Unibroue...still on par?

[Jonesy]

Maybe, it's me but has anyone else noticed any changes in the Unibroue products. Perhaps, I am being skeptical (a la Sleemans taking over), but La Fin du Monde or Maudite do not have the body they used to. Trois Pistole still seems good though.

[Cask]

For what it's worth, I stopped by the Beer Store on Spadina north of Harbord today and inquired about the mix packs; the guy who worked in the back told me Sleeman's had discontinued them. Not a good sign.

[beanmedic]

there is a brand new picture of the unibroue collection on the beer store's web site showing edition 2005 and 1837



There are also 2 reviews of edition 2005 on beeradvocate.com that specifically mention the beer coming from the mix pack. this leads me to believe that this pack has been updated and is currently available.

[GregClow]

Maybe, it's me but has anyone else noticed any changes in the Unibroue products. Perhaps, I am being skeptical (a la Sleemans taking over), but La Fin du Monde or Maudite do not have the body they used to. Trois Pistole still seems good though.

I think it's just you. From all accounts I've heard/read, Sleeman hasn't changed a thing at Unibroue, at least in terms of the way the beer is being brewed. They might kill off the U and U2 brands (or perhaps they already have?), since they were basically Unibroue's attempt to appeal to the same crowd that drinks Sleeman products (right down to the clear bottles), but they are leaving the rest of the line-up alone for the time being.

[GregClow]

For what it's worth, I stopped by the Beer Store on Spadina north of Harbord today and inquired about the mix packs; the guy who worked in the back told me Sleeman's had discontinued them. Not a good sign.

If I had a dollar for every time I was given incorrect information by a Beer Store or LCBO employee, I probably could've bought Unibroue myself.

I don't believe this until we get official word from a Sleeman/Unibroue rep.

[Jonesy]

So no one has actually tasted anything lately and sees any difference? I too have heard they are not going to reduce the beer line up, but that doesn't mean they been cutting costs elsewhere.

[JerCraigs]

This has been brought up before, and the consensus has typically been that we are more likely to see brands killed off rather than tampered with. There was an article somewhere about how hey re-signed the head brewer at Unibroue to a new contract and the gist of it was that they would keep doing the anniversary beers (ie. 2005) and that he was assured they weren't going to muck with the quality.

Hopefully that holds true. I am looking forward to another crack at the 2005, it was quite pleasant.

[GregClow]

So no one has actually tasted anything lately and sees any difference?

I've had a few different Unibroue products since the buy-out, and I have sensed no difference in the quality.

[Tim Blakeley]

Hi. I tried this once, but am having trouble posting.Sorry if it comes up twice.I think there's a difference in the flavour, especially La Maudite.I wont say better or worse just different.I dont think the Sleeman purchase has anything to do with it, I noticed the change before that.I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the brewer from Chimay going to work there.I'm not overly concerned about the Sleeman buyout. With Siegnurell(not sure of the spelling) and Upper Canada, I found an improvement in the product quality after Sleeman's involvement.My only dissapointement is that the import savings is not being passed to consumers.Having said that, I mostly buy Unibrou at my local and havent picked any up at the LCBO for a little while.If the prices have come down, I stand corrected

[GregClow]

I'm not overly concerned about the Sleeman buyout. With Siegnurell(not sure of the spelling) and Upper Canada, I found an improvement in the product quality after Sleeman's involvement.

Interesting to see someone with this opinion, as I thought the quality of the UC beers dropped a fair bit after the move from Toronto to Guelph, especially the Dark Ale. The only UC beer that I still find interesting is Rebellion Lager - and even that's not as good as the old Rebellion Ale that Sleeman killed off.

My only dissapointement is that the import savings is not being passed to consumers.Having said that, I mostly buy Unibrou at my local and havent picked any up at the LCBO for a little while.If the prices have come down, I stand corrected

I don't think the prices have come down, and I don't see why they would to be honest. Even though Sleeman is based in Ontario, the Unibroue beers are still being shipped in from Quebec, so where would there be savings? (I'm not in the business, so maybe I'm missing something...?)


Greg

[Belgian]

Maybe we get over-saturated with taste experiences, and expect bigger and better every time, although I can't presume to account for your impressions.

As my taste in beer evolves (well, crawls along), I find the Unibroue "big belgians" rather than diminish in experience take on new dimension and excitement. I used to like them less, and I now like bold 'fruity' ales more than ever.

There is a growing market for this - huge potential, people who found Leffe an interesting starting point - and John Sleeman has a lot of power to bring such people's tastes up along his own new range, from Belgian wits to the heavy hitters, in baby steps! Would he buy such a distinct product line just to ruin its market? (Hah, then watch other Quebec brewmasters grab the action.) I'd like to think JS wants to keep things interesting as well as build infallible assets as a brewer.

[Tim Blakeley]

I don't think the prices have come down, and I don't see why they would to be honest. Even though Sleeman is based in Ontario, the Unibroue beers are still being shipped in from Quebec, so where would there be savings? (I'm not in the business, so maybe I'm missing something...?)


Greg[/quote]

It's been a while since I had to look into it.Someone please correct me if things have changed.Breweries have to pay fees to export their product to other provinces.This does not apply if the brewery owns another brewery in in the province it's shipping to.I'm assuming that's the big reason why Sleeman bought Seignurelle years ago.Quebec is a huge market for them.

[pootz]

My interest in Unibroue will deminish vastly with the disappearance of their 750 ml cellaring bottles.....most of thei beer isn't worth drinking til it has a year or so on it....maybe the blanche and raftman are good fresh but the big ales need mellowing.

I'm sure Steve and others who serve the beers know that racking and aging several years of the big beers increases their value and taste....and the large bottle lends itself to opening with friends on a special occasion or with a good meal...just like a good wine......the loss of the corked cellar bottles signals a distinct shift in marketing startegy from the former image the big U had as a significant upscale alternative to vinted wine.

[dhurtubise]

I'm not at all that convinced that the argument that the corked 750 ml bottles are better for cellaring than the capped 350 ml bottles holds any water, or that the Unibroue beers require any cellaring before they are any good.

Some of the biggest and baddest belgian ales are only available in capped bottles. While in Belgium two summers ago, I had the opportunity to drink a 15 year old bottle of Westvleteren 12 and at the same sitting, compare it to one that was most likely brewed within the month. The 15 year old sample had mellowed and rounded out but it was not significantly better than the new one. If I would have compared them one would have been a 10 and the other 9.5.

I have had several outstanding unibroue bottles in the 750 ml bottles and quite a few substandard ones in the same format - usually from cellared bottles that had lost it's carbonation or tasted strongly of cork. I also have cellared several other beers that have aged nicely in the capped bottles. For example, I recently openned a 2 year old bottle of Gulden Draak and it was excellent.

In homebrewing circles, it is generally accepted that larger bottles will age better. It has to do with the larger volume guarantying that there will be enough viable yeast to continue the work over a couple years. However, almost all commercial breweries will add a good dose of fresh yeast at bottling time to ensure this anyways. If the bottling yeast is problematic for unibroue, this by itself could substantiate the argument to keep the 750 ml but I doubt that it is.

When I was at the brewery where Rochefort is brewed, the brewmaster told me that their beers were ready for drinking the day it left the building, 3 weeks after it was brewed. His contention was that if a big beer needs aging, it's because it has been poorly brewed. He also said that batches that are a little problematic will require a little aging prior to drinking but otherwise although some slight improvement will occur over time there shouldn't be any need for it. I have found the exact same thing with my own beers. If there is one thing that we can say about Unibroue is that they truly know how to brew excellent beers. The Edition 2004 was ready to drink upon release last year as was Frigante, Terrible, 10 and as their whole line-up constantly is.

You should be able to age the small bottles pretty much as well as the big bottles without the problems associated with the cork, though I agree that it is much more interesting and nicer on the eyes to pull out a big 750 ml bottle, pop the cork and pour in fluted glasses.