Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

Chugmonkey

Wisconsin

3.2/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I've had this in bottles and on tap. I was first repulsed by it. But it has really grown on me. After walking 18 on a hot day it is pretty GD refreshing to whack down a few pints.

First of all it does taste more like lemonade than beer. You have to be really thirsty and be outside on a hot day to enjoy this hybrid beverage, otherwise it will seem too sweet. If are in mood for a solid malty beer, this will taste like lemonade and not satisfy you one iota & don't even bother.

It's not nasty sweet, fruity, or syrupy by any means. It's actually refreshing like lemonade. If you are thirsty you can knock down a few no problem w/o getting any nasty sugary wine cooler type filling issues. After 2 or 3 though you will be like "Okay I need a beer now that I've rehydrated myself."

But again it will just tick you off if you think it will taste anything like a malty/bitter beer. It is what it is and that is a refreshing lemonade type beverage.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2008 21:45:55 | More by Chugmonkey

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

2.8/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

from notes:

A- a lemon yellow and opaque look to it. Very carbonated and it looks too carbonated. It fizzes the whole time.

S- lemonade aroma and lemons. nothing too much to report. Wheaty and lemony smell

T- a mikes hard lemonade that actually has a a little flavor. Too much carbonation though. It is like drinking lemonade with beer thrown into it.

M- fizzy and bursting of bubbly. Too much so.

D- i put it down but i wouldnt have another. It is an interesting idea but i was happy with the beer. I like their honey weiss though.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2008 18:31:36 | More by Dodo2step

MOShepp

Missouri

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

Cloudy yellow with small head.

Smells of lemon.

If you like Corona with lemon or lime you'll like this. It's refreshing and well balanced, tastes better than it smells.

My wife liked it a lot and it was on tap so I had some and it wasn't bad. Next time I'm laying on the beach, this might hit the spot.

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2008 01:44:18 | More by MOShepp

drxandy

Michigan

2.17/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

5/28/08 on tap @ Reno's West, Lansing, MI -
Served in 25oz mug, bright hazy lemony yellow, white head fades

smells solely of lemonade!

tastes on first drink pretty good, lemony flavor is fresh and refreshing, very easy to drink, elements of malt hide in the background, high carbonation brings out lemon quite a bit, hmm alcopops?. This is meant to be drunk ICE cold, once it starts to warm up, and even a bit before I was trying to place the flavor it reminded of.. and it hit me.
Thera-flu.

mouthfeel is crisp, sessionable if cold, tastes like candy

overall, not something i would make a habit out of.

Serving type: on-tap

05-30-2008 19:39:33 | More by drxandy

Baileyuk

Michigan

3.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

A - A cloudy pale yellow. Okay head and lacing.

S - Very Lemony. Not much else including that of a beer.

T - Very Lemony again. Although I was expecting a little lemon this was more of an artificial, at least in the aftertaste.

M - Just Okay

D - Although not a great beer it is very refreshing and would be a good outside on a hot day beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2008 01:02:46 | More by Baileyuk

Natural510

Ohio

2.7/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours a good-enough head with a golden yellow color.
Smells strongly of lemon, barley & a slight cherry note.
Strong flavor of lemon/lime; wheat & cherry are deteced also. Tastes as if someone mixed a pale ale with sweet&sour mix (which is basically what they did).
The citric acid leaves a puckering quality in the mouth, otherwise not much in the way of carbonation or other mouthfeel.
Overall this is not something I would drink again, in fact I had to force myself to finish it. It would have been better with less lemonade, as it was too sweet and way too acidic...leaving me feeling slightly queasy. A sharper hop bite would've also given it more balance.
Nice attempt at something different, but they need to tweak the recipe before I try it again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2008 08:16:56 | More by Natural510

jasonpeckins32

Michigan

4.47/5  rDev +42.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This was hands-down my favorite new beer of the summer. . . and I'm sure it will be a staple of mine next summer, god willing they brew it again.

It pours a bit more yellow than your average pale beer, and obviously smells of lemons. I consider it to smell like a sugary sweet lemon, almost similar to a kitchen cleaner of some sort.

The taste really is what it says: Half beer half lemonade. That may not sound too great, but wow it is the most refreshing drink to have on a hot summer day. Some of my friends loved it, others hated it. Its really hit or miss with this one. With me its a hit. By taste alone I would think they actually did just mix a normal beer with minute maid lemonade, but it still has a reasonable abv, making me believe that is not the case.

All i know is that I like it and I will buy it again next year. From my experience, it is much better on-tap than from the bottle, but suitable either way. For me, this is one of those beers that you like so much and your so confident that people who dont even like craft beer, or beer at all, will actually enjoy it- so you stock up and hand it out.

My summer refreshment can be summed up right here with this one. . . and at a nice low price!

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2007 03:50:48 | More by jasonpeckins32

Dogbrick

Ohio

2.2/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

On tap at Easy Street Cafe in Toledo. Murky bright yellow color with a nil white head that looks a little too similar to a glass of lemonade. Very little lacing. Aroma of Lemon Pledge and hops. Light-bodied and fizzy with a taste like...lemonade beer. Lemons and grassy hops are really all there is to this beer. The finish is citrusy and mercifully short. Not for me.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2007 18:53:04 | More by Dogbrick

happygnome

Minnesota

3.05/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

a: pours a cloudy (about half as cloudy as a hefe) yellow color with about a half inch of head that dissapears fast leaving a very slight amount of lacing around the edge of the glass
s: lemonade with wheat malts and low hop bitterness in aroma. my initial impression is that it is just the honey weiss mixed with lemonade
t: starts as lemonade, almost as if the lemonade and beer parts had seperated. towards the finish there is a strong yeasty flavor that reminds me alot of honey weiss
m: light to medium bodied with a lot of carbonation

overall, to me this is too sweet, i cant get over how much this beer reminds me of honey weiss

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2007 17:48:18 | More by happygnome

soupyman10

District of Columbia

3.1/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light yellow, mostly opaque, with a skim of white head on top. Nose is strong on lemon, a touch of wheat. Taste is likewise - this one's nearly lemonade it's so overwhelmingly lemon. Less wheat than the flavor. I guess a hint of spice, although that might be being generous. Body is medium, solid carbonation. This one's about what you'd expect; a simple, overwhelming flavor. I guess I could throw back a bunch if I needed to.

Serving type: on-tap

09-12-2007 04:33:45 | More by soupyman10

sleazo

New York

1.3/5  rDev -58.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

This sounded like a good idea after a sweltering hot Cubs game. Little did I know that I was wrong. This comes straight at you with an artificial lemon scent and taste. This "lemon" taste masks any traces of malt or hops. A real Shandy is refreshing, this tastes more like Mr Clean. mouthfeel was light. I didn't finish this one.

I would recommend mixing fresh squeezed lemonade with a decent lager. This is more like a Smiroff ice type artificial tasting malternative

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2007 04:32:07 | More by sleazo

pmcadamis

Illinois

1.93/5  rDev -38.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

A - Cloudy pale yellow (almost tan) brew with a big fluffy three finger head that settles to a thin persistent cap with a small amount of lace left on the glass.

S - Lemon rind zest hits my nose as soon as I poured this. Just pure lemonade aroma at first, then a little bit of cereal too.

T - The taste is less acrid than the nose in that it's more like lemonade than pure lemon rind. Reminds me of a lemon shake-up that you get at an amusement park. After about five seconds the strong lemon flavor washed away, and I'm left with what tastes exactly like Cheerios cereal.

M - Mild carbonation and a slick oily sensation add up to a less than pleasing mouthfeel. The finish is pretty clean with some graininess.

D - Pretty rotgut stuff. It's not all bad, and I would drink one again if offered to me for free, but I probably won't buy this again...although my fiance loves it so I probably will buy it again for her.

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2007 14:39:42 | More by pmcadamis

supercolter

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +36.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

I have to go out on a limb here and disagree with a lot of reviewers here. I thought this was the best Leine's I have tried. I have a couple left, but I have had a good portion of their selection. Anyways, what I was most impressed with was the smell and taste. The appeance and Mouthfeel as debatable, but the mix of lime, honeydew and light citrus hops with a touch of sweet malt can really hit the spot on a warm day.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2007 23:02:32 | More by supercolter

Puddleglum

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hmm? I liked this but it is certainly a departure. Some people may spit this out confusing it with a lemonade. You can smell the terpenes before you even get this to your face. The head was almost non-existent which could have been operator error on the part of the kids bartending. But all in all it was refreshing on a warm day which is its intention. It wasn't overly sweet even though it was incredibly flavorful and it didn't have the astringency usually associated with poorer versions. This one falls into the lawnmowers or daygame category alongside Samual Adams Summer Ale.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2007 15:01:20 | More by Puddleglum

scottfrie

California

2.44/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle into SA perfect pint.

A: Pours a hazy, chalky, burnt yellow with a very fizzy bright white head that quickly faded into a thin film.
S: Huge sweet notes of lemonade and Sprit. Faint notes of wheat and chalky bready yeast poke through, but for the most part this is an onslaught of sugar and lemon syrup.
T: Thankfully way more of the base beer comes through in the taste. Run of the mill witbier flavors of wheat, dry grains, chalk, and bread come through next to synthetic flavors of sugary lemon candy and mineral water. Very light flavors all-around. Juicy lemon finish but a medicinal kind of syrupy lemoness lingers after the swallow.
M: Ultra frothy carbonation foams up in my mouth and takes away from this beers drinkability. Medium-light body but a foamy, soft and airy mouthfeel.
O: Could be worse but just too synthetic and soda-like for me to love. Really does taste like sprit lemon aid. Carbonation is distracting.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 01:12:08 | More by scottfrie

archyquaffer

Montana

3.56/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 ounce longneck twisty cap into a Shaker pint glass. A moderate pour produces about 1/2 inch of creamy white head, which dissipates quickly but still coats the sides of the glass. I see myriad swirls of carbonation dimly through the hazy, yellowish-orange brew. The beer really looks like liquid lemon meringue pie.

I can definitely smell lemon with perhaps a bit of corn mash and a whiff of aromatic hops. Very distinct lemon taste on the tongue- it actually tastes like real lemon. Despite the fruity flavor, a light malt taste shines through, along with a kiss of earthy hops. The body is light, yet the mouth feel is creamy. I think maybe the beer could use more bitterness provided by some hops with a light citrusy character, which would compliment the lemon quite well.

This is about the best commercial shandy I've tried. I really like this as a lunch beer when the weather gets hot.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 03:11:15 | More by archyquaffer

scomstock55

Kansas

2.94/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A--poured a murky unfiltered yellow with a slight wispy head that was gone in a flash...very little lacing

S--smelled very much like a lemon-drop candy. Faintly sweet citrus aroma

T--very citrusy...almost like lemon tonic very refreshing flavor...

M--crispy dry finish...light with very little after taste of feel on the tongue
\
O--an okay beer that would be good on a very hot day...easy to drink and easy to find

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 13:52:23 | More by scomstock55

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

3.69/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

A: Frothy white head is thick at pour. Fizzy yellow in color. Sparse lacing.

S: Lemon dominates a refreshing wheat smell.

T: Wheat flavor up front quickly turns to a strong lemon presence (expected).

M: Fizzy. But still refreshing on a warm afternoon.

O: Sessionable if you can handle the constant barrage of lemonade.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 01:08:33 | More by Oakenator

gillagorilla

Maryland

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

12oz. bottle poured into a Flying Dog goblet

A: A hazy blonde, that is quite cloudy. Not a very pleasing color.

S: Just kind of like a yeasty, sweet smelling "beer", but that is it. It is a very flat smell.

T: Slightly sweet with just a tinge of lemon in there. There is the standard beer taste in there but it is very flat and mild.

M: Almost no carbonation, with a barely perceptible bit of it at the end in the form of a few light tiny bubbles that seems to just brush your tongue like a feather.

O: I got this after trying Fentiman's Shandy, which I got because I had heard of this Shandy and looked up the style. Fentiman's is sweet and tastes almost like a cola, but this is more towards the beer and lemon side of it.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 03:14:31 | More by gillagorilla

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.19/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

16 oz can poured into a shaker pint glass. Best before Jun1013. Batch stamp F01140030

Appearance: Very cloudy / translucent light yellow beer with a bone white head that died down slowly over time to leave just a thick ring at the edge. Some initial lacing, but gone by about halfway through the beer.

Smell: Grainy, with a hint of lemonade to it.

Taste: Light, crisp. Very much like a light beer mixed with lemonade. Crisp and clean malt up front, then that lemonade sweetness in the middle, and a mild lemon tart finish. Tasty enough.

Mouthfeel: Lightly fizzy, with some of the stickiness and juiciness you would expect from a lemonade mixed with a beer.

Overall / Drinkability: I think this is pretty close to being a real shandy - just wish the beer had more backbone to it and then I think it would be a more interesting beer rather than just an average one. However, I will give it high marks for being quite drinkable and refreshing. Otherwise nothing special.

Serving type: can

05-27-2013 22:59:19 | More by damndirtyape

Miykael

Nebraska

4.69/5  rDev +49.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Never heard of this beer until I moved to Omaha. Some guests left it behind at my hotel so I decided to try it. My first drink made me smile. It was not what I expected when drinking a beer. The bubbles reminded me of a soda pop, lemon and orange. Easy to drink. Found just in time to kick off summer.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 04:19:57 | More by Miykael

brewskifan55

Mississippi

2.63/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a snifter

A: Light gold. A white half finger head that turned to a silky covering of tiny bubbles. Great lacing.

S: Lemons, light, zesty, fresh.

T: Kinda dry. Flat, watered down lemonade. Lemons should be stronger. Great lemon belches, though.

M: Medium, dry. Frothy carbonation.

O: Not impressed. The smell far outweighs the taste. Almost like a Michelob Ultra.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 19:00:52 | More by brewskifan55

Dave_in_GR

Michigan

3.06/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance is really interesting - a bright, opaque yellow. There is about a finger-width of foamy head, but it disappears fairly quickly - typical for a citrus beer.

Smell is dominated by lemon, not much else going on there.

Taste is very tart and lemon. It is pretty pleasant for a warm day, but not much "beer" flavor.

Mouthfeel is nice, great amount of carbonation and a very dry finish. Very easy to drink.

Overall, this is my wife's favorite beer and I can see why - it is easy to drink and extremely refreshing. I also like that it isn't overly sweet. I'm more of a fan of subtle fruit beers, however, and the lemon is a bit overpowering for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 19:28:35 | More by Dave_in_GR

bbluemzbeer

California

5/5  rDev +59.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This a great drank ! An A rating for sure, this not a beer but this type of beer usually has mixed with citrus-flavor, lemonade, cider . It is great on hot summer days, Laying on the beach, boating if you are not driving.If you are looking for IPA, pilsner, or sout this beer is not for you.

Appearance is a yellow, orange . The head is retains well.

Smells : lemons, and a some bit of malt and hops

TAste: It taste like lmeons malts and hops. It is very nice balce to it.

Mouthfeel: Is has a great mouthfeel . It is on the light side of medium.

Overall: A great beer to refresh your mouth on a summer day . I am glad six pack of this last night. I will be buying more of this beer in future. Ths is a grea beer!

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 15:42:16 | More by bbluemzbeer

socon67

New York

2.64/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

A - Cloudy yellow pour with a thin white head. Looks like a margarita...

S - Scents of lemon, light grains and floral scents. Unfortuantely the lemon smell is to much like cleaning solvent.

T - Refreshing and a fun witbier but this goes too far to the Mike's Hard Lemonade route and is more tart and sweet than subtle. I like lemon but this is a bit artificial.

M - On a warm day this would be refreshing. In that vein this does the trick. But it is barely what I'd call beer. Too much lemon flavoring.

O - For the non beer beer drinker this may be a fun thing to try. Craft enthusiasts should pass.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 22:31:48 | More by socon67