Leffe Radieuse

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

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.

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.

Fruity yeasty apple aroma. Amber color. Spicy, malty bitter but light on the palate. The alcohol is definitely present. A little watery. Not the worst Belgium but no way near the best.

Appearance: Moderately transparent brown. Aroma: Fragrant candy sugar, grilled tomato & celery, coriander, orange, roasted sweet caramel and honey. Flavor: Charred grain, roasted/burnt caramel, "dried" orange malt (ie not fresh or juicy), spice/coriander, burnt caramel. Finishes with a sustained sweetness balanced by burnt caramel, orange malt and spice that eventually ends with bitter grapefruit rind. Comment: Moderately complex. A nice relief from cheap adjunct filled Japanese lagers.