Maudite - Unibroue

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A darkish colour, some spice in nose and a fine drink. Tad sour like some darks. Pepper, strong biting carbonation, much better on tap than in bottle. In bottle, more of Unibroue yeast. Medium to watery mouthfeel. Spice with some malt aftertaste, similar to a cola. Belgian style and unique.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2005 05:30:13 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Lucent tangerine with a rollicking and rolling amount of carbonation rushing up to an airy head of ecru foam that appears much too soft to persist or to lay down much lace. I've seen better heads on macro lagers. As predicted, the glass is spotlessly clean. I've decided to add the entire bottle to the glass (thanks to the rapidly shrinking head, there's room) and the now cloudy nature of the beer makes me appreciate the appearance a little more.

The nose isn't as powerful or as complex as it should be for the style. This bottle has been in my cellar for almost two years (the 'best by' date is still more than 7 months away), so I feel justified in expecting some amount of character. It's fruity and lightly spicy, but isn't all that intriguing.

Maudite is much better on the palate. The flavor profile is composed of sweet caramel-toffee, oranges, cherries, blackberries and a smattering of spices and herbs. It seems that several years of rest did not go to waste. This beer is as deep and as interesting as some of the best of the style. It doesn't have the sheer power and majesty of Belgium's finest, but it's still a fine BSDA in its own right.

The finish is long, allowing one to appreciate the flavors either individually or in combination. A piquant, spicy-herbal flavor lasts the longest. Sweet, dark berries aren't too far behind. The mouthfeel is tough to nail down. It's lightly chewy and supple, but is rendered airily breezy by a perfect degree of enlivening carbonation.

Before cracking the crown, I was expecting another acceptable, but unworthy of the hype Unibroue beer. I couldn't have been more wrong. Maudite is an exceptional ale and is my favorite offering from Canada's best brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2005 15:26:35 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a deep dark russet brown with lots of carbonation leading to a large off white head, great retention and a significant lace. Smell was fruity, lots of pear, apple and fig hints with a tiny bit of alcohol. The taste followed along the same line, lots of robust flavors, with a decent warming on the feel. Nice smooth feel and a good all around beer. This was another fine offering from Unibroue, everything I have tried from them to date has been excellent, this was no exception. Lots of yeast led to a lively feel on the palate. Great brew, and nice to be able to have it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2007 22:36:32 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

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

Mahogany in color with a tall khaki head. Lovely spice aroma with lots of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove. Moderate banana and some nice dark fruits, mostly raisin and black cherry. Great malt sweetness, too. The flavor is nicely sweet without being cloying. Great toffee and caramel along with the dark fruit and spice character. The nutmeg and clove notes really come through and are quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 22:49:44 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

Pours dark brown with a tan head and some lacing. The nose is sweet with a bit of citrus as well as some clove and other spicing. Combines well with the typical dark Belgian characteristics. Brings a nice amount of dark fruit and caramelized sugar. Nice body with soothing amounts of carbonation. Drinks quite well. Along with Trois Pistoles, perhaps my favorite beer from them.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2010 14:03:05 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.8/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a clear, humble, brown body with a full, pillowy, light beige head.

Smell: Toasted wheat malt aroma with a distinct waft of alcohol and notes of lemon zest, bananas, dark brown sugar and various spices.

Taste: Toasted wheat maltiness with a good dose of cinnamon, clove spiciness and a dose of brown sugar sweetness. Orange and lemon peel. Dried banana chips. Sourish yeast character. Underlying hint of alcohol always present. Some bitterness on the drying finish. Grows more clovey as you go.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderately carbonated. Soft mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Paired rather well with the movie Eraser.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 23:50:17 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a cloudy dark amber with a modest head that quickly declines to a ringlet and archipelago (this is an aged bottle that is dated best before 5/7/04); some splashy lacing

Smell: Rich caramel malt aromas waft up from the chalice; that Unibroue yeast strain just smells like wonderful freshly baked sticky buns

Taste: Swirling it around my mouth I pick up caramel, clove and pears; after the swallow, I also taste some balsa wood and a nice complex balancing bitterness that is a touch grainy; the finish has both lingering sweetness as well as a distinct bitter yeasty undertone

Mouthfeel: Somewhat heavy bodied, with prickly carbonation remaining, despite the age of the brew

Drinkability: Of all the Unibroue beers, I think this is my favorite, but I'm a BSDA kind of guy when it comes to Belgians so that should be no surprise

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2006 22:44:37 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a somewhat opaque watery coffee color with a 1 inch beige head that fades to a small cap. No lacing whatsoever.

S - Smells like dark fruits (grapes, cherries) and malts. There is a spice element to this beer too.

T - Tastes very biscuit like with dark fruit essence. The beer is somewhat sweet. There is no bitterness at all.

M - Beer is creamy and smooth. There is a bit of an alcohol warmth too.

D - Excellent. Another winner from Unibroue. One of my favorites along with Trois Pistoles.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2010 04:01:55 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle - Poured a ruby colored brew with nice huge head with great retention. Carbonation is good and aroma of malts and hops are well balanced. Taste is a right mix of sweetness and spice. Aftertaste has the usual creamy Unibroue feeling with a subtle bitterness. The ABV is so subtle and to me is one of the great quality of this great beer. Probably one of the best Belgian beer brewed outside of Belgium and one of the best from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2004 17:22:42 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.22/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on tap at Pazzo's Pint Night. I've always liked Maudite better on tap. The flavors are better rounded, bringing out more ripe fruit flavors and leaving the alcohols less fusal. Keeping the spicy, strong malts, tart Belgian qualities. Still heavily carbonated and well headed. It's as good as ever.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2006 14:10:51 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Man I relly like this "big" beer,pours a deep amber with a nice thick off-white creamy head,nice sweet almond/caramel smell with slight alcohol notes.A malty,nutty tasting beer with some fruity hints in the finish ( a long finish at that).Very warming something to drink before bed.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2003 05:58:45 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

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

A slightly hazy deep-amber body reveals golden highlights when held to the light; and it's tall, foamy, white head holds exceptionally well and maintains a solid 1/2" or so throughout the glass. The nose displays crisp, fresh-cut apples and soft, sweet vanilla with a delicate backing of spicy/peppery yeast characteristics. It's just a touch creamy and very smooth across the palate with a very-fine and gently effervescent carbonation accentuating its medium body. The flavor exhibits some fruity toffee and lightly candyish/slightly toasty malt; and it finishes a bit honeyish. The alcohol rises a bit at mid-swallow, and it finishes short and dry. Quite good; although I think I'd prefer a well-aged 750 ml bottle to a fresh draft or 12 oz. bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2003 03:45:10 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.22/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Maudite tulip glass at Beelow's Steakhouse.

During my early birthday steak celebration, this was my beer of choice (a complete shock that stuff like this and Bernardus 12 were even available, and on draft no less!). It pours a cloudy amber-tawny topped by a healthy finger of off-cream foam. The nose comprises bready Belgian yeast, figs, black pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, candi sugar, mandarin oranges, clove, light banana, and a touch of red apples. The taste tones things down a bit, focusing on the yeast, the figs, the clove, the pepper, and the nutmeg. A touch of apple-y fruitiness comes through as well, diluted a bit by some red grapes, but this is secondary to everything else. The body is a hefty-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a feel that longs to be as chewy as it feels it is (if that makes sense...). Overall, a very nice brew, one of my old favorites from my early days as a craft drinker. Still going strong (both the beer and myself).

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2011 22:42:59 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.72/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The color is the loveliest, most perfect red you can imagine, the color of Satan's pajamas, and the head is bubbly, prickly, fantastically white.

Aroma is largely spicy, utterly delightful, with additional notes of dark fruits, berries, currant, citrus, and a hint of flowers, plus a good helping of lemon.

Good carbonation, and a massive deployment of hops upon the palate. The alcoholic component does not seem obvious at all, nay, it sneaks up upon you, as you innocently enjoy this delicious ale. Very smoth and tasty as anything on earth, heaven, or hell. Medium body, sufficient malt, but the hops are fully in charge here, and deliver the drinker into fully refreshing enjoyment.

One of the best beers in the whole damned world!

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2003 20:48:05 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.47/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a cloudy orangey amber color with a thick frothy white head. The aroma is great! It has a nice fruity, yet malty scent that is quite refreshing. It has a rootbeer type yeasty aroma that is really pleasant. The taste is great as well. It is a sweet and malty tasting brew with a nice, refreshingly fruity Belgian style finish. It goes down really easy and is a bit dry on the finish. This beer has great mouthfeel. It is a medium/full bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a fine Belgian style beer. It has great mouthfeel and excellent taste; another fine brew from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2004 00:26:42 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip. Beer is dark brown / red and really hazy. Forms a white head of tight medium and small bubbles. Lots and lots of carbonation in this beer....lots and lots. Head leaves a little lacing on the glass.

Smells like a Belgian strong ale. There is some good ester character, some sweetness, most of their beers smell the same to me, its the smell of their yeast strain.

Beer is sweet and has a sweet late flavor as well. Lots of carbonation in the mouth obstructs the center palate. Second, slightly bitter that time, beer is pretty good. I like it and I would drink it again (and have several times).

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2010 02:25:14 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer pours dark brown to red with a huge white head. The aroma is classic Belgian with some yeast, malt and candi sugar mixed in with dark fruits. Smells great. The flavor is more classic Belgian with sweet malt and fruit, mainly plums being very evident. The beer has a medium mouthfeel and is very drinkable.

I drank it as part of a beer and cheese tasting. It paired very well with the Mozzarella Company's Deep Ellum Blue Cheese.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2009 06:01:37 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Poured into a chalice. Burgandy color with a creay two-finger head. Left nice Belgian lacing.

S - Smelled of malt and yeast. Also, the alcohol aroma was present.

T - It is very spicy. The hop/spice really overpowers the alcoholic taste. However, the maltiness comes through.

M - It is crisp and dry. Medium to heavy-bodied.

D - I really enjoy all Unibroue products and this is no exception. The spicy quality is very unique.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2006 03:19:20 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

3.98/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Uncorking this bottle made a very loud popping noise, revealing lots of carbonation. It poured a cloudy medium- to dark brown in a snifter glass with a two finger creamy white head that settled down, but always covered the surface.
S: There's a moderate aroma of malt, sweetness and yeast
T: The flavors of malt, caramel and spices become well balanced as the beer warms up; the finish is slightly sweet.
M: This only has a light- to medium-body feel on the palate and does not taste as strong as other types of beer in this style.
D: For a Belgian strong dark ale, this beer is very easy to drink as any trace of alcohol is completely masked.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2010 03:03:38 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

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

This beer has an orange-amber-copper hue to it. It is lightly hazy as well, and the head is a pale tan color. A fruity (a combination of apple, pear, and plum), crisp aroma wafts from my glass. It is well carbonated and has a bit of sweetness up front. This beer is quite smooth, there is not much in the way of bitterness or astringency. The taste is fruity as well with notes of apple and pear. This has a nice light refreshing palate to it. This beer has simple flavors, despite this I really like this. There is a hint of astringency in the finish, combined with the prickly carbonation, that balances the sweetness/ fruitiness of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2004 17:15:15 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a medium brown color, with a large and dense off-white head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of Belgian yeast, spice, caramelized malts and dark fruits with a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts with flavors of caramel, spice and some fruit, but they all seem a bit overshadowed by the Belgian yeast flavor. However, there's still a decent balance. The malt character is hearty and there's a mild hops presence. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and a little crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is dry and slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, nice representation of style, this is a decent beer overall even if it might not be first one that I would pick, but it's still worth drinking for a while.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2008 03:44:41 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

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

Maudite is alot better to me now than it was the first time I had tried it. This beer pours out as a lavish red color with a tan head. The aromas of brown sugar and fermented fruits come from the top of the glass. The hops aren't really noticeable. The taste of the beer is sweet up front from the fruits and sugars. The aftertaste is a bit more on the dry side. This beer is worth having again. One day I'm sure I'll pick some up again and have it.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2011 03:18:52 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

BBD 02-16-09 (feel like I'm robbing the craddle)

Pours a superefferevescent orangey/red with a 3 fingers+ sand colored head. Lacing is good & a nice flilmy head with a persistent ring goes all the way down the glass.

S: Hints of leather, pepper& mustyness. caramel & sherrynotes emerge as it warms

T: Hints of oak, leather & then a nice caramel signature up front. Slight hints of apricot & brown sugar follow. Big time fruityness & christmas pudding flavor show up as warms. Finishes oaky, dry & warming

MF: Medium, but efferevescent. Great carbonation & balance

Drinks reallt easy for the ABV, compares favorably to its counterparts in the old world. Love this brewery!

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2006 21:06:25 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Abbey, in Seal Beach, CA,

A: Dark red, with some brown highlights, nice white head, poured into a Maudite tulip, that looked almost like a brandy snifter.

S: Very yeasty, with some dark fruits and cherries, but quite fragrant.

T: Very good, a nice Belgian Strong Dark Ale, very fruity and yeasty, with some cherries and strawberries, mixed with some dark malt.

M: Good, full-bodied, spritzy, high in carbonation, but once the carbonation dies down a bit, a rather thick brew appears, with a hint of medicinal quality.

D: Another good brew from Unibroue, very yeasty, with that Unibroue house character, I liked it a lot, easy to drink for a high alcohol brew.

Serving type: on-tap

09-04-2007 00:01:55 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly hazy dark amber color with a nice 2" white head. The aroma is of malt, pepper, spices, and yeast. The flavor is big, as malt is nicely balanced with spices such as pepper and clove, a nice bitterness level, alcohol, and a touch of honey.

The mouhfeel is slightly crisp at the start with a crisp dry finish. Medium bodied and slightly strong carbonation levels. The malt and pepper tones last long on the tongue. Extemely drinkable and an overall tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2004 20:31:15 | More by Gavage