Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

gabedivision

New York

2.7/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

poured from a 12 oz can to a pint glass.

Pours a hazy nontransparent straw yellow, rolls about a 1 finger head that forms to a lace around the top of the glass, carbonation is visible at the top. The most dominate flavor on the nose(and pretty much the only flavor) is that of powdered lemonade mix, very sugary with a lemon exctract. Hints of wheat maybe? not sure if it is brewed with wheat or if my brain just wants to think so. Sugar water with a slice of lemon on the side, a grainy corn is on the after taste. Medium carbonation, tingles when entering the mouth, light bodied, very 'soft drink' like. Overall; this is pretty terrible, even the fruit like flavors taste off and generic, stay clear of this unless you really, really like lemonade mix.

Serving type: can

06-10-2012 18:12:36 | More by gabedivision

UCLABrewN84

California

2.98/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Best by 7/2/12.

Pours a murky light yellow with a 1/2 inch foamy off-white head that quickly fades to nothing. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is pretty much solely of lemon-lime soda and lemonade mixed together. Taste is the same with a grain flavor that comes out on the aftertaste. This beer has a prickly level of carbonation but it's a bit thin. Overall, this is not exactly good but it's not too bad for what it is. On the very edge of not being beer in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 05:01:09 | More by UCLABrewN84

Celtics76

Rhode Island

3.13/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bought a 12-pack of cans - easy drinking for a tailgate party prior to the Radiohead show in Mansfield. I have a few left over in the fridge so I thought I'd put a review in.

About a half inch of head right after the pour into a Harpoon IPA pint glass. Cloudy as hell appearance, medium yellow color. Tastes like half lemonade, half beer..sugary aftertaste. It's not so bad. I don't think I would get many complaints if I had it available for a cookout.

At 4.2% ABV, it's very easy to pound a few without even thinking about it. Very refreshing, outdoor beer but not one I would recommend if you have a crew of craft beer lovers coming over.

Serving type: can

06-08-2012 21:46:56 | More by Celtics76

Darkmagus82

Montana

2.95/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance – The brew was served with a very hazy yellow color and a big white head. The head faded fast leaving only a very minimal amount of lacing.

Smell – The smell was heavy of lemonade. There was a light wheat and yeast aroma mixed in with an ever so light grassy smell.

Taste – The taste was overall of a light wheat and sweet lemon flavor up front. These created a very lemonade like flavor in the brew. More toward the middle of the taste there was a light yeast flavor that mixed in. The sweetness lightened up as the taste advanced, but never really bittered, instead it just lost strength and ended up leaving a slightly more wheaty flavor on the tongue. Overall these flavors were all very light.

Mouthfeel – The mouthfeel was on the more watery side with a high level of carbonation. It gave it a refreshing characteristic, but nothing with much complexity.

Overall – Not a real flavorful beer, but not an offensive one. It would be great for sitting outside with on a hot summer day. I would consider it a good hot weather session brew, but not one I would recommend on any other occasion.

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2012 00:30:15 | More by Darkmagus82

thydarkprevails

Illinois

1.75/5  rDev -44.3%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

On draft at a ball game. Cloudy light yellow with little head. Aroma is lemonade, sugar, light bread, and very mild hops. Taste is lemon, sugar, and mild beer flavors. It’s like 4.2% abv kool aid. Thin mouthfeel. Meh. Way more of a lemonade than a beer for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

06-03-2012 22:49:31 | More by thydarkprevails

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.93/5  rDev +25.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy has a thick, fluffy, white head and a very cloudy, pale yellow appearance. The aroma is of lemonade and just a touch of white bread. Taste is of lemonade, white wheat bread, sugar, and a very low bitterness. Mouthfeel is light to medium, and Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy finishes mostly dry, tart, and refreshing. It’s not really a beer. It’s a flavored malt beverage. I think it’s very good, for what it is.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 16:00:07 | More by RonaldTheriot

jsisko01

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours an extremely pale, straw yellow color with a centimeter thick head that dissipates instantly. Has very nice lacing..

Smell - Strong scent of lemon zest and lemonade. The wheat is feint.

Taste - Lemon zest, lemonade, and citrus. The beer is very watered down.. I don't even really taste any wheat or grains.

Mouthfeel - Light bodied with high carbonation.

Overall - This beer is pretty good.. Although I can't drink this because it's a killer for people with acid reflux.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 04:00:12 | More by jsisko01

TGZ32

Michigan

4/5  rDev +27.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: This beer screams summer to me, a lemon shandy.. the best appearance for a beer on a very hot summer day in my opinion.

S: Lemons, lemons and more lemons. faint lemon rind smell.

T: Tart at first, then mellows out almost like a lemonhead candy. wonderfully tasty and quenching when its miserable hot out.

M: Thin and crisp, yep.

O: Session friendly. Kicked many of these back in college.. great beer for chilling around the house/pool/lake on a nice Michigan summer day.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 02:45:50 | More by TGZ32

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

2.83/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours out of the bottle a murky cloudy light yellow color with a smallish white head that dissipates quickly. It looks a lot like the liquid that comes out of one of those plastic lemons only this has a small head on it for a minute or two. The smell is pretty heavy on the lemon. There's a faint spicy wheat beer aroma deep underneath, but I mostly get lemons. The flavor is and odd mix of beer and lemon juice. It tastes like carbonated lemonade with a hint of macro wheat beer mixed in there. Medium to thin body with a spirited level of carbonation and a sweet and tart kind of mouthfeel happening. This one didn't really do it for me.
The lemony aspect of this I kind of enjoyed, but I think that the base beer that they used is just south of lackluster.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 00:41:21 | More by johnnnniee

SaintLouisBeerDrinker

Missouri

3.65/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Decently colored with yellowish hues overall, 2 fingers of head faded shortly

S: Smells delicious, with scents of lemon and wheat.

T: taste has a slight wheat base with the lemons definitely abrupt.

M: Easily drinkable, mouth feel has mild carbonation.

Overall: A summer brew, most definitely.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 00:59:12 | More by SaintLouisBeerDrinker

HockeytownBrew

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev +14%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a can into a pint glass.

A : Pours a pale, hazy yellow. Two finger width of head that dissipates over a few minutes.

S : Very pleasant notes of citrus - definitely picking up the lemonade scent. Tad notes of wheat/malt.

T : Again, pleasant. Citrusy and lemony, quite refreshing. Can also taste slight wheat.

M : Light-medium mouthfeel. Moderate carbonation.

Overall, a very refreshing beer. I enjoyed this one.

Serving type: can

04-23-2012 02:11:49 | More by HockeytownBrew

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Into a pint glass:

A: hazy golden colored body with a small white head, had minimal lacing, nothing spectacular.

S: mild wheat and medium strength of lemon notes.

T: strong lemon with the mild wheat coming back, with a definite sweetness to it.

M: light, sessionable, mild bitter aftertaste and finish

O: a summer "dessert" beer. So this is what "they call a radler (a German style of a cross between lemonade and beer)? Ok, interesting, I'm not exactly sure what to say other than I can't guarantee I'd have this again. Maybe I'd have it again alongside the Sunset Wheat and feel like I'd have a great dessert or maybe I'd give this to the malt drinker to let them see the beer side.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 23:10:08 | More by kangarooAdam59

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev +21%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle best by Jul 08 12

Pours looking like lemonade, cloudy yellow with a weak sudsy head. Smell is pure lemonade, the only other scent I pick up is watery grain. Tastes is mild wheat/corn with a lot of lemon flavor. The lemon has bite and zest to it, but is in balance with the beer flavor. This isn't too sweet, which I appreciated. Mouthfeel is a little thin, like all leineys.

This beer gets ragged on unnecessarily I think, because it's sweet and not very beer-y. Kind of a gateway beer. It's not something I would drink all the time, but I might keep some around for the less beer-inclined among us.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 12:44:56 | More by jimmah120

merc7186

New York

3.03/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I had this beer on tap at Buffalo Wild Wings in Clifton Park NY, poured into a pint glass.

A: Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Mild Light, White Head, Minimal Lacing

S: Mild Wheat, Mild Lemons

T: Lemons, Mild Pineapple, Mild Wheat

M: Decent Carbonation, Light Bodied, Mild Bitter

Overall, drinkable but weak.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2012 00:17:28 | More by merc7186

sneakymagician

Michigan

4.65/5  rDev +48.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I bought a six pack of this a few years ago. I polished off 5 bottles in 25 minutes, before I realized how much I had. This stuff is evil! I've sworn it off.

It goes down too easily. It's best to skip it, if you're thirsty. It tastes more like lemonade, than a beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 18:38:00 | More by sneakymagician

tdm168

North Carolina

2.6/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a hazy, cloudy whitish yellow with a thin lacing of crackling white head. It smells like artificial lemonade powder and grassy hops. The flavor is very similar; artificial lemonade, grassy hops, faint grainy notes. The mouthfeel is light bodied, a bit syrupy, sugary, but smooth.

This isn't nearly as bad as some other shandy-style beers I've had, but at the same time it's not good by any means. This is more lemonade than beer and artificial and sugary at that. I'll pass.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 00:03:21 | More by tdm168

CMUbrew

Michigan

2.33/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A: Poured with almost a finger of white foam for a head, which disappated quickly. Pale light yellow in color and cloudy enough that you can't see through it. It certainly resembles a mix of lemonade and beer.

S: I mostly get lemonhead candy in the nose. Not much else.

T: The taste is initially a small burst of watery subpar lemonade flavor that is followed quickly by a longer wash of a BMC-esque beer taste. The aftertaste holds a slight bit of that artificial lemon detected in the smell.

M: Light bodied and pretty watery. Carbonation makes it feel far too foamy.

O: Many people like this and find it to be a super refreshing summer beer, but frankly I don't think it is good enough to drink any time of the year. The lemon in it just tastes artificial and the beer flavor behind it is watery and not pleasing in any way to me.

Note: This beer is not brewed with lemons as some people might suggest. It is "beer with natural lemonade flavor." Says so right on the label.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 20:26:34 | More by CMUbrew

samie85

Illinois

2.78/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a hazy dark urine color with two fingers of white head.

Smells of strong lemon pledge and lemon rind.

Wheat and lemon rind with some light bitterness on the finish.

Light-bodied with crisp carbonation and a tart, drying finish.

I can definitely see the appeal of this one, it's just not my thing. I'm not sure how traditional this "shandy" is anyways.

Serving type: can

04-11-2012 23:32:00 | More by samie85

KingEdward

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +28.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is a very simple wheat beer brewed with lemon. Its a very refreshing summer beer. Had many beers like this in Germany. The main reason i am reviewing this beer is cause i feel its overall score is low do to people reviewing it and say "it taste like lemon... why would someone brew this"... First of all it says brewed with lemon so the lemon stands out! Why would you try this beer if you have a problem with the lemon taste? I like it a lot... reminds me of Germany...

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 22:45:59 | More by KingEdward

cyclonece09

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 14 oz "pint" glass. Pours a cloudy yellowish straw color with a fluffy white head that dissipates quickly, but leaves a little lacing. Smells heavily of lemons, but there is general beer malt in the smell as well. Tastes of a lemonade mixed with a good adjunct lager, but not offensively. This light bodied beer is very smooth, carbonated correctly, and quite a bit could be consumed without realizing it. Overall, a slightly above average beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 01:33:56 | More by cyclonece09

JoLight

Georgia

4.53/5  rDev +44.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The appearance is a hazy, almost solid yellow, leaning slightly to an orange touch. The head is stark white and retains pretty well.

For the aroma, it smells of lemons, and a tad bit of malt (wheat, maybe?). Hop presence is just slightly noticeable, but it's hard to tell with the straight-forward lemon/citrus aroma.

The taste is primarily lemon zest, with some small sweetness, and a tiny backbone of malt- which to me, is hard to distinguish between barley and wheat. A nice balance, I suppose. Just bready and lemony.

The mouthfeel is on the heavy side of light, and the light side of medium. You really get a bite from the carbonation and the lemon zest.

Overall, this is one of the most refreshing beers I've ever had, and I suggest giving it a try, especially if you like citrusy beers.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2012 01:45:47 | More by JoLight

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

2.98/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Leinenkugel is a brand I’ve never tried…except for their Fruity Pebbles – I mean Sunset Wheat offering. This one was a gift, and I’m happy to have it (no matter the end result in flavor).

A: Lemonade, what do you know. Dirty lemonade, almost: there’s a little brown in the hazy yellowish pour, with a fluffy white head. A fizz eventually sits over the body at a little more than paper-thin, with some light bubbles flowing through the body, though no lacing.

S: A very light fruity scent: lime, berry lemonade, and a familiar aroma of dish soap. It’s a pretty pleasant wheaty fruitiness – mostly lime – with just a bit of grains roaming around beneath. Clove, pepper, and grains of paradise give it a little kick, too. Smells like summer.

T: Lime sherbet, with just a bite of lemon pulp and peach, come first – pretty fruity for a light macro. A little bitter astringency takes the form of lemon rind and light straw, followed closely by some good wheat flavors. Some pepper and herb tastes pop up, like in the nose, but not for long; aftertaste is oily lemon syrup and grain husk. It tastes like lemonade, but not the strongly tart stuff I prefer.

M: Macro fizz, but with a little more thickness. Satisfying, with a good amount of frothy lightness.

O: Better than I was expecting; I could knock out a few of these on a summer day, especially a hot one. Not more than a few, though, since this one has a bit of an odd aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 00:28:33 | More by BarryMFBurton

paulginva

Virginia

3.15/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

APPEARANCE: This beer, poured from a bottle into a pint glass, produced a white foamy, rocky 3.4" head that dissipated somewhat slowly leaving thin head lacing. Carbonation was soft in a slightly cloudy yellow body.

AROMA: There is a light aroma of baked bread together with light notes of orange, lime and lemon (sort of a Lemon Pledge lemon aroma).

TASTE: Taste is much the same, though the baked bread and lemon tastes are a bit stronger than the scent prepared me for.

MOUTHFEEL: This beer has a medium body with a smooth texture, soft carbonation and thin body lacing that dissipates pretty slowly. The initial flavor is lightly sour with a lightly acidic tart finish that lasted for a medium length of time.

DRINKABILITY: Repeatable, easy to drink and a good price point make this an attractive beer for the summer months. The tartness is quite refreshing. The lemony smell surprised at first but it turned out okay. I like the way the flavor keeps shifting from sour (lemon and lime) to malty-sweet to acidic (orange). It's a bit unexpected and definitely adds to the beer's appeal. It would be great for a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 22:39:58 | More by paulginva

Zachtheporter

Wisconsin

3.08/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Stella Artois Chalice.

A- an incredibly light lemonade colored yellow with a medium sized frothy white head. Despite the light color is exceptionally dark and murky.

S- Lemon aid. Very sweet and sour. Citrus notes of lemon. Has a malty backbone and a slight alcohol smell.

T- Has a pale sourness while being slightly sweet. tart with a slight pale malt backbone. Has a faint bitter finish. Leaves a malty aftertaste on the tongue. There is also a slight wheatiness to the finish.

M- Medium to high carbonation. Crisp and medium bodied. The carbonation takes away from the rest of the feel.

O- Very drinkable and very refreshing. Very session-able. The perfect delicious beer for people who don't really like beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 06:46:00 | More by Zachtheporter

mattfungus

Wisconsin

2/5  rDev -36.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

This is like a more lemony version of the sunset wheat and little more watery and a little more perfumey. At times I can't tell this and the sunset wheat apart, thought that hint of perfume in this one is the field mark I look for.

If I am going to mix lemonade and beer I will stick with sol or corona,

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 04:50:44 | More by mattfungus