A blonde bit of Belgium, bottled. (Leffe Blonde)

Member Name: chucklingMonkey

Product:	Leffe Blonde
Date:	19/05/09 (25 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely complex flavours.

Disadvantages: Don't be tempted to drink too much, it is potent.

This ale is becoming increasingly popular here in the UK. This is a good thing as this is a very tasty beer.

First the facts, this is an ale - not a lager - it is top fermented.

Secondly, don't pronounce it leff-ay. The beer is Belgian and the Walloons there (french speakers) would call it 'leff' (no accent) and the Flemish speakers pronounce the letter e at the end of words like this: 'leff-uh'. Take your pick - you'll probably have to point it out anyway.

Finally this is an abbey beer. This is a cynical commercial response to the famous Trappist beers. These are a range of ales brewed by monks - what a life. Due to the popularity of these beers, and the strict rules governing who can call their beers Trappist, the large beer companies invented a beer genre to tap into the market.

Leffe isn't brewed by monks, although allegedly once it was (though it wouldn't have resembled today's leffe). This beer is brewed ultimately by Anheuser-Busch InBev - the largest brewer in the world. This is neither a good thing, nor a bad thing.

Okay - enough chat. How about consumption? Well, this ale is best served lightly chilled - not so much that you can't taste it - and for real authenticity in a leffe glass (or any goblet shaped glass). Leffe in a pint glass looks silly, and as it is 6.6% you don't want to be drinking pints of the stuff.

With most belgian beers the head is an integral part of the beer, more for looks rather than anything else, so don't inch the ale down the side of the glass or it will end up looking flat and unappetising. If no head is appearing then swill the last inch of ale around in the bottle and pour to give the nice head. This should reach the top of the glass and only just peek over.

The beer itself has a lovely rich, slightly caramelly and sweet flavour with an after taste which nicely draws you into the next mouthful. Lager drinkers often give up at this stage and buy a Fosters.

The beer is available bottled in most supermarkets, quite a lot of pubs and bars (Wetherspoons for instance), and occasionally on tap. And if you are lucky enough to venture to Belgium then check out the Cafe Leffe bars to experience the rest of the Leffe range.

Summary: Lagers are wrong, Leffe is right.