La Fin Du Monde - Unibroue

minterro

Michigan

4.53/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've had this beer a handful of time, but I've only had it at bars so I feel like 12/21/12 is an appropriate day to give it a full rating.

Bought at Dusty's Cellar

A&S: head is white and fuzzy and no leaves no lacing. Hazy opaque light orange colored beer. Smell is quite yeasty with a white wine grape aroma to it.

T&M: banana and spice are huge in the is one. the tart fruitiness of the yeast is outrageously good in this one. hints of orange peel and slightly sour green apples. The finish is mildy bitter and filled with a coriander spiciness. Crisp at first but smooth in the finish.

overall: easy "top beer for the style award". Very fair prices for a beer of this caliber.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 21:58:32 | More by minterro

thlayli87

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a cloudy golden yellow, with coarse three finger head and moderate lacing

S - typical Belgian style funky aroma with notes of grass

T - wheat crackers, apple, black pepper, aged cheese, yeasty funk.

M - Medium body, smooth, carbonation is spot on

O - This is the best non-Belgian Belgian-style ale that I've had. Perfect example of a tripel and rivals the Trappist breweries.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 13:03:23 | More by thlayli87

kevanb

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a La Fin Du Monde tulip

The beer pours a wonderful golden hay color, hues of gold, dandelion, copper and orange, a big 4 finger white head, tightly packed bubbles, arises from the beer that has fantastic retention and great lacing. Hazy complexion with lots of bubbles rising to the top of the glass, this is the quintessential appearance for a tripel. The aroma is nice, banana, clove, hay, yeasty funk, some cereal grain, a touch of berry comes through, it's a bit muted by the yeast which doesn't let the other elements play as well. The flavors are definitely hindered by the overpowering yeast, banana, clove, a touch of vanilla, some berry esters come forward as well, but not as pronounced as the nose, lots of funky yeast, really starting to overpower with cereal grain coming though at the end, very dry yet soft finish. The body is good, abrasive at times, overly carbonated in my mind, very lively though, not offensive.

Verdict: A rock solid Tripel, one of the flag bearers of the style. Personally, I have other favorites, but this is definitely a go to beer as it is available nearly everywhere, cheers to Unibroue for this one, definitely a success.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 07:15:02 | More by kevanb

Treyliff

West Virginia

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

Poured into a chalice on 12:00, 12-21-12

A- pours a yellowish golden bright color with a two finger creamy white head. Bubbles continue to travel to the top long after the pour providing excellent head retention.

S- powdery yeast with some fruity, banana like esters. Sweet candy sugar with a bit of clove and some medicinal notes

T- malt forward up front with spice notes of clove, leading to sweet candy sugar. Powdery yeast leads to a slightly dry and warming finish, leaves the most pleasant aftertaste of any tripel that I've had. Such a complex taste profile.

M- medium body, lively carbonation leads to dancing bubbles and a creamy mouthfeel on the palate, creamy and somewhat dry finish. Alcohol is dangerously hidden very well.

O- a world class example if the style, the complexities of the flavors in this brew are hard to beat. One worth revisiting a couple of times a year to set a benchmark for other Tripels.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 05:15:59 | More by Treyliff

oline73

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a Chimay goblet. I thought I'd have one of these to celebrate the end of the world.

Appearance: The beer pours a golden color with an amber hue. There is just under a finger of fluffy white head that fades to a ring around the pour.

Smell: This one is slightly sweet with a ton of Belgian spice. I'm getting some fruity notes along with a hint of cloves.

Taste: There is a nice level of malty sweetness here, it's prominent but not cloying. The Belgian spice shows up here too, but it's not as dominant as it was in the smell. There is a mild fruity note here as well. The finish is slightly bitter with some Belgian spice in the mix.

Mouthfeel: The body is medium with a ton of fluffy, foamy carbonation and a very dry finish.

Overall: I really enjoy this beer. All the flavors blend together really nicely. I could have several of these.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 03:50:02 | More by oline73

Mavigo

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was going to wait until midnight but it cannot wait any longer. served in a snifter.

A: pours a cloudy and hazy golden color with a quarter inch head that dissipates toa short white remant layer with good amounts of lacing.

S: has the aroma of champagne, grapes, bananas, general fruity smell, can also pick up on the booze.

T: has a a light crisp flavor to it, very fruity, grapes, prunes, wheat, malts, strong hops as wellas alcohol. also very yeasty.

M: very light and balanced flavor, very sweet with a bit of dryness, can tastes grains and weat, hops as well, malts, drong aftertaste with booze after taste. medium carbonation, veryalanced.

O: great balanced flavor, champagne feel to it, great thing to have when the world ends. Very balanced flavor with good mouthfeel, A bit pricey but well worth it.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 02:44:04 | More by Mavigo

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 vintage. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a D'Achouffe tulip.

A- pours a nice golden with a ridiculous 3" dense white head. Big clumps and trails of lacing remain on the glass.

S- honey, big melon, citrus aromas followed by spices.

T- sweet caramel malts, citrus, cantaloupe, big Belgian yeast spices, and some warming at the finish.

M- medium body and carbonation. Nice and smooth with slight booziness at the end that warms going down.

O- very good tripel and couldn't be a better day to drink it.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 00:20:00 | More by kawilliams81

BeerDocT

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

-Appearance 4.0: Poured out a pale, golden yellow. Completely opaque. Good inch high head slowly faded into a 1/8" inch head the stuck around the entire session. Lots of lovely bottle conditioned bubbles floating everywhere.

-Smell 4.0: Ah, this is a tripel (even though the label states it is a "triple." Ah, qu'est-ce que c'est). Nice, deep aromas of yeast and dry biscuit malt. Also a certain honey scent in the bouquet. Very nuanced and not over the top.

-Taste 4.0: Interesting. Front is dry and somewhat resiny. Middle is where the flavors come in: slightly sweet; a very subtle honey taste blended with that tell-tale Belgian yeast spiciness. Finish is smooth and dry with some high notes of clear sugars. Aftertaste is clean and almost non-existent. I can detect zero alcohol in the profile of this beer, which is remarkable.

-Mouthfeel 3.5: Right on the nose with the carbonation for this style.

-Overall 4.0: A very good tripel, triple, etc. However, I have to state that, to my tastes, it is a bit too dry and lacking in depth of flavor. The middle, especially, should have had more depth. Unibroue is a legend, and for good reason, but it is my opinion that this is not the best beer they produce.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 04:17:11 | More by BeerDocT

wekieboom

Texas

4.95/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

By far one of my all time favorite beers and a first choice when recommending a new beer to a friend. To me the smell and taste has that familiar fruit, almost banana, like resonance of many tripels and some hefes but isn't over bearing as with some. Initially sweet with a hoppy finish, tons of flavor throughout and a lasting dryness as it parts. I am not so grandiose to claim notes of different tastes but the flavor is not a simple one, yet doesn't confuse my mouth as it typically grins after the first taste.

I love the head of this beer- thick and creamy and sticks to the glass... Never before had I appreciated such a thing before trying this beer.

I gave appearance a 5 because the presentation is is great and in a glass it looks a lot like a tripel, can not ask for anything more, nor can I find anything to fault.

The only fault I find is this beer tends to be slightly too carbonated, not over the top but just more than it needs to be.

A must try, in my book, if you are even slightly interested in venturing out in the beer world. Fairly easy to find and not overly expensive but be careful as you will not notice the 9% alc/vol as you are tasting this "End of the World" experience.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 23:12:52 | More by wekieboom

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.4/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tons of bubbles and the sounds of this Ale are striking. The label reads best by 2015! Everything indicates tremendous freshness. The color gives off a golden glow, very nice, very pretty.

The scent is fragrant and strong, clove, banana, yeast and a hint of fruity citrus.

The taste is simple...yes, simple. The banana is present, yeasty in the middle, followed by the clove but I don't get a whole lot more. The label reads "robust flavour" but I can't find it. This seems to be a basic "Triple, Golden Ale." Maybe I just don't get it or the style but this isn't something I'd try again.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 01:27:05 | More by KYGunner

dansmcd

Australia

4.6/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - pours a cloudy yellow gold, capped by a fast fading white creamy head. It will retain with the odd swirl.

S - huge wafting yeasty aroma, sweet bread, peach, banana, spice, very complex.

T - follows the nose, sweet bread, wild yeast, cinnamon, banana, stone fruit.

M - really high carbonation, zingy spicy mouthful.

O - wow. Tough to pick between this and karmaliet, either way this is one of my favourite beers.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 11:41:59 | More by dansmcd

Hatzilla

California

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

Pours a cloudy yellow with a small head that leaves no lacing. Aroma is spicy bananas, cloves, coriander and pepper. Taste is a sweet-and sour medley of bananas, funky spices and coriander. Mouthfeel is alive, bubbly like champagne. Alcohol is well hidden but you still get a slight taste - nothing overbearing. Overall a great tripel and another home run from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 04:08:55 | More by Hatzilla

MikeB20

Delaware

4.33/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

P: Corked 750ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A: A hazy golden yellow with orange highlights and a large clean head of white foam. Lacing is great and sticks throughout the glass.

S: Very Belgian, grassy with a some spice and alcohol. I think I'm picking up some banana and pear. It's a nice mix for the style, nothing overpowers.

T: Lots of sweet fruit up front with a clean peppery bitter finish. Some floral notes from the hops, in the realm of Saison Dupont but not as pronounced. A touch of alcohol at the end but not much.

M: Champagne like in terms of carbonation. On the lighter side in body, and a little dry.

O: This is a great beer, no doubt about that. It hits all of the right notes in terms of aroma and taste for a Tripel. It's especially impressive for the price. I'm not sure why it took me so long to have a La Fin Du Monde but I'll be seeking this one out more often now.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 21:31:22 | More by MikeB20

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

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

12oz bottle poured into tulip

Pours a completely hazed soft straw yellow color with some golden hues. Frothy white head bubbles up toward the rim, retaining nicely while streaking some lacing around the glass.

Spicy and fragrant in the nose with a snap of citrus and floral hops. Hints of banana and cracked pepper with clove. Toasted biscuit and light fruit with soft sweetness and a light alcohol warmth.

Crisp hops with a touch of citrus and peppery spice. Fruity notes with banana and pear. Decent sweetness, but fairly well balanced with the backbone. Biscuit and bread malts with a light toast. Finishes warm with some alcohol and spice.

Fuller medium body, slightly higher carbonation, bubbly and crisp on the tongue. It's been years since I've had this, but Unibroue really makes a nice tripel. The ABV is right on point, but not overbearing, and I enjoyed the balance of spice and hops.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 03:29:22 | More by xnicknj

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.4/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tulip. Purchased in Wakefield, Rhode Island.

A- Pours a very hazy, dull yellow body with a tiny white head and minimal lacing.

S- Citrus, tropical fruits, wheat, unripe bananas. The aromas is strong and upfront, which really gives a good impression of the taste to come.

T- Woah! Wheat, bananas, cloves, candi sugar, tropical fruits, slightly peppery.

M- high carbonation, medium heaviness.

An excellent tripel which has some pretty good availability. I really enjoyed it and plan on purchasing more soon.

If confronted with "la fin du monde", or "the end of the world", this would be the my first choice of brews to sip on. It's tasty and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 03:20:12 | More by gcamparone

JimTeal

Nevada

4.78/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Ready-Set-Enjoy a super fun drinking beer! The pour is sophisticated and just the correct beautiful foam lingering head. The spices are correctly proportioned, somebody said grapefruit, maybe, but absolutely a nice citrus, then comes banana and a hint of coriander. Nothing overdone, well balanced, smell so intriguing, almost a sexy come on. Unibroue always seems to hit it out and this tripel certainly maintains their tradition of excellence. As with all high ABVs, think about it before driving after a couple of these, but that said, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 23:27:12 | More by JimTeal

CFHMagnet

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A slow pour into my snifter rewards me with a finger of effervescent head. This is gone in a little under a minute, leaving just some bubbles and a thin ring. Lacing tries to cling to the glass, but like a 70 year old man without a blue pill, it just doesn't stay up.

First whiff is lightly sour apple. A hint of clove, some grapes, yeast and banana follow. Digging deeper reveals coriander with the cloves.

Yeast and a hint of wheat are very apparent at the start. Hints of grape follows and transitions into banana. Light hay, clove and coriander finish her off. It takes many sips to find all flavors, this is a very complex brew.

Very strong carbonation up front. The body is light-medium. Ending is lightly bitter.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 18:51:56 | More by CFHMagnet

MCC

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

An excellent interpretation of the Tripel style IMO.

Pours nicely, needn't be too vigorous to get a proper head. Said head is snuffable and quaffable, and it's worth doing both.

A: rather light, slight opacity, which raised my expectations. Good carbonation.

S: frankly this is my favorite aspect of LFdM: unusual (for our geography) notes of grass, hay, and other yeasty metabolites that coalesce to make it... oh, forget it - on to taste.

T: good but doesn't quite match olfactory. If anything perhaps too sweet; not sugary but cloying over time.

M: very smooth. Exceptionally drinkable. Good viscosity.

O: this has cracked my regular rotation of tripels (LFdM, Gulden Draak and Rochefort 8 (which I group with Tripels)).

Also worth noting, cost effective: $7.99 for 650mL. Plus you get to have the asthetic experience of uncorking a bier.

And then clarifying to any neophytes, "No, it's not champagne."

Prost, salud, cheers - MCC

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 00:55:11 | More by MCC

CA_Infidel2o9

4.75/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bomber to a Tulip

A- hazy straw, 1 1/2" bubbly white head

S- citrus, spicy apple cider, banana, peach, pear, metal

T- banana, white wine, apple cider, citrus, grapes, pear, spices

M- medium body, crisp carbonation, alcohol warmth

O-this is my 3rd Unibroue, all 3the are my favorite belgian style beers. This one is a liquid fruit cocktail. So many different fruits attack the senses that i'm sure i missed some in my review. For a 9% abv brew the alcohol is extremely tame, enhancing the flavor and leaving a somewhat white wine like flavor. Spices and sparkling apple cider round out this amazing brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 00:25:37 | More by CA_Infidel2o9

KickbacksSteve

Florida

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

On tap at kickbacks in Jax. Poured into a Unibroue tulip. Huge white, fluffy head, high retention, soapy,sticky lacing. Aroma includes lemon peel, banana, clove, nice white pepper spiciness. Taste includes all of the same, also some candi sugar. Deliciously "wispy" and certainly deserving of all of its accolades.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2012 22:23:16 | More by KickbacksSteve

1Nrwyscotch

Wisconsin

3.8/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle poured into a tulip glass

A. It pours a beautiful dark yellow with a thick white head which last for awhile, no lacing.

S. I smell belgian yeast followed by some sweet light fruit. As the beer warmed a little I began to detect some spice(clove) at the end.

T. It tastes like very sweet malt and has some sweet fruit in the back ground. It tastes more like a Belgian strong ale to me as i am not getting the complex flavors i expected.

M. Its pretty thin with some carbonation that fades quickly

O. I really enjoyed this beer but expected more complexity in the flavor. I would not hesitate to get another bottle as it is delicious.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 23:44:37 | More by 1Nrwyscotch

Kremlock

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy corn/gold colour, frothy 1/2 inch head that stays through out, apparent high carbonation visible.

S: bubble gum, coriander, cloves, sweet oranges, ripe apples.

T: I get fruit cake. Good old fruits with spices and alcohol in the background. Cloves are present with some coriander. Yeast flavours dominate the palate with an undertone of bitterness. The finish is sweet.

M: Great carbonation, cleans the palate but does not have the puckering feel that other Unibroue products have.

O: This is a very well enjoyable beer. It's not overly complex, flavours are a bit hidden and it is sweeter then bitter on the balance scale. I think it's a great introduction to a Tripel.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 02:09:24 | More by Kremlock

Geegmasta

4.68/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured into a tulip glass

Appearance- Poured smooth in a glass to reveal a cloudy, yet bright, orange colour. A mid sized, bubbly white head forms at the top and quickly dissipates within a minute or so, leaving no lacing.

Smell- Fresh citrus and fruit explode boldly into the nostrils. Very refreshing.

Taste- This beer really doesn't come off as complex but maintains a very steady and strong taste. A fruity/citrus flavor invades your tongue with hints of coriander with a slight hop undertone. The alcohol is very well masked but lingers in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel- Highly carbonated but dissolves into the mouth very quickly and finishes smooth.

Overall- Unibroue is one of my favorite breweries as almost every Unibroue drink I have had has exceeded my expectations by miles. La Fin Du Monde is no different. This is one of m favorite beers by them and one of my favorite beers in general. It's an extremely well made Triple ale on lees. If you took Blue Moon and made it 10x better, you would have La Fin Du Monde. I also enjoy it with slices of grapefruit (that's right, not oranges). I drink this beer regularly and recommend it to all beer-curious folk. Just be careful that hidden 9% ABV doesn't sneak up on you!

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 00:02:32 | More by Geegmasta

Imza

4.95/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is my favorite beer in the world. Pouring it angled properly yields little head, sometimes I get a thick foamy white head. There are tons of sweet and fragrant aromas that I'm not so good at identifying, but it is quite pleasant. I know cloves are in there. The taste is similar, with many different flavors. VERY smooth, flavorful, yet robust with a well-hidden 9% kick that you feel in your head rather than your tongue. The label of the bottle is amazing, and the title is French for "The End of the World." For me, personally, this is the end-all-be-all of great beer. I also love the sound of the cork popping. These are now available at my local grocer (the nice one, anyway) for around $7 a bottle. Awesome deal.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 17:43:15 | More by Imza

McD0uche

California

3.7/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into a pint glass:

A: This stuff is really carbonated. Light golden color with big billowy head. Good retention.

S: Typical damp towel Belgian smell. Bell peppers, spices, malty earth, dirt, tomatoes.

T: Sweet, complex mixture that tastes nice. Dark fruits, spices, and malts play center stage here. Buttery.

M: Starts out by flooding your buds with flavor, then radiates on the back of your tongue. Light bodied, finishes dry. Invites more sips.

O: I'm still trying to find a spot in my heart for Belgians. Usually they are too malty and peppery for me, and I find myself disliking the flavor. This was a decent beer with an adequate taste that many would find very enjoyable, but what I really liked was the overall mouthfeel. Refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 01:03:14 | More by McD0uche