Original
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

Caldwan123 from Iowa

3.56/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Look all around has a good classic beer bottle look. Coloring is as expected. Smells of skunkiness similar to a Heineken. Taste is the same extremely close to aforementioned Heineken with a little less of a weed taste. Feels smooth.

Oct 01, 2021

Singlefinpin from North Carolina

3.33/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

I have drank this beer from restaurant taps all over The USA and there was a time when this was one of the better beers to be had on tap, how far we've come, thank goodness!
Looks golden yellow with a nice white foamy head that dropped quickly to a thin ring.
Smells, lightly bready, malty, floral, and spicy.
Taste follows the nose nicely, with just the slightest hint of corn.
Mouth feel is medium light for the style with a high effervescent feel.
Overall, still one of the better AALs out there, due to less corn.
Cheers!

Sep 27, 2021

vette2006c5r from Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev +26.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Original pours a clean yellowish color, with quickly dissipating head. Aroma is malty, grainy. Flavor is the same, malty and grainy, but pleasant, and nicely put together. Good body and feel. Overall, its a nice easy beer, simple and not bad.

Sep 23, 2021

cyclonece09 from Wisconsin

3.29/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Pours straw yellow with a small white head. Smells of cereal grain, sweet but not overly so. Tastes of plain cereal grain, but a little more flavor than your normal adjunct. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, heavily carbonated. Overall, a slightly above average beer.

Sep 11, 2021

daliandragon from Maryland

3.19/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

I picked up a twelve pack in its home state while camping and hitting some national parks on vacation. Definitely a camping or lawn mower beer and on that score it is pretty effective. A bit of corn in the flavor but this is drinkable and goes down very easy. I was surprised at how clear headed I was the day after my camping. Would definitely drink this if it was available in my area.

Jun 24, 2021

glencox00 from Wisconsin

3.02/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

I wish I liked this beer. It represents the great northwoods of my home state. Smell is barely there but mostly slight grain and very slight hops. When tasting, the barley comes up front, followed by a soggy corn. The corn adds a grainy sweetness. Slight hops flavor to finish it out. This might be a decent beer to wash down a hot dog with Sauerkraut and it's not intolerable. There are better macro lagers in this range.

Apr 19, 2020

Scott17Taylor from Iowa

3.35/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Actually one of the better adjunct lagers, it’s a no frills clean grainy lager. I get a lot of grainy sweetness, but Im getting so,e actual malt and not just corn. There’s a slightly spicy hop finish, fairly faint though.

Mar 08, 2020

Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.16/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I've tried my hardest to not rate/review beer owned by macro breweries, but well, for my lack of reviewed AAL's on this site, I'm going to go against my own grain for once.
Appearances can be over thought many times in the world of beer and I often try to just look for colors. However, instead of describing those colors, I'm just going to say this does look like piss water. The head did fizzle out pretty quick and didn't leave any lace.
Aromas of sweet corn, biscuits and butter, dried grassy hops and dead flowers seem to be the basis of the blend.
Flavors are semi-sweet with some dry bitterness listening to an even keeled floral bitterness underneath. Barely any aftertaste, but what was there seemed a bit "fusel."
Mouthfeel was mostly good having a body between light and medium. Good carbonation leading into a corn sweet finish.
I've had many of this style elsewhere but failed to upload those reviews on Beer Advocate. This beer maybe again, maybe.

Aug 05, 2019

TheLuckiestMan from Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A “poor” lager? Them’s fightin’ words in Wisconsin! This is my go to regular lager. My fridge is always full if Leinies O. Put quite simply, when compared to other AAL’s in this class (Hamms, Bud, Miller, Coors) this is a cut above. I’ve been told by a Leinies brewer that although this is an AAL, the amount of adjuncts used in the recipe is far less than your typical macro lager. I think that comes through in the flavor. Perfect canoe beer. Get it!

May 01, 2019

Buckeye55 from North Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Again, it's been a few years on this one.
I recall it as a pretty good aal (of course at that time I had no concept of the different beer styles). It was just a touch below average in my book. Hence the 2.75 rating. Drinkable, just not special

Mar 14, 2019

MichaelProcton from North Carolina

2.71/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Extraordinarily typical look for an AAL; golden, if a bit deeper that you see in the light category, super clear-and a bit of active carbonation, but no head/cap/lacing. The adjuncts are clear on the nose alongside sweet malt and a slight touch of hoppiness, and it's not quite what you'd call skunky. Taste isn't terrible, either, with some decent body from the malts and some hop bitterness to balance. Mouthfeel is average-y, maybe a bit heavier than usual for style. Overall, ok, just like you'd expect from this style produced by a macro.

Jan 09, 2019

BeerBobber from Nevada

3.88/5  rDev +30.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Very clear darker golden color with lots of streaming bubbles. Thin white head that cracled down into the beer.

Smells like malts and grains with a bit of something like a corn sweetness.

Taste is a bit sour and sweet. Getting that lager bill on the taste grainy malts with a bit of hops in the back. Seems like a bit of yeast sour with some sweetness like from corn.

Mouth feel is pretty light with a crispness to the finish that almost lends to that dry back of the throat snap.

I am extremely glad I got to try this beer. I understand this can be a bit of a unicorn beer in certain areas but now they are putting it in their mix packs. With the 4.7% ABV printed on my bottle this would esily stand with a lot of other very good adjunct lagers.

Jan 04, 2019

nicholas2121 from Ohio

3.77/5  rDev +26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Leinenkugel's Original brewed by Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, with an ABV of 4.60% This brew pours out of a 12oz glass bottle into a pint beer glass a nice light golden amber color with a small white head. The head to this brew goes away fast. Thin mirror lacing to this brew, it does stick to the side of the glass. The smell is rich with sweetness mixed with grains and malts. You also pick up on some mirror hop bitterness in the smell as well. Leinenkugel's Original has the look an smell of most American Adjuct Lagers on the market, not saying that is a bad thing. Now for the taste, it is Bold with grains an malts. You pick up a lot yeast in the taste of this brew. The body of this brew is a solid medium. There is nothing overpowering about this brew, it has a super nice balance to it. Leinenkugel's Original would go nicely with just about anything. The mouth feel is Bold, Rich, Clean, Smooth, and Refreshing. Overall I am going to give Leinenkugel's Original a 3.75 out of 5. I would definitely look this brew up again giving the opportunity to. Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, did a nice job with this brew.

Dec 15, 2018

OhioBeerFan from Ohio

3/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

If you enjoy the high production American lagers such as Bud or Coors, this beer is somewhat similar. I find it to be a step up in terms of overall quality. Very drinkable and refreshing, nothing special.

Dec 09, 2018

Drak-Nib from Nebraska

3/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Another taste for this “German style märzen beer.” This has a bit of a head, and the first taste is pretty good, with just a hint of sweetness. What follows has a nice balance, and is an easy drink. Almost no aftertaste. Overall, it’s not bad, but for me falls into the not-enough-character zone to make it a standout. Dry, decent. 2017/08/26

Nov 13, 2018

JimboBrews54 from Michigan

3/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Middle of the road brew again. This must be Leinenkugel's base recipe before they add all the fancy flavors to it. Another beer that just sticks in its lane and does not try to be something more. Good yard work brew!

Oct 08, 2018

puboflyons from New Hampshire

3.12/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

From the 12 fl. oz. bottle with a Best By date of Nov 26, 2018. Sampled on September 29, 2018.

The pour is a vibrant yellow with excellent clarity underneath a foamy white head that fades after a moment.

On the nose there is a corn grits, grainy ester at first but also a grassy sort of character. A slight corn oil sensation.

Light to medium body and smooth.

The taste is initially sweet and grainy but this strange corn oil or vegetable oil sensation seems to take over with each sip. It ends clean and semi-dry. I wonder how "original" this one really is.

Sep 29, 2018

PMakowski from New Hampshire

2.69/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

12 Oz bottle poured into glass
Look - Golden straw color, medium-small head of foam, no real lacing
Smell - corns and grain, musty basement
Taste - Very sweet corn and rice flavored, similar to High Life but the carbonation is only medium. Not terrible but very, very simple. Slight hop bite but not really much more than any other American adjunct.

Well i didn't expect much and that's pretty much what it is. It has very little positive characteristics. Grade is a C+

Sep 25, 2018

Azdirtmover from Arizona

3.35/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Discovered this while working in Minnesota in 2002.I found this beer to be quite good.Drank a fair lick of it.Our local Coors distrubutor handles the off the wall Leinnies, but will not carry the original.Imagine they don’t want the competition

Sep 03, 2018

cardfan212 from Minnesota

3.99/5  rDev +34.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Drank from a 12 ounce glass bottle. Scores are based on the style.

Look - Fairly minimal and pretty attractive. No words to clutter up the label, a classy logo, and nice Native American art.

Smell - Sour grains and wet dog. Strong earthy qualities, a little dirty.

Taste - Strong sweet grains right away with a quick transition into a mild bitter earthy finish. Decently flavorful for an AAL.

Feel - Medium-thin body with moderate comfortable carbonation is a perfect blend with the taste.

Overall - A top-notch AAL, very flavorful and easily drinkable. A new top contender for me.

Aug 30, 2018

wl2bill from Wisconsin

4.54/5  rDev +52.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My favorite AAL. It has it's own unique hop flavor. There is a nice soft creamy edge to the mouth feel. It has a more golden color compared to other AALs. it is an individual in a sea of anonymity.

Jun 10, 2018

SB2017 from Iowa

3.33/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3.25

Looks about like any standard light beer of this price range. Champagne-like bubbles, decent lace, quickly expiring head... What places this beer apart is its distinct smell: the peel of a granny smith apple. Sour and fresh to mingle with those already established light lager smells. The taste follows this, though less dramatically. The aftertaste most clearly carries this apple flavor. All in all, a highly drinkable and impressively unique experience thanks to the subtle uniqueness of its distinctive characteristics, though still an average beer at heart.

May 25, 2018

Strike00 from Iowa

3.35/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Crisp and clean with a hint of sweetness. There is a mild bitterness at the end. Definitely some corn in the smell and flavor. When compared to other AALs this is one of the better ones.

BTW, it has a great label.

May 23, 2018

StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.4/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

this isnt a great beer, but in the context of other macro adjunct lager types, this is easily a league better than the major brands. it has a little more color, crystal clear but honey instead of yellow and watery, its fizzy and it holds its head, carbonation comes up slowly and consistently, it looks good for what it is. it has nice flavor too, i actually get some malt rather than its absence, which is sort of par for the course in the style. lightly sweet, but i taste barley, and that is something. almost no hops in nose or taste, but there is "beer flavor" here, and i get no metallic grossness, no corny cheapness, and no indefinite shelf life chemical properties whatsoever. i like it, crackery and round in feel, bubbly and balanced, the faintest bitterness creeping in at the end. it tastes like beer, even a lager yeast note here, its fine beer really, and when fresh, i reckon its mighty refreshing. without a doubt this is far better than any bud/miller/coors equivalent that exists out there, and one of the better leinenkugels beers ive had.

Mar 05, 2018

lordofthewiens from New Mexico

3.02/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pale yellow, small white head. No lace.
Aroma of corn and grassy hops.
The taste followed the nose. Corn, with a hint of grassy hops in the aftertaste.
Light-bodied lawnmower beer.

Jan 22, 2018