Review: Leinenkugel’s Juicy Peach

You probably know Leinenkugel’s best from their Summer or Grapefruit Shandy, fruited wheat beers that seem to find their way onto every boat, beach, and backyard barbecue this time of year. For 2023, Leinie is adding to their portfolio with another fruit-inspired and highly sessionable brew, Juicy Peach. Despite its summery demeanor, this new beer will be a year-round offering from the Wisconsin brewery. It’s also a sour-style brew, their first from what I can tell. And how do they get the peach in there? We’re told “natural flavors” just like the brewery’s many other fruited offerings. Let’s pop the top and see how it stacks up.

The beer pours a pale gold color, almost nectarine (if we’re keeping with the stone fruit theme). The aroma is definitely peachy with big, sweet notes of yellow peaches in syrup and sugary Haribo peach candies. There’s a gentle tartness underneath it all, but nothing screams traditional sour on the nose. The palate is light-bodied and fresh, and also pretty dialed down on the sour front. And the peach front, for that matter. Notes of white peach and peach skins give only a hint of sweetness. Crisp malt notes quickly steal the show before a mild tartness and generous salinity arrive on the finish. No big, sweet shandy profile here, but it’s not exactly a traditional sour either. And I really don’t get anything overly juicy, except maybe in the aroma. All that said, it’s an approachable and refreshing brew, light enough for session drinking and interesting enough to appeal to a wide spectrum of beer drinkers.

4.4% abv.

B+ / $11 per six-pack / leinie.com

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