Leinenkugel’s is now a national brand owned by MillerCoors. However, I started drinking Leinie’s back when it was still a regional Midwestern family owned brewery, and I still enjoy their beers to this day. The question tonight is, can an American Adjunct Lager be considered craft? Can a beer that uses cheaper filler grains be good?
A crystal clear beer with decent head retention, smells grassy, boozy, and grainy, just as you’d expect of this style, but still appealing. Taste is a smooth, clean malt profile with a thick, creamy body. Some odd vegetal flavors pop up with the light hops that work to balance everything out. The finish is crisp and clean. Overall, yes it’s an adjunct lager, but it is made well, with a nice balance, and a clean finish that makes it extremely sessionable. It’s not a fancy beer, or even a unique beer, but it is a solid utilitarian kinda beer that gets the job done without offending the palate.