Leffe De Noël - Abbaye de Leffe S.A.

ThaCreep

Belgium

2.3/5  rDev -33.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Fruity aromas on the nose, soft touch of alcohol that is reminiscent of the liquor. Both spicy on the nose than taste, there also collects cloves. The finish is slightly sweet but still hot although it is somewhat artificial. This flavor is persistent and, unfortunately, far from appetizing. A Christmas beer that has many shortcomings in matters of taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2010 16:58:28 | More by ThaCreep

Absumaster

Netherlands

2.75/5  rDev -21%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A clear, dark brown, reddish beer with a small head.

Smell is very spicy with notes of clove and cinnamon and maybe some cumin. Some hints of wood.

Taste is spicy, with the spice as described above. With the addition of traces of oxidatrion and a strong fresh wood taste. A real holiday spirit beer, but in my opinion a bit too much of the spices and higher alcohols and woddy taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2009 22:31:24 | More by Absumaster

sfprint

Germany

2.78/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

exp 3/17/12. 750ml bottle.

A: Soda head, 2.5 fingers. Brownish cola color, but less dark than coke. Lots of large carbonation bubbles rising all around.
S: Nostril opening sharpness, vanilla, but also like a sour. Christmas spicy.
T: Relatively bland and unexciting. In the realm of syrupy without being sweet. Very mild flavor. Almost like a nut brown ale, but with less flavor.
M: Not so carbonated, light body.
O: Boring. It is beer, but boring.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 04:20:13 | More by sfprint

impending

California

3.03/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

33cl into a tulip. Pours a gorgeous crystal clear dark copper garnet. Minor cream colored head subsided fairly quick, minor lacing.

Aroma is nicely Noël with the typical spices of ginger, clove and orange peel atop the mild dark skinned fruits.

Taste is appropriately kerstbier as well but suffers from being built upon a dark ale and not a strong dark. Mild phenols contribute to the aftertaste which is short lived but pleasant. Thin but lively mouthfeel.

Belgian dark ales unfortunately sit alongside the strong dark ales which generally are much more flavor forward consequently it is easy to consider the dark ale . . . a watery stepchild.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2011 00:19:23 | More by impending

SmokinSmyth

Belgium

3.05/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I had this while grilling and eating some burgers, in slightly chilly (i.e. Christmas type) weather.

Poured a rich dark color, with a good head but minimal lacing on the Leffe glass.

Smell was not strong but good, spicy with a hint of cinnamon.

Tasted good, with a spicy start but a mild finish. Felt good in the mouth, if a little watery than my liking for a "cold weather" beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2010 10:46:58 | More by SmokinSmyth

atis

Finland

3.1/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours clear copper with generous off-white lacing that slowly fades, no lacing. Smell is fruity (reminds of dried fruit) with significant presence of yeast, some malts as well.

Taste is rather disappointing at first, because the body is not as full and complex as it looks. Sweetish malt, caramel, some spicy alcohol and weak bittery aftertaste, it starts to feel watery towards the end of the bottle.

It seems to me that this beer has no character, it is rather ordinary and forgettable Belgian ale. But it sure looks good.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 19:47:29 | More by atis

SuperSpy

Georgia

3.13/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Nut brown, almost crystal clear. A huge rocky head that leaves lace sticking to the entire glass.

Generic Christmas spices and a hint of sweet malt.

Lighter bodied than I expected. Very little carbonation. Some sweet malt upfront, a few dark fruit flavors, and again with the generic spices. Bitter earthy hops toward the middle and the finish. Semi-dry and a hint of cherry in the aftertaste.

Not a bad beer. Easy to drink but not a terribly impressive beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 01:40:28 | More by SuperSpy

rvdoorn

Netherlands

3.15/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

from my notes: found this beer in a supermarket in brussels in 2009. One month later i poured it in my leffe glass. The beer poured a brown amber color with a longlasting white head. Smell was spicy clove, caramel and apple.taste was similar to the smell,but very weak and watery. Mouthfeel was thin. Overall i think there are many less watery belgium xmas beer on the market. A let down

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 16:59:45 | More by rvdoorn

thierrynantes

France

3.28/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Beer on tap (33cl.), tasted end of dec. 2007.

Appearance : red copper color, with white foam head.
Smell : fruity a slightly spicy aromas.
Taste and mouthfeel : taste of caramel malt and spicy. balance between sweetness and bitterness, smooth and delicate.
Drinkability: Christmas beer correct, but without more (served too cold?)

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2007 15:46:41 | More by thierrynantes

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.28/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

33cl brown bottle, poured into my huge 'Judas' tulip glass. Best before 11 Mar 2012, so this is a young one (reviewed 14 Dec 2010).

Looked impressive, ruby red body with a vast tan coloured head of foaming bubbles on top. The head fell away quickly, but left some lacing on the glass as the beer level sank.

Red berries and Christmas spices filled my nose, along with hints of yeast smells.

The taste followed the aromas, red berries, spices and yeast: add alcohol and some marzipan to liven and sweeten it up.

The marzipan type flavours I got began to take over as the beer warmed and the beer then seemed a little sickly and too sweet towards the end of the tasting, pity.

Overall, OK, but strange the way it changed completely as it warmed in the glass: drink it cold.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2010 20:39:46 | More by BlackHaddock

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle: Poured a clear medium burgundy color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of candi sugar and fruity ester is OK for style though I have smell better. Taste is also a nice enough mix between some candi sugar notes with some light Belgian malt with light notes of fruity ester. Body is too light for style with medium carbonation and no apparent alcohol. OK at best but I must admit to having tasted better Belgian Christmas beer in my life.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2010 01:49:20 | More by Phyl21ca

jhtipton

Spain

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 25 cl bottle into my affligem chalice. Nice redish brown tint with mild head and minor lacing. Relatively clear and dark. Smells of malts Christmas spices and molasses like sweetness in taste. A pretty god Christmas ale with some mild bitterness but not too different from their browwn.
Will try again as it is overall a nice dark ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 15:27:45 | More by jhtipton

benfons

Belgium

3.53/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

It's a month older than it should be (also the reason why I'm drinking a winterbeer when it's 20°C.

A: Clear brown colour, thick head that settles quickly into a small but stable head

S: Coffe, Malts, a hint of orange peel and some smoky caramel

T: sweet malts up front, a hint of coffee and then straight into a bitter finish

M: A bit thin, ABV is fine

T: Not impressed, but i would drink it again

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 14:40:14 | More by benfons

mactrail

California

3.55/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Handsome chestnut color in the glass. Looks very clear and flitered with no sign of sediment. Decent foam and quite finely carbonated in the mouth.

Fairly light body for the rich taste. Main flavor is nutty, roasted malt. It tastes like a little spice, but whether any is added I can't identify a familiar flavor, though clove comes to mind as I sip. Warm and very easy to drink. Malty with a slight bitterness at the end. Sort of a token Belgian yeasty dry flavor makes a brief appearance, though it does add some surprising complexity.

From the 33 cl bottle purchased in Namur, Belgium. In spite of this being another InBev industrial product-- they don't even say where it was brewed-- it's quite drinkable and grows more interesting as you sip.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 16:14:24 | More by mactrail

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

3.65/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

330ml bottle served in its own chalice.

A: Pours a deep amber clear color forming a medium bubbled light beige head. Medium to low retention. A small layer remains in the top forever but only few lacings are left in the glass

S: Sweet and a bit spicy. Notes of cinnamon, caramel, nuts, toffee and dark fruits: plums, mainly. Strong notes of Belgian yeasts: Quite bready and earthy. Caramel and slightly roasted malts and a bit of flowery hops in the end

T: Sweet upfront. Caramel, toffee, caramel malts, dark fruits. Again, notes of plums. Strong notes of Belgian yeasts. Final is slightly bitter

M: Medium body. A bit molasses. Medium carbonation. Bittersweet Belgian style aftertaste which is more sweet than bitter in this one

O: Good drinkability. Easy beer. A bit warming too. Nice winter beer

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 15:11:16 | More by eduardolinhalis

Mora2000

Texas

3.68/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to bu11zeye for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a brown color with a white head. The aroma is toffee, apples and cinnamon. Somewhat surprisingly, the beer smells a lot like fresh-baked apple pie. The flavor is more of the same. I get a lot of caramel and toffee malts, as well as some dark fruit, apples, cinnamon and sugar. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very nice holiday beer. Better than expected.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 02:37:59 | More by Mora2000

djura

Serbia

3.73/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got it from France,0,75l champagne bottle.

A-Nice amber ruby color. Darker foam,lasting for minute or two. Medium carbonation.

S-Chocolate malt,sugar,coffee and i think roasted barley. Almost nothing from fruits.

T/M-Real Christmas worm ale. High alcohol volume,high carbonation,bitter aftertaste. A bit watery. It is not spicy enough.

O-Expected more from leffe and Christmas ale,but in all it's good.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 10:07:23 | More by djura

basica

Singapore

3.8/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Translucent amber pour into my Leffe glass, capped with a beautifully thick and milky white head with good retention and nice lacing; a pleasant eye candy. (4.5)

S - Strong notes of spices with some dark fruits and the familiar aroma of Belgian yeast. (4)

T - Upfront brown sugar sweetness and caramel, followed by some dark fruits, blended with spices in the middle and decked with some yeasty notes; the finish was short, insignificant and slightly bitter. (3.5)

M - Medium to full-bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation and a pleasantly creamy smooth texture (4)

D - The creamy smoothness and interesting flavors lend this beer pretty good drinkability but the short and uneventful finish in the taste was a bit disappointing and probably the only key flaw. (4)

Procured online from BelgianShop.com for the Christmas season and consumed on Christmas Day, December 25, 2010.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 07:23:03 | More by basica

Bradthoc

Nevada

4.6/5  rDev +32.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Acquired one of these from the Bier Temple; Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium in December 2009. Poured in January 2010.

The beer poured a nice light amber color into a 33cl Leffe glass, with a creamy head after sitting outside refridgerator for about 10 minutes.

Immediately you notice the strong smell of spices and fruits, typical of holiday beers.

One of the most enjoyable beers I have ever had, this seasonal Leffe is smooth on the palate, crisp with a subtle taste of alcohol for an aftertaste.

The warm light flavors of cinnamon and apple are an appealing mix for cold winter days.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2011 18:23:06 | More by Bradthoc