I’m worried about this post. Will I anger someone? What if this is their favorite beer? And, did I spell “Leinenkugel” correctly?

Well, I wouldn’t be a very good critic if I was worried about angering someone. In this case, it almost seems un-American to say something negative about what has become a staple of Midwestern Summer Beer. Leinenkugel Summer Shandy is, after all, advertised on the radio 24/7, and it’s available everywhere in bottles AND cans (clap your hands!).

But…dare I say…it’s incredibly…AVERAGE.

To the review.

Leinenkugel Summer Shandy Review

To answer the question above – yes, I spelled it right. “Leinenkugel.” And their Summer Shandy is supposed to make you think SUMMER immediately, including the ALL CAPS FEELING you get every SUMMER. Except for the summer here in Chicagoland, which is more worthy of lower-case “s” and maybe my sticking my tongue out at Mother Nature.

Taste

Lager beer with lemonade added. “An adventurous taste perfect for summertime fun.” There’s nothing crisp or refreshing, or even really tangy or anything else notable about this. I don’t think summertime fun. Apologies to Dorothy Parker, but, if this drink didn’t exist, you’d have a hard time imagining it.

Profile

Cluster hops. ABV of 4.2%. IBUs: 13.5.

Value

$14 or so for a 12 pack, or maybe it was $12 for a 12 pack. Who cares, I didn’t like it so much.

Metasip Grade: C+

I revisited my initial assessment: first I thought it was a “B-” but then I remembered that I hardly had much of it, because it frankly didn’t taste very good. So it gets a C+. I don’t get invited to the Lodge, I’m sure…maybe other stuff from Jake and Dick and Steve and Irv or whatever their names are will make me reconsider this brewery. We’ll see.