A Berrylicious Beer Review: Leinenkugel’s Explorer 12-Pack
Just over a year ago, my neighbor Tony introduced me to Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat and I instantly added it to my wheat beer rotation of Blue Moon and Hoegaarden. Great beer - Very smooth brew that is a tad sweeter than Blue Moon and works as a perfect summer beer.
So, when I saw the Leinenkugel “explorer” 12-pack at a local shop for $14, I snagged it without a second thought. Featuring Sunset Wheat, Honey Weiss, Berry Weiss and Summer Shandy, it’s a nice way to sample a couple of Leinie’s brews without breaking the bank.
I already knew I’d like Sunset Wheat going in, but how did the other beers fare?
Berry Weiss - Wow… This isn’t a “taste” of berries, it’s a full-on berry assault! Almost bordering on a wine cooler taste, but not so much that it loses its lager feel. If you’re looking for a beer to drink for an all-day session, this isn’t it. One or two at a sitting is about it for me before I need to move on to something a little less sweet, but this is perfect if you’re looking to sip after dinner.
Summer Shandy - It’s wheat beer with a lemon kick, which is the first thing you’ll notice as soon as you open the bottle. But, suprisingly, the lemon flavor is not as strong as you’d expect, so it’s not as overpowering as the Berry Weiss would be for some. I could easily see this as a great summertime barbeque beer. Would definitely buy this again.
Honey Weiss - My least favorite of the sampler pack (hey, it had to be someone!). Unfortunately, while you can smell the honey and wheat, something just didn’t taste right about it. It was a little bitter for my pallate and not nearly as sweet as I had hoped after trying the other beers. Not horrible, but not something I’d buy on its own.
So, overall, a decent buy for the money. Right now, the “explorer” pack is the only way to get the Summer Shandy until it’s more widely distributed later this spring and I’d definitely consider buying it again. The only downside for me is the Honey Weiss, but the Sunset Wheat and Berry Weiss more than make up for that. Drink up!
I have to agree w/ all of your points.
For me, my countdown looked like this:
1. Shandy
2 Berry
3. The Honey…I can’t emphasize how much I did not like this beer.
Actually, my favorite flavor of Leinies (as the locals call it…or my buddy Matt from Wisconsin tells me) is the Sunset Wheat…I really like the flavor of that beer. I also have tried another type that I can’t recall (I don’t think it was a specialized brew) and would put that right under the Shandy.
BTW, very nice site!
Just heard that Summer Shandy will be available in 40 states this summer, including Jersey… whoo hoo!