Beer of the Weekend #413: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark
Happy New Year, everyone! Tonight I enjoyed the Rose Bowl (not the result, though) and took the awkward first steps of learning how to play mahjong at Bobblehead’s parents’ place. It was a nice night and I thought I would round it out by opening 2013 with a tasting. (My fridge is packed with tons of new beers so I need to start drinking them.)
The beer tonight is a Christmas party leftover: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, brewed by the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.
If you are a Midwesterner and have listened to the radio in the past fifteen years, you have probably heard a Leinenkugel’s seasonal beer commercial. They are on Rock 108 all the time. I did not even have to look up the location of the brewery because it is repeated in every new commercial; the cadence of it is stuck in my head — much like “Pabst Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin” from the old school “PBR me, ASAP” jingle.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The freshness date printed on the neck is “APR0113.”
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is mahogany. Two fingers of light tan head dissipated to leave a spotted lacing and ring around the edge.
Smell: Mostly malty and nutty. The aroma is relatively light but it does offer a nice complexity. Toasted malts, caramel, cocoa, a little dark chocolate, toffee, molasses, maple syrup, and a general nuttiness. As it warms, it develops that hairspray aroma. It must be a Minnesota thing.
Taste: The mouthfeel is pretty thin. Toasted malts, roasted malts (which slowly emerge as the beer warms), caramel, and cocoa. It also offers the nuttiness from the smell, as well as the maple syrup and toffee.
Drinkability: Meh. It does not get me excited but I suppose it is a decent beer. It is not over the top but does provide nice flavor.
Fun facts about LCD:
-Style: BA classifies it as “Euro Dark Lager,” but the beer won a gold award at GABF in the “American-style Dark Lager” category.
-Price: The absentmindedness of whoever left it in my fridge.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 4.9 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: According to Leinie’s website,
The page even offers a downloadable recipe for Creamy Dark “Sweet Cheeks” Chili.
-Nerdiness from the beer’s webpage:
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+.
The beer tonight is a Christmas party leftover: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, brewed by the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.
If you are a Midwesterner and have listened to the radio in the past fifteen years, you have probably heard a Leinenkugel’s seasonal beer commercial. They are on Rock 108 all the time. I did not even have to look up the location of the brewery because it is repeated in every new commercial; the cadence of it is stuck in my head — much like “Pabst Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin” from the old school “PBR me, ASAP” jingle.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The freshness date printed on the neck is “APR0113.”
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is mahogany. Two fingers of light tan head dissipated to leave a spotted lacing and ring around the edge.
Smell: Mostly malty and nutty. The aroma is relatively light but it does offer a nice complexity. Toasted malts, caramel, cocoa, a little dark chocolate, toffee, molasses, maple syrup, and a general nuttiness. As it warms, it develops that hairspray aroma. It must be a Minnesota thing.
Taste: The mouthfeel is pretty thin. Toasted malts, roasted malts (which slowly emerge as the beer warms), caramel, and cocoa. It also offers the nuttiness from the smell, as well as the maple syrup and toffee.
Drinkability: Meh. It does not get me excited but I suppose it is a decent beer. It is not over the top but does provide nice flavor.
Fun facts about LCD:
-Style: BA classifies it as “Euro Dark Lager,” but the beer won a gold award at GABF in the “American-style Dark Lager” category.
-Price: The absentmindedness of whoever left it in my fridge.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 4.9 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: According to Leinie’s website,
The crisp, nutty flavor of Creamy Dark cuts right through Cajun dishes like spicy stuffed peppers and Cajun-spiced pork chops. Save room for dessert, chocolate cake coaxes out the creamy chocolate tones of the beer.
The page even offers a downloadable recipe for Creamy Dark “Sweet Cheeks” Chili.
-Nerdiness from the beer’s webpage:
Deliciously dark and surprisingly smooth, Creamy Dark is brewed with a rich blend of seven malts for a nutty, crisp flavor. We then age it slowly for its deep, dark color and creamy, easy-drinking taste.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+.
