Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

emerge077

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

07-13-2012
It was either this, Old Style, or MGD at Lawrel Liquors Tap, and I went with the lesser of 3 evils. I was on mile 10 of a bike ride and was thirsty. Coors Light pint glass filled to the brim with a razor thin line of foam across the top. Pale opaque pastel yellow color. Aroma was faintly of lemonade, but the packet mix stuff... artificial. It was virtually flavorless, flashes of lemonheads candy and club soda, dull papery aftertaste. Slugged about 5 sips and was on my way. Not much better than in the bottle, though it has a time and place if simply thirsty and presented with limited options.

07-07-2008
a/s/t/m/3.5/d/4

On tap at Pizzeria Uno in Madison, WI.

This was served in a Weisse glass with a lemon wedge. Color was an opaque pastel yellow with an orange glow to it. Thin cap of foam, partially killed by the lemon.

Some lemon juice and wheat aroma, fairly faint. I'm just glad it doesn't smell like overly sweet lemonade.

Prickly, natural lemon tartness at first, backed up by seltzer-like carbonation. Light wheat in the aftertaste, with the citrus lending a slight pucker. Light bodied and really quenching in the 80º weather. This isn't something i'm running out to buy cases of, but i'd order it again to pair with dinner on the patio.

Shandy = Beer + Lemonade... know what you're getting into, it's a pre-mixed beer cocktail, and obviously not solely a beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2012 01:52:08 | More by emerge077

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3.1/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I've always wondered about these beers - how to pronounce the brewery name, if they ARE beers, etc. Luckily my pseudo-curiosity now may be quenched thanks to this lovely addition to a series I like to call...Free Beers From Work! Brewed with honey and natural lemonade flavor...what the?

Can pours into a pint a foggy yellow/blondish color..certainly looks a lemonade weiss. White head starts big, retains pretty well as a thick ring and spotty cap, leaves some lace.

Scent is straight up lemonade, lemon candies, slight cough drop vibe. Kinda amusing but not bad.

Taste resembles lemonade as well, that combined with the honey certainly makes it sweet, but not Mike's Hard Lemonade sweet. Tastes of wheat and bread give away the weiss base and remind you it's a beer. Some lager-like graininess, a bit tangy. Flavor is definitely light and kinda one-dimensional, but it's refreshing.

Decent mouthfeel, it's light but an alright body for 4.2%. On the foamy side carbonation-wise, small hints of alcohol.

Eh, not bad, but probably not the beer lover's kinda beer..has more in common with the fruity alcoholic drinks (mike's and such). Decent for a summer refresher though.

Serving type: can

07-02-2012 14:17:12 | More by Chico1985

Kooz

New York

3.65/5  rDev +16.2%
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 -16.2%
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

2.1/5  rDev -33.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy

Beer blended with lemonade, geared towards summer consumption for the unassuming.

Pours like a wheat beer, hazy straw yellow, small head that fizzles away. Aroma is lemony and artificial. Musty lemon like cleaning product and lemon drop candy wrapped into a blanket of grain. Taste is full of lemon syrup, with a wheat malt base. Tangy, but not without a touch of bitterness, like watery lemon candy soda. Fleeting grain reminds you this is a beer. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied, crisp carbonation and lingering lemon flavor. Overall, it is lemony.

Serving type: can

01-23-2012 07:46:48 | More by Stinkypuss

treque

Mexico

3.13/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: looks like a witbier, pale straw in color, thick, the head dissipates quickly, there is not carb at all, not filtered

S: the smell is not bad but is not like a beer should smell, its just a lemonade smell, some esters

T: altough its a mixed beer, its refreshing and tastes good, at least ther is some bitter after taste that is a little bit nice

Serving type: can

11-15-2011 04:30:34 | More by treque

barleyroad

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance is pure gold with some cloudy. Smell is strong with lemon. Mouthfeel has some lingering to it, with a pleasant sweet tartness. The taste is strong with the lemon-aid. This is a great taste on a good hot 90 degree day here in PA. Overall this is a true seasonal beer, good in the summer. Let us have some burgers and dogs.

Serving type: can

11-03-2011 00:31:51 | More by barleyroad

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is cloudy light yellow in color. It poured with a finger high white head that died down, leaving some lacing on the surface in the center of the glass and a thick ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of citrus and sweetness, which smells like a cross between a soda and a lemonade.
T: The beer tastes like lemonade but isn’t as sweet or acidic.
M: It feels light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is easy to drink and refreshing; it is a good selection for a hot summer day.

Serving type: can

10-31-2011 23:19:02 | More by metter98

MS22

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev +10.8%
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 +48.1%
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

gopens44

Virginia

3.05/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Hazy as all hell yellow with a stark white foamy head, poured from a can into a more slender glass than what I usually use.

S - All sorts of lemony with just a little bit of malt smell wafting around

T - Big lemon, little honey, not a ton else to reminisce on as far as traditional "beer" tastes go. Their was some tiny bitterness, but not (that I felt) from anything too exciting as far as hops are concerned.

M - A touch dry with not as much aftertaste as I thought at first. This was sweet as well, but not cloyingly so.

O - This one is a near perfect hot summer day beer that you can down several of. Not the best beer for a hearty experience, but hot and outdoors? Bring it on! Just make sure it's good and cold. Kinda goes funky when it warms up.

Serving type: can

08-06-2011 16:05:55 | More by gopens44

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

2.83/5  rDev -9.9%
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

puboflyons

New Hampshire

2.68/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

From can no. Oct1711-A01190620. Sampled on July 29, 2011. The pour is lemon yellow with a bit of a lemon zing haze and a huge puffy head. This reeks of lemon zing to the point that I get little else except a whisper of fresh hops and grain. But I gave it a 3.5 on the aroma because it didn't smell artificial. The body is light and thin which would be perfect for a 90 degree day. The taste is way too overboard with the lemon and a grainy character up back.

Serving type: can

07-30-2011 00:04:56 | More by puboflyons

engagechad

Virginia

2.17/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Purchased at Deluxe in Richmond, VA - poured into pint glass

Pours a golden yellow with a fat pillowy head. Smells lemony but kind of nail polishy too. Taste is horrid. It tastes like lemon flavored corn water. Feels slimey and overall this beer was a waste of money.

Don't.

Serving type: can

07-26-2011 18:15:37 | More by engagechad

biglobo8971

Minnesota

2.95/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

this is one of my wife's favorite beers, being the fact I have nothing else left to drink, I had to open it.
A- very pale yellow, maybe pale isnt the word to use. How about urine like?
S - Citrus is the only thing I can smell, lots of citrus
T - citrus rine, some sweetness, lots of citrus bitterness
M - easy to drink, if you like lemonade
O - this is one beer that is constantly in my fridge that I dont like to touch. Not to say its a bad beer, but it leaves me wanting to drink something with more flavor and bite.
good lawnmower beer, or beer to throw through a lawnmower.

Serving type: can

07-25-2011 02:35:41 | More by biglobo8971

mdaschaf

Washington

2.95/5  rDev -6.1%
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

portia99

Massachusetts

3.03/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz can poured into a Brooklyn snifter. My dad loves this beer, so I bought him a 12pk for when he comes over to the house...figured I'd give one a shot on this warm summer night.

A - Pours a very hazy/cloudy translucent extra pale golden color - somewhat fruit juice like. A strong finger of very fizzy soda-y head rises on the pour and loudly disintegrates to the surface leaving a mono-layer of bubbles for a collar and nothing else. Not that impressive for a wheat based beer.

S - Pure lemonade on the nose complete with a sugary sweetness on top of the fruit. I like lemonade and enjoy this smell too, but its difficult to reconcile this as beer from the aroma.

T - Yep, lemonade on the tongue too...but not a clean lemonade flavor, almost like there is a splash of orange juice? in there too. The faintest hint of wheat can be found as well as a sprinkle of hoppy bitterness.

M - Thin, fruity/lemony, Sprite-like, fizzy and very prickly strong carbonation level.

O - Objectively, this isn't a very good beer. In fact it doesn't even resemble beer...Mike's Hard Lemonade is more beer-like than this. This being said, I kinda enjoy this on its own, standing by itself without attaching a label to it. Hot day, mowing the lawn, a 12pk could disappear quickly...just think of it as a refreshing lemon drink with a touch of alcohol in it...it's not bad. I like it, but this isn't beer!

Serving type: can

07-21-2011 01:21:45 | More by portia99