La Fin Du Monde - Unibroue

tjkinate

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Have seen this beer on many a shelves, but never gave much thought about grabbing one. Finally I did and man was I missing out.

A: Pours a honey yellow with a slightly deeper core, topped off with a 1+ finger head that displayed little retention. Nice bubbles continue to rise throughout, but little to no lacing was exhibited.

S: Overall sweet, scents of banana, lemon, with nice floral notes. As the scents fade the smell of coriander and some spice dominate, slightly tingling the nose.

T: Wow, best Tripel I've had to date. Tastes were bold but never overwhelming. Typical ingredients like banana, citrus fruits, herbs and spices were present, but I have never drank a beer of this variety that was so balanced. Crazy how much that makes a difference.

M: Medium/light, coats the mouth in a light silky film, tingles the throat when swallowed.

O: A great beer that I will definitely be drinking again in the future. Seriously, if you were like me and passed on this beer in the past, next time grab a bottle, maybe two!

Serving type: growler

09-22-2011 21:50:36 | More by tjkinate

RyFikes

New York

3.71/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Take this review with a grain of salt. I've enjoyed many Belgium style beers, but after this one it's pretty clear that I do not like the Tripel style.

I don't really know what I was expecting, but La Fin Du Monde is dominated by the flavor of the yeast (eludes to this on the bottle). It is literally all I could taste with the exception of some citrus notes. It was like drinking a biscuit, and it sat really heavy in my stomach after. The bottle said it was brewed with spices, but those took such a backseat to the yeast that I could not pick up what spices they were.

All that being said I tried to review this beer with the style in mind, even if I don't dig it.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 14:36:30 | More by RyFikes

mfanch8578

Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

So, there seems to be a love hate kind of thing with this beer, so I will be as frank as I can. The past reviews seem to be between 3 and 5. I give it a 4.25. This brew was on sale at kroger at 7.99, so I got one to drink and one to age. The one I drank opened with apricot and yeast. The fruitiness covers the 9 abv, but can still taste the booziness. This is one to age, in my opinion. For the here and now, it just doesn't seem ready to drink right off the shelf. not ready yet. Just tastes like a young barleywine, sorta. Of course, I will finish this bottle, but I look forward to tasting the one that I will age for at least one year.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 03:55:18 | More by mfanch8578

CharlesRamsey

California

4.03/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Day drinking at the Downey brewery, an alpine backwoods bar in the middle of urban sprawl, in a well-stocked but completely empty bar(the guy drinking a Stella doesn't count). It poured a thin white head, with color like a ray of sunshine through the clouds at Diamond Head. Tightly carbonated with lingering head. Hay, black currant, and crisp alcohol notes dominate the initial impressions. Lingering flavors of balsa wood sans spice. Mouthfeel is smooth, creamy but robust with aftertaste to spare. Overall, it stands out above most other Tripel's and enjoys an easy drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2013 22:19:30 | More by CharlesRamsey

MistahBeah

Massachusetts

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Golden orange. Creamy white head and lots of it. Great retention. Lots of tiny bubbles. Minimal lacing. Looks amazing.

Aroma: Yeast, light fruit, crisp apples and some citrus, buttery diacetyl

Taste: Fantastic. Follows nose. Big champagne-like carbonation. Lots of yeast. Buttery smooth. A bit boozy. Cloves, some honey sweetness. Also quite spicy.

Mouthfeel: Again super carbonated, but goes down smooth. Warms the mouth.

Overall: Amazing. Well worth whatever they're charging where you can find it

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 03:20:51 | More by MistahBeah

aFIST

Ohio

3.05/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Was so excited to get this home and try it out...

Got out my tulip glass, popped the cork annndddd...

Pure dud...the beer was as flat as my 5th grade girlfriend. No champagne like bubbles or creamy head (that sounds dirty)...

I'll give it another try just because I'm still intrigued to see what all the fuss and high scores are about...

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 01:27:15 | More by aFIST

JamesMN

Minnesota

4.36/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Date on bottle of 12/14/14. I'm never really worried about freshness with a belgian ale but it would be nicer to have a bottled on date instead.

Appearance: Completely opaque milky orange color with a one finger off-white head spread out across the mouth of a chalice.

Aroma: Despite my early disliking of the Tripel style, the succulent bouquet of sweet pear, apple, dates and a hint of spice in the nose really makes me realize how much I have been missing out on since getting into craft. A good mix of sweet and spice with a touch of alcohol.

Taste: Similar to the nose but more intense sweet and spicy notes. The flavor stays pretty consistent throughout with the peppery spice notes (no doubt from the yeast) held low and dark on the palate while the sweet fruit flavors (belgian candi syrup) ride high on the palate. The 9% ABV almost seems completely hidden until you get about a third of the way in and start to feel that heat building up in the back of the throat. There is a bit of hop bitterness that comes in one short blast at the beginning and then lingers just a tad in the aftertaste. A superbly balanced brew that is close to thirst-quenching.

Mouthfeel: Hovering around medium in body with a silky-smooth feel despite the streaming effervescence. Highly drinkable.

Final Thoughts: With beers like La Fin Du Monde, Tripels are giving Quads are run for their money as my favorite belgian style. Quite a good beer and one that every fan of belgian ales should buy given the opportunity. Would I drink it again? Yes.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 23:37:57 | More by JamesMN

TBoneJones

Texas

4.26/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Nice hazy bright yellow-golden with ample carbonation and a finger thick whitehead.
Smells light but complex: corn, yeast, sweet spicing, citrus hint.
Tastes bitter and bubbly with a sweet ale character I enjoy, and whatever spices are used here create a fine blend.
Mouthfeel is perfect for me. Creamy and well carbonated, a bit sticky, the spice hits are very subtle on the tongue/ palette.
Great triple beer here, and I'd have liked it even more if I was a spice-in-beer kind of guy.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 23:19:26 | More by TBoneJones

Jacurdy60

Alabama

4.44/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 25.4 oz bomber with no freshness date into a no stemmed wine glass.

A-Pours a vibrant orange brown color with a thick, 3 finger creamy white head. Bubbles flow from the bottom to the top. The efferversence is just beautiful. Lacing coats the whole glass but leaves no latticework.

S-Spiced citrusy fruits, cinnamon apples, other spices, cheese, yeasty. Alcohol has a warming, but subtle, bite.

T-Dank cheese comes through at the front of the palate, followed by a warming spice at the back coupled with a boozy, spiced twinge at the finish. Fruits aren't as present as they were in the nose

MF-Smooth at first. Medium-sized body with a crisp finish.

O-Holy hell. Such a damn good brew. Not too complex, but just enough so to captivate you. Looks beautiful, smells fantastic, and tastes like heaven. I can't ask for much more. If you see this and have not tried it, GET IT.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 01:12:04 | More by Jacurdy60

Ruger

Kentucky

4.56/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A - Pours with a thick white head no lacing at all and the beer is golden grapefruit in color clarity is non-existent.

S - Very sweet smelling with strong yeast and maybe even a small amount of spice and fruits.

T - Taste is exceptional, starts of dry then heads towards, Belgium yeast, with a strong present of peach and/or pear to me, and the aftertaste is almost grassy tasting with slightly tart dry finish. Do not taste the 9% ABV at all

M- Perfect amount of carbonation and very smooth it could not get any better.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 03:30:40 | More by Ruger

THANAT0PSIS

Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Unibroue La Fin du Monde

Appearance: Highly-acclaimed living legend tripel from Canada’s own Unibroue pours a very cloudy, light, golden hay-like color. The head is absolutely out of control, running wild over the edge of the glass, regardless of how gentle the pour. Retention and lacing are otherworldly as well. The carbonation is top-notch, especially for a bottle-conditioned beer. This is a great looking beer and a classic looking tripel.

Aroma: Honey, breadiness, a yeasty, black pepper spiciness, and very understated coriander and clove. It smells sweeter than expected, but that is cut somewhat (not entirely) by the spice character. Banana is also a key component here, adding further to the honey, bready sweetness. Not as much citrus as one would hope for, but still a great smelling tripel, if a bit weak in overall aroma.

Taste: Some very great stuff going on here, and puts the good nose to utter shame. There are definite apricots, pears and peaches here (somehow Unibroue even got the texture of these three fruits in there), a ton of honey sweetness, wheat-like maltiness, and, of course, a mild citrus tang combined with an extremely minimal spice character that together still stand no chance of cutting the immense sweetness of this beer. Unibroue has not even tried to hide the alcohol content here, and, at 9%, it is definitely apparent, though not in an off-putting or overwhelming sense. This is anything but a balanced beer, but like huge, hop-forward IIPAs, it is not trying to be balanced.

Mouthfeel: The beer has a medium body and is very sticky, with milder carbonation than appeared at first. As in the taste, the alcohol makes its presence known and is warm (though not hot) all the way through each sip; yes, this beer is definitely a sipper. The finish is quite dry, and does a great job to keep the drinker continually imbibing. It does its proper service to the rest of the beer, and that is all a brewer can aim for.

Overall: My first Unibroue beer was an excellent one. This beer is an excellent representation of the tripel style, and the famed Unibroue yeast only serves to improve it. As others have mentioned, it is the taste that is the highlight of this beer, though no other aspect is really a slouch. While the alcohol is noticeable, the beer still drinks less than its posted alcohol content, and could definitely sneak up on the drinker if he or she is not careful. Here’s to hoping the rest of my journey into Unibroue is as great as this one was. 17/20

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 04:16:44 | More by THANAT0PSIS

smooth_aleing

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Poured from 12oz bottle into tulip glass. Picked up a Unibroue sample pack at TJ's, including Maudite, La Fin du Monde, Don de Dieu, and Trois Pistole.

A= Great head, initially a two fingers which settles down to nice layer of lacing. Wonderful hazy, light amber color.

S= Coriander, orange, clove, honey. Nice alcohol notes in the nose, but not overpowering.

T= Similar to the nose. Strong notes of coriander and clove. Great Belgian spiced yeast. Slight lingering bitterness on the tongue, with a complexity of spices throughout.

M= Nice and fermented, good carbonation, well-balanced throughout the palate.

O= A wonderful brew, and one of my favorite Trippels out there. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 20:25:28 | More by smooth_aleing

CardiacNP

Louisiana

4.68/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

La Fin Du Monde an Abby Tripel from Unibroue Brewery In Canada

Aroma. Nice sweet citrusy with mild banana and orange, spice from the hops. Also light hints if the malt

Appearance. A beautiful hazy golden color with a nice white creamy head with excellent lacing

Taste a very balanced Trappist style ale multiple fruit flavors and subtle maltiness. With a little hop bitterness on the back end

Mouthfeel. Heavy carbonation leaves the palate refreshed for the next sip. Hides the 9%ABV very well

Overall. An Excellent Beer. On of the best beers I have had from Canada I am a fan of the Trappist style

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2013 15:43:04 | More by CardiacNP

SaisonRichBiere

Michigan

3.99/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served room temperature, poured from a bottle into a Belgian tulip glass.

Smell- Clove, coriander, orange peel, banana esters. Textbook for the style.

Appearance- Pours hazy light orange, with a thin, wispy veil of a head that rests atop the brew. Bubbly lacing on the glass. Nice.

Taste- Big clove notes, gingerbread, carmelized orange peel. Yeasty bite, smooth creamy fruitcake notes. Very tasty.

Mouthfeel- Fiery fizz, akin to a ginger beer, finishes smooth and creamy.

Overall- A very tasty brew. Great all around. I'm a bit surprised that it has taken this long for me to get this one. A great representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 01:57:14 | More by SaisonRichBiere

gc0801

New York

4.54/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A
Pours beautifully with an everlasting head. Perfect representation of the style

S
Citrus Fruits, a bit of clove, a little what, does not justify the taste

T
Citrus, cloves, maybe a bit of vanilla. Highly drinkable, hides the alcohol way too well. Dryness at the end is refreshing and leaves you coming back for more.

M
Dryness at the end is crisp and refreshing. It is really hard to believe that this beer is a 9. This is way too drinkable.

O
One of the better beers I have tried and one that would definitely be my staple if it wasn't 6 bucks a bottle. Balance is key and this beer nails it on the dime. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 08:56:35 | More by gc0801

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.06/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

!2oz bottle poured into a snifter...

A: Pours a translucent orange/dark gold with one full finger of pure white head. The foam is frothy of tiny bubbles and it settles quickly along the edges of the glass. There is some lacing as it drinks, but nothing crazy.

S: The nose is sweet of malt and cracked wheat. I also get a good amount of banana esters.I don't get much clove spice, whih I would expect from a tripel.

T: This beer starts out with malty sweetness and banana notes. I also get some other fruity flavors like prunes and dates. There is a spiciness that presents itself after it hits the palate, but it seems more because of the carbonation than than the clove notes from the yeast. As it transitions to the middle of the beer, the prunes and bananas shine. The beer begins to tighten up in the back end with some yeast.

M: Medium bodied beer. Sweet, sticky, and syrupy to start. It coats the palate right off the bat. The carbonation catches the tongue and makes it prickly for a moment. Sticky all the way through the end of the beer, and the flavors linger on the palate for quite a bit after the beer is gone.

O: This is a good beer, and a good tripel. I prefer my triples with more spice and a little lighter mouthfeel, but this is good. I'd drink this beer again, but I don't think I'd be buying it regularly.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 17:33:08 | More by trxxpaxxs

EternalCask

Connecticut

3.86/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

4.13.2013
Barley vine-behind the bar
La fin du monde-end of the world
Unibroue
Chambly, Quebec

Good gracious eh?

I couldn't resist. Save for molson golden.. This is my first foray into Canadian beer.

A- hazy beach sand... Very pretty and elegant looking
S- clove, cardamom, cinnamon, cotton candy!
T-hints of bitter birch, more clove business, Indian food or Thai is calling!
M- sharp and sprightly
O- my Interest is peaked... Fun and interesting...high brow and balanced.. An achievement!!

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 22:48:49 | More by EternalCask

MShirokov

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

This beer has been growing on me. My girlfriend loves it, and the first time I had it I literally almost threw up, I thought it was way too yeasty and sweet.
But the more sips I have taken throughout a few years, the more it grows on me.

It smells amazing, and the taste would be perfect if it was just a little less sweet. Basically that's why I love Tripel Karmeliet - it's like a slightly less sweet and yeasty Fin Du Monde. Maybe one day I'll drink a whole glass and enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 00:44:53 | More by MShirokov

Jonada

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12oz twist off bottle. Best before 3-14-15. Served in an oversized wine glass.

Appearance: Light orange in color. Reminds me of peach or apricot. 2 fingers of a slightly off white head dissipated to a thin film coating and collar. Very hazy in the glass with plenty of visible carbonation

Smell: I'm getting a huge blast of fruity esters to start with (peach and apricot specifically). Followed by Belgian yeast spice, clove, slightly medicinal, pear.

Taste: Spicy/powdery yeast, clove, orange, peach/apricot, pear and apple. Nice balance between the juicy, fruit flavors and dry, powdery yeast.

Mouthfeel: Medium/Full bodied with a slick oily mouthfeel. Carbonation is through the roof. Alcohol is hidden well though.

Overall: I honestly don't get what all the fuss is about for this one. It's a good tripel, easily available, and I'd get it again, but it's hardly the best of the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 05:45:39 | More by Jonada

Chrysostom

Ohio

1.68/5  rDev -61.3%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 1.5

I dispense with my ordinary long disclaimer, discussion of methodology, preamble, and anecdote.

This beer is undrinkable. It tastes like a tarted-up wheat beer or Blue Moon. I hate wheat beer. I can't judge this according to style - sorry. I had one sip and almost spit it up. I had high expectations for this beer, and was severely disappointed. I'd rather have ten Bud Lights topped off with a Pabst than a single shot of this crap all eight days of the seven-day week.

Avoid like the plague.

To style (16E: spicing is allowed): 50/100
To taste: 6/100 (yes, you read that right, SIX)

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 16:28:03 | More by Chrysostom

BMyers85

Michigan

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I've had numerous tripels, but this is the best overall in my experience.

It looks positively beautiful pouring out of the bottle, with the perfect lingering head that lasts for several minutes and leaves charmingly asthetic traces for up to 30 minutes, or so.

It smells wonderful. It's like an eclectic mix of the seasons that can be enjoyed year round.

There is a certain smooth thickness to it in the mouth. It is less viscous than other beers, but if you aren't calorie counting it is an amazing feeling.

The highlight of this beer is the taste. I don't think I've ever tasted a better tripel in my life. A variety of spices and fruits blend together smoothly in a pleasing manner that reminds me of cool fall afternoons in New England. It is completely unique and it must be tasted to be understood.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 12:12:05 | More by BMyers85

TheHammer

Ontario (Canada)

4.74/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Appearance: A beautiful golden semi opaque body with ample carbonation and a solid amount of lacing and lace retention, which excuses the pinkie finger of head the pour produced.

Smell: Fruity yeast dominates the nose which touches of biscuit malt and herbal hops with a peppery cloves and slight mineral undertone. Warming didn't really help it's case and while it's nice, a little more strength is needed here.

Taste: Wow, most Tripel's I've noticed require ample warming, but this one, well it seems that my fellow Canadians knew the norm for drinking beer in Canada. A flood of fruity yeast, apricots, pears, apples, clementines, honey, all accented but a beautiful blend of peppery cloves and herbal hopping. It doesn't transition, so much as it euphoniously blends.

Mouthfeel: As I stated, the transitioning is beyond anything I could ever hope for, and the carbonation is exceptionally well done. There is a slight alcohol dryness to it, that takes a little bit away from the fruity biscuit aftertaste and wouldn't think a 9% would have, but all in all, very few complaints.

Drinkability: This stuff is exceptionally dangerous given it's ABV. It's goes down smooth, sits down well, doesn't cause any gas issues, light bodied and could easily get me drunker then a skunk in a couple bottles.

Final Thoughts: As of the writing of this review, we have a new champion as La Fin Du Monde has unseated Peche Mortel & Weihenstephaner Kristallweissbier as my highest ranked beer. Unibroue has shown me the folly of not partaking in more of their beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 05:18:36 | More by TheHammer

barczar

Kentucky

4.11/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best by 6/13.

Pours a hazy golden apricot with a frothy half inch ivory head that slowly dissipates, leaving sheets of lacing.

Fruity esters leap from the glass, with tangerine, lemon, peach and pear complementing confectioners sugar sweetness. There's a yeast funk that adds intrigue to lightly bready malt. Perfumey floral hop notes tie everything together. Metallic notes emerge as it warms.

Flavor reveals sharp peach notes underlying toasted, bready malt at the backbone. Pear , apricot, and tangerine emerge, along with a bit of yeast mustiness, leading to a slightly peppery, dry finish. The fruity notes are mouth watering, but stop short.

Body is moderate, with fairly high carbonation. Alcohol warmth is slight.

Very fruity, estery beer. Powerful flavors, but they're kept from being overwhelming by the bready malt and fairly dry finish. Sweetness balances well. Would've actually preferred the flavor to linger a bit.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 01:37:04 | More by barczar

fx20736

New York

3.81/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Bought a 4 pk of bottles from Wegmans Holt Rd on 3/23/13. price $ 10.99.

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a St Bernardus chalice, served around 50 f.

appearance: hazy lemon yellow with a 1 finger sugar white head. not much lacing.

aroma: sugar cookies with lemon glaze.

mouthfeel: full, solid but a little lifeless.

taste: crystal malt with lemon zest that provides the flavor and the bitterness.

notes: Mt first Unibroue bottle and I must say I am a little disappointed. Simple taste, not bad but lacking complexity of some Tripels.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 02:44:24 | More by fx20736

macbeer

Tennessee

4.84/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

La Fin Du Monde was recommended to me by a respected beer loving friend after he heard how much I like Chimay (Blue and White labels - Grand Cru and Cinq Cents). I have to say that La Fin Du Monde is right there with Chimay white label. It truly has become my go to beer. We had a party at the house on the eve of the eve (of New Years) and I bought a wide selection of craft and high gravity beer. Chimay was on the menu as well as Sue from Yazoo, an IPA from Schafly, Brookyn, and others. La Fin Du Monde was by far the overall favorite. I have also found that it has a rare ability to appeal to women that appreciate good beer as well as appealing to men. That may be because you don't taste the alcohol like some high grav beers I am familiar with. That could be a good or bad thing depending on how familiar one is with high grav beer and how many you have!

If you are in Nashville sometime, La Fin is on draft at The Pharmacy in East Nashville. They have a number of other fine beers on draft, of course, along with a terrific beer garden out back to serve great brats, burgers, etc. You can find it by the bottle in most places that serve high gravity beers, including the Flying Saucer. The Saucer, by the way, also has Chimay on tap just in case you want to do a taste test between the two.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 21:39:48 | More by macbeer