Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

Kooz

New York

3.65/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Tried this at a Mets game; had it again last night so I could rate it.

Pours to a nice cloudy straw color. Love unfiltered beers and love how they look--no exception here--can't wait to dig in.

Smells slightly sweet--lemon and wheat.

Tastes really good. It's slightly sweet, but it has a shandy taste. I clearly taste lemonade as though mixed with a good wheat beer.

Mouothfeel is nothing exceptional, but not bad. There's no bite, but there's not much body either.

Overall, it's an enjoyable, refreshing beer and nice for a hot night outside.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2012 03:58:32 | More by Kooz

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

2.63/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

22 oz pour from Wild Wings, Grand Forks. Delivered with a lemon wedge.

Hazy pale straw body with a nice head that laces well. Never had a shandy before, nor a lemon beer and I am now fairly sure I don't want another one. Lemon on then nose. Lemon in the body. Surprisingly, I can tell this is a beer thigh with a fairly viscous body that feels like a beer. I guess this could be seen as a great summer beer by some, but I don't like it. Half way through the pour, I figured "What the hell, let's add the lemon", and it made it even less palatable for me... Meh.

Serving type: on-tap

06-24-2012 22:15:31 | More by kjyost

Darkmagus82

Montana

2.95/5  rDev -5.8%
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 -44.1%
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

merc7186

New York

3.03/5  rDev -3.2%
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

JoLight

Georgia

4.53/5  rDev +44.7%
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

MS22

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I'll review this beer as it were meant to be tasted . . . on a lake in the summer, in the parking lot of a concert tailgating the day away, etc . . . .

Pours out a pale, slightly cloudy yellow. No heavy carbonation to be noticed.

Smell is straight lemonade. A hint of bread/wheat on the backbone. Enticing when the temps break 90. Extremely enticing when the triple digits come into play.

Taste:
Here is the kicker. I can drink this all day priming up for a concert, at a game, on my boat, etc. At night around a fire, watching football in the fall it falls way short and it would go un-opened. How can one rate a beer a solid B yet a meager D at the same time?!?

Overall I'll give this a C+/B-. Depending on the venue and the atmosphere in which one is drinking, as well as for what purpose one is drinking, this can be a downright good beer or a sadly weak choice.

Drink it when the thermometer breaks 90!

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2011 14:23:09 | More by MS22

isualum12

Idaho

4.65/5  rDev +48.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I poured this beer this past weekend at Boise Beer Festival in Boise Idaho. I ended up having several of these over a few hours time. This beer was one of the most popular beers of the 200+ beers at the event. It was hot out so take that in count...

Appearance- hazy foggy yellow.
Smell-Lemon and hops
taste- Lemon and lots of citrus. there is a little hop showing in there as well.
mouthfeel- smooth lite and refreshing. It was creamy on a little level.
Overall- HEAVEN on a hot day. Seriously loved this beer...

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2011 20:32:04 | More by isualum12

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

2.83/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Notes from 7/27/11. On tap at the Miller Brewery in Milwaukee.

A - Cloudy medium yellow with half a finger of white head

S - Lemonade. No malts or hops noticeable in the nose.

T - Lemonade at first with no obvious beer flavours. However, the finish has some grainy malt notes. Very sweet.

M - Light body. Somewhat heavily carbonated.

O - An interesting beer but not one that I would ever order again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2011 13:54:20 | More by TheSevenDuffs

mdaschaf

Washington

2.95/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Had on tap at some bar in Rehoboth Beach, DE.

A: Served in a pint glass the beer is straw/light yellow in color, slightly hazy, with a one finger white head on top. Decent head retention and moderate lacing.

S: Reminded me of very strong and tart lemonade. It was very sweet and sugary, not much else came through at all.

T: Very similar to the aroma, lots of very sugary lemons. It reminds of cheap lemonade mix that I used to use as a kid, except this tastes like when you add WAY too much of the mix and a ton of the sugar sits at the bottom of your glass.

M: Surprisingly crisp and refreshing, the slightly sour twang is nice actually.

O: Honestly, better than I expected it to be, but still, a bit over the top in terms of sweetness and not very beer-like either.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2011 17:21:28 | More by mdaschaf

buyBinboaVodka

New Jersey

1.6/5  rDev -48.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I had this beer on tap served with a flight of beers - 5oz pour.

A - It was served in a 5oz flight glass, a cloudy golden apperance. By the time it got to me there was no head left and no lacing around the glass. This was evident by the size of the rest of the pours.

S - Smells like lemonade, and uhh medicinal smell? Kind of like Emergen C or Airborne. Not much going on here except that powerful citrus aroma.

T - It tastes way worse then it smells. Like straight up medicine that you do not want to drink anymore. Just plain bad. Its not even sweet! I just taste chalky powdered airborne in there.

M - Very thin with high carbonation...like fizzy bubbles everywhere.

O - I would never buy this beer, nor will I drink it even on a hot summer day. I just feel like I am taking medication rather than drinking a beer. Worth a try just to say you had it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2011 10:21:25 | More by buyBinboaVodka

cmq103

New Jersey

2.53/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from my dual-tap kegerator into a pint glass. I normally wouldn't buy a lemonade flavored beer but from time to time, I have to give a tap choice to my wife and this is one her favorites during the summer. With that said, lets get on to the review.

Appearance: This pour is yellow and cloudy, typical of your unfiltered wheat beer. Average one-finger head that quickly diminishes.

Smell: Believe it or not, the lemonade aroma dominates. I mean really dominates. I can't smell much of anything else. Certainly not any beer aroma.

Taste: Yes sir, this is a lemonade beer. Not as bad as a lemonade flavor wine cooler, as it lacks the syrupy sweetness and thickness. I catch a faint background of a wheat beer trying desperately to come out, but the lemon flavor pushes back hard and says, "Not on my watch".

Mouthfeel: It has that lively carbonation and does go down effortlessly.

Overall: I'll be honest, if I'm out mowing the lawn in the 90 degree heat, plus high humidity weather, this beer would taste pretty darn good going down. Short of that, this beer didn't have the typical flavors of a good unfiltered wheat ale, which it tries to resemble. I liked it better than their Sunset Wheat, which was too sweet and cereal tasting for my liking. Give me my Allagash White Ale or Southampton Double White Ale for my summer drinking beer...

Serving type: on-tap

07-15-2011 23:47:43 | More by cmq103

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

It has been awhile since I had this beer. It used to be identified as the ideal summer fruit beer to drink all day. The ABV is ideally sessionable. Since then, a lot more beers have filled the space in this tangent.

The Summer Shandy is still everything it used to be. This light yellow beer with lots of lemon is still low in ABV. The coloring reminds me of sunshine, and the carbonation and weight are both extremely light.

The lemoning is very present, and it covers most of the other flavors in the beer. It is very easy to drink, but it doesn't challenge the drinker.

I thoroughly recommend this beer for summer afternoons, post mowing, or on the beach. It is perfect as a stepping stone to convert the macro drinkers or anybody new to beer. BA pros may enjoy it if they don't take it too seriously.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2011 19:00:29 | More by ummswimmin

bubseymour

Maryland

3.55/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I had this on tap in a plastic cup while in Ocean City sitting on the deck bar on a hot summer evening(Macky's bayside).

It was a great thrist quencher summer brew. Very strong lemon/lime flavors prevail. Not exactly a beer drinkers beer but for a good swill beer in the heat, it tasted much better that a Corona with lime in it. My report for this beer isn't under my usual quality controlled enviroment (lazy boy chair in living room with Sam Adams pint glass pour)so this report is more for my database than to be trusted as reliable by others.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2011 22:51:53 | More by bubseymour

mooselvlt

Wisconsin

2.88/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pint on tap

A - Cloudy, straw color. Finger of white foam, Decent retention. Carbonated

S - Smells of light lemons. Thats really about all I pick up.

T - Meh...follows the nose. Some lemon peel, very light malts. Lemon lingers on the tongue after the finish. Just not much there for me.

M - Very light bodied, highly carbonated. Watery thin.

O - The appearance surprised me. Wasn't expecting the cloudiness. Just not a fan. I'm not a fruit beer guy to being with and this one just confirms yet again why.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2011 01:11:48 | More by mooselvlt

Stunner97

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance- yellow and cloudy and murky off the pour, very yellow in color almost like a lemonade

Smell- Very lemony nose for sure, it smells like lemonade really does and a little touch of wheat and beer,

Taste- tastes very unique in style where its almost truly a mix of lemonade and beer, it has good amount of lemon flavor up front and that becomes touch of hop and wheat in the back, its a little bit sweet in flavor but not overally cloying, keeps just enough balance

Mouthfeel- medium to light bodied with crisp carbonation good smooth beer

Drinkablity/ overall- overall this beer is decent and is pretty drinkable, i would call it almost some what of a novelty beer, its really a cross of being like a beer and fruit juice and being a less sweet manlier version of like a mikes lemonade, its not a bad beer certainly for a hot summer day or would do quite well out of a can at the beach but probably not something i would buy often just to chug sitting around the house, also a good beer to bring to people who don't really drink beer

Serving type: on-tap

06-03-2011 23:13:56 | More by Stunner97

BigDRS

Ohio

3.3/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Roosters in Columbus, Ohio.

Served in a tall pint glass. Beer had basically 0 head when it got to me. Looks more like a glass of lemonade than a glass of beer.

Smells kind of like a lemonhead candy with a bit of wheat in the background. Nose is pretty impressive but ...

The taste is disappointing. The lemon notes that come across in the nose don't make it through. Beer is a bit too bland and grainy for me.

Mouthfeel is quite light. Carbonation levels are a bit low and the beer comes across as a bit watery.

Overall, I'd buy this for a hot afternoon out grilling or on the boat. Otherwise, I'll drink something else.

Serving type: on-tap

05-28-2011 03:10:01 | More by BigDRS

alleykatking

Indiana

2.58/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Had on tap...

A- Poured a light hazed golden yellow color. I mean this color looked more like the crayloa crayon color unmellow yellow. One and a half finger white head shows light retention leaving light streaks on the side of the glass that fall back into the beer.

S- Lemon. This has a Country Time mix like aroma to it. This smells sugary sweet and there is not anything else that really comes through on the rest of the nose. Maybe a hint of grain but to be honest I gave up after about 5 minutes of trying to pick anything else out.

T- Artifical lemon comes out first and foremost with a sugary sweetness to it. This kind of tones down a slight bit showcasing a lemon zest kind of flavor toward the middle. Also in the middle there is a hint of wet grain which is the first flavor I can pick up on that wasn't lemon. Ending of the beer shows some more grain like flavor with a hint of wheat like flavor before being blasted into lemon land once again. It takes of lemon more than anything else.

M- Light mouthfeel. Carbonation was high I thought for the beer but then again I have only had one other Shandy style beer to base this off of. Lemon, lemon, and more lemon is left on the palate and long into the aftertaste. Flavors were underbalanced with the lemon being a one sided flavor in this beer. No off flavors were present although the sweetness of the beer was in itself a little bit of a offness. Light alcohol drying on the palate with each sip but not really anything you'll notice.

O- This beer is not anything I look for when I go to the store or walk into a bar. It has a long underlying sweetness to it that I find a little too much for me. Not really sure I would drink this one again myself but if it were to be offered to me I don't think I could have more than one. More of a "girlie" type beer but seems to be loved by the masses stateside.

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2011 00:58:33 | More by alleykatking

Groucho75

Georgia

2.45/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Since the beer selection at the renaissance festival was limited to Coors products, and I was not in the mood for mead, I pretty much stuck with this for an afternoon.

Poured a murky brown-ish gold with some carbonation. What little head was there evaporated within a few minutes.

Aroma was slightly spicy with some citrus hints, but I"m also giving that edge to the lime wedge they gave me. Guess they were short of lemons that day...

As far as taste goes, a crisp start gives was to some malt flavor. Sugar (honey) was abundant throughout.

Mouthfeel was fine as this was the paramount reason to have a beer in the hot sun at a festival. Since the ABV was relatively mild, you could knock this back most of an afternoon and be fine.

For what it's worth, this isn't the worst beer in the world. Is it great? Heavens no. But if it's sunny, you're outside for a couple of hours and have to quench that thirst, you could do a lot worse.

Serving type: on-tap

05-01-2011 14:58:00 | More by Groucho75

chaz01

Ohio

2.63/5  rDev -16%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pint Draft special at Archer's Tavern where you get to keep the glass. Nice pint glass - narrow on bottom and opens up a bit at top.

A: murky bright yellow color, opaque, thick head.

S: very lemony, citrusy aroma, but not like a hop aroma -- more like lemonade or lemon candy.

T: Very lemony flavor reminds me of furniture polish and lemonade. Some wheat flavor, but mostly hidden by the sweet flavors. Cardboard aftertaste.

M: light to Med bodied, well carbonated.

D: I can only imagine enjoying this on a hot day leading up to something else. The glassware is the best part.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2011 21:53:44 | More by chaz01

tykees88

Indiana

3.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

haha this beer cracks me up.

A- golden lemon yellow. with a super white foamy head.

S- lemon peel, lemon citrus, lemonade, a lot of lemon here.

T- it's lemony for sure, some hops but hardly anything.

M- super light, crisp and not too carbonated considering i would just wanna call this a mike's hard.

D- on a hot day at a picnic sure why not... but for a beer person just don't waste money on it. Worth trying, but not worth buying.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2010 23:11:12 | More by tykees88

HosP

Indiana

2.35/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to my wife who ordered this and made me finish it!

A- A cloudy orange color. White head that left very fast.

S- Not a lot of nose to it. Mostly lemony, citrus smell.

T- Wow, lots of lemon up front. Not much taste to it once you get past the heavy citrus. Tasted like a spiked ade drink.

M- Moderate carbonation. Light body. Very crisp taste to it.

D- Well it's better than coors light. I drank this after an Alpha King on tap so the flavors were very subdued to me. I really have no desire to ever drink another one of these.... unless stale yellow beer is the only other alternative.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2010 02:21:25 | More by HosP

UpNorthLager

Wisconsin

3.3/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Usually I've had this in a bottle, but the tavern my friends play volleyball for had it on tap. I was surprised to see a nice full head on the goblet. The lemon zestiness of this beer certainly makes this a mood beer for me. But the refreshing taste makes it very drinkable. It had a slight tan tint to the golden hue. Nothing too complex, a lighter flavored beer with a thorough lemon infusion.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2010 15:40:42 | More by UpNorthLager

zimm421

Ohio

2.68/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served in a pint glass, appears a hazy yellow color with an average amount of white head and some lacing.

Smells strongly of lemon, but also fairly sweet. Doesn't really smell like a beer to me, no malts or hops whatsoever, just lemon. The taste is somewhat better, getting some grains but still overpowered by the lemon.

The mouthfeel is light bodied, with average carbonation, nothing really out of the ordinary. This isn't difficult to drink, but I won't have it unless there are no other options. Goes down decently on a hot day after a few other drinks, but really not impressed.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2010 01:57:47 | More by zimm421

bradleyp

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Tried this at Lamp Lighters in Palatine. Beer of the month apparently at this place. The color is a straw very light color. Smells of lemon and wheat. This tasted like lemonade on crack. Could only handle two before I switched back to some better beers. It would be good on a nice summer day when you want something light and refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2010 02:54:13 | More by bradleyp