Beer Me! — Unibroue — Chambly, Québec, Canada

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Unibroue

(Sapporo)

Not open to the public (as far as I know)

80 Des Carrières
Chambly QC J3L 2H6
Telephone: +1 450-658-7658
Brewer: Jerry Vietz, Benoit Boucher
[Contact] [Update]

Notes

Opened: 1991

Annual Production: 110,000 hl

U.S. Importer: Unibrew Inc., South Norwalk, CT

Contributors: Benoit Boucher, Richard Sweet

Unibroue head brewer Paul Arnott was formerly the master brewer at Chimay. Unibroue was acquired by Sleeman Breweries in 2004 for C$36,500,000.

Updated: July 7, 2013

News

2009-07-29: Beer Man: Wine lovers might take a liking to Terrible brew (Appleton Post-Crescent)

Beer List

11

Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale

11.00% abv.
- Date: May 9, 2003 (#4869)
  
  Package: bottled
  
  Place: Cooter Brown's Tavern & Oyster Bar, New Orleans LA
  
  Score: 20 points
  
  Overall Impression (3)
  Yellow opaque. Thick head. Wonderful aromas of malt, bananas, cinnamon. Medium-big creamy body. Intense. Malt, spice, alcohol, bang! Wow. I felt like I got kicked in the face...in the nicest possible way, of course. Unibroue claims that this beer will keep for at least five years.

Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale

10.00% abv.

Date: September 3, 2006 (#6041)

Package: bottled

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 18 points

Appearance (3)
Deep golden, hazy with yeast. Thick rocky head.

Aroma (3)
Huge Belgian spiciness with bananas and apples, malt and alcohol.

Mouthfeel (9)
big body, chewy and fizzy. Hugely malty and hugely spicy. Really warming. Real tasty, moderately complex.

Overall Impression (3)
I'll get some more for the cellar!

Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale

10.00% abv.

Date: December 26, 2007 (#6762)

Package: bottled

Place: Hy-Vee Columbus, Columbus NE

Score: 19 points

Appearance (3)
Amber. Quite hazy. Moderate head.

Aroma (3)
Malty, with lots of gingery spiciness.

Mouthfeel (10)
Big body. Really fizzy. Intensely malty and fairly alcoholic. Phenomenally spicy and fruity.

Overall Impression (3)
Very tasty complex strong beer. There's lots of this in my cellar.

Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale

10.00% abv.

Awards:

World’s Best Dark Ale - Strong Dark, 2010 World Beer Awards

Date: June 10, 2008 (#7100)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 17 points

Appearance (3)
Bright red. Big head.

Aroma (3)
Big allspice. Dark caramel.

Mouthfeel (9)
Big body, smooth. Fiercely malty and really spicy. Nicely malty and really spicy. Nicely warming and nicely complex, and it will be even better in a year or two.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: June 18, 2012 (#8853)

Package: bottled

Place: Hy-Vee Stony Brook, Omaha NE

Score: 20 points

Appearance (3)
Brown. Opaque. Thick dense head.

Aroma (4)
Fruity, spicy. Candied orange slices. Smoke. Bread crust.

Mouthfeel (10)
Big body, high carbonation combine for a fluffy mouthfeel. Rich dark malts, dark fruity esters, and warming alcohol. Typical Unibroue yeasty-spiciness. Sweet dark finish that whispers "more".

Overall Impression (3)
Bottle-conditioned.

Date: April 16, 2002 (#4314)

Package: bottled

Place: Beer School, Appleton WI

Score: 18 points

Overall Impression (3)
Yellow opaque, huge dense head. Spicy, garam masala aroma. Light body, some cloves, lots of allspice. Very nice complex spicy clean beer.

Date: August 23, 2003 (#5086)

Package: bottled

Place: Discount Liquor, Milwaukee WI

Score: 16½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Yellow opaque. Big thick head. Sweet, citrusy, and mildly spicy aroma. Light body. MASSIVELY fizzy. Lots of wheat malt. Lots of citrusy coriander. Oranges & lemons. Nice clean finish.

Date: January 20, 2000 (#3377)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 18 points

Overall Impression (3)
Pale yellow, massive carbonation, thick head. Malty, citrusy aroma. Light body, fizzy, nice wheat flavor, mildly spicy. Thanks to Jim Cadieux and Kip Ross for sending this beer!

Date: September 3, 2006 (#6040)

Package: bottled

Place: Crescent Moon Ale House, Omaha NE

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (3)
Black. Moderate tan head.

Aroma (3)
Intensely fruity and spicy. Apple. Hint of chocolate.

Mouthfeel (8)
Fiercely fizzy. Medium body. Really malty. Mild chocolate flavor with tasty Belgian spiciness. Fizzy malty finish.

Overall Impression (2½)
It's an excellent beer, but I expected more "noire" character.

Date: September 17, 2000 (#3528)

Package: bottled

Place: Libation.com

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Golden, hazy, high carbonation, thick but shortlived head. Yeasty, fruity aroma. Medium-light body, fizzy. Malty with some banana esters, a little yeasty. Lots of alcohol. Thanks to Ed Campbell for the bottle!

Date: July 6, 2013 (#9217)

Package: bottled

Place: John's Grocery, Iowa City IA

Score: 20 points

Appearance (3)
Golden-amber. Massive head.

Aroma (4)
Spicy, toasty.

Mouthfeel (10)
Medium body, very fizzy. Big yeasty spiciness, big toasty malt. Mild grassy flavor, fruity, low bitterness. Lemony. Mildly smoky.

Overall Impression (3)
Great beer.

Date: July 4, 2005 (#5722)

Package: bottled

Place: Liquid Solutions, Tigard OR

Score: 17½ points

Appearance (3)
Black — unusually so. Massive creamy head.

Aroma (3)
Spicy, floral, alcoholic gingerbread.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body, really fizzy. Malty, chocolatey. Fruity — cherries. Chocolate-covered cherries.

Overall Impression (2½)
Needs some age.

Date: July 4, 2008 (#7146)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 17 points

Appearance (3)
Golden, with lots of yeast. Thick head.

Aroma (3)
Floral, perfumey cranberries.

Mouthfeel (9)
Light-medium body, fizzy. Really fruity, perfumey.

Overall Impression (2)
Fruit beers aren't my favorites, but this isn't bad.

Date: December 26, 2007 (#6758)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 16 points

Appearance (3)
Golden. Slight haze. Low head.

Aroma (3)
Mild apple. Mild sweet grainy malt. Some yeast.

Mouthfeel (8)
Light body, fizzy. Mild sweet malt behind a mild apple flavor. Finishes clean, almost like a cider, with a mild yeast bite. More perfumey as it warms.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: November 12, 2000 (#3737)

Package: bottled

Place: Belmont Station, Portland OR

Score: 20 points

Overall Impression (3)
Golden, hazy, massively carbonated. Malty, fruity aroma. Light body, extremely fizzy, very warming. Nice malt flavor, lots of fruity esters, excellent "Belgian" flavor.

Date: May 9, 2003 (#4870)

Package: draught

Place: Cooter Brown's Tavern & Oyster Bar, New Orleans LA

Score: 16½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Amber. Thick head. Mildly spicy aroma, mildly toasty. Medium creamy body. Rich sweet maltiness. Fruity, mildly "Belgian" finish.

Date: November 15, 2002 (#4530)

Package: bottled

Place: Pick'n Save, Oshkosh WI

Score: 17 points

Overall Impression (3)
Copper color, very hazy, massive dense head. Spicy, fruity aroma of red (not green) apples. Light body. Spicy flavor - cinnamon, clove, ginger. Very fizzy. Clean mildly malty-sweet lemony finish. Sweet red apples and cinnamon…tastes like Grandma's apple pie!

Date: July 29, 1999 (#3310)

Package: bottled

Place: Belmont Station, Portland OR

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Massive foamy head, amber color, hazy. Malty spicy aroma. Medium body, caramel, banana flavors. Very high carbonation. Big chewy high-test beer.

Date: January 10, 2010 (#8102)

Package: bottled

Place: Brix, Omaha NE

Score: 17½ points

Appearance (3)
Golden. Moderate head.

Aroma (3½)
Yeasty. Spicy. Fruity. Malty.

Mouthfeel (9)
Light-medium body. Fizzy. Sweetly malty. Big apple flavor. Big Belgian spiciness. Lingering fruity finish.

Overall Impression (2)
Brewed for the 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec City.

Date: December 26, 2007 (#6761)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 15½ points

Appearance (3)
Bright deep red. Still.

Aroma (3)
Intense cherry, sweet and mildly tart.

Mouthfeel (8)
Thick. Sweet. Still. Huge cherry flavor. Really really sweet.

Overall Impression (1½)
Taste this side-by-side with New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red.

Date: December 26, 2001 (#4052)

Package: bottled

Place: Woodman's Food Market #20, Green Bay WI

Score: 16½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Brewed with lightly smoked whisky malt. Bright golden, massively carbonated, dense head. Malty aroma, very faintly smoky, mildly fruity. Medium-light body, sweetly malty — or maltily sweet — with just a touch of smoke. Very fizzy. Quick clean finish. Not as intensely flavored as Heineken Tarwebok or Eggenberger MacQueen's Nessie or Pêcheur Adelscot, but with much better balance.

Date: March 2, 2007 (#6358)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 20 points

Appearance (3)
Red, hazy. Big fluffy head.

Aroma (4)
Intense toasty-sweet malt with lots of raisin and spice.

Mouthfeel (10)
Medium body, fizzy and really chewy. Huge brown malt character. Toasty and fruity. Nice alcohol burn. Hints of raisin and plum.

Overall Impression (3)
Excellent complex clean beer. "Best before 7/31/09".

Date: October 7, 2005 (#5776)

Package: bottled

Place: Liquid Solutions, Tigard OR

Score: 20 points

Appearance (3)
Black. Huge dense head.

Aroma (4)
Fruity esters, plums, roasty, hint of ginger.

Mouthfeel (10)
Big body, really creamy. Hugely malty with a bit of roast. Lots of Belgian spiciness and dark fruit. Very warming, but not right away.

Overall Impression (3)

Date: January 2, 2004 (#5180)

Package: bottled

Place: Liquid Solutions, Tigard OR

Score: 18½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Black. Thick tan head. Smoky roasty banana aroma with other dark fruits. Medium body, moderately fizzy. Sweet and roasty, with lots of bananas. Like a Dunkelweizen, only much much darker, with hints of Belgian spiciness. Interesting tasty beer...just a little too sweet maybe.

Date: March 20, 2008 (#6950)

Package: bottled

Place: Trader Joe's Campbell, Campbell CA

Score: 19 points

Appearance (3)
Red-brown. Opaque. Nice head.

Aroma (3)
Toasty, spicy, like a Dunkelweizen.

Mouthfeel (10)
Big body, fizzy. Lots of caramel, lots of toast. Cloves and bananas. Nicely spicy. Very nicely malty.

Overall Impression (3)
Real tasty beer.

Date: January 8, 2007 (#6269)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 19 points

Appearance (3)
Deep dark red. Moderate dense head.

Aroma (3)
Dark fruit and black pepper.

Mouthfeel (10)
Big body, fairly fizzy. Huge sweet dark malt character. Spicy hops and spicy alcohol, with a big black pepper flavor. Drying, alcoholic, malty finish.

Overall Impression (3)

Date: April 16, 2002 (#4316)

Package: bottled

Place: Beer School, Appleton WI

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Dark red-brown, big thick head. Spicy, almost herbal aroma. Medium body, lots of caramel sweetness, some woody flavor. Hints of banana, clove, and...Pepsi.

Date: February 4, 1999 (#3164)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Red, some sediment haze, moderate carbonation and head. Smells a little caramelly, raisiny, alcoholic. Medium body, winey, some caramel flavor, smooth sweet finish.