Beer of the Month: Unibroue Éphémère

When brewers play around with fruit flavorings, they generally go for loud ones like orange or apricot or some sort of berry, but the Quebec outfit Unibroue makes this seasonal ale with the innocent apple. Hop heads may want to leave the room; as its name indicates, this is a very delicate, almost evanescent brew, a million miles from IPA territory.

It’s a white ale brewed with the addition of Granny Smith apple juice, as mildly hopped as a lager. It pours very pale cloudy amber with a huge white head. Mostly malt aromas greet the nose; it’s on the palate that you get a hint of apple juice and the faintest suggestion of apple pie spices. Then there’s a brief sweet-sour note, followed by a mild and malty finish, subtly dried up with hops.

The obvious things to serve with it would be fatty meats such as duck or pork — in other words, the sorts of meats that are often served with fruit-based sauces — and obviously apple pie or strudel.

Quick sip

Style: A gentle, poetic beer for gentle, poetic apple lovers

Price: $12 for a four-pack, or $8 for a 750-milliliter bottle

Where to find it: Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, (949) 650-8463, https://www.hitimewine.net; Red Carpet Wine , 400 E. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale, (800) 339-0609, https://www.redcarpetwine.com; Wade’s Wines in Westlake Village, (818) 597-9463, https://www.wadeswines.com; and Total Wine (www.totalwine.com) and Beverages and More (www.bevmo.com) stores.

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