Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Royal Nektar Review

Name: Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Royal Nektar
Style: Braggot
ABV: 9.5%
IBUs: 12

Remember last week during my Cherry Doppelschwarz review when I made a promise to keep up to date with the latest releases in Leinenkugel's Big Eddy series? Well, a promise is a promise and today I have the latest release in the series: Royal Nektar. It's a braggot made with cranberry blossom honey and rye. It's a an odd couple of a combination to say the least.

I'm going to throw this out here, never in a million years would've imagined that Leinenkugel's would release a Braggot because it's a pretty obscure style of beer even by craft beer standards. However the same was said about the Gose-style just a couple years back and it now it seems every brewery is releasing their own interpretation of the style.

Appearance - Fairly clear bright golden color with a fizzy head. There is a lot of carbonation going on in here and there is no lacing to speak of. Maybe it's my glassware but it has a slightly thick appearance to it.

Aroma - Very sweet honey forward aroma with some pale maltiness. I am getting that slight rye spiciness and even a bit of what appears to be Belgian yeasts in here as well, though I could be confusing that with the rye. I'm also getting some light pear notes in here as well.

Taste - Potent honey notes mixed in with light cranberry and pear notes. I am getting some yeastiness in here along with some pale maltiness, the later of which is rather moderate. The rye element of the flavor is surprisingly mild and nowhere near as strong as I was anticipating it to be, but it provides a nice kick to the overall flavor without it being in your face.

As I mentioned earlier, a braggot is one of the last styles of beer that I would've expected from Leinenkugel's. With that said, I think they nailed it as far as the style goes and putting their own spin on both the type of honey and rye used in the brewing process helps out a great deal. I'm hoping the braggot enjoys the same type of resurgence of popularity as the Gose-style has been experiencing as of late.

Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Royal Nektar - 9/10