Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week:" Unibroue Raftman

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Apr 16, 2008 6:00PM

This week's "BotW" selection is one of those "day late, dollar short" deals. It was available briefly right around WhiskyFest at Guthrie's, Delilah's, Map Room (actually, Map Room may have some left), Long Room, Underbar and Weegee's. It also tied in to WhiskyFest in that the malt used in brewing was whisky malt.

The beer is the ultra-rare Unibroue Raftman. This Belgian pale ale is lighter than most anything Unibroue has ever brewed, including Blanche de Chambly. Pouring a bright amber in color with a creamy white head, the nose of this beer teems with bright fruit and smoke. That smoke, from the whisky malt, becomes more pronounced upon tasting, complemented by some caramel. The mouthfeel on this is not as thick as other Unibroue selections, but then Raftman is supposed to be a bit different than their usual line.

It's also contains the least amount of alcohol by volume of any Unibroue brand outside of Blanche de Chambly, so it's accessible for the lager drinker but with enough character for the craft beer aficionado. If it's still available at Map Room or any of the other places listed, get it while you can, before it goes back into the vault like a Disney cartoon. Unibroue Raftman is Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week."