Éphémère (Strawberry Rhubarb)
Unibroue

Reminded me more of a wine cooler than a fruit beer...

What was unique and disturbing at the same time were these floaty things clearly dancing around inside the glass. So, no skunk involved but I guess it was a feature and t might have been what added to the wine cooler taste of this offering. I still enjoyed it though, and it hit a nice spot during a hot FL afternoon. The rest of it was okay on average. Something to bring during summertime parties people might enjoy and find exotic...

 

 

 

 

Decanted from a 12 oz (355 ml) bottle into a customer taster pint; best by 04/10/20.
A: Pours a slightly rose gold color with very robust formation of at least a two to three finger, white head, more than a cap and rim retention, but spotty lacing.
S: Aroma is largely very believable (read not artificial) strawberry. Could I imagine cranberry and strawberry, yes. Is it at all artificial, no.
T: Semisweet. Mostly strawberry but presented in perhaps the best way of any, absolutely any strawberry flavored beer or beverage I have had. Believe me, I have tried strawberry wines (ugh) and sodas (don't even ask). I don't even pick up on the bitterness of the pips, which is usually a given.
M: Light bodied, gorgeous effervescence, refreshing.
O: Delicate and, dare I say, short-lived (at least in my glass).

 

 

The ever whimsical beers of Unibroue that celebrates bold fruit flavors on a Belgian styled wheat ale base taste rolls through the agreeable strawberry and rhubarb for a beer of tanginess, zip and zeal.

Pouring a light and rosy mauve, the cloudy Ephemere (Strawberry Rhubarb) crowns with a creamy, loose and cottony white froth before rounding the nose with the highly recognizable fruitiness of rhubarb pie. Light in pastry doughiness and with a kiss of rose wine, a twinge of spice and orchard fruit come with the berry forward scent. Light notions of cookie dough and sourdough begin to frame the initial taste before the fruit takes control of taste.

As the ale washes the middle palate, a moderate fruitiness of white grape, lemon, apple and pear offer an estery side of witbier before the stronger strawberry and rhubarb provide an all-thing-berry medley of currant, raspberry, cranberry and light plum on a bellini spice balance. White pepper, clove and a mild vanilla flavor offsets most of the fruitiness before a mild and minty hop bite offers a clean and refreshing late palate.

Medium light on the the palate, the soft wheaten undertow of the beer keeps the fruit, spice and mild acidity supported with creaminess while those wine tendencies work to ensure dryness, crispness and a high rate of drinkability.

750 mL corked and caged bottle from the LCBO; dated Dec 11 2018 and served slightly chilled. I haven't had a new Éphémère in years! Let's change that.

Pours a slightly fogged golden-yellow colour, generating approximately one finger of soapy white head. It wilts within the next several minutes at a steady but casual pace, leaving behind a creamy-looking cap and collar. Looks more or less the same as its sister beers, but man, that aroma - the strawberry fragrance was noticeable as soon as I uncorked the bottle, and it remains the dominant feature of the aroma off the glass. The rhubarb is somewhat subtler, blending in nicely with hints of citrus peel, coriander, orchard fruits and a wheaty, grainy pale malt backbone.

Unibroue never seems to disappoint - this is downright tasty stuff. The strawberry is ever-present without being obtrusive or overbearing, backed by the usual wheaty, grainy pale malt base shared by all of this beer's variants. I'm also getting notes of candied apple, cherry, grape, bubble gum and very subtle hints of citrus peel, with a touch of tart rhubarb coming through at the finish. Finishes yeasty, with hints of coriander underneath more strawberry and rhubarb; more tart towards the back end. Light-medium in body, with the same zippy, prickly texture as its sister brews - it froths up a bit in the mouth, but that reactive mouthfeel is one of the reasons why I love these beers.

Final Grade: 4.16, an A-. Éphémère Fraise & Rhubarbe was delightful from start to finish - not to mention, it was also a breath of fresh air compared to the several other, rather mediocre fruit beers that I've reviewed over the last few days. It's not necessarily my favourite iteration of this many-faced beer, mind you - but it's one of the better ones, and well worth picking up if you can find it, particularly if you've enjoyed strawberry beers in the past, or if strawberry-rhubarb pie happens to be a guilty pleasure of yours.

 

12 oz bottle from ATL with a 23 January 2019 canning date stamp on the bottom.
Pours hazy, pale copper, topped with a short, white head that soon reduces to a thin partial top coat. .
Aroma: rhubarb with mixed berries and fruit, not restricted to strawberries.
Flavor: mildly bitter. Well balanced mix of strawberries and rhubarb. A bit too meek, perhaps, but fine lingering aftertaste.
Feel: near medium body with medium carbonation and a dry finish.
Overall: a successful strawberry-rhubarb ale.

Unibroue "Éphémère (Strawberry / Rhubarb)"
12 fl. oz. brown glass bottle, "BB 04-10-20 D10182328QFL"
$2.29 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ

Notes via stream of consciousness: So this is just another in the line of flavors of the Éphémère so I'll keep it short and sweet. It's a cloudy orange with visible particulate in suspension. I'll assume that's fruit. Its sweetish in the nose with a clear note of strawberry backed by a kind of citrus or acidic note from the rhubarb. The flavor, however, displays the rhubarb much better, and in my mind the two notes seem to lock arms and dance around spinning so that you get a glimpse more of the strawberry at some times and more rhubarb at others while continually returning right back to the blend. It's not bitter, the label lists 11 IBUS and I believe it. That leaves it sweet, but it's also a little acidic which balances, and it's also medium-light in body and crisp which certainly helps to keep it from becoming cloying or sticky. For what it is I'd say it's perfectly balanced. Overall I'd say it's one of their better versions.
Review# 6,497

Pours a near-excellent (brilliant) orange/apricot in color, topped with a very pale tan head. Fine carbonation, with a bit of sediment having settled to the bottom of the serving glass.

HUGE strawberry / fruit character on the nose. Not much in the way of hopping or base malt character, but I doubt this one is meant to exhibit much of either.

Sweet and tangy on the first sip, with a lively carbonation across the palate. Bright and fruity berry profile, with a more indistinct fruit / squash / vegetal character at the mid palate, which is more sweet than sour or bitter. Some hopping bitterness in here, but it’s minimal.

Yeast character is there, and it’s not prominent but is complimentary and has a vinous character.

Very good mouthfeel, being a little fuller than I expected. Super-drinkable, and a real pleasure to drink as a one-off.

Worth seeking out if fruit and field beers (or wines) are up your alley, and worth picking up a six-pack for food pairings.

BBD: 04-10-20

 

12 ounce bottle into signature tulip glass, bottled on 4/10/2018. Pours slightly hazy/cloudy medium golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big juicy/lightly tart/tangy strawberries, rhubarb, fruit skin/seed, lemon, orange peel, peach, pear, red apple, melon, coriander, peppercorn, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, strawberry, rhubarb, spices, and pale/wheat malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big juicy/lightly tart/tangy strawberries, rhubarb, fruit skin/seed, lemon, orange peel, peach, pear, red apple, melon, coriander, peppercorn, wheat, cracker, white bread, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Moderate peppery yeast spiciness; light herbal/grassy bitterness, and fruit tang/tartness on the finish. Lingering notes of lightly tart/tangy strawberries, rhubarb, fruit skin/seed, lemon, orange peel, peach, pear, red apple, melon, coriander, peppercorn, wheat, cracker, white bread, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, strawberry, rhubarb, spices, and pale/wheat malt flavors; with an awesome malt/spiciness balance, and no astringent flavors after the finish. Moderately crisp/clean finishing. Moderate increasing dryness from spiciness, carbonation, and lingering bitter/tartness. High carbonation and medium body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy/sticky, and lightly acidic/tangy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 5.5%. Overall this is an awesome fruited Belgian witbier. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, strawberry, rhubarb, spices, and pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and refreshing to drink; with the moderately spicy/carbonated/drying finish. Very flavorful and not watery for the ABV. Awesome balance of nicely jammy fruits, Belgian yeast complexity, spices, and pale/wheat malts. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example as expected. Been a fan of the entire series.

 

 

Aroma is strawberries, wheat/malts and fruit. The flavor is strawberries//pulp/berries, wheat, fruit, a hint of bananas and a tart/medium sweet finish.