Leinenkugel's Original - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

bashiba

Iowa

2/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Poured a straw yellow with a light fizzy head.

The smell has a bad vegetal odor to it with a bit of corn sweetness.

The flavor has a bit of a copper and tin flavor mixing in with the slightest touch of grassy hops.

Mouthfeel is the same as water, no carbonation to speak of.

Boring stuff. I don't know why anyone would pay premium price for this stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2008 22:54:51 | More by bashiba

mwa423

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +30.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light golden straw color with about a half finger of head which disappears to a very small lacing.

Smell is of a light malt, pretty typical of the style.

Taste is far better then average for the style along with a smooth mouthfeel.

This is definitely on the high end of drinkable for the style. I think I could down at least a six pack of these without hating myself the next morning.

My rating is based on the style, this beer is about the 2nd or 3rd best I have ever had of the style. (well above your average BMC). In the world of beer as whole I would say this is a C- or C.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2008 23:20:35 | More by mwa423

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

2.8/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into Sam Adams Sensory Glass. No freshness date.

Pours a thin white head. No lace. Color is a clear straw yellow.

Smell is very grain-like. While the taste is quite similiar. Tastes just like an American macro lager, but has a little more quality to it.

Mouthfeel is crisp and similiar to that of water. Nothing over the edge here.

Overall, this is an upgraded macro lager. Not something I would buy again, unless I got into lagers.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2008 07:46:15 | More by mothman

Mistofminn

Minnesota

3.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz brown bottle

A- Clear golden yellow color with 1-2 finger white head.

S- Definitely some grainy smells. Can detect a slight scent of hops, barely.

T- Crisp and clean, but thats about it. Tastes like a macro, sadly. There is just something about it that keeps me coming back.

M- Light in body, medium carbonation. It balances well.

D- Its drinkable. Not something to write home about.

Maybe its the fact that it's brewed close to home, or maybe it's because it was one of my fathers favorite brews. Something about it just reminds me of home and the midwest and puts a smile on my face. Its like an old friend with good memories.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2008 21:09:48 | More by Mistofminn

MTNboy

Missouri

2.88/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Nice golden straw colored body. It had a pinky of head that disappeared quickly with just a little bit of lace.

Smells: Beany and slightly hoppy.

Taste: It has a very average taste. I was expecting more. It was grainy in a corn like sense of the word, a little bit beany and mildly hoppy. Not much of an aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied with a little bit more than average carbonation.

Drinkability: It was OK but I could get something better cheaper.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2008 14:19:25 | More by MTNboy

kinger

Ohio

3.3/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

"I really felt like picking up a simple lager or pilsner, something easy to quench my palate. Came across this and being a fan of Leinenkugel's I grabbed a sixer. Rich golden color in my pils glas nice frothy white head and steady carbonation along with moderate lacing. Aroma is pleasant and crisp but doesn't have much depth. Outstanding flavor for a generally boring style malty and full with just the right amount of hops. The taste is extremely clean well balanced. Surprisingly full mouthfeel with a wonderful crispness. Easy but well crafted, one of my new favorite pale lagers.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2008 01:48:54 | More by kinger

morimech

Minnesota

3.3/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a can. Straw yellow color with a small white head that quickly settles to a thin layer of foam. A little lacing is left on the glass. Immediately after the pour, I was able to pick up a nice Noble hop aroma but it soon is overpowered by adjunct aromas. As far as taste it is about average for macro's. More on the drier side with light hop flavor. Finishes crisp and clean. Light body with fizzy carbonation. A decent macro and a good thirst quencher.

Serving type: can

10-25-2008 18:15:41 | More by morimech

nrbw23

Ohio

2.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A- Pours a clear gold color small white head.

S- Smells like a macro brew. No hops at all and could pick up some grainy smells.

T- Crisp and clean in taste. Really nothing special going on here tastes just like every other macro brew.

M- Light in body and nice amount of carbonation.

D- Easy to drink just nothing special going on here.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2008 22:50:19 | More by nrbw23

wheatyweiss

Wisconsin

3.43/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light straw with a moderate head. Active bubbles rise to the top.

Aroma is adjuncts and slight hops.

Flavor is malt and adjuncts with a nice hop flavor that stands above most macros.

Mouthfeel is good, almost feels bottle conditioned as the carbonation is soft on the tongue.

Good lawnmower brew and probably the best of the macros to me.

Serving type: can

07-27-2008 03:11:19 | More by wheatyweiss

Gehrig

Illinois

3.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bright, clear light golden-colored body with a foamy off-white head. Moderate retention, little lacing. The nose is a little more hopped than I expected though not strongly so, with decent malt lurking. Nice if straightforward taste, bittersweet hops emerge, somewhat sweet malt but not like gutter macros such as Genessee or Grain Belt. This is slightly more balanced than that, thankfully. Thin texture, not unexpected, but smooth. A fairly good accompaniment with my wings, Original doesn't compare to Sunset Wheat which is far superior. Still, not all bad.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2008 22:10:14 | More by Gehrig

keoki182

Wisconsin

2.42/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Leinie's Original is the best yard beer I can imagine. Based on a complex algorithm I cannot explain here, it's taste per yen is out of this world. It's actually cheaper than other Miller macroswill, which is amazing considering how much better this beer is than the rest of its competition. It pours a yellow/light gold with a very grainy aroma. It's considerably full bodied for its kind. Original brings to mind a Sam Adams Boston Lager, which may seem like blasphemy to some. For less than $7 a 12er, you can do a lot worse.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2008 22:36:50 | More by keoki182

Chugmonkey

Wisconsin

2.35/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

I've been knocking these back for 20 years. Used to have an Indian head on a white background on the can - really cheap looking. You had hard time giving it away cuz nobody knew what it was. Amazing how well they did marketing the brand - now acquired by Miller.

Average boring lager with a slightly bitter, grainy bite that lingers. Really not much else to say about this beer. They brew a Light in cans which I don't mind taking along on hot days out in the boat as a nice thirst quencher however.

Serving type: can

06-24-2008 17:01:35 | More by Chugmonkey

rye726

Colorado

1.43/5  rDev -51.7%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

This is a bit over priced for what it is, and that's an average macro lager. It is a clear straw color with a lacking whitish head. The nose and taste are both light and grainy. A watery body has a bit too much carbonation. Not the most drinkable due to a lingering bitter presence.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2008 03:54:45 | More by rye726

44ouncer

California

2.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Sorry this review sucks so bad -- but there really wasn't anything distinctive about this beer at all. Has a darker, slightly redder color than your typical lager like Bud. Kind of a corn smell to hit. Decent head that quickly fades.

Describing the flavor is kind of tough to do. Doesn't have a hop like bite to it. Just kind of heavy and blah -- almost like the brewmaster added a little bit more of each ingredient to give this beer more flavor -- or shorted the amount of water used.

Heard so much about this beer for years -- yet it isn't anything that special. OK to bring to a party and toss a few in with all the other stuff just to be different, I guess.

Serving type: can

04-13-2008 07:35:24 | More by 44ouncer

KarlHungus

Minnesota

1.4/5  rDev -52.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

This beer pours a clear straw color. The head is one inch in height, and recedes quickly into sparse lacing. The aroma is of very faint malt. The taste is of corn, malt, and more corn and metal in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is light bodied with a high level of carbonation. Overall, this is an awful beer. The taste is a look more bold than other macro lagers, but it is so metallic and corny that it is undrinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2008 22:22:34 | More by KarlHungus

pweis909

Wisconsin

2.05/5  rDev -30.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A regional version of an American macrolager. Pale gold and with a thick white head, as is typical for all these beers. Aroma? Nothing special. The smell anticipates the taste. You can tell it is a beer. The high carbonation puts an unpleasant burning bite to the taste, so I found this more palatable as it sits a little.

Serving type: can

03-11-2008 22:09:19 | More by pweis909

Greggy

Minnesota

3.13/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance- nothing special here. Just a light straw color typical of AML's

Smell- Corn, maltiness, and a slight hop aroma

Taste- This is one of the better macro lagers out there. It isn't to light and has a little body to it. There isn't anything special about the taste, just your typical lager.

Drinkability: If it was a choice between this and a bud, miller, or coors product, I would definitely choose this leinenkugals original. It has a bit more body that typical macros and is refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2008 02:31:57 | More by Greggy

botham

Illinois

2.25/5  rDev -24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a pilsner. pours an extremely light straw color with a few fingers of white, frothy head. this brew is crystal clear. moderate spider lacings.

aroma is mainly of pale malts and a floral character from the lager yeast. a very slight grainy feel is detectable as well. little else.

taste is watered down at best. light pale malts and a touch of floral yeast, with a grainy aftertaste that discounts what little flavor the actual liquid has.

mouthfeel is reminiscent of water.

drinkability is great, because this brew is devoid of any boldness or character that could make it worthwhile (and less drinkable).

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2008 02:52:42 | More by botham

LeonTrotsky

Minnesota

1.63/5  rDev -44.9%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

I had this on tap at the CC Club in Minneapolis with a friend because it was their special $7 pitcher for the night. We shouldn't have ordered the pitcher.

A: Yellow and fizzy, like any other beer of the style
S: It had the faint odor of tortilla chips
T: Gross! Tortilla chips! It seriously tasted like someone soaked corn chips in Miller Lite, then poured the resulting liquid into a pitcher.
M: Average mouthfeel for the style
D: Awful, I will never drink this again

I'm not a macro basher, I drink Grain Belt Premium on a regular basis and have some Miller High Life in my beer fridge right now, but this stuff was awful. The only worse beer I have had is Beer 30 Ice (yes, that is actually the name of the beer).

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2008 19:05:14 | More by LeonTrotsky

chilidog

Ohio

2.98/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I also have been waiting the op to try the Original. Seems all the flavored ones have come our way except the orig & light. Till now, found the Original on close-out, 3.99 a six.

For the money, not a bad beer. It pours nice. Gold color, white frothy head that dose lace somewhat. Good carbonation with no fizz.

The aroma is suttle. corn, malts and citric.

The taste, not to bold, but the citric shows itself over a malty base with a slight hop dryness toward the finish. Not big on alcohol, so a good session brew indeed.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2008 18:49:20 | More by chilidog

AgingWarrior

Florida

3.58/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I've been wanting to sample Leinkugel original for a approximately 5 years. One of my favorite authors, John Sandford, has a character who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota and drinks Leinenkugel. I finally sampled a Leinie original thanks to my first beer trade via Beer Advocate. Thanks, Curt!

I poured my Leinie into a frosted mug and it poured a light golden color with a one finger white head and a fair amount of lacing. The first whiff was great with a slight citrus scent. This brew has excellent mouth feel and a great finish. This is the kind of brew that you can drink all day long, a great session beer. I was well rewarded for my wait, I'll definitely be on the hunt for more of these.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 23:12:42 | More by AgingWarrior

Cresant

Kentucky

2.75/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured this 12 oz. brown bottle into a Samuel Adams glass. The body was pale yellow with a white, creamy head. Foam sizzled out rather quickly, leaving only small patches clinging to the glass.

Smelled of citrus/lemon and light malts. Vegetal. Somewhat fruity linger.

Taste was lightly tangy. Lightly corny and malty. Drying. Easy to drink and non-offensive.

Mouthfeel was medium to light in body. Zesty carbonation. Slightly slick.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2007 17:06:47 | More by Cresant

DrainBamage

Michigan

3.2/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a pale yellow color and is a little cloudy. A thin lace of head is left also. Smells like every other macro lager out there, except a little more sweet. Taste is average average for a macro lager and has a slightly fruity and sweet flavor to it, which makes it stand out. Goes down smooth with a little crispness also. This is a decent macro brew that is a step above AB macros. Might make an ok session beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2007 06:46:15 | More by DrainBamage

Squelch

United Kingdom (England)

2.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours crystal clear with a large white fluffy head.

S: Noticable malt aroma. no hop aroma.

T: Tasts like an american lager. Crisp and clean. Probably a heavy use of adjuncts in this beer to lighten it.

M: Fits style with a light mouthfeel and the tingle of medium carbonation.

D: Good session beer that I would much rather drink than BMC.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2007 03:02:17 | More by Squelch

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.15/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours golden with 3+ fingers of eggshell colored head. Zero lacing & head retention

S: Corny with dextrose & perfumy hops as this warms

T: Lemony hops & sweet corn up front. Dryness, honey notes & cooked cereal shows as this warms. Finishes dry, a bit cloying & grainy

MF: Light bodied with moderate carbonation

Drinks okay, a bit too cloying as this warms. Drink ice cold. I'd still take this over BMC

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2007 03:40:22 | More by russpowell