Cocoa Berry Shandy
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

notes from journal (2015-2016?): tall foamy frothy head, looks like an unstirred coffee with creamer, mixed berry tea aroma, tastes like a tootsie roll

A thanks to the captain of the canquest, woodychandler, for this beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a hazy, bronze color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of berries, light citrus. Taste is of sweet raspberries, light cocoa, highly drinkable. Feels medium/light bodied in the mouth and overall is a refreshing summertime brew.

 

DATE: April 23, 2016... OCCASION: In an attempt to change the Browns usually poor first-round draft showing, I chose a beer that is the antithesis of a keeper--or so the reviewers suggest... GLASSWARE: Hoegaardedn tumbler... APPEARANCE: pours a fizzy, quickly receding white head, the body is muddy water brown with random bubbles ascending... the head settles to a half-finger...again, muddy water... AROMA: sugary bread dough is immediate... the cocoa is more like tootsie roll, while the berry forces its way through the licorice, mint and orange peel makes for a strange brew... PALATE: mellow, slightly effervescent, medium-bodied and dry, with a slight aftertaste... the maltiness makes for a heartier end... like all shandies, easy-drinking... TASTE: the tootsie roll is dominant... the licorice and sugars bury almost all berry from getting through... orange peel hovers under the cocoa, as does bread malts and ginger... overall, chaos in the mouth, with too much Willy Wonka dessert striving for attention, and an awkward attempt at a sophisticated beer combo... OVERALL: at this point, is Leinenkugel going to put the word shandy behind every possible beer additive and put it in a seasonal mix pack? Drinkable enough to not slam this brew, but I cannot really see myself looking for this beer anywhere, under any circumstances...

 

12 fl oz. can, bottom of the can reads MAR0716. Acquired a single can of this stuff as part of a mixed six pack at the local Binny's. An interesting sounding shandy variant from Leinenkugel's.

Poured into clear tulip-ish stemware.

A - Pours a hazy dusty brown / iced tea color in the glass, with little over a finger of soft off-white head that falls to a fluffy ring. Minor scattered fluffy lacing that doesn't really stick. Looks good for what it is.

S - Nose is unique and pleasant. Comes off with a burst of dusty cocoa powder, paired nicely with the tart lemon shandy aroma found in most of the others. Berries don't exactly come to mind, but it is fruity & citrusy. Interesting.

T - Taste is the same: the cocoa comes off as powdery, but it feels real and not fake or artificial. Pairs wonderfully with the typical shandy base. Berries come through more in the flavor: semi-tart; citrus, lemons, strawberries, raspberry. Of course the berries and the shandy base itself doesn't feel entirely all-natural, but it works when paired with the cocoa.

M - Feel is smooth, crisp, clean. Lightly dusty & papery. Semi-dry. Semi-tart. Light-bodied & easy drinking, with good carb.

Overall, one of the more impressive, flavorful, & distinct shandy variants I've tried from Leinenkugel's. An ideal winter shandy, would definitely have this again as a Christmas time treat. Recommended.

Leinenkugel's Cocoa Berry Shandy -----3.5/5

Leinie's had an event this past Fall at the Station House Taproom which I happily attended. While there, the East Coast rep (!) imparts to me that a) they have an IPL coming on line in VERY limited release and b) a new mixed pack of CANs was also being made available. I then braced the regional rep for more info and was able to track down this group of joy. Ah, The CANQuest (TM)!

From the CAN: "The Pride of Chippewa Falls, Wis[CAN]sin Since 1867"; "A Unique Shandy that Combines Dark Weiss Beer with Natural Chocolate Raspberry Flavor[.]"; "A shandy is beer mixed with a little something extra, and our new winter shandy is a beer made for the season. Leinenkugel's (R) Cocoa Berry Shandy starts with our traditional dark Weiss beer and is then mixed with natural chocolate raspberry flavor. The decadent cocoa taste perfectly balances the tart raspberry flavor for a clean, dry finish."

I had originally intended to CANtinue with my inaugural Watermelon Wednesday, but being that it is 4-20/4:20 Day, I decided to go with another beer at 4.20% ABV.

I Crack!ed it open and immediately CANmenced an inverted Glug. This raised two fingers of dense, rocky, mocha-tan head with moderate retention. Color was a mildly hazy Copper-Brown (SRM = > 17, < 22) and while I get the "iced tea" CANparison, it was not terribly hazy, let alone cloudy or murky. Nose was quite sweet, more like milk chocolate underlain with a light raspberry sweetartness. It reminded me of a recent blend of Rübæus with a dry stout, although this was more muted. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, not quite creamy, but fuller than some of the other Leinie's Shandys had been. The taste was definitely chocolate-covered raspberry, but I still feel like my previous experiment had a better taste. This was more muted to the point that the raspberry was too sweet and the chocolate was too bitter/tart, as though each was getting in the way of the other. It was not bad, especially if you are a fan of sweet beers, but I felt like the execution could have been tweaked. Finish had a definite Raspberry Tootsie Roll Pop flavor and although I did not count how many sips it took me to get there (& the worldmay never know), that is/was a very apt analogy! Finish was rather sweet in total and I do not feel at all badly about having given at least one away to a friend who really digs this kind of thing.

Pours a clear, copper color. 2/3 inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and good lacing. Smells of chocolate (tootsie rolls?), hint of citrus (raspberry concentrate?), earthiness, pale malt, ans strong grass. Fits the style of a Fruit / Vegetable beer. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of strong chocolate (tootsie rolls), slight citrus (raspberry), hint of pale malt, and and a hint of wheat. Overall, the chocolate is the unfavorable tootsie roll type, the citrus tastes like concentrate, and the rest of the beer is non-existent.

 

 

 

Pours a murky iced tea color, or rather what would come out of the faucet if it had been backed up for months. The head is adorable though, leaving tons of wispy lace and a fluffy cap.

Smell is exactly what's advertised - berries amongst cocoa powder, and it delivers nicely. The fruity aromas and a bit of herbs are stronger than the cocoa element, but it's there. Much like one of those candy Oranjes.

The flavor is actually not bad, it's a mixture of raspberry iced tea and the flavor you get when you just ate a chocolate bar and get the chocolate-saliva loogie in your throat. The flavor at the end is much like the Oranje or Raspberry chocolate slices out of the wrapper. It's a little washed out, has no indication of lemonade, but it's entirely enjoyable.

The feel is like most of Leinie's Shandies, creamy but still crisp and crushable. A dusty finish.

Overall this is a pretty decent shandy. I still think the winner is the Cranberry Ginger Shandy out of the pack, but this is a close second. I'd have it again, it's decent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a light brown no head. Aroma is similar to a septic tank. Taste has a septic flavor with hints of fake raspberry jelly. Flavors are strong which is bad. Overall bad.