La Fringante - Unibroue

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

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

Full of taste from spieces and herbs that varies on each sip. Great-looking bottle. Alcohol is masked by zest to mouth. As interesting a beer as I've had, and in a league by itself from other tripels. will win over Belgium beer fans. Liked it by itself without food, but its too much alcohol for most people.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2003 23:06:50 | More by northyorksammy

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.1/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a orange/yellow hazy brew (color is reminiscent of Unibroue 10) with a nice bubbly/foamy whitish head with no much of retention. Carbonation is tight and aroma of spice with usual Unibroue hops style. Taste of alcohol is not subtle and even too strong that it hides the mix of spice. This is definitely not the best from Unibroue and it seems to me that it is just another variation of their usual Belgian ale. I think this beer is overrated.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2004 20:10:28 | More by Phyl21ca

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A hazy, yellow-gold body is topped by a tall head of bright-white foam. The retention is exellent, and it maintains a decent 1/2" or more throughout the entire goblet. It's a really nice appearance, but unfortunately it leaves no lace. The nose is restrained, but offers some honey and candyish sweetness as well as a delicate touch of alcohol and low-level spice. The light body and very fine, effervescent carbonation leaves it tingly in the mouth, and it becomes lightly creamy as it warms across the palate. The flavor delivers a brilliant combination of crisp, juicy apples and sugary but non-descriptive rock candy. It finishes with a lingering note of sweet malt and thin wash of drying alcohol. Quite nice!

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2003 04:25:57 | More by NeroFiddled

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy, straw gold color that is topped by a frothy, two-finger thick pale off-white head. The aroma has sweet grain note that I associate with wheat. There is also a fruity green apple note and a bit of underlying spiciness (that is quite evident, and pervasive, but hard to describe) made up of an earthy-herbal note, a hint of ginger, and a dry yeasty notes. The aroma is pretty straight forward, but definitely nice.

The taste is fairly sweet, which accentuates a strong fruity note made up of apples and even a bit of plum. The beer is pretty well carbonated and tends to become frothy as it hits the tongue. The carbonation helps to balance the upfront, and even lingering, sweetness. There is a dry, peppery, ginger-like note that tends to dry out the finish quite a bit. There is a bit of astringency in the finish that is definitely derived from yeast fermentation characteristics, reminds me a bit of a warm fermentation. Overall this is quite a nice beer, it is tasty, though perhaps not quite as complex as I could wish for.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2006 04:05:21 | More by Gueuzedude

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

341ml bottle, an apparent straggler from a mixed-pack at a local station of my province's private liquor store monopoly. Still, nice to finally see this particular offering in dear ol' Alberta, for reals.

This beer pours a rather cloudy medium golden yellow hue, with two fingers of tightly foamy, somewhat frizzy white head, which leaves a few up-sweeps of coral sea form lace around the glass as it evenly bleeds from sight.

It smells of sweet apple mush, ripe pineapple, that earthy, musty Unibroue house yeast, baked banana, mild coriander and black pepper spice, and a beefy pale maltiness. The taste is apple concentrate, a more tart pineapple essence, generic under-ripe melon, edgy earthy, ethereally musty yeast, and some high-palate affective muddled savoury spiciness. No sign of this purported 20-proof booze, yet.

The bubbles are a little bit frothy, but otherwise apt at their desirable behind the scenes job, the body actually medium-heavy for the style, as the inherent fruitiness manifests still, and lingers further into a middling smoothness. It finishes off-dry, the fruit and spice continuing their oblivious dance in the presence of such an innocuous and at the same time prominent alcohol presence.

Once again, this isn't exactly my favourite style, however, the usual suspects of my dismay are well mediated here, especially the booze, as the fruit, spice, and yeast persist in their nice, pat little French orgy. And that's all right by me, as that warming finally sets in, slowly and surely.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:27:58 | More by biboergosum

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Looks real nice, hazy orange, huge white head that took 10 minutes to go away, leaving lots of lace. Smell is citrusy, with yeast, caramel, pine, orange and spice. Taste is very malty, lots of caramel/toffee, some coffee roast, orange and spice, yeast and citrus. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with high carbonation. Very nice tripel, I think one of my favourites from Unibroue thus far.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2005 00:49:13 | More by Viggo

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazed straw/gold colour topped by an almond head. Good lacing. The distinctive Unibroue yeast is tamed somewhat in this bottle (from 03/03) and melds quite well with light plum fruitiness, rich bready grain, and mild spice. The flavour's great, still fairly sweet with a cotton candy quality. Juicy plum throughout with just the right balance of peppery spice and alcohol warmth in the finish. Creamy texture, medium bodied with low carbonation. Quite a superb beer, very easy to drink given the gravity. Thanks Derek!

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2006 00:33:32 | More by DrJay

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Another slick silk screened Unibroue bottle, corked & caged. Pours a cloudy yellow with fair carbonation. First glance and sip - nothing overly impressive. Good example of this tripel style. Fairly moderate flavour and aroma. Some citruisy notes, Belgian hops in the smell. Some spice. Slight tangy notes in the flavour. Maybe a pinch of alcohol in the finish but overall quite well hidden. A little light bodied but tasty. A very well done and enjoyable, though not overly impressive beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2006 21:17:24 | More by biegaman

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I found this on a dusty shelf in Surrey, BC. The bottle is dated 03/03. Seems to have really stood the test of time

A: Murky, yellow-brown, pours with a nice head.

S: Sweet sugar/caramel, bready malt, with a very estery, almost candy floss-like aroma.

T: Bready, losts of fruity esters, slightly spicy. Alcohol is apparant, but not overly assertive. Boardering on exceptional.

M: Light, but slightly creamy. Moderate-high carbonation.

D: It's light & digestive, but the flavours are a little intense, and the alcohol is a little high for this to be a real drinker.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2006 00:03:38 | More by Derek

RoyalT

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance – Here’s the lazy, light orange misty ale that typifies many Belgians. What? You say that Quebec isn’t in Belgium? No, but it might as well be when it comes to Unibroue brews. These are almost always dead on, and this is no exception.

The head is very typical Unibroue as well. Careful on the pour, because this one will come right out at you. Once it settled down I enjoyed marveling at the big pool of foam on top of the liquid. Even the head seemed to improve as this ale warmed.

Smell – I was making pizza dough while tasting this, so the competing yeast aromas were quite entertaining. The light, lovely yeasty dough of the Fringante is typical Unibroue and utterly amazing. The complex spicing rounds things out here, making the experience that much more enjoyable. Don’t even think about rating the smell on this ale until you’ve whiffed a warm one.

Taste – I taste my Belgians at almost room temperature for the most part, and this one was no exception. I like warm malty beer. The nose came our perfectly at the taste. The yeast and very light hop compliment mixed expertly with the friendly Belgian spices. I especially enjoyed the first class coriander and white pepper, but there were many others too numerous to mention.

Mouthfeel – Medium-bodied and extremely delicate and fluffy. Oh, how I wish American breweries could get this mouthfeel. Nine out of ten reviews that I do on non-Belgium Belgians or non-German Germans bemoan the brewer’s inability to replicate this mouthfeel, yet Unibroue seems to do it at will.

Drinkability – I should have saved this for #1,000. Once again, as if it hasn’t happened over and over again, Unibroue impresses.

Comments – How good can a brewery get? Edition 2004, 4.2; La Fin Du Monde, 4.3; Maudite, 4.5; Terrible, 4.8; Trois Pistoles, 4.5; 11, 4.2. The list goes on and on. I’m partial to Stone but this may just be the best brewery in North America.

Big, huge, I-can’t-express-myself thanks to Rastacouere for sending this one all the way out to Seattle. It has been a pleasure.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2004 02:48:39 | More by RoyalT

francisweizen

Australia

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Notes: 750ml corked and caged bottle with gold embossed lettering on the front. Bottled (according to the cork) 2/2002, purchased 1/2003, consumed 5/2003.

Ah, Unibroues La Fringante. I purchased 2 bottles of this brew in Montreal this past January and I have been sitting on them for the last 4-5 months or so. Today I decided to bust one out and give it a try, safe in the knowledge that I have another bottle to drink at a later date. This beer is sold exclusively at the SAQ in the province of Quebec so it is quite a rare find. The presentation of this beer is very similar to the presentation of Unibroues other limited edition specialty beers (10, 11, Quelque Chose) It comes in a nice gold embossed, brown glass bottle, and it is corked and caged.

The cork opens with no problem at all and a bright yellow, almost-clear liquid emerges out of the bottle and into my glass. The head is thick and fluffy, and the retention, as always, is excellent. The aromas are very fruity, and spicy. I get: pineapples, citrus fruits, candy sugars, various strains of yeast, clean hops and malts, and alcohol in the nose of this beer. It tastes very sweet, fruity, and spicy and the after taste has a nice clean hop finish to it. This is very reminiscent of Unibroues 10 and 11 as well as De Dolles Arabier.

The mouthfeel for this beer is simply exquisite. Very creamy, thick, syrupy and smooth. The fine carbonation dances across the tongue and the velvetty smooth liquid slides down my throat, over and over again...

The drinkability? nearly perfect! This is another classic brew from Unibroue. A brewery that never ceases to amaze me. Unfortunately, after I sample the La Terrible, that I have been sitting on for a while, tommorow night, I will have no new Unibroue beers to sample.

To sum that all up in a short and sweet sentence. A 'world class' beer from a 'world class' brewery!

Cheers!
-F

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2003 11:00:41 | More by francisweizen

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

341ml bottle poured into seldom used Unibroue glass 12/1/13,

A slight haze in a golden orange liquid, large bone white head sticks around for ages and only leaves a couple random patches of lace

S that Unibroue yeast we all know and love, pineapple, faint banana, spice, a little booze and bubblegum and a hint of cereal, the smells very strong and I'm liking it

T some apple and pear on top of what I smell with some more spice and slightly more booze but still kept in check, pretty solid flavor from a brewery that knows how to brew Triples and this is no exception

M almost foamy but not quite, some faint heat and a nice spicy yeast finish

O this one goes down with ease and I'm not sure if that's good or bad, for a young Triple(6 weeks) its quite smooth and I'd expect more booze considering the 10%

It's not everyday that my highest ranked unrated Canadian top 100 brew just shows up at my liquor store. Pretty stoked to see this in the Unibroue mixed pack, what a great deal too

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 06:15:27 | More by wordemupg

GClarkage

California

4.4/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Consumed in September 2004 from a 750 that was purchased in Canada on vacation in early 2004. Poured a light orange/almond color with a huge head that lasted a while. Left the room for 10 minutes to let it get to a more room temp and came back to see the same head just sitting there waiting for me to drink it. Nice lace around the entire glass. Very sticky lace. Smelled very sweet. Didn't detect a bunch of alcohol. Lots of spices in the scent. Maybe a bit of citrus mixed in for good measure. Pretty lightly carbonated. 10% avb?!? You're kidding me? If I hadn't known what I was drinking I would have said maybe a 6 avb. But it climbs up on you slowly. Not much hoppiness, just enough to detect it. Heavy on the spices and maybe even some tropical fruit? Banana, papaya??? Didn't even taste as sweet as I thought it would after smelling it. Went down super easy. This is a pretty great beer. Glad I purchased two of them. Think I will age this other one though for another year and see what it gets me. If you see this beer, buy it. It's one of the better ones.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2004 18:10:32 | More by GClarkage

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This bottle is a year old and it has improved this beer considerably. While the young version was rough and in your face this smooth and fruity with rounded citrus flavours. Hazy light orange and a big luscious nose I loved this beer with Osso Buco and Rissoto. One of the great Unibroue beers, this is made for the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2004 03:37:53 | More by canucklehead

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

341ml Bottle from Broue Haha QC part of a mixed 12 pack for 14.99+taxes

Appearance - Hazy copper/dark gold colour with a massive size fizzy/frothy off-white head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some decent lacing. The head lasted for 5-6 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, grapes, bananas, apples, yeast/clove

Taste & Mouth - There is a high amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, apples, and yeast. There is also some grapes, banana, and clove/coriander. It ends with a bittersweet fruity and spicy aftertaste.

Overall - Seems like a Fin Du Monde with a touch more complexity. There are hints of a belgian IPA to it as well. Really good stuff, seems like this brewer can do no wrong. I'm glad they are available locally for such a good price.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 01:41:12 | More by spinrsx

kmpitz2

Tennessee

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 3-3-03. With 10%, this one should have held up nicely. Pours a lightly hazy peach color with a 2 finger head that falls lightly. An active carbonation keeps things going on the head. Nose is nice. I get notes of lemon, orange with a light mustyness hanging below. Flavoir is a bit different. Banana and lemon are the dominant flavors with a light spicey yeastyness hanging behind it with the mustyness being distant in the background. I am enjoying this flavor. Feel is moderate to full with a very active carbonation. No hint anywhere of the 10%. A very quaffable beer. Very light and active on the palate. Unibroue has done me right again.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2006 02:56:51 | More by kmpitz2

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Amazing how long we had to wait to have this available in Alberta, when they've had it for over a year to the left of us in B.C. Came in a 750 ml brown caged and corked bottle, brassy metallic label similar to Unibroue's other special editions.

A hazy apricot/almond in appearance, decent frothy white head on the pour which retains to a thick cap. A very meaty nut character up front on the nose, which is broken through by a more effervescent floral bouquet accompanied by tangerines. The spices tend to linger further down and remain there, faint traces of ginger, coriander and pepper.

The flavour, while decent, doesn't do much for me at first, and tends to swarm, everything arises at once making it difficult to break down. Orchard fruit and citrus blend with the spices, a current of light caramel ebbs along, the lips get coated with icing sugar, and the low constant murmur of the alcohol presence contributes a lingering warming effect throughout. The mouthfeel, although it contains a bit of an alcohol whollop, tends to fall more to the thin side of texture, and the mouth is left dry and sticky.

Given the abv% and the style of the logo, this appears to me to be the pale strong version of Terrible, or at least the yang to its yin style-wise. Not as exciting, nor as complex as I had anticipated, more of a mediocre offering from Unibroue. Yet even when they're mediocre they're still quite drinkable. Still, I'd rather have another 1837 to this Fringante, or better yet a Terrible to switch back to the yin of this dynamic duo.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2005 00:06:56 | More by IronDjinn

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL amber bomber with cork. 10% abv.

Pours a cloudy straw color with very good white foam that settles but leaves decent lace. Looks like a hefeweizen. Smells like aples and pears. Mild aroma. A bit of citrus and malt, biscuity. The taste was fruity (apples and pears) and biscuity with some flavors of yeast. Very pleasant and addictive flavor with a hop finish. The mouthfeel was smooth and clean with medium body. Nice carbonation on the tongue. Slightlty warming. This beer was very drinkable. Delicious. Refreshing.

Another excellent offering from Unibroue!!!

Thanks to my friend VM for bringing this bottle back from Quebec.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2003 18:53:56 | More by UncleJimbo

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Huge thanks to my uncle for picking up a 12 pack so that I could try a bottle of La Fringante.

A - Pours a clear golden colour, finger of soapy head with solid retention and some nice sheeting lacing.

S - Nose is slightly spicy, nice fruity yeast esthers, hints of clove and honey, touch of bananas on the finish.

T - Flavour is much like the nose, sweet cloves and honey, hints of banana, sweet corn, buttered bread and a leafy finish.

M - Medium bodied, smooth and surprisingly dry in the finish.

O - A tasty tripel and well worth seeking out, super glad I was able to try it out. At 10% this stuff is incredibly drinkable and dangerously smooth. Another treat enjoyed in la belle province!

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 23:14:06 | More by andrenaline

allergictomacros

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm a little bit ambivalent about reviewing this. Bottle is some 3 years or so old and "aged" under questionable conditions. It's the only one I got so I'm gonna do it, but take this review with a grain of salt.

A - Pours a lightly hazed gold with a quickly receding head of fizzy foam.

S - Nose is strong green apple with a hint of lemon. Underlying light maltiness rounds out the nose.

T - Big crisp green apples are prominent with a alcoholic undertone. Subdued bitterness and a Belgian spiciness are the other prominent flavours. Very cidery. While the alcohol is quite present, it is well balanced by other flavours. Aftertaste is more malty than hops. The impression of tartness up front.

M - Mouthfeel is crisp and sharp, light body and very effervescent.

D - Very drinkable tripel. Light and refreshing. Alcohol is well hidden. Leans very heavily towards the green apple.

Edit: after pouring the bottom half of the bottle, beer character is changed slightly. Much more cloudy of course, and a touch of funk and soy sauce in the nose. Bitterness is a bit stronger as well.Seems to have a bit more depth in flavour and a creamier mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2008 02:29:29 | More by allergictomacros

aracauna

Georgia

3.53/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a cloudy gold gold color with a good fluffy white head. There are lots of esters and phenols, making the beer with it's dry malt come across almost like an unspiced witbier. Really bubbly. It has a clean finish and only a little alcholic heat. Not a big flavor, but a good one.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2004 19:19:03 | More by aracauna

BDTyre

British Columbia (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a sort of gold-orange colour, but is very cloudy. It looks almost like unfiltered apple juice.

Smells almost like a dry hard cider with hints of peaches and some spicyness. I can detect traces of malt in there, but not much.

Tastes good: apples, peaches, malt and some spice. The taste is reminiscent of a mulled cider or wine. Sweet, with no detectable bitterness.

Quite enjoyable as a sipping beer, the the ABV can pose a challenge when served from the 750ml bottles.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2005 06:16:22 | More by BDTyre

brendan13

Australia

3.73/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Corked and caged 750ml bottle.
A - Poured a hazy darkish golden colour with couple of centimetres of white head that falls away quite quickly.
S - Clove & peppery spicey yeast phenols and some light fruit esters, a bit of apple & honey.
T - Yeasty like the smell but the sweetish bready and honey malt comes through as well.
M - Light to medium bodied, slightlt sticky with low to medium carbonation.
D - Not my favourite Unibroue but still worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2008 10:02:59 | More by brendan13

goodbyeohio

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

sweet bottle. this has been in the cellar for some time- i believe this to have been an 03/04 release. enjoyed just the other night.

cloudy, chillhazed appearance of cheap apple juice. alot of bubbles, this beer lives on! not so much head but a nice, thin slow-moving wave of sticky foam around the edges.

aroma is overcome by a tart, flaky crossaint yeastiness topped by orange marmalade in liberal amounts. bakery fresh, alright! there is even a slight smoky sensibility to the sugar charred up through the malt profile. surprising twist on a pale belgian.

easy drinking and smooth. citrus sweet hint on top of a seductively caramel-based maltiness. wheaty tang from the yeast steers the citrus slowly towards a lemon merengue destination. finishes with the remnants of what once was a mild hop bitterness flecked with licorice pepper. balances nicely with the obvious 10% of alcohol.

smooth, little to no burn, and another winner from big U.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2006 21:15:45 | More by goodbyeohio

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottled August 29, 2012. Thanks to Papat444 for the bottle!

Beer is a cloudy golden-orange. Large white head, looks very solid and thick. Great retention.

Smell is characteristically Unibroue, and seems quite similar to La Fin Du Monde. Banana, yeast, light spices. Rather perfume-like.

Taste contains a lot of light fruit, as well as yeast and some spices. Banana, peach, a bit of green apple. Clove. Surprisingly dry.

Quite creamy, full bodied. Nice feel, but the carbonation is quite high, and detracts somewhat.

Overall, very good. Glad that this one came back.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 21:26:21 | More by jrenihan