Leffe Radieuse

Brewed by InBev Belgium
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Leuven, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Red amber, creamy light beige head. Aroma of pears, blackcurrants and a little grass. Alcohol is fairly well disguised. Honey and clove fruits with a yeasty mouthfeel and some astringency. A nice, balanced drop, but there are no hidden depths.

330ml bottle from an LCBOgift pack. pours orangish red with a lasting head. aroma of pils malt and candy. flavour of grainy pils malt, amber candies sugar. the finish is dry and slightly bitter. this brew has the classic leffe profile which is not a bad way to introduce someone to belgian ales but its a very macro way of making this style. this offering is moderately complex and actually quite enjoyable.

Pours into a chalice with a decent head, light amber colour and plenty of carbonation with bubbles on the side of the glass. Has nice lacing as well. Smells softly like beer and some vague hints at fruit, some maltiness in there as well. Taste is a mix of malts, grains, and fruity notes. Has a crisp dry finish. A nice ale, not too complex, good for sipping.

Bottle, LCBO Giftpack 2009. Nice sweet, alcohol aroma, some dark fruit and some spice. Pours a nice dark brown with copper notes and a creamy just off-white head. Taste - creamy but light mouthfeel, strong alcohol, sweet metallic like tang. Hmm - quite warming but body is a bit to thin and the beer is a little too sweet and strong - it does not seem to come together all that well. Actually on a few more sips it is the finish - up until there it is a pleasant but simple Belgian Strong - in the finish though the sweetness takes over too much. I think it is actually the yeast + sweetness I do not like, as there is a bit of a house Leffe taste here. Glad to have a chance to try it

Deep ruby/amber pour with a large billowing and frothy off white cap. Lots of nice lace is left on the glass, and the head retention is great. Immediate nose of banana and bubblegum, some perfume, with toast and dark bread and spices. Tastes great. Of banana and tropical fruit, plum, spicy with good concentration of toasty notes. Overall very malty, sweet-ish, with a good zip of citric hops right at the finish. Creamy finish, balanced, very good.

Bottle from LCBO Leffe gift pack. Pours a clear amber with a thin off white foamy head. Average retention and beautiful lacing. Aroma is honey, cloves, yeast, sugar, sweet malt, spices, apples, cherries herbal hops and some alcohol. Flavor is a bit more fruity than expected with sweet cherries, apples, sweet malt, candy sugar, yeast herbal hops. Final is very warming with alcohol and a light touch of hops bitterness. A bit of cardboard in the aftertaste. Medium body with very fine bubbles.

330 mL bottle. Very, very nice colour - copper, which almost looks purple in a certain light. Can’t give it a 5 though, ’cause the head disappeared quite rapidly. Aroma is mild and on the sweet side, with fruit, tea, and a bit of spice. Flavour is good: spice, honey, caramel, and some fruit and anise near the end. Decent bitterness in the finish, some of which may be from the alcohol. Not as full as it could be. Not bad.

Bottle 330 ml
Appearance: clear red amber brown ale with large frothy top. Good retention with mid lace. 4+
Nose: Caramel sweet malts with light hint of dried cherry in vodka , light leafy hop with yeasty follow up. 7+
Flavor/Palate : Mid bodied with fuller walls. Dry sides with fruity alcoholic notes , rye bread , clean yet noticeable alcohol. Balanced , refreshing strong Belgian ale. Bready finish with hint of wet hop.