Leffe Radieuse

(bottle) dark red-brown colour with a creamy off white head. Aroma is a well blended combination of cherry fruits and cramellish malts. Bittersweet flavour. Slight roastmalty taste with a smooth vinous touch and a lasting spicy (cinnamon) dry finish.

Tasted 03/05/2005. 330ml bottle (exp. 19/07/06) from New World Metro, Wellington. Pours a beautiful, spiralling, efferevescent and bright, reddish amber. The head is large, off-white, and creamy turning to rocky. Light lacing. Sweet boiled candy and sour fruit are suggested in the nose at first, followed by liqourice and a touch of soap later. Candy, cognac, spices and wood come through in the flavour that is sweet first, followed by a touch of aniseed and a subtle woody, tannic, bitterness. I thought there would be more sour influence in the flavour. Soft, smooth mouthfeel. Palate is warming, with some more spicey woodiness. Very pleasant and much more well balanced than other reviews suggest.

(Bottle 33 cl) Reddish brown ale. Pronounced bitterness with a very complex aroma. Fruity, perfumy but far from cloying. A very spicy and unique brew. 120493

Bottle. Pours clear redish dark amber with a bug bubbly biege head which in my case did not stick around for long (although I think I am having a bad day, on the previous drink in a different glass a hefeweizen went completely flat on me) but left reasonable lacing. Aroma is phenol spices with light molassis/golden syrup (you may need to be an Aussie to get that reference). Taste to me is quite dry, again the golden syrup and a little spiciness peeping through momentarily before being dominated by the alcohol. Nowhere near as subtle with the alcohol as a other Belgian Strongs I have tried and for me this was the main disappointment to an otherwise reasonably solid brew.

33 cl bottle at home. Smells like a true belgian. Strong aroma of cherrys. A bit alcoholic aftertaste. That said, it’s a very nice beer, which I will buy again.

Dark brown, beige head. Fruity, liqorice nose. Bittersweet liqorice flavour with hints of fig.

Aroma is strong of cherry and cinamon. Dark color that is still somewhat transparent. Substantial carbonation. Flavor is dominated by cherry and alcohol. Spices are also prominent. Not bad, but ends with a bit of a harsh astringent aftertaste.

One of the better beers from the Leffe stable--something that can compete with the trappists and the better abbey beers. Of course, it’s tough to get in Belgium (where the deeply inferior Blond predominates), and impossible to get in the US. A pity.