Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

1.93/5  rDev -34.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

"Happiness grows at our own firesides, and is not to be picked in strangers' gardens."

--Douglas William Jerrold

Dark orange infused with dark bronze. One smooth pour allowed the entire bottle to easily enter the pint glass, resulting in the creation of less than two fingers of ecru colored foam. The head is decent, but nothing special. The same can be said for the amount and quality of the lace.

Even though the words 'with natural flavor' appear on the label, Fireside NB smells as if extract has been added. It also smells more like candy or baked goods than beer. Hazelnut? Something nutty anyway. In the end, the nose is semi-pleasant in a general sense, but doesn't work given the context.

Fireside Nut Brown tastes fake and phony baloney. Honestly, why can't JLBC concentrate on improving their products by using a sufficient amount of quality ingredients rather than adding all sorts of weird shit that make them taste like artificially flavored 'faux' beer? I'm only a few ounces in and can already tell that this is one of the worst of the entire lineup.

The website claims 'roasted malt character'. Hardly. First of all, it tastes and feels like very little malt (of any kind) is present. Flavors include caramel extract, hazelnut extract and a dash of chocolate extract. This is incredibly insipid beer that any would-be home brewer could top on his or her first attempt.

The mouthfeel is way too thin and features an okay amount of poor quality carbonation. That's what happens when 'flavors' are used for flavor rather than good old-fashioned barley malt. I'm sure it's cheaper that way. Calling the mouthfeel lousy isn't a stretch.

The marketing department at Leinenkugel's is on its game. The name they've chosen is memorable and the label is well done. Too bad the contents of the bottle achieve major suckage. Pass this one by if you know what's good for you.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2009 13:38:20 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

2.7/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Another in the long line of the mixed sixers I picked up today. This one I grabbed by mistake, but I was gonna work my way through them all anyway right? Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 01/29/2010.

The pour was ok, light hazelnut brown in color with a minimal head of off white on top that really did not hang around long at all before falling back into a bare top with only the slightest bit of lacing on the sides and bottom of the glass. Aroma was a mess. Smokey at first but then a carame sweetness undercuts it that really is not neccasary. Seems as though it is struggling to find its place the entire time and never really ever succeeds here. Just a messy mix of sweet caramel, roasted nuts and smoked flavors where none of them really want to lead the charge so instead they all mix and convulute each other. A bit thin and oily on the feel.

Overall it was just not at all what I was looking for. Needed direction in order to really come across well.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2010 02:35:43 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.93/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Reviewed from notes.

Poured into a pint glass. The color is a moderate brown color with a thin off-white head and not too much of any lacing. The nose is a bit of sweet malt and a mild nutty character. The taste is along the same lines, with some sweet caramel malt and a bit of pecan. Feel is medium with decent carbonation. Drinks decently enough, but seems a bit gimmicky.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 03:25:36 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

1.9/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Appearance: Pours a clear, appropriately nut-colored body with a smallish, wispy, white head.

Smell: It's hard not to roll your eyes out of your damn skull with the very first whiff. I had hopes for just a simple, pleasant brown ale, but, right off the bat, I get a whiff of some artificial additions and little else. Let's discuss them in the next category.

Taste: To call the aroma and taste "unique" is about the politest way to put it. Waaay back in the early 1980's, dressed as either a ninja or a some character from "Star Wars", I'd make my trick-or-treating rounds of the surrounding neighborhoods. Sometimes you'd get the dreaded apple, the unwanted pencil, the curiously sticky handful of loose change, or even the inappropriate religious pamphlet. And still sometimes you'd get bottom-shelf clearance aisle candy that's probably been sitting in this joker's house for at least a couple years. These confectioneries always had that same icky taste that was sure to put a big, fat frown on any child's face. And here I sit with a big, fat frowny-face as I'm being made to revisit that horrendous taste. Artificially sweetened, less-than-naturally flavored, vaguely nutty caramel. Just as those candies had zero trade value with other kids, I couldn't pawn off the rest of the bottle for the life of me. No appreciable hop flavors or even bitterness. The flavor doesn't quite dry out by the time the finish rolls around. That'll be enough of that, thank you very much.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Not recommended whatsoever. There are many, many better brown ales (nut or otherwise) to be had out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2009 23:24:10 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.18/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a clear but very unusual color, somewhat like highly diluted tea; the head is foamy and adds some nice lacing, however

Smell: Brown bread and nuts with a hint of smoke (the fireside, no doubt)

Taste: Although the beer opens with a bready flavor, by mid-palate I pick up some sweet brown sugar followed by a sour nut skin element; after the swallow, the flavors merge but the net effect is not enhanced; the finish, however, has some brown sugar sweetness

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: I'm not prepared to pile on with the mass of reviews here as the beer is not awful, IMO; still, though it is drinkable, it is not very good, either

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2010 02:54:56 | More by brentk56

BEERchitect

Kentucky

2.33/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Ooh come on Leinenkugel! Make a good beer. Here's your chance to climb into the frey of good craft beers and you blew it! All you have to do is to make a decent brown ale. How difficult is it? We homebrewers do it all the time! I love this style, but without the bastardized gimmics, and stiginess that you have thrusted into the beer.

I was seduced by the opening aromas of cocoa, toffee, butterscotch, and cashew notes but quickly learned that these potenially winning aromas were plastic-ey and fake as I took my first taste. A malty note of barley was well detected and I thought I had a good beer on my hands.

That first sip took my back by an overly astringent, grainy malt profile that later led to harsh, astringent textures. The caramel, nutty, cocoa, toffee notes that I liked in the nose hardly came through in the flavor and had an artificial character that is just a shaddow of what it should be. No substance, no weight, no staying power of any of the character that rounded out the nose. Sour taste of tannins and grains bring up the rear.

Astringent, acidic textures rob the beer of any creaminess, firmness, or maltinesss. The beer finishes thin and harsh, rendering it nearly undrinkable.

I cannot realistically recommend this beer to anyone, especially a Brown Ale fan.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2008 16:53:18 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a shaker pint glass at Old Chicago.

This guy helped me finish my Winter Tour. It pours a clear russet amber topped by a finger of light cream micro-foam. The nose comprises deep toffee, walnuts, brown sugar, and rich chocolate. The taste runs along pretty much the same lines, with the chocolate running through the back end pretty nicely. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a wet feel. Overall, a surprisingly tasty little brew, a fitting end to this mini-tour. Free T-shirt, baby!

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2010 16:05:08 | More by TMoney2591

WesWes

New York

3.18/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a translucent light brown color with a thick frothy offwhite head that quickly fades to lacing. The aroma is average. It has a dry, malty scent that's light with a slight nutty caramel aroma. There is a foreign extract aroma in here as well. The taste is average as well. It has a little in the way of malt complexity. It seems as though the only malt used in a medium lovibond crystal malt for some color and mediocre caramel flavor. There is a nut flavoring added or something. There doesn't appear to be any Victory malt in this one. The mouthfeel is decent. It is a low/medium bodied beer with good carbonation. This beer is easy drinking, but it's just not very good.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2009 01:36:52 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

3.35/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Digging deep, my parents left 3 of these in the fridge so I figured, why not. Poured into a Delirium tulip. Beer is amber and clear with a pathetic head (even after a hard pour) with minimal carbonation and lacing.

Aroma is nutty and sulfury with an almost tobacco quality to it...interesting.

Well, it's not horrible. It's bland with a surprising finish. It's medium bodied and blank on the front and midpalate....finishes with a tobacco and nut flavor. Eh...

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2010 03:44:54 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

3.7/5  rDev +25%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A fascinating beer. A "nut brown ale" that is classified on this site as a winter warmer, yet the Leinie website calls it a lager.

A - Poured out a burgundy/brown color with a creamy, foamy, off-white head that left some trails of lace.

S - It smelled of nuts, caramel and grasses. A very sweet smell with fruity notes, too.

T - It tasted of hazelnut, caramel and sweet fruit flavors - like apple. Also a nice toasty roasted malt taste.

M - It was crisp and smooth. A light to medium-bodied beer with a subtle warming quality.

D - This is a pretty good beer. Interesting flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2008 20:29:41 | More by zeff80

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.35/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On-tap 12/12/2010 at Doherty's East Ave Irish Pub in Pawtucket, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a dark reddish brown color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is faint but contains caramelized malts, lager yeast, some fruit and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out bready with flavors of nuts, lager yeast and a hearty malt character that are quickly followed by sweet flavors of caramel and maple. The hops presence is mild but brings some balance. The after-taste is slightly bready.

M: A little crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Not very tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, mild kick, decent representation of style, this is no more than a mediocre beer at best.

Serving type: on-tap

12-13-2010 01:20:07 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The Fireside Nut Brown pours out similar to most Brown Ales out there. It's dark but yet transparent enough to see through the glass. The head is a tan color that isn't too big. It doesn't leave a whole lot of lacing on the glass. The smell is pretty nice. It's got a sweet nutty aroma coming off of it. The taste is sweet as well, perhaps too sweet for me. It's got a mix of the brown sugars, some roasted nuts and some malts and hops in there too. The mouthfeel could be a little heavier I think for a Winter Ale. The overall take that I had on this beer is that I'll drink it if it's offered to me, but I don't see myself buying it again anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 18:31:40 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.18/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours chestnut with a pinky of cream colored head. Minimal lacing & head retention

S: Corny, some toasty malt, a bit of caramel

T: Toasty malt, grainyness & chalky dryness up front. A touch of hazelnut, more dryness & more toasted malt as this warms. Finishes dry, with some fakey nuttyness & a bit of juicy grain

MF: Light/medium bodied, low carbonation. Balances okay

Drinks alright, kind of a training wheels type of brown, not a winter warmer at all, not even close

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2008 03:59:19 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

2.3/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Tried this at a holiday party. Light brownish amber body, a small amount of foam. Sweet candy smell, reminds me of coffee or hazelnut hard candy. First taste is all hazelnut syrup, overly sweet, like something you'd add to mediocre coffee. "Natural flavor"... how is that an ingredient? Well carbonated, and for the style it doesn't work so well. A nutty caramel cola flavor, with muddled malt in the back, not very well defined. Tastes artificially flavored with extract, much like their Apple Spice beer. A novelty and not something i'd buy.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2008 22:22:05 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

3.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle, brought back by my sister from AZ,

A: Pours a dark amber with a mild white head, solid retention, no lace.

S: Nice nose of coffee, malt, maple and hazelnuts.

T: Some nutty malt flavour is enjoyable, but it's just very light. Needs more power.

M: Light-bodied, macro lager finish, fizzy.

D: Could have been so much more. It has a nice base flavour, but does nothing with it. A macro winter beer in the truest sense.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2010 03:07:18 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

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

Pours light brown with an off-white head. I expected a bit darker brown, but it does have a nice head retention.

The smell is grainy, a bit husky, some vague nuttiness, some chocolate.

The taste is of chocolate (in a bit of an "artificial" way) and some yeast. It has an odd husky underlying flavor. There's some hazelnut which saves it to a degree, and the chocolate becomes less "artificial" as it progresses. Sweet, though not overly considering the lack of any noticeable hop flavor or earthiness (or roastiness).

A bit overcarbonated and thin. The smoothness saves it somewhat, but nothing really "winter" here.

Not a "winter" brew. Not a "fireside" brew. I didn't have a problem finishing it off. But, I didn't mind having only one bottle, and wouldn't get again. Much better winter beers (and brown ales) out there.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2008 00:14:31 | More by jwc215

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A 12 oz bottle, leftover from Turkey Day.

A: The beer is a brighter orange copper color, brilliant in its radiance. Transparent although without head.

S: Nutty, a firm aroma coming out of this one. Lightly toasted grains and caramel follow. The sweetness is palpable, a little much.

T: Quite sweet, the natural flavors lend a near-cloying syrupy nature to the beer. Nuts and toast are apparent, even over the intense sweetness. The aftertaste brings back a flourish of nuttiness. Mid-sip, hops add just a bit of diversion. The natural flavors are, well, unnatural.

M: The mouthfeel is sweet, too sweet for its own good. One and done.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 01:09:01 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

2.23/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Appears a chest nut brown hue with a large quickly fleeting khaki tan head, leaves behind specks of lacing. Aromatics offer up some metallic notes with a roasted malt character that is reminiscient of roasted nuts with some caramel drizzled over, not a bad smelling brew. Althought there's no real hop profile to speak of. Flavor has a sweet cloying thing going on with some residual sugar and extract "natural flavoring" issues going on. Ample roastiness from the actual malts used but there's no need to throw in the extract, again no real hops detectable especially among the sweetness. Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied, with a cloying finish from some light syrup textures from the extract flavoring used. Drinkability is pretty low just give me a Wild Goose or Sam Smith's nut brown they make the same flavor without adding the extracts.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2008 16:18:14 | More by WVbeergeek

Bighuge

Minnesota

2.78/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clear auburn body. Thin off white head. Lacing is sporadic. Sweet aroma. Confectionery sweet. Artificial kind of sweet. Not really that appealing. The taste follows suit. Something artificial tasting here. The label says "Beer with Natural Flavor." What's "Natural Flavor"? What type of extract did they add?? This is not a genuine tasting brown ale. Maybe it was hazelnut extract or something. It's too sweet and lacks the nice brown malt roast flavors I like in nut brown ales. This is drinkable, just not something I'd return to. Glad I got a single.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2009 03:31:49 | More by Bighuge

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.69/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

Dark copper color, decent clarity, 1/2" of mild tan head on it, doesn't do much in terms of retention or lacing.

Aroma is nondescript sweet aroma and a mild nuttiness.

More mildness on the way in the palate. Sweet and nuts are minimal. Really thin body doesn't help the flavors settle, just makes it better in terms of 'drinkability' I'm guessing. Plastic flavors going on in the mouthfeel. Its digressing. Coming off as some weak campfire roasted nuts in a watery envelope. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of malt, not much in the way of roasting of that hint of malt.

Its just a thin, sweet beer with some nice color. Not quite oktoberfest, not quite brown ale. Not quite an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 18:35:39 | More by Beerandraiderfan

beerthulhu

New Jersey

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

A: Poured a cranberry ice tea color with a brilliant clarity and a fizzy flat tan colored head that was quick to dissipate. Visible effervesce was medium, the coloring a few shades lighter redder then expected and the head disappointing with an overall average appeal.

S: The nose was promising, with a bit of fresh smoky nature or rich dried toffee with a finishing fade of dried apple and cherry skins. While not particularly nutty as advertised it was sweet with a dried fruity nature with shades above average regards.

T: The flavor was sweet, highlighted by a fresh fruitiness of apple peels and cherries. A light sense of toasted caramel and warm, moist nutbread also comes through. The finish is bright and fruity of apple skins with a fairly clean fade. Again lacking a good deal of nuttiness but there is a faint underappreciated smokiness that I found soothering and woodsy. Not particularly known for their ample bodies of flavor this one came across fairly decent to me.

M: The mouthful had a nice tightly bubbly sensation with a medium consistency and a syrupy feel. A dry fruity fade ensures on the swallow.

D: Decent drinkability , a bit sweet but certainly manageable at 2-3. Delivers a fair amount of flavor and probably one of their better beers. Worthy of single purchase, but a six pack probably wont go to waste either.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2010 13:44:48 | More by beerthulhu

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.1/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a mug. Little head that fizzles down quickly. No lacing. Color is a clear mahogany. Not dark at all.

Aroma is like a lager. Smell is much like grain. I wasn't expecting this at all.

The taste is also like a lager, but it has a unique touch. It tastes a lot like a cinnamon cereal. Very odd, but sort of appealing.

Mouthfeel is somewhat smooth. Heavy carbonation.

Overall, I was expecting more of a brown ale, but was way off. Not something I would ever purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2008 02:29:14 | More by mothman

JohnGalt1

Idaho

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

12oz picked up today at New Vintage for about $1.35.. poured into my shaped SA glass...

1/2 head went away almost instantaneously.. brew is not really brown at all.. more amber.. no lace.. no cap...

aroma is nutty extract.. I'm assuming hazelnut.. some caramel.. waaaay to much extract... sorta smells artificial..

flavor is the same but with the artificial extract from front to back.. leaving a lingering unappealing sorta chemical finish... caramel and watery bready notes in the middle.. lite body and very big carbonation.. yeck... not good.. doesn't seem natural at all.

3.5/3/2.5/3.5/2.5

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2008 05:13:11 | More by JohnGalt1

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Has a nice, if not too strong, yeasty and slightly spicy aroma with a malty undertone. It pours a warm, clear golden amber with a fairly thick, though not persistent, cream-white head. Flavor is malty and yeasty and just a little spicy, mainly cinnamon. Texture is typically smooth and fairly fizzy.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2010 01:45:36 | More by Cyberkedi

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle from drabmuh in an effort to help me review all 104 styles. Thanks Matt!

A: The beer is clear and light copper hued, with 1/4" of head.

S: The aroma is primarily of sweet malt, lager, subtle fruits.

T: The beer has some good flavors happening, but they are all very muted and mild. Subtle fruit and nut flavors are pleasant but could be brought out more.

M: Thin in body and perhaps a bit low in carbonation.

D: An OK offering. I had no problem finishing a pint, but likely would not go back for another.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 02:39:02 | More by Huhzubendah