Look, I know I have a habit of harping on this point, but truth be told, I have a problem with the American beer geek movement today. Not that they love good beer, of course, I certainly do too. It’s just that there’s a tendency these days to demand that a beer whack you over the head with hops and malt to be considered amongst the best thee brewing world has to offer.

I take issue with that. There are lots of beers out there that are much more subtle in their approach, yet equally sublime in their appeal. A massive beer is better at hiding flaws in the brewing process; lighter ones are less forgiving. With a simpler brew, everything has to come off perfectly, or the show’s off, so to speak.

One of my favorite lighter bodied beer styles is Munich Helles. This style, originated in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, is the showcase for soft yet crisp malt. Lots of brewers in America love to throw hops at a brew and call it a day; far fewer can produce a truly respectable gentle malty lager. For my money, the best examples of Munich Helles come from, well, Munich.

Case in point: Hacker Pschorr Munich Gold, a Helles lager from one of Bavaria’s oldest breweries. While it’s true Hacker Pschorr is now a part of the Paulaner group, that’s OK. Paulaner is an old Bavarian brewery too, and while partially owned by Dutch Heineken these days, it’s still slightly more than half German.

Hacker Pschorr Munich Gold pours to a pale yellow color with a light, fizzy, and short-lived head formation. The nose is all malt, sweet, seductive, soft crisp malt to be precise. Taking a sip, the palate is much the same, as that soft, delicate yet crisp maltiness that is the hallmark of a Munich Helles is here in abundance. The finish is lightly sweet, a bit attenuated with a very gentle herbal grassy hop character, but even here the malt dominates, and the hops are merely an afterthought.

The only downside is that this beer is drinkable, dangerously drinkable. At 5.5% alcohol by volume, it’s about average for a pale lager, but it can add up if you drink a few bottles, which you likely will. This one is just too good to sip slowly, and it’s very moreish indeed. I love it, and find it to be a perfect summer brew, a soft malty lager that’s superb in its simplicity. My bottle is stamped with a “Best by” date of August 2011; I’m a month shy of that date and the beer seems as fresh as if it just left the brewery.

Not to be missed.

   

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 

 

 



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