Leffe Radieuse

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

Ranks as possibly the first Belgian I ever laid my lips on. Picture a young Texan at picnic in the hillcountry circa 1985 with 50 gallon trashcan filled with ice and imports. Somehow I was prepared for it, even if my tulip glass was late in coming. Friends have long held that Leffe is middle of the road for Belgian ales. Guess I would go along with that. But damn, those Belgians sure know how to pave their roads.

dark red amber coloured with a sparkling body and a white head a malty fruity aroma a little fruity bitter taste with a alcholic bitter finish

Thanks to pineypower for this bottle. Pours a deep amber/copper color, with a tan head. Aromas are sweet malt, brown sugar, with some yeast and spice, too. Flavor is spice, brown sugar, and a little bit fruity. Very nice, but a bit too sweet.

Bottle at cellar temperature. Poured a clear copper color with nice carbonation driving a small tan head. Flavor had earthy tones...dust? dry palate? A little alcohol, a little bitterness. nice but nothing amazing.

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

Satisfying big-flavoured strong Belgian ale. Poured a bottle-brown colour with a short but lasting head. The nose is heavily alcoholic but with plenty of fruit and a hint of toast! Full-bodied and almost port-like in intensity. Ripe cherries and spices on the tongue, with hints of whisky and then a rummy bitter finish. Complex and satisfying. This has more body than the Vieille Cuvee. (Bottle)

Deep red-amber hue with a rocky, creamy, off-white head. Cherries, plums, straw, caramel, alcohol, sugar, and a hint of anise. But, mostly the aroma is of very dark fruits. Very sweet throughout with a sharp acidity and an alcohol tinge in the back end. Medium body, velvety texture, fizzy carbonation. Thank Eris I finally figured out what this unlabeled (in my notebook) rating was for! --We’re on a pig’s back charging through a velvet field--

Dark amber clear colour with medium size and lasting light tan head. Light floral hops and grainy malt and doughy bread yeast aromas. The immediate impression is one of medium wheat beer body and flavours. The 8.2% (well that’s what it says on my bottle anyway) alcohol is very well masked. The bitter-sweet palate is also well balanced and the finish is dry crisp and clean. Overall - quite nice, but somehwat clinical and somewhat unimaginative for a Belgian. I would imagine this is maybe how the Germans would brew a Belgian. Nevertheless, the Radieuse probably my favorite Leffe.