Beer Review - Leinenkugel Summer Shandy

Brewery:  Leinenkugel (Wisconsin)

Beer: Summer Shandy

Style: Fruit-Infused

ABV:  4.2%

Serving:  Bottle

Apologies for the long hiatus on beer reviews and info from FW Beer.  We are in the processes of a FW Beer 2.0 launch, so stay tuned!

Ben had a couple of these in his fridge, so we thought it might be fun to review.

Leinenkugel is one of the oldest breweries in America - it opened in 1867!  This particular beer is called Summer Shandy. It is a summer seasonal and is fruit-infused with lemon - actually lemonade flavor.  Leinenkugel loves these infused beer. 

Here is what Leinenkugel had to say about the beer:

Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy® is our take on a traditional German radler. Crisp, refreshing and brewed with natural lemonade flavor, it's perfect for the sun-splashed summer months.

Here is what we thought:

Appearance: Light and fluffy head that is stark white and 3 fingers in height.  Head disappeared quickly after being poured.  Extremely hazy beer - looks like lemonade (surprise!) - blonde in color.

Smell:  Lemon peel and musty wheat.

Taste:  Like a cleaning product. Fake or synthetic lemon flavors fixed with a very watered down wheat beer.  Missing much of the hop and malt flavor that would distinguish it as an actual beer.

Mouthfeel:  Quite effervescent and a bit chalky in the finish.

Drinkability:  It is light and easy-drinking if you enjoy the flavor.

Verdict:  Gimicky beer.  But did you need me to tell you that?  It is lemonade-infused.  Surprisingly little beer flavor to balance the lemon. Great beer to try if you aren't a big fan of beer taste - who knows, you might like this one!  Then again, why are you on this beer blog reading beer reviews? 

Grade: D+

Cheers!