Dark Lager
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

Dark LagerDark Lager
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From:
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
European Dark Lager
Ranked #55
ABV:
4.9%
Score:
77
Ranked #27,219
Avg:
3.36 | pDev: 16.37%
Reviews:
350
Ratings:
1,045
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 21, 2023
Added:
Mar 06, 2002
Wants:
  36
Gots:
  164
Formerly: Creamy Dark

Our most award-winning beer, Leinenkugel’s® Dark Lager is brewed with a special blend of four malts for a rich, nutty cocoa flavor and crisp finish. That makes it one deliciously dark, surprisingly smooth brew. Hey, the name says it all.

20 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by merlin48:
Photo of merlin48
Reviewed by merlin48 from Kentucky

3.63/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This pours into a pint glass a sharp looking beer. Clear mahogany with ruby highlights, and a respectable two finger beige head. Lots of patchy lacing.

Subtle aroma features softly roasted malt notes of mild chocolate and spicy hops.

Mouthfeel is light medium with a solid carbonation. Smooth on the palate, but you have to use your imagination to call it creamy.

Taste is pretty good for a dark lager. Restrained malt presence serves up soft notes of chocolate and burnt caramel that meld with some spicy and earthy hops. Lager yeast and malt let you know what you have here.



Pretty good for style. I keep this on hand for guests who like dark lagers. It's also my favorite beer to steam brats in. Nicely drinkable.
Dec 08, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.44 by TreyJ88

May 21, 2023
 
Photo of Papercut4
Reviewed by Papercut4 from Wisconsin

3.18/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pours out of the bottle a deep brown with a small head and lacing. Smells a bit like cocoa and roasty malts. Tastes a little bit more bland than it smells if I'm honest. The carbonation dances on the tongue but I'm expecting a thicker mouthfeel from my other senses. It's decent though
Jan 07, 2023
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a dark brown color with some hints of amber hue. A moderate off-white head. SRM of 20. (4.00)

Aroma: Moderate aromas of brown bread, bread crust, some cocoa and vanilla. Dark malts, slightly roasted, clean. (4.00)

Flavor: Moderate flavors of dark bread, bittersweet cocoa, hints of vanilla and cream. Black malt, only faintly roasted with a clean, restrained bitterness. English black malt and chocolate flavors. (3.75)

Feel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation. A clean and balanced finish. (4.00)

Compared to Surly Ghost Empire 7/5/22: Pours darker. Milder aromas. More dark bread, bittersweet cocoa, vanilla cream. Less caramel malt, toasted Munich malt flavors. Lighter, cleaner, more balanced.

Overall: Reportedly one of the better Leinenkugals beers. This one has a nice dark bread, bittersweet cocoa, vanilla cream, and English black malt flavor. Maintains being light and clean giving it a balanced finish. Leinenkugals doesn't do a lot well, but this was one of the better ones. (Rating: 3.90)
Jul 05, 2022
Photo of PolskaKielbasia
Reviewed by PolskaKielbasia from Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
This is probably the only Leinenkugel's beer that I actually 'like' - all their other beers are tolerable at best.

Smooth with hints of chocolate/coffee.

The price point and the fact that it's only a handful of beers in its category bumps it up +0.25 points on the overall scale. Otherwise this would be more of a 3.25-3.5 IMO.
Dec 19, 2021
Photo of TheOccasionalBeer
Reviewed by TheOccasionalBeer from Wisconsin

2.63/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Cold, cloudy afternoon calls for something dark. Finally, something to smell when I pop the cap... although it is a bit hoppier than I'd been expecting (hoping for). Two fingers of cream-colored foam topped a clear mahogany . The scent is more than just citrus, but I'm having a hard time placing it... a more acidic black coffee? The mystery isn't solved as I take a sip, then a swallow. Hitting the lips, it's pretty smooth, then the citrus sort of explodes, then it settles down to being more smooth on the swallow. There is that mystery in the aftertaste, but I'm not interested enough to figure it out with another bottle.
Dec 18, 2021
 
Rated: 3.76 by MatthewJW from Wisconsin

Nov 24, 2021
Photo of LesDewitt4beer
Reviewed by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

3.79/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle enjoy by date Nov 30, 2021 into a nonic pint glass.
L: Pours light brown with ruby edges and bottom with a 2+ finger creamy beige head, good retention and no visible carbonation. Essentially no lacing at all.
S: Caramelized chocolate malts, light chocolate, floral, a hint of dark wheat bread and subtle rose flower.
T: Deep caramelized malts, light chocolate, very light coffee, gently bitter, lightly toasty but not charred. There is a pleasant sweetness throughout.
F: Quite smooth, creamy medium light bodied mouthfeel with a medium length finish. It is slightly wet feeling. Slightly thin which adds to is easy drinkability.
O: This dark lager boasts lightness overall. It is light on it's feet, lightly sweet and is very good in it's style. I prefer drinking it straight out of the bottle vs a glass pour as it tends to be a bit more toasty.
Nov 03, 2021
Photo of ZebulonXZogg
Reviewed by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois

3.24/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Purchaed at the Leinie Lodge, Chippewa Falls. Poured from a 32oz crowler. Pours a clear dark brown, big head that's gone in a flash. Aroma has some malts, a bit of chocolate. Flavor is a bit nutty, sweet and roasted grains. Thin, watery and moderately carbonated.
Sep 20, 2021
Photo of German-Helles
Reviewed by German-Helles from Wisconsin

4.02/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Creamy Dark, now labeled as Dark Lager. I poured this 12oz. bottle into my 20oz. glass. For starters there is one finger of creamy tan foam, with excellent retention. This beer is a dark cola color, but I do notice there is medium carbonation on the move here.
The aroma is sweet cocoa, and roasted malts, light but noticeable.
The flavor is sweet chocolate, lightly roasted malts with a somewhat dry nutty finish. The finish makes the sweetness bearable. There isn't anything bitter about this brew. This is very easy to over sip.
The feel is creamy smooth(as advertised).
This is very enjoyable, creamy, yet light enough to make a session of this brew.
Jul 09, 2021
Photo of Captain69
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois

3.56/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
another malty beer from a great brerwer. a lot of malt tate slightly roasted taste
Mar 28, 2021
 
Rated: 3.5 by AndrewFord666 from Illinois

Feb 05, 2021
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.44/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle. Bottle neck is stamped '1AR0824145 E5000010836'.
Deep brown colored body. Looks clear when back lit, with some ruby red color. Has a skim of a light beige cap. Leaves a few scattered spots of foam on the glass.
Aroma is roasted malt and some hint of chocolate.
Taste has some dark fruit and nuts mixed in with the roasted malts. Definitely has a cocoa note.
Mouth feel seems thin and creamy at the same time. Perhaps this is from how quickly the beer passes through the mouth. Some fizziness.
Presents as more of a commercial product than a craft product. Okay, but forgettable. May be good as a taste quencher on a warmer day when a darker beer is called for.
Feb 01, 2021
 
Rated: 4.65 by Braedon from Wisconsin

Dec 15, 2020
Photo of izraelc
Rated by izraelc from New York

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a deep amber. Light aroma. Pretty thin for a dark beer. Decent malt flavor but not a lot of character. More of a macro brew type beer.
Dec 12, 2020
Photo of Danzifer
Reviewed by Danzifer from Ohio

3.34/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25
I don't know what it is with Leinenkugel's. They have some good recipes but something about their brewing process gives all their beers the same watery consistency. Would like to see them move past that. Anyways... this is a decent beer. Looks and tastes good, smells a little weird and the feel is typical but I enjoyed it.
Dec 02, 2020
 
Rated: 3.84 by 12ozfan from Illinois

Nov 03, 2020
 
Rated: 5 by Dalkri from Massachusetts

Nov 02, 2020
Dark Lager from Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 1045 ratings