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A Saintly BrewMar 09 '04 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line I'd rather have a Radieuse than a Radish
Another Belgian beer? - Fraid so. This time it's an Abbey-style ale from Leffe called Radieuse, which means halo - hence the title. Notre-Dame de Leffe is a Norbertine abbey near the town of Dinant in the Namur region of Belgium. Beer was first brewed here in 1152 but they ceased the practice around the time of the French Revolution. In the 1950's, to raise funds for maintenance, the abbot allowed a local brewer to make their beer. They now licence the massive Interbrew group who produce their beers at the Stella Artois and Hoegaarden breweries. Leffe is probably the brand leader among Belgian abbey beers and is best served in its own stylish glass - with a logo which has the image of an abbey and is in the style of a stained glass window - the chalice shape glass not only enhances the appearance of the beer, it helps retain the aromas. Leffe is better known for its popular and widely available blonde beer, and the increasingly common, and superior brune. Indeed, these beers are readily available pretty much everywhere these days. The beer I'm reviewing today, Radieuse, is not so easy to come by, although it can be found if you know where to look! -------------------------INTERLUDE-------------------------- A man in a bar sees a friend at a table, drinking by himself. Approaching him, he comments, "You look terrible. What's the problem?" "My mother died in June," he said, "and left me $10,000." "Gee, that's tough," he replied. "Then in July," the friend continued, "my father died, leaving me $50,000." "Wow. Two parents gone in two months. No wonder you're depressed." "And last month my aunt died, and left me $15,000." "Three close family members lost in three months??? How sad!!!" "Then this month nothing!" the friend continued, "Not one single dime!" ------------------------------------------------------------ Back to the beer.... THEY SAY: "A yellow brown ale with a strong fruity taste and a rich bouquet." Radhieuse pours a dark, reddish-brown colour topped by an impressive, big and foamy, beige-coloured head that just won't go away and coats the glass with ridiculous amounts of lace. The aroma is sweet and malty - caramel, toffee and some roasty tones with a faint whiff of fruit in the background, mostly dark and vinuous. The taste continues along the sweet and malty trail. It's full-bodied and full-flavoured with a gentle carbonation that gives it a silky mouthfeel. It leans towards the sweet end of the spectrum, with toffee and caramel malt being most prominent, but there's also a little tart, cherry fruitiness, and some dark roasted malt to prevent any cloyingness. It has an almost port-like quality, with a hint of cinnamon before it turns a little dry in the finish. Warm, satisfying aftertaste. • The Verdict • At 8.2% ABV, you can certainly feel the alcohol in this one. All the Leffe beers are good, but I think this is probably the best one - it's certainly the biggest. If you prefer your beers to lean towards the malty side (as I do), then this is for you. It's actually quite close in style to a Scottish Wee Heavy (I wouldn't be surprised if those Belgies pinched one of our recipes!), It's maybe not the most balanced offerings, but it's a big, satisfying beer experience. Would I drink it again? - If I can find it, I'll drink it. More beers from Interbrew: Becks * Belle-Vue Kriek * Boddingtons * Dos Equis * Dos Aquis Especial * Hoegaarden White * Hoegaarden Grand Cru * Leffe Brune * Leffe Blond * Murphy's Irish Ale * Murphy's Stout * Oranjeboom * Rolling Rock * Sol * Stella Artois * Tennent's Thanks for reading, Sláinte ©proxam2004  |
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