Leffe Blonde v Budweiser

Leffe Blonde

Style- Abbey Beer

ABV- 6.6%

Price- £2.83 per bottle in supermarkets

Brewed- at Leuven, Belgium


Budweiser

Style- Lager

ABV- 5%

Price- about £4.50 for a four pack

Brewed at- St Louis, Missouri


Overview
A clash of styles. Budweiser, seen by many as a weak tasting industrially brewed lager, and Leffe Blonde, originally brewed in an abbey by monks using a time honoured method passed down the ages. Of course, this being the 21st century, all is not what it seems. Firstly, they are both actually owned by the same company, the multi national brewing Goliath that is InBev. The Belgian company purchased the Budweiser company for $52 billion dollars in July 2008. Leffe was brought under the InBev umbrella a few years prior, and hasn't been brewed at an Abbey of any description since 1952. It is in fact now created exclusively at the Stella Artois brewing plant in Leuven. (The abbey, and monks, where it originated receive a royalty for the use of the name). This could be close, as both have a strong fan base, and both, inn particular Bud, tend to fall into the love or loath category.

Odds
Could go either way, but I expect the fact that Leffe is more of an aspirational brand than there more working class Budweiser, could give it the edge. It also packs a stronger punch at 6.6%, so will be favoured by the more macho amongst us. I make the abbey beer a slight favourite.