Leffe Brune / Brown
Abbaye de Leffe S.A.

Leffe Brune / BrownLeffe Brune / Brown
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From:
Abbaye de Leffe S.A.
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Dark Ale
Ranked #13
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
86
Ranked #20,094
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 13.68%
Reviews:
623
Ratings:
2,087
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 30, 2024
Added:
Oct 25, 2001
Wants:
  93
Gots:
  611
Savor the Mystery of the ages

The authentic Belgian Abbey ale: Enjoy this delicious malt forward ale, accentuated with subtle caramel and roasted notes from dark malts
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Ratings by msg_duvall:
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Rated by msg_duvall from Kentucky

5/5  rDev +31.6%

Nov 19, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.83 by Supper1

Jan 30, 2024
 
Rated: 2.25 by paylstep from Canada (ON)

Dec 31, 2023
 
Rated: 3.83 by TwilightBeerCareer from Illinois

Nov 04, 2023
 
Rated: 3.54 by TheIPAHunter from California

Oct 13, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by BrisLoganite from Australia

Sep 30, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Noelito76 from New York

Sep 16, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by iftcoach from Germany

Sep 14, 2023
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

4.11/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Dark brown to dull and opaque black with a tall tan foam head.

I was expecting this to be more along the line of more painful oud bruins, but this is a clean, non-acidic, really pleasantly malty brown ale while still drinkably fluid & lightly carbonated. It's got mildly leafy, nutty qualities with hints of crabapple and even semisweet maple.
Jul 05, 2023
Photo of Ant777uk
Reviewed by Ant777uk from England

2.88/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
This was probably my favourite beer when I used to sit downstairs in E55 when I was 18 years old, in Melbourne. I hardly drank it since then, until now. Just drank the Leffe blonde, now let's try this.

Looks amazing. Bubbles are fairly small, lots of head, but not a ridiculous head like a Duvel or Orvale ; ) Almost black. Few beers are as beautiful as this.

Similar aromas as the blonde, just a little more caramelly and more bready. I actually prefer the blonde aroma.

Wow. No brune beer from other countries ever seems to get close to a Belgian brune. Even the worst ones. The taste is less complex than the blonde, but is much smoother, and the alcohol is more covertly hidden. It really is a totally different beer and doesn't seem to have much resemblance to the blonde at all, in terms of flavour. I guess clove and chocolate dominate. And there is a courageous bitter kick, that tastes a little skunky and off. But compared with a Marendous brune or most other Belgian ones, it's not even close in terms of smoothness and flavour. Feel has great smoothness but it's also quite a simple mouth feel. Rather a sugary aftertaste, that I wouldn't usually associate with such a dark beer. I actually prefer Guinness to this.

Leffe is great when compared to commercial beer manufacturers. But compared with most Belgian brewers with the excepton of Stella, it's not as good...but it is cheaper. So it deserves some overall marks for this.

Overall I prefer the blonde. It's a little more unique and interesting. This tries to do something that other Belgian beers do better. And because it's pasteurized, it's flavours that mature over time in the bottle, become destroyed. Because Inbev want it to last longer to make more profit. It would be much better unpasteurized ; )
Jun 18, 2023
Photo of kdd230
Reviewed by kdd230 from England

3.97/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
330ml. bottle in Vientiane, Laos. Pours a clear red-brown colour with a light brown head. Aroma of toasted caramel, malt. Taste of malt, caramel, hops, slightly sweet. A pleasant brown abbey dubbel.
May 17, 2023
Photo of Bluerabbitbell
Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3/18/23 Poured from a 330 ml bottle purchased from Washington Beer Store.

Pours a beautiful clear brown with plenty of foam and lacing.

Aroma is metallic, roasty and slight sweet brown sugar walnut. Bready.

Taste irony pumpernickel. Smooth sweet malt. Low carbonation. Smooth dahn the throat.

Overall a very good Belgian dark ale.
Mar 18, 2023
Photo of TurboMon_911
Reviewed by TurboMon_911 from New Jersey

3.96/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a semi-lucid mahogany color from bottle into a standard pint glass with a huge creamy head, plenty of hang time and loads of lacing. Aroma is malty with earthy overtones of raisin & plum. Taste is undeniably yeasty but very well balanced with the malts and has a sweet semi-dry finish. Light to medium in body with very slight carbonation tingle. A very drinkable ale and an excellent introduction to the style.
Mar 08, 2023
Photo of Whiteweasel
Reviewed by Whiteweasel from Ohio

4.27/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a bottle into a chalice.

A: Pours a beautiful mahogany with a heterogenously-bubbled off-white head, settling into a frothy texture with medium lacing.

S: Delicious Belgian yeast dominates. Rich malty character, with golden raisin and apricot. Exquisite honey and esters as it warms up.

T: Malty body with currant and caramel. Alcoholic sweetness present, with a slightly yeastiness. Not as complex as the wonderful head but still delicious. Estery once the sediment goes in—the yeast is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.

M: Light and not super thick, with a liveliness to the carbonation.

Overall: Delicious and satisfying. Wonderful example of how complex a lower alcohol Belgian dark ale can be. Certainly distinct from its blonde cousin and equally enjoyable.
Feb 22, 2023
 
Rated: 3.99 by MrJones07 from Spain

Feb 12, 2023
 
Rated: 3.56 by SteveinBelgium from Belgium

Dec 26, 2022
Photo of TheSchnork
Reviewed by TheSchnork from Connecticut

4.54/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Poured standard 11.2 oz bottle into tulip glass at home.

Belgian brown. Beautiful three finger head.

Strong phenols coming on stronger than 6.5% ABV would suggest.

Charred fruit. Esters. Aftertaste detracts a few points (or maybe I should say adds them because of originality) - burnt toffee, licorice, dark tobacco.

Hard to imagine pairing this with anything other than dessert.

Something about these pack a headpunch beyond their ABV - ideal for end of the night when you wanna get into the stratosphere.
Nov 29, 2022
 
Rated: 3.65 by Ananabiya

Nov 23, 2022
Photo of txaudiophile
Reviewed by txaudiophile from Texas

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was one of the first Belgian beers I ever tried and loved it. After trying more Belgian beers over time I finally had the chance to try this again, and I don't like it near as much any more. It is good, but not great. McChouffe is a far better Belgian Brown. This beer has too much of a certain flavor about it (phenol or liquorice?) and needs a more balanced flavor. A little thin as well.
Nov 11, 2022
Leffe Brune / Brown from Abbaye de Leffe S.A.
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 2087 ratings