Lefebvre Floreffe Prima Melior (Meilleure)

Brewed by Brasserie Lefebvre
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Rebecq-Quenast, Belgium

Bottle. Pours very dark coppery red with a light tan head that diminishes to surface cover fairly quickly. Aroma has strong notes of raisins, malt and caramel. Flavour is quite different with malt and toffee mixed in with liquorice, mint, coriander and some other subtle herbal elements. Mouthfeel is smooth, almost creamy, with a long, fresh finish. Different from a lot of belgian strong ales but a refreshing change of pace.

Bottle, 33cl. Pours dark brown, with fluffy and deep off-white head that endures for the duration. Aroma of dark fruits, molasses and roasted malts. The flavour is rounded and complex, of sweet malts, dark fruits, some chocolate and licorice. Pleasant mouthfeel, with a decent linger to the taste.

33cl bottle. Pours a dark-brown colour with big creamy off-white head. Mostly lasting and godd lacing foam. Aroma is mainly malty with hints of cookies. Alcohol, plums, spices and dried fruits too in my nose. Flavor is less complex than aroma and is the weak point of this beer. Initial flavor is sweetness with soft alcohol. Finish flavor is Biteerness with some alcohol again. Soft alcoholic aftertaste. Medium to full body with high carbonation. Good beer, not great.

Bottle. Dark brown with a big beige foam. Aromas are malty with chocolate and molasses. Herbal and vinous. Flavours are herbal and medicinal with dark chocolate and cola. Vinous with alcohol coming through.

11.2 oz. bottle shared by shigadeyo. Pours a deep copper/brown color with a medium collapsing beige head. The aroma has roasted malt, some caramel sweetness, dark fruits, and a touch spices. The flavor is sweet malt, dark fruits emphasizing raisins, slight citrus, earthy, and a slight hint of chocolate. Medium-full bodied and a bit better than expected.

12/17/2008: Floreffe Prima Melior has a clean, dark brown color with a foamy, rippled tan-colored head forming afte the pour. The aroma is sweet and malty with hints of roasted malt and anise. This beer tastes nicely balanced, strong and sweet. It is very satisfying and complex. The flavors include hints of aged citrus, an herbal and earthy quality, cherry licorice, cocoa, and caramel-flavored bubble gum. This beer has a medium-full body and airy palate. It is very good and quite impressive overall.

11.2 Fl. Oz. bottle (8% alc./vol.; Best before L20090529 10:00) from Jungle Jim’s International Market in Fairfield, Ohio. Rating #289 for this beer.

Location: 750 ml bottle from Total Wine - Richmond, 7/24/09

Aroma: Yeasty, dark fruits, alcohol, herbs/spices, a bit of caramel, and some roasted malts
Appearance: Dark brown color, light (somewhat lingering) tan/light brown head, creamy lacing
Flavor: Sugary, sweet malts that are fruity, with some raisin flavor, and a bit of chocolate, some spice hops and alcohol in the finish (though not as pronounced as in the nose)
Palate: Medium body, with an interesting mouthfeel, decent longevity of finish
Overall Impression: This was an enjoyable Belgian beer, a nice bit of complexity here, subtle, but good. Not quite what I was expecting when I opened the bottle, but a good beer none the less, and pretty unique from what I have tried. Quite a good deal at under $5 for a 750 ml bottle!

darkbrown coloured body with a sparkling off white head a malty herby spicy aroma a malty herby little fruity sweet taste with a herby alcholic bitter finish