Leinenkugel's in Metro New York

[WestOrangeFrank]

We've grown to love Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss. there aren't any distributors to the NY Metro area. Anybody else like this stuff - and better yet - can offer a way for us to find it?

[WolfChef]

Yes, Leinies is good beer. They give a excellent brewery tour too. Chippewa Falls, WI. Check out their website Leinenkugel Beerand ask them about a close distributer or options. There are Leinies lovers who drive across country in pickups to load up and bring the "good stuff" back. Their "bocks" are my favorite, eagerly awaited every fall. But you have to be quick cause they don't last long in most stores.

As a side note, the wife and I met Jake Leinenkugel jr (grandson) in `85 when I returned home on military leave with the Marine Corps. We were at a small irish pub in St. Paul, MN killing time before a Elton John concert. I had the very short haircut (called a high and tight in the Corps) so I stood out a bit. This guy comes over to our barstools and asks if we'd like to try a beer on him. He seemed genuine enough, so I asked him point blank, "why?". He says he's a distributer and would like our honest opinion on it. So we try it, and it's a damn site better than the Michelob we had. I ask what it is, and he says "Leinenkugel, heard of it?". "Nope" I say and we talk about beer, life and such for about 20 minutes. At the end he asks if I'm in the service. Tell him a brief history and he returns with his. He's a officer in the Marine Corps reserve over in Wisconsin. Well anyone who knows about military custum knows that I need to stand up and say something appropriate like "Good evening, Sir!" once I realize he's a officer and I'm a mere non-com. He tells me to sit down and knock it off. Then invites us to come to Chippewa Fall's for a tour of his family's brewery. Gives us a card, and says to call ahead and he will conduct our tour himself. We never did it. Fools that we are. Put it off time and again. Someone told me that Miller brewing now owns Leinenkugels, but the family still "runs" the brewery. Don't know for sure if this is true or not. They have a very nice visitor center with Leinies stuff for sale and guided tours every half hour or so. Free beer at the end too.

Edited April 9, 2005 by AgaCooker (log)

[ChzHead]

What a cool story, AgaCooker! You're right, Miller bought the place a few years back (maybe like 8 or so?). Miller is pretty good at buying small breweries and messing them up (i.e. not acting fast enough and loosing shelf space for the beer). Leinies was one of the few that made it! Yep, I'm still bitter with what they did to Celis in Austin! (although a brewer in Michigan bought the tanks and the name and is doing well with it).

WestOrangeFrank, we can get the stuff in Texas....so I'm sure that it's not an issue with getting it up where you are. I'd talk to you favorite beer distributor and maybe they could talk to their Miller beer rep about getting some for you!

Edited April 10, 2005 by ChzHead (log)

[WestOrangeFrank]

That is an amazing story AgaCooker!! Think you can still take him up on the offer next time you're in Chippewa Falls?

WestOrangeFrank, we can get the stuff in Texas....so I'm sure that it's not an issue with getting it up where you are.  I'd talk to you favorite beer distributor and maybe they could talk to their Miller beer rep about getting some for you!

←

Seems logical that because it goes to Texas, it should go to metro NY/NJ, but it doesn't.

http://www.leinie.com/where.html

Closest we get is upstate NY (think closer to Canada than New York City).

Miller is pretty good at buying small breweries and messing them up (i.e. not acting fast enough and loosing shelf space for the beer).

←

As for Miller messing up - I'm in the consumer packaged goods beer business - temporarily working as a consultant to big Miller now (which has done some amazing things for Leinie's distribution). Miller hasn't messed with the recipe and has grown Lienie's more than we can ever imagine. I'm new to the beer business - but from what I've learned, there's much more than we know. I've gotten my appreciation for this liquid gold working in good ol Milwaukee!

Where are you originally from in WI? Can you explain the popularity of beer cheese soup?

[budrichard]

1960's , Madison Wisconsin, Leine's $2/case, good beer for being out in a boat fishing in Graduate school in the summer.

1990, Leine's about $6/case, still good beer compared to the water now marketed as beer.

Miller purchases Leine's, price jumps to $9/case and continues upwards to pay for Miller's overhead. Miller introduces Leine's that Leine's never made such as 'Honey Weiss'. Real Leine's fades into the distance.

1960's , same town, Loewenbrau or however you spell it, light and dark on draft, my FAVORITE beers ever. Miller's purchases brand name and makes own beer. COMPLETELY kills the brand in the USA. Even tries to sell it as an import brewed in Canada. 2004, only Light (not Light as in Miller Light but Light as opposite to Dark) is now available on the market again from Germany, no Dark and no draft, brand still dead in the USA.

Miller brewing has destroyed more beer than anyone else. about the only thing they have not managed to screw up is orignal 'High Life'.

BTW during the 50's and 60's, High Life was touted as a'Light' beer that you drank with meals. Now that the other products are water, it is now a 'heavy' beer.

Me, I drink Hofbrau Mai-Bock from Germany now. -Dick

[Brad Ballinger]

In the late 70s and early 80s, Leinenkugel's was the beer I bought by the case in college. Before that, it was the beer my parents always had at the cabin in Wisconsin (along with Walter's).

Something bad happened after Miller bought the brewery. It's not the same beer, I don't care what anyone says. And then they started all these offshoots - Honey Weiss, Red, Northwoods Lager, Berry Weiss. It's all not very drinkable. I'm sorry WOFrank, but the Honey Weiss is way too sweet and doesn't have the carbonation or any hops character to combat it. It becomes almost cloying. The only thing worse is the Berry Weiss.

[nr706]

At least Miller hasn't done to Leinie's what it did to Celis.