Leffe

[johnnyh]

I purchased a 4 bottle pack of Leffe Blonde as a bit of a treat to myself and to see if I might like to have a go at brewing a Belgiann Blonde myself.

To be honest, it isn't all that in my opinion. Does anyone have a taste for it, or can anyone suggest a better variant to improve my opinion of the genre?

Maybe I just like my English Ales too much

 

[Asalpaws]

Not that much choice in the supermarket, Leffe is OK as is Hoegarden they do have that Belgian yeast taste. Duvel is commonly available and waitrose sell some of the Chimay variants both are pretty decent examples of Belgian ales.

Apart from that you probably need to head to a specialist store, I've used Beer of Europe before and they were good.

Also if you go to France check out the duty free on the way back, often have many good Belgian beers for sale, also the Duvel style bottles are great for home brew, the labels just fall off. T

 

[Brewbob]

Quite like Leffe, blonde and bruin, love Duvel when it is poured bright, got a taste for them when I worked in a pub that sold a few. They can be quite an acquired taste, I found Brewdog Punk IPA quite similar.

Got a funny story though. When I worked in said pub, it must've been the first week of Jan, really quiet Tues night, only a handful of people in the pub, and there was a smiley stranger sat at the bar looking round taking everything in, and a woman sat near him but not with him, with her little yappy dog. The stranger wanted serving so I asked him what he wanted, he said "Hi, my name is Bart, like the Simpson, no? I'm from Belgium" "Oh" said I unperturbed, its always fun to meet strangers, especially characters, and he seemed friendly "Well we have plenty of Belgium beers, would you like one of them?" So he asked for a Duvel...but "Oh no, you don't have the right glass...no no no, this is wrong. Oh dear..."

Anyway I managed to appease him and he drunk his Duvel, then I got him onto some English beers, but he couldn't get it out of his head that we did not have the correct glasses for any of the Belgium beers to the point that it was getting boring.... Until... He leaped up and shouted "QUICK!!! Get towels, get hot water....." in a great panic!

I legged it over and he pointed at the woman next to him, so I asked her what was wrong, was she sick?? "No, I'm in labour...." she said..... She'd been sat at the bar in a big coat, she was there when I started my shift just quietly drinking a bottle of wine, which she apparently drunk to induce labour.

Right, I thought, I'll phone an ambulance, so I got the barmaid to sit with the girl, while Bart was flapping around having a bit of a moment and got the ambulance. They arrived, but this woman would not let her dog go and wanted it in the ambulance... I think it took about an hour of persuasion and the honest word of one of our locals that he would look after the dog that she finally went. We all had a few shots to celebrate not having to birth a baby in the bar.

Anyway, a few months after that and I had forgotten all about it, a parcel arrived in the pub addressed to me, with foreign stamps on... I opened the box and behold it was full of a selection of glasses of the Belgium beers we sold.

Love that pub for the more interesting moments it had....

Sorry to hijack your Belgium beer post Johnny, but thats what I always think of when I get a Duvel... :hat:

 

[taxidiver]

Now that's what I call a story.
:
Geoff

 

[chrig]

I do enjoy leffe and try to buy it when it on offer in tesco.

Its often ~£2.50 for the larger bottle which I think is 750ml and i tend to grab a blond and a brun each time. That usualy does me for friday and saturday :)

 

[Asalpaws]

Wow quite a Story! It is the case that every beer has it's own glass. Must be a nightmare to work in a bar there!

 

[johnnyh]

Love that story :)

 

[ArmChair]

I have a couple if halfs in the brewery tap in leeds when I go in.

Its a cracking drink on draught and always comes in the correct glass :)

Good story, I enjoyed that read :)

 

[WelshPaul]

I used to drink Leffe fairly regularly but these days I find it quite cloying and sweet. Duvel is a pretty good bottle but sadly it's usually just those two that can be found in most supermarkets.

Westmalle, both their dubel and tripel, are superb examples if you can find them.
Rochefort also do a good number of trappist ales.
Timmerman's have a good number of fruity lambic beers available, which is an unusual taste but very refreshing if you like them.
Neither of them are particularly cheap but they are worth the investment for a good tasting session.

 

[mattrickl06]

Great Story. :rofl:

 

[Andyhull]

Liked the story, i like meeting interesting people like that.
Also how kind of him to think of you and do such a nice thing! :hat:

I've often looked at the Leffe bottles and almost bought one but didn't and have tried the Duval and found it rather too strong on the alcohol front for my taste buds.

What does Leffe taste like?

Andy

 

[simcoe soup]

Orval is a fantastic belgian beer, as is Delerium Tremens.