I bought some Leffe in France last weekend - 25cl bottles.
Anyway, there's a clear taste difference compared with the Leffe I have bought in the UK (the 75cl bottles). The French Leffe is much, well, nicer - creamier perhaps but certainly with more body and much, much more mellow.
Is there an objective difference in the brew?
Gareth.
The Leffe available in e.g. Tesco is crap, although AFAIK it's brewed in Belgium. I can't believe that they will brew inferior stuff just for us. Maybe it's more the perception - being in La Belle France that is.
Brian, this is the point - the Leffe I bought in France was brought back to the UK and has been stored in my fridge where, having been poured in to a glass, it gives a *completely* different taste to the Tesco and Asda 75cl bottled variety of Leffe. It's a significantly better taste. I'm not an experienced taster so I can only describe it as a creamier taste and at the same time a fuller and richer taste - the creamier taste is not at all at the expense of flavour or well balanced richness. It is like a different drink. Yet it is exactly the same variety of Leffe as the standard Asda and Tesco fare. But it is also clearly and unarguably different in terms of taste.
Gareth.
BrianW ( snipped-for-privacy@nospam.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
Bear in mind Leffe's owned by S&N...
The Submarine Captain ( snipped-for-privacy@bluewin.ch) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
You'll be wanting to correct this, then...
But my point remains... The Leffe that's sold in the UK very likely IS inferior "brewed" stuff to what's sold elsewhere...
Adrian a écrit :
No it's not. Grimbergen is.
Leffe is owned by InBev.
I've noticed the taste difference too, between beer from 25cl bottle ordered for myself and a 75cl bottle ordered to share, and I'm fairly sure it was with Leffe Brune. This has happened more than once. It's certainly not a UK vs European version thing either, as every time it's happened its been in Belgium bar somewhere.
Different again when you buy it by the pint, though I think that my taste buds had just died of fright after being charged some horrendous amount of money at 'De Hems' near Piccadilly. :-)
Adrian a écrit :
Correct what ? There's no mistake in there. Leffe is clearly identified as InBev, Affligem as Heineken and Grimbergen as S&N..
I think I'll never understand why such a downfallen myth of a beer can maintain such a lvel of fondness among educated british drinkers...
The Leffe range per se is inferior stuff anyway. Dumbed down beer, just like Guinness, or Hoegaarden, a shadow of what it could - and should ! - be, propelled by marketing rather than its real qualities. Even the Affligem range is noticeably tastier, if you care trying them side-by side. And then, looking into superior ranges such as Witkap, Westmalle, De Ranke, Dupont, Dolle Brouwers... there's no looking back, really.
The Submarine Captain ( snipped-for-privacy@bluewin.ch) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
You're right. I'm skim-reading.
Ah, but you can't buy them so easily in Tesco...
Definitely InBev. Tell Wikipedia. :-)
Anyone in the UK interested in a cheap'n'cheerful abbey beer should try the stuff on offer in Netto at present - it's brewed by St Omer supposedly 'in Belgium', not a patch on proper Trappist beer but very nice and £2.99 for 6 25cl bottles, 6.2% ABV.
Paul
perhaps its old stock in the UK, try a proper Trappist like Chi may.
Why not buy beer in a beer shop, then you can experience a good range of products such as those mentioned above?
Adrian a écrit :
Indeed, but that's what specialist offies are for, aren't they ? ;o)
Paul Sherwin a écrit :
indeed, supposedly...very much on the french side of the border, rather.
No, it's clearly stated on the label that it's brewed in Belgium, in French but not Flemish - it would be illegal to state this if it was false. Possibly St Omer have had it brewed under contract somewhere. It does taste quite like Leffe so an InBev brewery is a possibility.
I suspect it's intended primarily for the French market. All sorts of strange stuff turns up in Netto :-)
Paul
The Submarine Captain ( snipped-for-privacy@bluewin.ch) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
If *only* they were so numerous as Tesco...
Agree Gareth ,English brewed tastes much more bitter. Suspect they us male hops instead of female hops.
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