Brewed By: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 12-pack bought at Jewel in IL; 2012
Style/ABV: American Dark Lager, 4.90%
Tonight's beer, the Creamy Dark, is an excellent bargain and tastes pretty damn good. It's truly a sleeper beer, and one of the better offerings from Leinenkugels.
The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company is an interesting company. First...the company is owened by MillerCoors LLC, which is owned by SABMiller. That makes this company a micro-macro brewery, kind of like Goose Island. As I understand it, Leinenkugel still brews ther own shit (or at least some of it). But every time you buy a Leinenkugel beer, proceeds go to Miller. In fact, recently, MillerCoors LLC announced their new craft beer company, "Tenth and Black Beer Co," which was named after the 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee that brews Leinenkugel and Blue Moon beers.
I don't want to totally shaft Leinenkugel just because they are owned by SABMiller. There is a whole history of the brewery on their Heritage Page, and it's actually nicely done so I recommend checking it out. The brewery was founded in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, back in May 1867 by Jacob Leinenkugel and his business partner, John Miller (who, according to Wikipedia, sold his company shares in 1884). During prohibition, Leinenkugel brewed non-alcoholic "non-beer" called Leino. Unsurprisingly, the stuff wasn't popular, so the brewery started making and selling soda water instead. When prohibition ended, Leinenkugel was the largest bottler of soda water in the area. The brewery continued to expand, post-prohibition, and Leinenkugel expanded into Minnesota, Michigan, and Chicago. The brewery was purchased by the Miller Brewing Company in 1988. In 1995, the 10th Street Brewery was opened to help accommodate the growth and brew Leinenkugel beers.
Leinenkugel has two breweries: the original one in Chippewa Falls, and the 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. According to Wikipedia, 95% of the Leinenkugel's sales by volume are brewed in Chippewa Falls. The 10th Street Brewery brews the Leinenkugel's Auburn Ale, Berry Weiss, Creamy Dark, Hefeweizen, Honey Weiss and the Original pale lager.
Tonight's beer, the Creamy Dark, is an excellent bargain and tastes pretty damn good. It's truly a sleeper beer, and one of the better offerings from Leinenkugels.
The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company is an interesting company. First...the company is owened by MillerCoors LLC, which is owned by SABMiller. That makes this company a micro-macro brewery, kind of like Goose Island. As I understand it, Leinenkugel still brews ther own shit (or at least some of it). But every time you buy a Leinenkugel beer, proceeds go to Miller. In fact, recently, MillerCoors LLC announced their new craft beer company, "Tenth and Black Beer Co," which was named after the 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee that brews Leinenkugel and Blue Moon beers.
I don't want to totally shaft Leinenkugel just because they are owned by SABMiller. There is a whole history of the brewery on their Heritage Page, and it's actually nicely done so I recommend checking it out. The brewery was founded in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, back in May 1867 by Jacob Leinenkugel and his business partner, John Miller (who, according to Wikipedia, sold his company shares in 1884). During prohibition, Leinenkugel brewed non-alcoholic "non-beer" called Leino. Unsurprisingly, the stuff wasn't popular, so the brewery started making and selling soda water instead. When prohibition ended, Leinenkugel was the largest bottler of soda water in the area. The brewery continued to expand, post-prohibition, and Leinenkugel expanded into Minnesota, Michigan, and Chicago. The brewery was purchased by the Miller Brewing Company in 1988. In 1995, the 10th Street Brewery was opened to help accommodate the growth and brew Leinenkugel beers.
Leinenkugel has two breweries: the original one in Chippewa Falls, and the 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. According to Wikipedia, 95% of the Leinenkugel's sales by volume are brewed in Chippewa Falls. The 10th Street Brewery brews the Leinenkugel's Auburn Ale, Berry Weiss, Creamy Dark, Hefeweizen, Honey Weiss and the Original pale lager.
According to the Creamy Dark page, this beer is brewed with Munich, Chocolate, Wheat, and three Pale malts. This beer is also brewed with Cascade (pleasant, flowery, spicy), Cluster (medium, spicy), and Mt. Hood (mild, pleasant) hops. The beer is described as dark and smooth, and makes note of the fact that the beer is brewed with seven malts. It's described as "nutty" and "crisp." Let's get it into a glass and see how it holds up!
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| Leinenkugels Creamy Dark |
In low light, the beer pours with a dark brown body with hints of red/black. The head is a nice light tan/khaki color in low light, and the pour results in 3-fingers of thick, foamy head. When held to bright light, this beer is super red/ruby red/brown, with a transparent/filtered body, and visible, high carbonation. The head is still a nice light tan color in bright light, and at this point the head has mellowed out into about half a finger's worth, leaving some nice lacing as it dissolved. Overall, this beer looks good...it pours like a Dark Lager.
I haven't talked much about the style. Ratebeer and BeerAdvocate are both calling this a Dark American Lager. But this beer is brewed with seven malts (seven of them!) and three hops. Mt. Hood is like a distant cousin Noble hop, and this beer is stacked with Munich malts. How is this not an interpretation or nod to the Munich Dunkel?
I haven't talked much about the style. Ratebeer and BeerAdvocate are both calling this a Dark American Lager. But this beer is brewed with seven malts (seven of them!) and three hops. Mt. Hood is like a distant cousin Noble hop, and this beer is stacked with Munich malts. How is this not an interpretation or nod to the Munich Dunkel?
Anyway, the aroma on this one isn't too mind-blowing. It is a rather subtle molasses, coffee, caramel, slight nutty sweetness (like the fake peanut butter stuff that most people accept as "Peanut Butter"), and some mild/pleasant/earthy hoppiness. There may be just a hint of toasted malt goodness.
The taste is smooth, crisp, and light. This is a creamy, light, Lager after all. Don't let the dark body betray you. Up front is a lot of malt sweetness, and some hints of Lagery fruitiness. You get carbonation, caramel, faded coffee; the middle rolls into slightly acidic and earthy hops; the back end is leaving some toast, and then roast. I'm getting a hint of smoke in here, and just a touch of meaty flavors. The finish is crisp and light, with some lingering earthy hops.
This has a light to medium body, with a lot of carbonation. There's good density to this beer, especially for a Lager...but it's still crisp and drinkable. It's....*drumroll*...creamy. Anyway, palate depth is good for the style, and complexity is ammaaaaazing. I'd say winner-winner, tiger blood. Like I said, up front is Lager-y, fruit, sweet malts; the middle is earthy hops; the back is roast and toast, with some smoke. And hops clean up the finish. There's a hint of nuttiness and molasses in here as well, but to each palate their own, right?
Rating: Above-Average
Had my first one with a rare strip steak last night will get a case in the morning has great taste
ReplyDeleteYup...I really enjoyed this beer. A hint of chocolate, good body with aroma.
ReplyDeleteI've drank leinenkugels since my legal drinking age; not exclusively by any means. The current creamy dark definitely seems watered down compared to previous years and batches. Flavor is above average, though over carbonated. I've often considered leinenkugels as average to slightly above. Not their best offering, but worth a purchase now and then.
ReplyDeleteI really like Leinenkugels Creamy Dark/ Dark Lager. They removed the Creamy from the name. Sometimes I get a headache from Dark lagers. Leinenkugels Dark Lager does not seem to do that if I eat when I drink it and drink it slow and easy. I have never had a headache with this beer. I also love the molasses, coffee, caramel, and the back end is leaving some toast, and then roast. This beer is perfect for me since it is light and not heavy. This is a divine brew for sure.
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