Leffe Radieuse

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

This pours a deep copper color with a tall, fizzy tan head. The aroma is delicate, light fruits and some malt sweetness. The hardy ABV is well-hidden, both in aroma and taste. It’s smooth to drink, a spicy cherry flavor with solid malts and some real yeasty fruitiness. Dry finish. Tasty and warming.

Bottle. When poured this looks absolutely fantastic. Sweet but fresh aroma. Flavor holds quite a bit of alcohol. But it’s definitely a pleasant brew. It’s complex, well balanced and with a fresh note. Not as full and rounded as others.

Bottle. Dark brown with ruby hints, thin off-white head. Malty and fruity, winter fruits, sherbert, caramel and strong nose. Mouth is more malty and caramel, some alcohol, sharpness, then some bitter relaxed palate. OK, good, little sweet.

Bottle (330ml). At Saint Alexandre Pub, Québec City. Poured into a Leff goblet, deep slightly hazy chestnut coloured with a small off-white head. Sharply bitter yeast and spice aroma with brown sugar malt, a tang of sourness on warming. Tasted of raisins and apples, sweet spice and sharp bitter yeast, a backbone of soft caramel malt - very pleasing blended/balanced finish after an initial hit of spicy bitterness. Average body, slick and slightly syrupy mouthfeel, very good carbonation and a slight bitter aftertaste - a very nice sipper, I enjoyed it as much or more than the Leffe Brune or Blond - very restrained and dignified.

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.

33 cL bottle. Pours clear deep amber with a thick creamy light off-white head. Deep malty aroma and a lot of dried fruits. A minor spiced note too. Sweet caramel malty flavour with a lot of cane sugar. Nice balance giving a soft experience from start to finish. Finish is slight warming to burning. Nice by all measures.

Dark orange/ amber pour with a good amount of head and lots of sticky lacing on the glass. Nice yeasty fruity aroma, lots of cherries and apples. Flavor is spicy and fruity, more apples and some subtle hops. The alcohol is a little present but enjoyable. A nice sipping beer.

Brown bottle, 33 cl, best before 08/03/09, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savoured on October 25 2007; eye: copper with golden reflections, clear, light effervescence, creamy beige head, quite a lot of lacing; nose: starts with hops followed rapidly by and erased by the caramelized malt, good wave of sugar, yeast, spices, pepper from the alcohol; mouth: caramelized malt, a hint of alcohol, light hops, a bit of dark berries, hint of alcohol, spices, finale in caramelized malt with a mix of hops and alcohol, pasty sensation after the finale, lightly bitter, mildly sweet, full body, not much carbonation, slight astringency; overall: quite liked FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 33 cl, meilleure avant 08/03/09, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savourée le 25 octobre 2007; œil : cuivrée avec des reflets dorés, claire, légère effervescence, mousse crémeuse beige, pas mal de dentelle; nez : début en houblon suivi très rapidement et aussitôt effacé par le malt caramélisé, bonne vague de sucre, levure, épices, poivre de l’alcool; bouche : malt caramélisé, petite pointe d’alcool, léger houblon, petits fruits foncés, pointe d’alcool, épices dont le poivre, finale en malt caramélisé avec un petit mélange de houblon et d’alcool, sensation pâteuse après la finale, légèrement amère, moyennement sucrée, corsée, peu carbonatée, très légère astringence; en résumé : bien aimé