Smoked Helles Lager
Town Hall Brewery

 

This golden beer has a nice, clean grain aroma (sweet grain and a touch of light toast) to it up front, but this starts to yield to a smoky malt character that adds a richness to this brew. The smoke is light smelling but quite savory and almost seems like an apple-wood like smoke character; this has a salty smoke but also a fruity note to it at times.

The beer feels light as it first hits my tongue, but it picks up a savory richness to it as it slides across the tongue. The full smoke character of this beer doesn't get in the way of the pale malt grain notes that should be the center point of a Helles. Malt flavors of lightly sweet grain, pale biscuit notes and a nice, subtle, toasty edge towards the finish. This is extremely quaffable with just a hint of hop bitterness in the finish; the bitterness has to compete with the more noticeable smoke character, but it has, perhaps, a bit more longevity than the smoke in the finish.

I would love to drink this by the liter. It is a fantastic combination of base beer Helles characteristics and smoke malt. Neither is too dominating over the other and together they work to bring an extra flavorful balance.

A- Light yellow gold color with a thin white head.

S- Very smoky some normal hells nose in there but its in the background.

T- Smoky but nice a good taste that balances the normal hells with smoke. Probably the best smoked beer that has this light of a flavor set paired with the smoke nice.

M- Good thickness and activity.

D- Very drinkable its a good beer. And a nice way to test the style.

This beer is a pale golden color. The head is half an inch high, and leaves nice rings of lacing. The aroma is smokey, but not overpoweringly so. There is some nice bacon, and underlying bistucty malt. The taste is full of malt, and smoke with a hint of spicy hops. The mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium bodied with lively carbonation, and a velvety texture. Overall, this is a very interesting beer. I could easily drink this on a regular basis.

What are they smoking at Town Hall? Oh, yeah, Helles lager. Not surprising, to see them brew one, as this was the first bar to tap a keg of the Acht Schenkerla version when it came around.

Clear, yellow look, under a nice 1/4" of foam.

Aroma is clean, grainy, with only a hint of smoke. Though it gets louder the more you drink it in through the nose.

Silky smooth on the tongue, with the smoke riding sidesaddle, blazing a path through the palate. Texture gets grainier, gritter, but the mouthfeel remains easy-going. Long finish. Exceptionally drinkable. Good and creamy almost, before the smoke roars back.

Nice one.

On-tap at the brewpub: Clear lemony yellow with a samll starchy white topping of foam. Bits and spots of lacing stick across the glass.

Aroma is light of biscuity crisp and clean malts with a slight Pils spice mixed with a light smoked malt noting.

Taste is quite a nice little surprise, the smokey malt gains more charachter as you familiarize yourself with its palate and as it warms. Its a wonderful Helles lager that lends itself to a good German style with a clean, crisp biscuity quick malt sweetness and slight pils spice. The smokeyness has a nice layer that fits/blends well and isn't either too little or too much for the balance of the beer.

Feel is crisp, clean, and a firm medium body with a bit of malty chewy tone in its sweet biscuity nature mixed with a well balanced smokey twang that adds another fun layer of complexity and interest.

Summer growler worthy and very drinkable! A fun and yummy surprise to go with my lunch today!

Very pale. Very clear. Apple juice like appearance. It looks like a macro. I've got a feeling it will smell and taste a little different though. And this beer leaves more lace than a macro has ever wet dreamed about. I love the way the smokiness blends in with the cracker like malt aromas in this beer. The smoke aroma is strong enough without being too strong. On the palate, I find the same deal. Smoke is there. It's not too weak. Not too strong. The pils like malt base with cracker and bready tones meshes nicely with the smoke. Lightly carbonated and close to medium bodied. This is a great refreshing kind of beer with a lot of character. I love a good Helles Lager and I love a good Smoked beer. This blends the best of both worlds.

And the ZAPONATOR rules. Thanks for the effort in picking this up.

Pours a clear yellow golden color with a decent amount of foam and light lacing. Aroma of smoked malts followed by a bittersweet maltiness. Taste is slightly sweet up front, somewhat dry and bitter in the middle, and a big smoke flavor on the swallow. Aftertaste has the most smoke character. Good carbonation, refreshing, crisp, and would go perfectly with some BBQ.