This is a new beer from Leinenkugel. They say that it goes back to the family’s original bock recipe (click for full info from Leinenkugel). I liked that it poured up a dark brown and had a nice sweet malty aroma to it. Better yet, the slight white head faded quickly so I could have a drink sooner! The taste itself was like a pale ale met a red ale, and this was it’s baby. A good mix of malts and hops made this one something I could just drink and drink. This is a season release, so go get some now before it is too late!
5.1% ABV
IBU: 18

Well Matt from the Wine & Beer Cave gave up his last twelve pack to me with a condition that I review it. Of course I will, that’s my ‘job’. This is the first year that Leine has offered this beer, at least to the public. The little head on it was disappointing, but I waited before making final judgment. A dark leather brown is the best way to describe the color of this one. The aroma is sweet like Canadian maple syrup. The taste is caramel malty goodness and no real hops taste to it. Fireside, this would be good, but almost too sweet for drinking a few in a row. That’s why I shared and brought some this past weekend to a family gathering. Try one of these out for your upcoming holiday parties!

Specs: 12oz bottle
4.9% ABV
IBU: 13

Check out how they do Oktoberfest beer up north! This one matches the caramel color of the others. The head doesn’t seem to be a big on this one though. The aroma again is nice with a bit of sweetness to it. The taste seems very off compared to the others. It reminds me of a getting a fountain Sprite with very little syrup in it. It seems it is almost over carbonated and all of that in my mouth just distracts from the malts and hops, I might have caught a bit of an almost lemon taste in it. This is my second bottle from this six pack and it tastes just like the first. Bad run Leinie?

Specs: 12oz bottle
5.1% ABV

I’ve never actually had Leinenkugel’s Original before today. The light color and simple nose aren’t what I’m used to because of their many styles of beers. Taste is never short on these beers and this recipe, which started the brewery 140 years ago, is a light flavor that is quite universal. The dry taste that fills the mouth goes down easy and leaves a carbonated taste on the pallet. I will certainly be purchasing some of Leinie’s Original this summer to enjoy and I suggest you do the same.


Specs: 12 oz bottle
4.6% Alcohol

This beer pours up a brown color that if held up to the light show some red color. The head was low on this pour. A sweet malty aroma is what you can expect from it before you begin to drink. It is a good prelude to the taste. The taste is sweet like caramel. There is little after taste if any from this. The sweet taste is almost too much for me, but because it does not stay long, I can handle more than one a sitting. This is a solid doppelbock for the price.

Specs: 12oz bottle
5.7 ABV

A red lager, many have tried, and another success. The beer poured up with just a bit of head on it. The smell was that of malts and was not too special. The bottle states 5 styles of malt are included in this beer. I did not taste/smell this. The first thing that I found when I drank it was that it was well carbonated as it danced around my mouth like beer pop rocks. It calmed down, and finished with a slight dry and bitter taste. Would I do it again, well I might if they made beer pop rocks. For this red, I will skip over it and go to a Killian’s Irish Red.

Specs: 12oz bottle
4.9% Alcohol

A wheat beer with Wisconsin honey from Leinies that will be the envy of all your other wheat beers. This incredibly light and crystal clear brew has a mild aroma and was great served nice and cold. The wheat taste is never overwhelming and quite refreshing with the honey adding a slight sweet flavor. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Specs: 12oz bottle
4.9% Alcohol

Wow! I’ve never actually had this brew before, but it will definitely be a repeat on this one. With a color and aroma like a fruit juice, this sweet brew made a tasty after dinner beer. Seriously, I’ve not had such a juice flavored beer. I gave a drink to my roommate who isn’t a beer fan, and she loved it. Like an blackberry or possibly raspberry juice, this actually has some tart on the end rather than a bitter finish. An excellent addition to the Leinenkugel’s delicious choices.

Specs: 12oz bottle
4.7% Alcohol

Since Chris did a beer that is about as dark as you can get (not sure how you can get darker), I decided to grab one of these wonderfully light beers. They came in a 6 pack, and went out in one night! A great poured beer, very cloudy, but the sweet smells draw you in. The taste is just as sweet as the smell, with hints of orange and fruit rine. Now that may not sound great, but it is. With this type of beer many people garnish it with an orange. I don’t believe that a beer needs a garnish ever*. Even though this may sound like a seaonal beer, Leinekugel’s has it on their standard line up year round!

Specs 12oz bottle
4.9% Alcohol
*Please note that hanging shots on a glass for drinks such as a Flaming Dr. Pepper do not qualify as a garnish.

This is an interesting wheat beer with a strong flavor of apple cider. The ’spice’ in Apple Spice can really be tasted. I am a still unsure about this particular brew, but it is beer, so down it goes! Leinenkugel suggests mixing it with their Creamy Dark to make a Creamy Apple. I will save that for another day!

Specs: 12oz bottle
4.9% Alcohol