Quatre-Centième Brassin Commémoratif - Unibroue

TheDoctor

Quebec (Canada)

3.26/5  rDev -16.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

A:
Pours a cloudy, bright yellow with a puffy, white head that dissipates leaving a few little patches of bubbles with minimal lacing.

S:
Really fresh citrusy smell on the whole. Yeasty with the smell with some really strong notes of hay and some cloves.

T:
Tastes crisp and refreshing. A little sweet but not suffocating, it helps that it is really bright tasting.

M:
Really fresh tasting up front with a lot of crisp carbonation, mellow and a bit sweet in the middle the tiniest hint of stanky hops with an earthy finish with some fresh-cut grass and warm yeast flavors.

O:
This is a really nice beer. I don't know that it is the best beer I have ever had, but it was good. Definitely ideal for a hot day. Unfortunately, at 7.5% it is a little stiff (not terrible though). Worth trying!

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 22:57:41 | More by TheDoctor

drperm

Virginia

4.46/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

Purchased this bottle in September, 2008. Sometimes there are bottles in my cellar that are marked "special occasion," and end up achieving almost sacred status to the point that I second-guess any potential occasion to open them. And sometimes, it's simply necessary to say, "what the hell" and open those bottles up.
My 2008 bottle of Quatre-Centième was one such of these, which, after staring at me in the fridge for 7 days (after having stared at me in the cellar for 12 months), finally won the battle of wills tonight. Glad I opened it. It's a delicious beer, not a holy relic.

The nose is subtle but bright hominy with a faint earthy spring grass hint that was probably more pronounced 5 years ago.

The taste is wonderful in an understated sort of way. Balanced, warming, with just a miniscule hint of musty-farmhouse sourness at the end. Delicious.

PLENTY of carbonation remains after 5 years, and it's pleasantly scrubby and spritzy on the palate.

A winner with food (Thai/Vietnamese, as long as not too spicy, OR artisanal cheeses and charcuterie) or all alone by itself. I'm sad I only bought one bottle of this 5 years ago.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 00:05:53 | More by drperm

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: It has a beautiful semi-cloudy golden color to it. It has a nice thick white head that dies down somewhat fast and leaves next to no lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of Belgian Yeast, pears, apples, lemon and a light spiciness.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a some bready yeast, apples and pears, some lemon and a peppery spiciness.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 19:00:48 | More by SebD

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this beer into a chalice style glass. The foam was minimal over a very hazy orange beer.

In the nose I get decently fruity characteristics. I smell apple and some pear. There is a decent amount of sweetness here.

The flavoring also sweet. You continue to get the fruity characteristics. I also pick up some caramel and toffee in the background. The flavor is somewhat complex, while stil having pretty good balance.

This is another very good beer by Unibroue. I continue to be impressed by what they put out.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 00:58:53 | More by ummswimmin

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

750mL bottle picked up at Broue Ha Ha in Gatineau. 2008 edition in honor of the 400th anniversary of Quebec City.

Poured into my Duvel chalice. Light golden honey, somewhat clear, decent half inch of foam, some lacing

Nose is quite yeasty, bit of fresh malt (grainy), herbs, lemon zest, a touch of sweet fruit.

Not a bad pale, dry finish, herbal, lemon rind, and a strong yeast component. Certainly seems as though time has mellowed this one.

Carbonation is still harsh, stinging my lips. Lighter bodied, dry.

Not one of Unibroue's best, that's for sure. A decent pale ale, but nothing special. May be the aging, or my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 03:28:10 | More by JohnnyBarman

MatthewWilde

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sample: 1 bottle 2008

A: Golden light orange in color, pours a small white head which evolves into nice lacing, moderate internal carbonation, translucent

S: Moderately fragrant, elements of citrus fruits, apple cider, yeast, certainly has a twang too it

T: Much akin to the nose, fruity and yeasty, moderately fragrant, touch of alcohol, aging has definitely made the brew less flavorful, but still good taste

M: Quite smooth, definitely easy to drink, mild fruit/yeast aftertaste, not lingering or overpowering whatsoever

O: A decent belgian overall, certainly has lost some of its vigor due to aging, still worth a try, I'd have to recommend a later vintage, of course

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 01:04:28 | More by MatthewWilde

uno99

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A rarity here in Ontario, This bottle comes straight from a Montreal Bottle shop. Nov 2011 bottle.

A: Typical Unibroue presentation. 750ml corked and caged bottle. Pouring instructions, temperature recommendations and other bollocks. Beer pours bright yellow with a fresh looking white head. Doesn't seem to stick around long though and lacing is nowhere. Par for the style here.

S: The expected Unibroue yeast is always present in their beers and this is no exception. If its not broken why fix it though? Lots of citrus and banana/clove. Grass, pear and oak. Don't forget to smell the cork. Quite lovely!

T: Quite typical Belgian Pale here, almost saison in profile. Very pleasant spiciness. A bit of pepper, pine, and apple.

M: Exactly the semi-dry mouthfeel you want from a Belgian pale. Almost triple-like in dryness. Makes it easy to drink quickly should you choose to do so.

Overall: Unibroue can't seem to make a bad beer, sort of "boring" in that regard. Very dependable brewery and this keeps in line with their standards.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 20:40:01 | More by uno99

Jesse13713

Ohio

1.63/5  rDev -58.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Review taken from notes a month ago. 750ml bottle into Maudite tulip glass. The pressure in the bottle was immense. All I did was press my thumb lightly against the cork and it nearly shot my dengus head off.

Appearance - A huge explosive head that nearly erupted over the lip of the glass. Cluttery lacing with a head that quickly falls. An opaque, dull brown with yellow hues.

Smell - Heavy fruit notes. Reminds me a bit of the smell of Maudite. Citrus notes and light malt in the background. The faint spice of clove tickles the nose.

Taste - Baaa. Many of the fruit notes transfer over to the taste. Unfortunately, they taste rather rotten instead of having preserved their freshness. The malt and hop characters are far from sweet. Rather, they are bitter and leave me disappointed. There is a faint caramael and clove spice that do little to save the brew.

Mouthfeel and Drinkability - I couldn't drink the entire bomber myself. I saved the remainder in the bottle, but it became soon forgotten in the back of my fridge. Mouthfeel is spankingly befouling. A smooth, light burn that glistens with could-have-beens. i would much rather drink any other Unibroue brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 05:13:38 | More by Jesse13713

leaddog

Alberta (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a slightly hazy pale straw with a finger width of bubbly white head.

Smell - Traditional Unibroue yeast, clove/spices, lemon/orange citrus.

Taste - Strong yeast flavour with the clove/spices up front, followed up with a light refreshing fruitiness - citrus and banana.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Somewhat fluffy with a crisp finish.

Overall - An enjoyable Belgian strong pale ale by Unibroue. Once you get past the traditional yeast flavour, the brew shines through with unique fruit flavours.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 02:28:02 | More by leaddog

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled December 8, 2011

Beer is light golden with a very large white head. Dissipates fairly quickly.

Smell consists of light fruit (apple, banana, pear), Belgian yeast, honey, a bit of spice.

Taste involves some bready malt, yeast, honey, light fruit- apple and pear most notably. A bit of alcohol heat.

Medium bodied, low to mod carb. Feels a bit light.

Overall, not bad but not great. Certainly not one of Unibroue's better offerings.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 17:15:51 | More by jrenihan

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

3.38/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Quatre-Centieme(2008) pours a golden color, with a nice lasting white head. There are nice sweet aromas, yeasty, alot of Belgian sugars, citrus notes. The taste is full of Belgium sugars, is often sweet, hints of citrus. Sugars are way to overpowering, clean like a pale ale, but has a witbeir taste. Overall its not bad, it is just a little overpowering with the "extra" flavors.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 00:51:01 | More by vette2006c5r

superspak

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled in 2008 presumably. Pours hazy golden straw color with a 1-2 finger foamy white head with ok retention, that reduces to lacing ring that lingers. Minimal spotty lacing on the glass. Aromas of big grape, apple, pear, apricot, pepper, floral, clove, lemon, caramel, honey, herbal, earth, and yeast spices. Nice and well balanced aromas with good complexity. Taste of grape, pear, apple, apricot, pepper, biscuit, floral, clove, caramel, yeast spices, and slight butterscotch. Lingering notes of apple, apricot, grape, pepper, clove, biscuit, and caramel on the finish for a good bit. Nice flavor balance with good complexities. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a fairly slick and slightly creamy mouthfeel. Alcohol is very well hidden, with hardly any warming present after the finish. Very smooth to sip on as well. Overall this is a very nice Belgian strong pale ale. Nice complexity and flavor balance; and extremely smooth to sip on.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 05:12:55 | More by superspak

Boto

Connecticut

4.2/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle, 2008 vintage: This one pours a hazy golden color. There was an inch of a dense, white foam on top. No lacing. This one has a nice nose. Yeasty, bready, wheat and peppery spices are the main ones. Maybe a touch of lemon and banana also. The taste is quite good. Medium to full bodied, yet an almost lighter feel to the taste. Touch of lemon, peppery spice, wheat, yeastiness. Another nice beer from them.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 20:44:30 | More by Boto

mactrail

California

3.45/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Rich and yeasty concoction. Has the family resemblance, with the distinct flavor that is not quite like any Belgian. Sugary taste along with the spicy yeast. More buttery than others in this category, I would say. Creamy bubbles and a nice appearance, more like champagne. Golden color and nice lacing in the Ommegang chalice.

This is a little sweet after a few sips, but the IBU is only about 10. I don't get as much bitterness from the Belgian flavors as some other examples. Makes me think of cream soda and apples. Quite an interesting beer to try, but I wouldn't pay a lot for it.

No telling when this was made. If it's a 2008 leftover, it's remarkably good, but Unibroue is no help on whether they're still brewing this.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2012 05:25:22 | More by mactrail

augustgarage

California

3.3/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

2008 vintage, poured from a 750mL caged-and-corked bottle into my Unibroue tulip.

I'd write in immitation of the language of Fathers and Crows, of Chawain's explorations and promises, trading iron for beaver pelts, and making war on the Iroquois, subjecting the Huron to the rule of the Roy and bringing the Black Gowns in his wake. But those sorcerers and seekers drank blood (of Christ) rather than ale - so I'll end my digression before it begins.

A clear sunglow liquid fills my glass with a fury of micro-bubbles supporting a raft of even fine ivory foam. Dense stiff-peak lacing grips the rim tenaciously.

Jammy esters greet your nose, with hints of white grapes and custard followed by a gentle spicy yeastiness.

Fairly sweet palate entry with honey, pears, and other winter fruit flickering in and out of focus. Mild bitterness accompanies a faintly grassy addition of hops leading into the mineral-laden champagne-like finish. Faint herbal quality emerges as the beer warms. Alcohol is not overwhelming, but stands out more than it should.

Medium-bodied, creamy, effervescent mouthfeel. Again, a tiny bit hot from the alcohol.

I'm uninspired to visit the city memorialized by this ale based on the latter's merits; a decent, but unremarkable ale that improved little through age. But the allure of history trumps my good sense, and I'd probably empty my wallet again to have a beverage dedicated to "where the river narrows." Don't let the name deceive you, for it is there that many enter The Stream of Time.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 23:44:46 | More by augustgarage

Crossmd

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured 39 degrees Fahrenheit into a tulip glass. No born date.

Pours a hazy wheaty orange with a thick, fairly quickly dissipating 3 finger white head. No lacing.

Smell consists of some Belgian yeast and some banana maybe? Decently projected.

Tastes of Belgian yeast, fruit bouquet and spices. The mouthfeel is a pillowy plushness with a fair degree of tiny champagne bubbles tickling, more than sparkling.

Overall, an equally plush, if just as light offering to the Unibroue line up. Not the most intensely flavorful beer, but something that I would love to return to if it was not so difficult to find. There are surely better Unibroues though.

86.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 01:55:38 | More by Crossmd

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured out as a nice golden color with a fluffy white head on top. The head settles down and leave a little lacing on the glass. The smell of the beer has plenty of Belgian yeast aromas and mixed fruit coming off of it. The taste had the same aspects to it, it's a little on the sweet side but it's still pretty well balanced. The mouthfeel had a decent body to it along with a pretty good drinkability. Overall it's just anouther pretty freakin good brew from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 02:02:43 | More by Knapp85

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: 1/2" white head that dissipated quickly over golden straw coloured liquid with very good clarity.

S: Yeast, apples, pears and citrus hops.

T: Apples, pears, and yeast up front which transitions to a faint taste of raisin and white wine similar to a German Riesling.

M: Medium viscosity with a medium level of fine carbonation.

O: A sweet beer whose appearance was not up to typical Unibroue standards but was tasty nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 05:12:39 | More by DaftCaskBC

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750ml. bottle and shared with my wife.

Appearance: Major foam that takes a long time to settle, easily 10-15 minutes. Body is the color of pineapple and is a bit cloudy.

Smell: Lemon, orange, herbs, mild mint and flowers.

Taste: Herbal bitterness, flower leaves, citrus, hint of orange, dry fruit and the yeast brings out some banana & pineapple.

Mouthfeel: Well carbonated, active and refreshing.

Overall: I liked it. Typical Unibroue beer that is well made but does play it safe.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 10:17:49 | More by papat444

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.7/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a lovely clear orange amber with a very thick and rather persistent fluffy white head that leaves only minimal lacing. Fruity aroma is mainly apple and banana and has firm malty and yeasty notes. Mouth-filling flavor has tones of apple, malt, banana and yeast as well as hints of caramel and butterscotch. Smooth, full-bodied texture has a subtle tingle and leaves a mild but persistent fizz behind. Happy 400th birthday, Quebec City!

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 14:50:34 | More by Cyberkedi

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from Broue HAHA.

A - Pours with a hazy/cloudy golden/blonde colour with strong carbonation. One finger white head is thick and fluffy. Mediocre retention and lacing with a bit of each.

S - Orange and yeast with a hint of lemon. Mild.

T - Orange and banana. Yeast. Some mild spice. A fair amount of nice subtle fruits. Good lemon and pear or apple there too. Sweet malt is appopriate and works with the peppery spice and fruits. A little candi sugar is there also I think.

M - Strong carbonation with a full body and a fruity, orange/lemon finish. Moves to dryness in the end.

O/D - Not a bad one from Unibroue. Not their best offering and I don't know why they're venturing into this style with beers that are more solid and reliable than this. I recognize the speciality of the release, but I don't see this as viable in the long-term when they have beers of similar style/ABV that are better. Yet, it's very drinkable with no alcohol present in the flavour and it's complex enough to keep you interested.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 00:56:13 | More by tbeckett

eat

Quebec (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a translucent golden body with visible carbonation. Thin cover of bright-white head with some lacing. Looks like Unibroue.

Unibroue yeast, astringent, lemon, bit of candy sugar, light coriander and alcohol on the nose.

Pretty sweet up front with sugary malt. More of a mineral character than most Unibroues along with astringent grain, yeast and light spices (coriander and cloves) through the middle. The finish is drying and bitter, presenting herbal hops.

The body is a little on the thin side, carbonation isn't as high as usual for this brewery.

After trying the majority of Unibroue's regular offerings I find that they're all so similar that you might as well just pick your favourite and stick with that one. Aside from Unibroue 17, which seems to stand apart completely, most every Unibroue just seems like a slight variation on the previous one. Although this example fits right in amongst their lineup, this is not one of my top couple favourites from this brewery so I doubt I'll be picking it up again.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 20:47:17 | More by eat

wvsabbath

West Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving Type - 22oz bottle

Appearance - Cloudy light orange, fizzy 1/4 inch head that dissapeared fast. Looks like a wheat summer ale honesty.

Smell - Yeasty, floral hops, some apples, lemon, orange, grapefruit. Some sugars and spices like corriander comes out.

Taste - Floral hops and yeast, with a peppery and minty taste. Much in the vein of la fin and trois, this beer is a tamed down version. Smooth and lowered alcohol adds to the drinkibilty. Lots of lemon and grassy-like spices stand out.

Mouthfeel - Not alot of bite but plenty enough to feel on the tounge. Palette gets coated with yeast and hops. Not much warmth from alcohol. Pretty simple and smooth.

Overall - Sort of a light version of la fin and trois. Good flavor, easy to drink, just not as flavor strong and tsateful as la fin. This might be a good starter for unibrowe beers, or maybe for someone that cant handle all the flavors of there other beers but, i wouldnt pick this over la fin if both was on the shelf.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2011 21:46:02 | More by wvsabbath

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy straw yellow color with a big almost four finger head which recedes slowly and leaves a tight head with some lacing. The aroma is of bananas, some citrus, clove, and a bit of yeastiness. The taste follows suit with a clove taste giving way to a touch of yeast and some spiciness. The end brings about a slight floral hop bite. The mouthfeel is lightly carbonated. Overall it was solid but not spectacular. It was a little disappointing coming from a brewery that I really like. The aroma was faint and the taste left me wanting a little more out of it. I would try it again but wouldn't actively seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 19:01:58 | More by goblue3509

uturn

Florida

3.78/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 ml corked and caged bottle poured into a Gulden Draak tulip.

I’ve had this beer sitting in my cellar for 2 years. It was 1st released in 2008 in celebration of the 400th anniversary of Quebec.

A: The cork popped with a nice loud “pop” and poured a light golden yellow with a fluffy 2 finger head. There was a thin and small lacing left on my glass.

N: The nose was sweet with lots of yeasty notes like bananas, lemons, cloves and some spices.

T: The taste closely resembles the nose with a mixture of bananas, cloves, hints of lemon and spices all being on the sweeter side with only a mild hint of the alcohol

M: This beer had medium mouthfeel and was quite refreshing with a pleasant carbonation level.

D&O: The drinkability was as easy as it gets.

Overall I felt that this was good beer and would recommend it to anyone who like a Belgian strong pale ale, but is not nearly as good as most of the other beers I’ve had from Unibroue.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 20:28:47 | More by uturn