It seems that I try fewer Belgian style beers lately as I concentrate (at least somewhat) on American breweries, but this one made it on the roster in the early stages of reviews. Even though I would prefer beers from Ommegang or Allagash to Leffe Blond, it is a decent Belgian Ale. I suppose it is somewhat comparable to a Blue Moon (I said somewhat). What I do know is that it tastes much better when enjoyed on the Champs-Elysees in Paris that out of the bottle at home in Florida.
When in France . . .
Brewery: Abbaye de Leffe S.A. (Belgium)
Name: Leffe Blond
Style: Belgian Blond Ale
ABV: 6.6%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in my Ommegang (tulip-like) glass.
Aroma: Light, spicy hop aroma with a subtle yeast nose. Somewhat like the aroma of a pilsner or other lighter styles of beer.
Appearance: Deep gold color. Three finger (plus), off-white head with excellent retention leaving some trail. Crystal clear with many visible bubbles rising.
Flavor: Smooth with some sweetness and light, spicy notes. Medium hop flavor with some alcohol toward the finish. Well balanced overall.
Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation with some warmth in the background. Medium to light body and somewhat creamy.
Overall Impressions: Subtle (in flavor) Belgian ale. Very easy drinking and is a good Belgian style beer if the intent is to drink more than a few. Not my favorite Belgian, but OK.
Grade: B (towards a B+)
Abbaye de Leffe S.A. - Leffe Blond
Sir Lucas,
I have noticed that in a lot of your beer reviews you mention the “nose” of the beer. What exactly are you talking about?
That term is a left over from my wine appreciation classes in college. I know, I know, what a rough class!
We always needed to spend a few moments “on the nose” as part of the evaluation. For me it has become somewhat of an interchangeable word with aroma and smell. Thank you for calling me on that!
What is the news, I can’t wait all day.
I am not posting my guess:)
Haha . . . I guess you saw what The Wife posted yesterday. It is not all a done deal yet, so I am going to wait a little bit to put it out there. Sorry to keep you in suspense!
i think belgian beers are by far the best, but must say that the leffe blond has a bit too much clove going on for my taste. i can get ommegang here regularly and liken it to delirium nocturnum. there’s ever only one type, the dark, so i don’t know if a golden ale is available. is that stuff actually brewed here in the states? i kinda got the idea that it was really brewed by duvel and sold here as local beer, but i’ve only read the stuff on the bottle so i may be wrong. if you ever get the chance try la chouffe (golden) or mc chouffe (dark) belgian ale. the dark is currently my absolute favorite beer!
Thank you as always for the beer suggestions . . . I will add them to my list of must tries. I remember that Duvel bought Ommegang some years back, but I still thought that they brewed their own beers in Cooperstown. It seems that it is somewhat of a collaboration between the two. This is some of what I found on Duvel’s website . . .
At the beginning of 2003, Duvel Moortgat took over the American Ommegang brewery, an American brewery that brews speciality beers in authentic Belgian style. Its main brands Ommegang, white beer Ommegang Witte, Hennepin, Rare Vos and Three Philosophers are bottle-conditioned high fermentation beers, a procedure that was refined in close collaboration with Duvel Moortgat. In addition, Ommegang uses Belgian malt and the same hops as the Duvel Moortgat brewery, these being Saaz and Styrie.