Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown

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mosyslack

doesn't drink...hahaha
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Anyone had this? It's got a sweet finish that almost tastes like cream soda. What is this? At first I thought maybe high on the crystal malts, but there's something else there... I think. Anyone with some ideas? I looked on their web site, and there's nothing that I've seen.

It's ok...something that I can have one, maybe two of before it's too much.
 
Anyone had this? It's got a sweet finish that almost tastes like cream soda. What is this? At first I thought maybe high on the crystal malts, but there's something else there... I think. Anyone with some ideas? I looked on their web site, and there's nothing that I've seen.

It's ok...something that I can have one, maybe two of before it's too much.

The finish was like artificial hazelnut to me. I found this beer to be horrendous, much like their other offerings. I won't tell anyone what to drink, but I'll pass on this in the future...
 
The finish was like artificial hazelnut to me. I found this beer to be horrendous, much like their other offerings. I won't tell anyone what to drink, but I'll pass on this in the future...

BernieBrewer told me is wasn't very good- typical Leine's stuff. But I asked him if it was a lager (all of their beers are lagers) and he said yes. That seems weird to me- a nut brown lager? Is it like their "creamy dark"?
 
BernieBrewer told me is wasn't very good- typical Leine's stuff. But I asked him if it was a lager (all of their beers are lagers) and he said yes. That seems weird to me- a nut brown lager? Is it like their "creamy dark"?

I haven't had the dark but yes, this one is lager. It is in the vein of Honey Brown, but not even as good as that. I like Leine's enthusiasm, but their product stinks...
 
I found it to be really good, but not as good as say Newcastle. I wonder if Nut Brown's are the taste of the season. I see Goose Island is also currently offering a Nut Brown.
 
Beer Advocate calls it a winter warmer and it's getting good ratings but either you love it or hate it. Deviation is pretty high.
 
i couldn't stand the stuff. First few sips weren't terrible, but man, the more i tried, the sweeter it got and the tougher it was to finish. Never again.
 
Leine's Summer Shandy is pretty good, though. Haven't had this Nut Brown yet. Maybe I won't bother.
 
I normally don't like nut browns and I don't especially like hazelnut notes, but I liked this one. I still have 3 bottles left. I'll try it again this wknd and see how I like it.
 
Leine's makes me wish the US had a Rheinheitsgebot..... This is a nut brown beer just like honey weiss is a weiss.... blech! I really dislike what they produce and this is no different. Cheap additives, fermenting with a lager yeast, then calling it a craft ale. What the hell is that!?

I agree that I will never tell people what to like and dislike (my FIL loves honeyweiss and drinks very few other beers), but this is low-grade beer at best and straight up blaspheme in my opinion.

EDIT: Many of the people who like Leine's normal offerings will love this beer. That has been my experience.

Edit to the EDIT: I wish that Miller had enough class to at least make its psuedo-craft beer acceptable like Bud did. I will never buy the American Amber, but at least it was a pretty good beer and it was what they said it was... Bah ale beers with lager yeast.... laughable
 
I bought a 12'er of the Leine Nut Brown last week... unfortunatly. I think its terrible so I've been using it to wash down food instead of actually enjoying the taste. The Goose Island is much better IMO.
 
most all leinies is nasty. shummer shandy is straight up disquisting and this is adequate at best. they need to take it up a notch and create a good beer. if i have to drink leinies ill wash it down with some food
 
Cheap additives, fermenting with a lager yeast, then calling it a craft ale. What the hell is that!?

They don't make ales or call any of their beers an ale. But they do call themselves a craft brewery.

I was actually on the Leinies tour a couple weeks ago and asked about what's in the brown, but they wouldn't give any specifics. I do not like the nut brown at all. SWMBO does, go figure. I think it's too sweet, has a maple/hazelnut finish that's just offputting. Too creamy, and just not enjoyable. There is most certainly nothing "nut brown" about it. Their Creamy Dark is their only good brew IMHO. I used to enjoy their red and honey weiss when I was a student at the UW, but I've grown up and so have my tastes.
 
They don't make ales or call any of their beers an ale.

sunset wheat, honey weiss, berry weiss, red, nut brown, and summer shandy.

The people they are selling these beers, think they are drinking wheat beers, nut browns, reds, and shandy. Those should all be ales, but these beers are not. That is my point, and I think it is a travesty.
 
sunset wheat, honey weiss, berry weiss, red, nut brown, and summer shandy.

The people they are selling these beers, think they are drinking wheat beers, nut browns, reds, and shandy. Those should all be ales, but these beers are not. That is my point, and I think it is a travesty.

It's all just High Life with some artificial flavorigs. Their Red tastes like an MGD to me. I have to admit, I don't dislike the Fireside Nut Brown, but I probably won't buy it again. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything special either, the way I see most of their beers, not bad, but not worth spending the money on again. Although my wife does like the Berry Weiss.
 
sunset wheat, honey weiss, berry weiss, red, nut brown, and summer shandy.

The people they are selling these beers, think they are drinking wheat beers, nut browns, reds, and shandy. Those should all be ales, but these beers are not. That is my point, and I think it is a travesty.

I completely agree with you, I'm just saying they don't have "ale" on any of the labels. To the same degree, they don't have "lager" labeled on most of their beers either. I was very surpsised when I asked them what temps they ferment their beers at I was told 54. I asked, "what about the ales" and was told "we only produce lagers." I had to look at their poster of labels because I could swear I "knew" I had an ale of theirs.
 
I'd call any Leinies a gateway beer. None of it is great but it is a step up from BMC.

At first taste I thought the nutbrown was okay, it definately has something interesting going on. So when I found it on tap I had to try one and by the end of that one beer I can tell you that I will never have another. It just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter until you can't stand it any longer.

Now, I may not yet be a great brewer but I'd rather have a homebrew.
 
I tried the Leinie's Nut Brown. I am normally OK with Leinie's beers ... the Creamy Dark and the Red are good, IMO, the Sunset and the Shandy and blah blah are all ... okay, but not great .... but SWMBO loves them.

The Nut Brown... *sigh* ... I did not like it at all. It tasted cloying to me, very slick mouthfeel, very extract-y (flavoring, not malt extract) ...... The hazelnut was way too strong..... It tasted like they used 3# of Maltodextrin in a 5g batch.... it was just WAY out of balance, in my opinion!!!


WILL NOT buy it again... I'll stick to the Creamy Dark, I love that stuff. Good drinkin' beers right there.
 
Tried this last night. I thought it was an ok beer. It was a choice between that and Pilsner Urquell and since I hadn't had the fireside, I gave it a shot.
I actually really liked the nose on it. Very sweet and I never could place the hazelnut until reading this. Also seems like they used a large amount of caramel malts.
The taste was ok, no back palate if you will though. It just finished off with no taste at the end.
I was a ok beer and a lot better than their weiss' and shandys.
 
This beer is definitely heavy on the hazelnut...if you like Nutella then this beer is okay, but I'll agree with others that it is way too sweet. My dad's neighbor worked for Miller so I had a chance to try this a month or so before public release. I will give it this...it is MUCH better than the other Miller Light branded craft beers that they are/were planning to release - including a "wheat" that tastes exactly like Miller Light, blech!
 
I wish I had read this thread an hour ago. I'm about halfway through a glass. I didn't think the first sip was that bad but it keeps getting worst. I actually went to the store for Sam Adams Black Lager, which they didn't have so I got this crap. Anyone had the black lager? I think it's a pretty good beer.
 
@mw20, oh yes, the Black Lager is easily my favorite SA beer. I can recommend it, the Cream Stout, and the Honey Porter without hesitation, IMO all three are top-notch.
 
Leinie's Fireside tastes like frickin' sarsaparilla. If I want a soda, I'll drink a soda. If I want a nut brown that I didn't make myself, I'll grab a Fat Squirrel (I'm drinking one as I type-yummy) or I'll take a roadtrip to Ashland, WI for a South Shore Brewery nut brown.
 
I've never tasted a Leine that I actually enjoyed. Then again, if it converts even one person from BMC then yeah, its totally worth brewing ;)
 
I thought i heard someone the other night saw that Leinenkugels was a BMC attempt at craft. Miller maybe... Anyone confirm or deny?
 
Yep, they are a wholly owned subsidiary of Miller Brewing Company, more specifically the joint venture of MillerCoors.
 
Ugh that was a crappy beer. Nut brown it aint.

I'm pretty sure it was fermented from left over cotton candy and cigarette butts after the state fair. I've got 3 in the fridge that SWMBO claims she's gonna drink, but she keeps stealing my Dogfish Head instead... Can't say that I blame her. I'm just gonna pitch it (in the trash, not with yeast).
 
I purchase a six pack of this about a month ago. I still have two left. It tastes like that horrible hazelnut creamer stuff my mom used to put in her coffee. As far as other Lieinies products, I like the Creamy Dark and Red. The Original is acually usually my dirt cheap beer of choice. I liked the Northwoods Lager and Big Butt when they had them. The Oktoberfest is ok, but not worth the extra money. I think the Summer Shandy tastes like someone rung out a dishrag into a low quality beer.
 
I like the Creamy Dark and the Red was "ok". I don't think I'll be buying the Nut Brown. I tried one of their Berry Weiss beers, and thought they must have mixed some Kool Aid in with their cheap yellow stuff. Very nasty.

I've lost a lot of respect for them since my first taste of Creamy Dark.

Best Brown I've had was a craft brew on tap in Traverse City. Nice with the pulled pork!
 
If you like the beer then by all means drink it. THere are lots of beers out there that people on this forum love and i can't stand. Don't let us talk you out of it. I think most of the comments were just levied at the fact that this beer is flavored with syrups and such and tastes very different than most nut browns that are malt and hops etc. I personally thought the beer was really really sweet and not in a good way. But again, if you like it then drink it.
 
I think the point is that if someone serious about beer pops for a six pack of something the majority of beer drinkers don't like, he or she will probably (but not necessarily) be disappointed. Reading reviews may save you a few bucks and an extra trip out.

But the bottom line--taste is an individual experience. My wife loves Margaritas. But give me a good ale or lager anytime.
 
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