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Leinenkugel's Original

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Toasty, crackery malt character leads the first sip of this traditional German-style lager, brewed with pale malts and Cluster hops, and the finish runs crisp and clean. It follows the brewery's original German lager recipe; Jacob Leinenkugel founded the brewery in 1867. The beer comes in at 4.7% ABV.

ABV
4.7%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter17 IBU
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
pale gold4
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
toastycleanmalty
toasty
clean
malty
Aroma
The nose opens with soft, toasty Malz character that evokes freshly baked bread crust.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Leinenkugel's Original

◎ Appearance

Pale golden hue with bright clarity and excellent light transmission. The white head forms readily and displays firm retention, with fine lacing that clings to the glass as you drink. Carbonation appears moderate and well-integrated, supporting a steady stream of fine bubbles.

pale goldenbright clarityfirm head retention

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with soft, toasty Malz character that evokes freshly baked bread crust. Noble Cluster hops contribute a subtle earthy undertone without aggressive florality or resinous notes. Clean fermentation character predominates, with no distracting esters or off-notes.

toasty Malzbready notessubtle earthiness

◐ Taste

Pale Malz takes the lead on entry, delivering a light, biscuity sweetness with a crackery texture that builds through the mid-palate. Bitterness arrives as a gentle balancing force—modest at 17 IBU, it never overwhelms the malt foundation. The palate remains crisp and clean throughout, with excellent attenuation and no cloying residue.

pale Malzbiscuit, crackeryclean, balanced bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is short and refreshing, tapering to a dry, slightly grainy aftertaste. No harsh tannins or oxidative notes linger; instead, a gentle toasty memory fades cleanly within seconds.

dry, crispgrainy aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
79
Appearance
80
Finish
76
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve well-chilled at 4–6°C. Carbonation and crispness are the main event — cold preserves both.

Stein

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store cold and drink fresh. Lagers are at their crispest within 3–4 months.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Leinenkugel's Original

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About Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Lager?

Euro Pale Lagers are clean, refreshing lagers with 4–5.5% ABV and IBU 10–25. Soft malt sweetness, light hop bitterness and high carbonation make them supremely drinkable.

Finding a similar Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same toasty, clean, crisp character as Leinenkugel's Original will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Lager beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →