Leffe Blonde - Abbaye de Leffe S.A.

ghisty

New Brunswick (Canada)

2.45/5  rDev -31%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

appearance:
pours beautifully. very carby. silky looking head. nice gold color.

smell:
grainy.but there is a note of the extra ABV to it. my initial impression was
that i might actually dump this one out. and thats rare.but ive decided to sit it out
anyways back to review.the nose is of corn. and grain. and maybe turnip? theres something odd in there.whatever it is , it spoils an otherwise unoffensive blonde for myself anyways.

taste:
starts off with a very evident higher abv. not pleasant. but a bit down the pint things lighten up. grains become more evident over the alcohol. still tho, theres something in the nose of this that i dont exactly enjoy. and that carries thru to the taste.
i doubt ill purchase it again. no hate towards the brewer , because they make a beautiful wiess. this is just not for my tastes at all.

mouthfeel:
almost adjunct like in its carb. smooth drinking. if you like the style.

overall:
*takes a second to sit back and quaff on it for a few*
its not overall terrible as I had thought, its just has too much ABV. if this were a normal 4 or 5% it might have better gravity and not taste so metallic and warm
i assume by the style that its an old recipe, so my bad review is probably just from lack of context, I didnt overall dislike this beer, just something about the is just not my thing. it does have upsides. the finish is grainey. and its smooth.
if you already like this and disagree.. enjoy it ..my dislike leaves more for you!

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 20:49:35 | More by ghisty

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.06/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Belgian blonde ale, pours that very color, looked a little more like a mass produced lager than I was expecting, but still had professional qualities and a sizeable white head that left some lacing. Aroma was sweet and had a restrained belgian ester profile.

Lots of carbonation obscures the flavor profile at first. Is this a belgian? Weird yeast and carbonation thing going, herbal tea. A sweeter malt taste finally hits back against the different yeast and herb mouthfeel. Tastes like fusel alcohol too. Could use more two row just to beef up the body, there's too many different flavors that come across as just unconventional (to put it nicely) to ever enjoy this, especially at its relative high price point. Totally meh to me.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 21:47:56 | More by Beerandraiderfan

JPlo

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Golden, slightly hazy. average lasting head. Head is rocky with pretty good lacing

Aroma: sweet, floral, earthy

Taste: Sweet, smoky, citruey, earthy, slightly floral. Mild flavors, but some interesting complex ones in there.

Feel: Refreshing. Crisp/smooth consistency, light carbonation. medium body with above average lasting finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 19:30:41 | More by JPlo

Marq18

Virginia

3.61/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours a light honey colr with nice off-white pillow like head.
S- Smells a bit of biscuit and dried fruit.
T-Nice flavor, sweet with a little citrus and fruit. Just a touch of bitter hops.
M-Light on the tongue and a medium to high carbonation.
O-A nice flavored ale but not as good as others in the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 22:35:32 | More by Marq18

augustgarage

California

3.66/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

Had this for the first time in 2006 when I was in Paris - curious to try it again state-side. Poured from a 330ml bottle into my Town Hall Brewery tulip. Best before March 21st, 2014.

An elegant large ivory head forms without any difficulty above the burnished orange peel liquid, and remains persistent despite being rather active, fed by a boundless stream of tiny bubbles from the bottom. The clarity is brilliant as you might expect for a product so heavily filtered. Lovely arcs of soapy lacing ring the rim of the glass.

Sweet, biscuit-like malt aroma with gentle fruit (citrus, banana) and maybe a low floral note.

Sweet palate entry with a fairly clean yet varied malt profile with touches of caramel and toast. Light grassy hops contribute a mild bitterness to offset the sweetness, but the finish never quite dries out satisfactorily. Honey, orange peel, and a touch of clove are revealed in the aftertaste. Phenols become more prominent as the ale warms.

Medium-full bodied, effervescent mouth-feel; relatively rich body.

Overall very quaffable, and well crafted despite being a touch on the sweet side. The middling characterless nature of the ale is not surprising given the involvement of Anheuser Busch, though it is tasty despite the lack of bottle conditioning.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 22:47:08 | More by augustgarage

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

3.39/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

(3.5) A: Clear straw coloured with a bit of golden hue. A fingers worth of fairly creamy head that dissipates quickly leaving some sticky lacing.

(3.75) S: Grains, cloves, belgian-style yeast, corn syrup, bubblegum, peppermint, and pineapple. A nice variety of aromas that are perhaps on the grainy-syrupy side of things but good overall.

(3.25) T: Malt forward with a bready taste, wet grains, bubblegum, spices, and banana. Decent but feeling like this taste is a bit one dimensional (malty) that comes across wet and flat.

(3.5) M: Medium-lighter bodied with moderate carbonation. Slightly oily but a tad thin for my liking.

(3.25) D: Leffe was my gateway beer into belgian styles, and into good beer in general, and without that experience who knows where I'd be now (in a ditch somewhere?). It’s interesting now doing a review of it. It’s a decent belgian strong and a great introduction into the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 02:50:31 | More by Digimaika2

His_Royal_Hoppiness

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A: Copper colour, small white head - huge concentration of bubbles. Unlike most belgian pale ales I've had in the past, this is very clear, with no visible floaters.

S: Banana and clove, slight fruity sweetness.

T: Peppery clove taste, with a longlasting malt aftertaste - very well balanced.

M: Lots of carbonation - very refreshing, though perhaps a little watery.

I'm growing to love this beer - it may not be as complex as many other examples of the style, but at £4.50 for a 4-pack it's definitely one of the best-priced beers available in UK supermarkets, and in my view the most enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 20:32:53 | More by His_Royal_Hoppiness

Mojo

Alabama

3.19/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle -> World Market Tulip glass

This beer pours up a medium gold with a wonderful foamy, fluffy head, legendary retention, and lacing the likes of which is not often seen. The smell is kind of yeasty and maybe a little putrid. Taste is very yeasty and dry with apple notes being the predominant flavor. Mouthfeel is simple and inoffensive. Nothing awesome here, but hardly the worst beer ever brewed.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 04:08:44 | More by Mojo

FosterJM

California

3.4/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

1703rd Review on BA
Bottle to Leffe Glass
12oz

App- A solid mix of oranges and yellows in the glass. A solid 2 finger white head with a good amount of cling. A good amount of density in the center. A fair amount of cling.

Smell- A solid bit of malts mixed with yeasty green apples and a bit of prickly booze.

Taste- For a pale ale it was tasty. Yeasty, apples and a bit of hoppy balance.

Mouth- A bit of a light body with a medium yeasty carbonation.

Drink- Nice, balanced and prickly. For a intro Belgian this is easy to drink and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 23:38:52 | More by FosterJM

babayaga

3.16/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 33cl bottle into a tulip.

Appearance- Big white 3-finger head, mixture of bubble sizes. Body is crystal clear yellow. Head is very lasting.

Aroma- Clove and banana, can smell the yeast, not much else.

Flavor- Decent Belgian yeast flavors come through, more clove, sweet light malt, very mild bitterness. I am having trouble smelling/tasting the hops in this.

Mouthfeel- Light with lively carbonation.

A pleasant but uninteresting ale. Reminds me of a clear, sweet hefe.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 20:42:19 | More by babayaga

bskrtz

Illinois

3.24/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

11.2 ounce bottle served cold in glass beer challis.

A) Bright polished brass, clear. Small white head disappears in moments

S) Citrus Fruit and spice. Mild alcohol esthers.

T) Sweet caramel with mild but bitter hopps finish. Browned malt.

M) Ample carbonation; a bit thin. Crisp.

O) I like this beer though I believe it diverts from its Belgian Ale roots. Sort of the Kolsch of Belgians

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 01:05:08 | More by bskrtz

Mxslms

3.58/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I drank this straight from the bottle. The smell is light and fruity, appealing. It has a light feel to it with a strong taste on the way down. Definitely strong fruit taste. It is well carbonated and was a quick, refreshing drink. This is above average but not something I would drink regularly.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 21:34:18 | More by Mxslms

pkalix

California

4.25/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a golden blond with a nice head which dimishes quickly (or as quick as it needed for me to drain the old gizzard...)
smells fruity, weak kind of fruity for a belgian...
tastes like a belgian. kind of fruity. surprised at THE BROS' score. i dont feel it's a 66.
although it's not one of my favorite belgians it does have some refreshing qualities to it. i didnt know it was an anhauser busch product until i read it by a previous reviewer, but i agree with his take- rate the taste, not the company. but dang, i need to start reading these labels better. sucks when ya turn 40- cant read anything anymore with out a magnifying glass.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 22:57:39 | More by pkalix

tastybeerinmybelly

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very crisp, clean, and refreshing beer. I usually like some darker Belgians, but this is a nice change of pace. It has the standard fruity Belgian taste with a decent amount of carbonation that leaves a somewhat spicy aftertaste. There are better Belgians out there, but this one is not bad at all. One of "The Brothers" has this beer rated at a 2.2. That is worse than Budweiser. I find that ludicrous.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 04:06:37 | More by tastybeerinmybelly

Ethanol4one

New York

3.95/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Presents wonderfully clear and clean in the class, both color and massive froth, with a light banana, clove aroma, followed by a light clove malted tast, balanced against very little to bitter the flavor.

Made a nice starter beer, when followed by a few strong, hopped up American IPAs (Sam Adams' Latitude 48) at the tree trimming party where no trimming took place.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 03:40:58 | More by Ethanol4one

Labeorphile

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Instantly apparent that the beer is too clear and looks very filtered for a Belgian. A little bit of head that hangs out for a while, but no lacing.

Fruity smell, lots of pear and some Belgian yeast, but the fruitiness dominates. Taste is a little to clean and almost tastes like sparkling pear juice or cider more than beer. Mouth feel is very lively, which again makes it taste more like a sparkling juice than a beer.

Overall enjoyable, but doesn't seem to fit the style well.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 04:00:43 | More by Labeorphile

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

One of brewing monstrosity Anheuser–Busch InBev's European brands. Some would like to give it harsh reviews on that fact alone. I am only concerned with how it tastes.

Appearance 3.5: Poured out a deep golden color. Lots of CO2 carbo bubbles everywhere. Nice 1/2" head faded into an acceptable 1/8" head that stayed around for the entire session.

-Smell 4.0: Very nice bouquet. Hints of wild yeast, honey, grains and deep malt. Not very nuanced, but still very appetizing.

-Taste 4.5: Slightly sweet up front with a small amount of sour. Middle is where the flavors hit and you get that wonderful spiciness from the Belgian yeast, the smooth malt and a very pleasing deep sweetness. Finish is sharp and dry, but the pleasant flavors from the middle are still present. Aftertaste is of medium length and is somewhat dry, but very enjoyable.

-Mouthfeel 3.5: Managed to ape bottle conditioning with their CO2 carbonation, which is remarkable.

-Overall 4.0: A very good golden ale that is readily available and relatively cheap (I paid $7.99 for a six pack at Publix in Atlanta). The flavor profile is comparable to Belgian ales that are only available at specialty beer providers and are much more expensive. This is a wonderful find for fans of Belgian beers who are not willing (or able) to invest in an expensive bottle of Belgian master-brewing, but want that delicious Belgian taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 23:06:44 | More by BeerDocT

MikeDippel

3.15/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle to glass. Light golden clean, clear, and bubbles.

I enjoyed the fruity yeast smell.

Standard Belgian taste that goes down nicely.

High amount of carbonation, which was nice in a Belgian blonde.

I would recommend this Belgian blonde as a solid staple blonde. It completes the basics of what a blonde should be.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 03:06:15 | More by MikeDippel

Maakun

Afghanistan

3.08/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clour is golden, small white head that doesn't last too long. Leaves a thin layer.

Smell is cloves, malt. It's quite light, there's a hint of fruit and some other spices, but it's a bit flat.

Taste starts sweet and spicy. Cloves, yeast, banana. Then some malts and more fruit, like plums. After it's warmed up a bit there's more cloves and sweetness, some korainder and other spices coming in. The sweet cloves gets a bit overpowering for my taste. There's hardly any hops to balance it out. Aftertase is more cloves, and only now a slight bitterness.

Mouth is medium with nice carbonation, but the spicyness doesn't really fit well with it.

It's not bad, but I don't care much for the heavy cloves and sweetness. It's a commercial beer ofcourse, but would be much better with more balance.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 19:38:33 | More by Maakun

gcamparone

Rhode Island

3.88/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Purchased in Wakefield, Rhode Island

A- Pours a golden clear body resembling an adjunct. The head is nice though, rises a good 3 inches before reduceing to a round chunk of foam in the center of the glass. Leaves some uniform lacing.

S- Unripe bananas, cloves, belgian spices, crackers, some slight skunk.

T- Wheaty, malty, nice banana notes mixed in with a spicy clove taste.

M- Medium carbonation, medium body. Pretty drinkable.

Overall I was pleasantly suprised with this beer. It definitely hits all the good points of a traditional belgian while still being affordable.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 03:15:20 | More by gcamparone

godlessape

Georgia

4/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured this into my Palm snifter glass, and watched the gorgeous two finger head sink gracefully down to a respectable cover into the honey colored body.

I'm smelling a very subtle clove aroma mixed with caramel, banana bread, white sugar and wheat. I'm liking this a lot.

What I taste is surgery sweet and fruity with just a kiss of peppery hop bitterness which balances things out just right.

The mouthfeel seems medium to heavy.

Overall I could, with out a doubt, recommend this one. I'm glad I tried this beer (the price was way right) and I look forward to more Belgian brews.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 04:10:25 | More by godlessape

Nocturnographer

3.58/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a goblet.

A: Yellowish-gold, lots of head (2 fingers or so), with serious lacing.

S: Wheat, and very little else. Not too strong or bold, but nice overall.

T: Primarily wheat and malt, little bit of hops, some very mild bananas. Refreshing, but full-flavored. Virtually no bitterness, and a nice malt/wheat aftertaste.

M: Nice amount of carbonation. A little thick for my taste (and, perhaps, the style).

O: A nice beer with a good amount of maltiness and a distinctively wheaty taste. Overall, enjoyable and solid, if not mind-blowing.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 01:07:37 | More by Nocturnographer

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

3.2/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: poured from 330 mL bottle into a clear plastic cup, golden colored with an excessive thick head on a gentle pour, intense carbonation, clear
S: standard wheat smells of yeast, banana, and clove
T: bread, clove bitterness, odd vegetable taste
M: thin with a ton of carbonation
O: this is an average Belgian blond

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 02:25:18 | More by M_C_Hampton

Twincrasher

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Really nice deep golden color. Nice head.

S: Fruity smell but less complex than I would expect from a blonde.

T: Sweetness too high and astringency too low. Not balanced enough for my taste.

M: Syrup.

O: Good but for price, not worth it. Others out there in this style that blow this away. Tastes industrial - lowest common denominator.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 14:20:30 | More by Twincrasher

tvv375ia

Iowa

2.78/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

poured from 11.2oz bottle into pint glass

A-amber colored with a 2 finger head that stays around a while and fades to a nice cap with lots of lacing

S-some spiciness maybe cloves

T-sort of a citrus/lemon at first and the cloves on the finish I don't really care for that combination

M-good carbonation but that clove finish is not great

O-not something that I particularly care for

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 09:27:20 | More by tvv375ia