

Hoptometrist

Oregon

3.63/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served from the bottle into a tulip glass

A- Poured a dark brownish-red color with a big fluffy off-white head that left splashy lace

S- Kind of faint for a Unibroue beer. Some yeasty, dark fruit, and big mineral notes

T- Big cherry, plum, prune, grape (almost grape soda like), some clove..

M- Medium to fuller bodied, high carbonation, very dry, nice alcohol warming on the finish

O- A really nice dark belgian ale that is on the sweeter side but not cloying.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 04:52:38 | More by Hoptometrist

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.66/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a extremely hazy dark brown color. The head is a two finger offwhite shade with big bubbles. This causes the head to fade away in a semi-rapid fashion - however it still retains one finger of height extremely well.

S: This seems to feature more caramel and toffee than the typical BSDA. Other notes of candied sugar, white grapes, and apple round out the dark malt qualities. I could use a bit more chocolate on the nose, but I can't complain about what I'm getting here.

T: Immediately I notice rich fruit esters, such as cherry, grape, and apple. There don't seem to be any significant dark fruit qualities aside from a touch of raisin in the middle of the flavor profile. Some of the malt flavors pop up near the back end; like I suggested on the nose, it's more caramel and toffee than chocolate (however I do pick up a bit of the latter from time to time). The balance of flavors is solid, and the alcohol is hidden spectacularly given its dry lightness.

M: It feels quite angular on the palate - I expected a bit more initial creaminess to balance the dry finish a bit. That's to say nothing of the strong carbonation, either. It seems to be designed to be very drinkable, and in that regard, it's extremely successful.

O: Okay, it's not my favorite offering from Unibroue - but that's a bit like saying this is the least attractive woman in a group of Miss America finalists. It's still a solid BSDA focused on drinkability over depth. In addendum, this was likely an older bottle; I wonder if this would be sweeter/less dry fresh.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 02:10:09 | More by ThisWangsChung

polloenfuego

Ontario (Canada)

4.31/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From a 12 oz. bottle into a snifter.

Poured a brown copper with a three finger head. Head retention was fairly long and after a few minutes a small filmy head is all that remains.

The aroma is yeast, fruit and some floral.

The taste is sweet and the yeast is there again. There is a slight boozy feel, but the other flavors just overcome this.

This is a smooth beer that is enjoyable. If you are a fan of Belgian style ales, I would recommend this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 01:15:03 | More by polloenfuego