Monday Beer Review Of The Week: Leffe Blond

Leffe is an excellent winter beer, though to be honest I think that most of the Belgium and Winter style beers are excellent for this time of the year. There is something about how the spices of the beer work together with the foods and cold air that is blowing through that makes these beers suited to the colder weather. Inbev’s Leffe is an “Abbey” Belgium beer once associated with the Notre Dame de Leffe which was founded back in 1152 in southern Belgium and was the local wild fruits and spices that gave this ale it distinct and unique flavor profile. Currently Leffe is bottled by Anheuser-Busch in the United States, but is produced at the Stella Artois brewery in Leuven. Leffe has tones that can be found in most Belgium Winter ales such as Hoegaarden, but with slightly less spicy character and a smooth wheat flavor. When you pour Leffe into a glass you a get the sweet and fruit tones that give your palate a distinct preview of the flavors to come. In summation, this is a great ale to keep around in the fall and winter months, it would be paired well with bowl of hearty soup or pasta.

Rating:
• Drinkability - 5 out of 5
• Flavor - 5 out of 5
• Refreshness - 4 out of 5
• Overall – 14 out of 15

Wednesday Beer Of The Week: Hoegaarden

Over the years my taste for brew has become more refined, I no longer drink beer for the intoxicating effects, but rather for the taste and experience shared with those around me. Hoegaarden is one those beers that can be drank among friends and just leaves you feeling good. It is an excellent example of Belgium White beers. First you you notice the spicy wheat aroma from the beer, this scent helps to enhance the malted barley and orange peel flavors. During my research of Hoegaarden, I did notice that in room temperature glasses there was very little head left after the pour, while on ice cold glasses the head of the beer remained leaving the drink colder and slightly more refreshing. In all cases, Hoegaarden is an excellent choice for a beer whether it be the Heidelberg Restaurant in Ann Arbor Michigan or a local pub.
Rating: 4 out of 5