Review of Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss

Posted By Ken Saturday, 16 February 2008 21:06

After the successful enjoyment of Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat, I was anxious to see what their other beers were like. I bought a sixer of their Honey Weiss this afternoon to taste and review. The results were surprising....

Ken's Review

Taste: C+ This area was where I was highly surprised. I really loved the Sunset Wheat taste, but was shocked at the bladness and water-down taste of this beer. I took a few sips, and I really wanted to like this but could not really get anywhere near enjoyment out of this. It claims to be a wheat beer brewed with real Wisconsin Honey, but you don't really get that out of it either. It is a bearable beer to drink, but would definitely not be my first choice.

Packaging: B The label of the Honey Weiss has "Leinenkugel's" and "Honey Weiss" in a funky black font, on top of a hard-to-tell honeycomb pattern in the background. I get it from the standpoint of being "Honey" Weiss, but the label I enjoy about as much as the taste.

Value: B This sixer cost $6.99, which was the same cost as the Sunset Wheat. I can't really say this beer is a good value at that price solely because of taste. Right now I'm sitting here almost angry because I desperately wanted this to be a good beer. I'm not mad at the money I spent on it, but I just feel that even at $1 cheaper for the sixer it may almost be justified.

Drunkeness: C Honey Weiss also comes in at a weak 4.9% alcohol content. I could almost see this being a casual beer to enjoy with a friend sitting on the back patio or to unwind from a hard day at work. But this is absolutely not a party beer to get smashed on. Even if you could get to a drunk state with this beer, you will wish you had put your money elsewhere for a quicker and better drunkeness.

Overall: B- All-in-all, I can't be too terribly hateful on the overall rating, as it isn't a terrible beer and stacks up way better than some of the swill I've had in the past. I see where Leinenkugel's was going with this beer, but they needed to just take it a couple steps further I think. A little more hops or something I think would have done a lot to help this beer in the ratings. If you can try it for little to nothing in cost, by all means do it. But I wouldn't run out to get this.