Lukas
Thornbridge Brewery
- From:
- Thornbridge Brewery
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- Helles
Ranked #363 - ABV:
- 4.2%
- Score:
- 82
Ranked #35,264 - Avg:
- 3.39 | pDev: 14.16%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 27, 2026
- Added:
- Jul 05, 2016
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
Light gold in colour, Lukas is a crisp, Bavarian-style Helles. Traditionally lagered and brewed with all Bavarian ingredients, the resulting beer is the very definition of elegant simplicity and finesse.
Hops: Hallertau.
Hops: Hallertau.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark
3.41/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
3.41/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
Copenhagen 13/4 2019. 33 cl bottle from Kihoskh, Sønder Blvd., Kbh V. Thornbridges usual design with a statue fixing her hair this time on a blue and red.
Pours unclear pale yellow with a small white head. Settles as thin, almost transparent layer of foam unable to cover the surface of the beer. Moderate lacing.
Aroma is malty sweet and a little perfumed. Sweet pale malts, hay, bread. Fresh grassy bitterness rummaging in the background. Lightly acidic and a little perfumed.
Medium strong carbonation. Slightly thick, lightly prickly texture.
Flavor has medium strong sweetness. Followed by a medium strong bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter sweet with a little overweight to the bitter side. A little dry in the finish. Lingers for a bit.
Quite well balanced Helles - even though I would suspect that many connoisseurs would find it a bit too bitter.
Oct 25, 2025Pours unclear pale yellow with a small white head. Settles as thin, almost transparent layer of foam unable to cover the surface of the beer. Moderate lacing.
Aroma is malty sweet and a little perfumed. Sweet pale malts, hay, bread. Fresh grassy bitterness rummaging in the background. Lightly acidic and a little perfumed.
Medium strong carbonation. Slightly thick, lightly prickly texture.
Flavor has medium strong sweetness. Followed by a medium strong bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter sweet with a little overweight to the bitter side. A little dry in the finish. Lingers for a bit.
Quite well balanced Helles - even though I would suspect that many connoisseurs would find it a bit too bitter.
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois
3.46/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
3.46/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
I'm less enthusiastic about Lukas than I am about Thornbridge's 5 ales I've tried. My lower rating is mostly because Thornbridge didn't stick to its knitting: taking traditional British recipes and modernising them with more hops. This strategy has been hugely successful for Thornbridge, now 20 years old and highly influential in triggering the micro-revolution in Britain. With several brewpubs, Thornbridge also was voted Britain's best brewer in 2022 and has won some 350 awards and is distributed in 30 countries. And they are good guys, giving back to the community... increasingly larger. So I give Thornbridge very good Overall Hugs and wish them continuing influence on Britain's crafters.
But Lukas might be a lesson to stick to one's knitting. Lukas Looks average; a pretty clear golden, but needs lasting foam from a lager yeast. (After 1 minute, Lukas Looked like chardonnay.) Smells improve with some floral hops, but more malt depth would help the next release. Tastes are balanced, but again depth will help. Almost medium-mouthed; fewer bubbles is how Lukas gets soft... as opposed to the typical Helles arriving soft despite more bubbles.
Thornbridge seems to be pushing Lukas on their website. But an ale will be my next Thornbridge repeat.
Oct 03, 2025But Lukas might be a lesson to stick to one's knitting. Lukas Looks average; a pretty clear golden, but needs lasting foam from a lager yeast. (After 1 minute, Lukas Looked like chardonnay.) Smells improve with some floral hops, but more malt depth would help the next release. Tastes are balanced, but again depth will help. Almost medium-mouthed; fewer bubbles is how Lukas gets soft... as opposed to the typical Helles arriving soft despite more bubbles.
Thornbridge seems to be pushing Lukas on their website. But an ale will be my next Thornbridge repeat.
Reviewed by rex_4539 from Greece
2.89/5 rDev -14.7%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.89/5 rDev -14.7%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
L: Quite clear golden color, half finger white head, ok lacing, light carbonation. Well, a lager.
S: Malts, yeast.
T: Malts, yeast. A lager...
F: Medium bodied, mildly flavored.
O: Typical lager.
Dec 31, 2020S: Malts, yeast.
T: Malts, yeast. A lager...
F: Medium bodied, mildly flavored.
O: Typical lager.
Reviewed by vinicole from England
3.66/5 rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.66/5 rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle. Straw colour. Effervescent. Thin bubbly head.
Aroma of cereal and light citrus.
Some mild bready malt appears upon tasting. Mild bitter completion.
Well carbonated. Medium body.
Better than most Euro lagers.
Oct 13, 2018Aroma of cereal and light citrus.
Some mild bready malt appears upon tasting. Mild bitter completion.
Well carbonated. Medium body.
Better than most Euro lagers.
Reviewed by FLima from Brazil
3.09/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.09/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Yellow color with a thin thick head.
Fresh aroma with notes of pale malt, lemon drops, bread with butter and grains.
Flavor with notes of malt juice, honey, orange -lemon citrusy, floral hops and some herbaceous. Dry aftertaste with a mild to medium bitterness.
Light body with appropriate carbonation of the tiniest bubbles.
Mild and easy to drink Helles. No big thrills and nothing to outstand from that crowd.
Oct 31, 2017Fresh aroma with notes of pale malt, lemon drops, bread with butter and grains.
Flavor with notes of malt juice, honey, orange -lemon citrusy, floral hops and some herbaceous. Dry aftertaste with a mild to medium bitterness.
Light body with appropriate carbonation of the tiniest bubbles.
Mild and easy to drink Helles. No big thrills and nothing to outstand from that crowd.
Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England
3.74/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Bottled and I should imagine unfiltered
Pours a ever so slightly hazy golden body with decent enough white head
Cornbread aroma
So that's there in the flavour with a little semolina
Good body
Jun 29, 2017Pours a ever so slightly hazy golden body with decent enough white head
Cornbread aroma
So that's there in the flavour with a little semolina
Good body
Reviewed by Spike from England
3.17/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
3.17/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
From a 330ml bottle.
Clear, very pale gold with myriad streams of micro bubbles that form a foamy, three finger head that last to the end.
Grainy but clean smell. No unpleasant notes.
Taste is herbal and lemony but very sweet.
Moderate level of carbonation. Pleasant, slightly oily mouthfeel with a long, clean, bitter finish.
Solid craft lager. Far too sweet for me though.
Jul 05, 2016Clear, very pale gold with myriad streams of micro bubbles that form a foamy, three finger head that last to the end.
Grainy but clean smell. No unpleasant notes.
Taste is herbal and lemony but very sweet.
Moderate level of carbonation. Pleasant, slightly oily mouthfeel with a long, clean, bitter finish.
Solid craft lager. Far too sweet for me though.
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