Leinenkugel's Lakeside Cherry 12Pk Cans

Leinenkugel's Lakeside Cherry 12Pk Cans is a German gose-style ale brewed with real cherry juice concentrate, packaged as twelve 12 oz cans at 4.4% ABV. Inspired by Rose Leinenkugel — who mortgaged her family home to save the brewery after Prohibition — this rose-hued beer carries an 80 rating on BeerAdvocate and a 3.5 out of 5 on Untappd from over 5,300 ratings.

Quick Facts: ABV: 4.4%  |  IBU: 12  |  Origin: Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin  |  Style: German Gose  |  Brewery: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company has been brewing in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin since 1867, making it one of the oldest continuously operating breweries in the United States. Lakeside Cherry follows a German gose tradition, built on a grain bill of barley malt and wheat with Cluster hops contributing a minimal 12 IBU bitterness. Cherry juice concentrate and natural flavors drive the fruit character, while the gose-style approach introduces a subtle tartness that separates it from straightforward fruit ales. The distinctive rose-colored liquid is a deliberate nod to Rose Leinenkugel, honoring the resilience that kept the brewery alive through one of the most challenging eras in American brewing history.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Fresh cherry fruit leads immediately, backed by light wheat grain and a faint floral note from the Cluster hops. There is little hop intensity on the nose — the cherry presence dominates cleanly.

Taste: The entry is juicy and cherry-forward, moving from sweet to tart as it develops across the mid-palate. A range of cherry character emerges — some reviewers note flavors that span from ripe, sweet cherry to a sharper, more sour pit-fruit quality. The wheat base keeps the body light while the low IBU ensures bitterness never competes with the fruit.

Finish: A semi-sweet cherry aftertaste lingers comfortably without becoming cloying. Mild carbonation keeps the close crisp and clean, encouraging another sip.

How to Drink Lakeside Cherry

Lakeside Cherry drinks best chilled directly from the can or poured into a wheat beer glass at around 40–45°F to let the cherry aromatics open up. Its light body and fruit-forward profile also make it a solid base for beer cocktails. A Cherry Radler blends it with lemonade for a sharper citrus-cherry refresher on hot days. A Berliner Shandy pairs it with sparkling water and a lemon wheel, leaning into the gose tartness. A Cherry Michelada combines it with lime juice, hot sauce, and a salted rim, where the natural cherry sweetness offsets the heat.

Best For

• Backyard cookouts and lakeside gatherings where easy-drinking fruit beer fits the mood
• Introducing craft-curious drinkers to gose-style ales through a familiar cherry flavor
• Warm-weather sessions when a low-ABV, flavorful option is needed for all-day drinking
• Gifting to fans of Leinenkugel's seasonal lineup who want a year-round cherry option

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Lakeside Cherry taste like? Lakeside Cherry delivers a juicy, fruit-forward cherry flavor that ranges from sweet to tart, supported by a light wheat body and mild carbonation. It finishes with a semi-sweet cherry aftertaste that fades cleanly.

How does Lakeside Cherry compare to Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy? Summer Shandy relies on lemon and honey for a citrus-driven profile, while Lakeside Cherry centers entirely on cherry fruit with a gose-inspired tartness. Both sit at approachable ABVs and low bitterness, but Lakeside Cherry is available year-round, unlike the seasonal Summer Shandy.

Is Lakeside Cherry good for beginners? At 4.4% ABV with just 12 IBU and a prominent fruit sweetness, Lakeside Cherry is highly accessible for drinkers who find hop-forward or malt-heavy beers intimidating. The cherry flavor provides a familiar entry point into craft-style ales.

Where is Lakeside Cherry made? Lakeside Cherry is brewed by the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, a small city in the state's northwestern region that has been home to the brewery since 1867.

What foods pair well with Lakeside Cherry? Grilled bratwurst benefits from the cherry sweetness cutting through the fat and char. A summer spinach salad with goat cheese and dried cranberries echoes the tart fruit notes. Smoked salmon works well, as the light wheat body doesn't overpower delicate fish. Vanilla bean ice cream creates a simple dessert float. Sharp white cheddar provides a savory contrast that highlights the cherry tartness.

What sizes does Lakeside Cherry come in? Lakeside Cherry is commonly available in 12-packs of 12 oz cans, which is the standard retail format for this expression.

Is Lakeside Cherry worth the price? Lakeside Cherry positions as an everyday, session-friendly fruit ale within the domestic craft segment. Its real cherry juice base and gose-style approach deliver more complexity than many mass-market fruit beers at a comparable price tier, making it a reasonable value for drinkers seeking a flavorful, low-ABV option.

Why Lakeside Cherry?

What distinguishes Lakeside Cherry from the crowded fruit beer field is its gose-style framework — the gentle tartness gives it a structural backbone that most cherry-flavored beers lack. The use of actual cherry juice concentrate rather than artificial flavoring alone contributes a more authentic fruit character. Its origin story, rooted in Rose Leinenkugel's determination to save a family brewery by putting her home on the line, gives the beer genuine heritage behind its name. For a 4.4% ABV session ale that balances sweet and sour without tipping into either extreme, Lakeside Cherry fills a specific gap in Leinenkugel's year-round lineup that Summer Shandy, as a seasonal release, cannot.