Hotter Than Helles Lager | Cigar City Brewing

3.34/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours - semi transparent golden color, white head that quickly dissipates no lacing.

Smell - Sweet malts, little bit of orange peel, bready smell.

Taste - Pretty sweet malts flavor, mild biscuit and yeast flavors. Slightly floral flavors with a little orange.

Feel - light well carbonated very refreshing.

Overall - Well I am not a big lager drinker but this was pretty good for what it is.

★ 394 characters

3.71/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

From a can into a pint glass at Cork and Stogie, Key West. Pours with a pretty golden clarity. Not much head, just a bit of quickly-fading froth. Plenty of hops, maybe too much for a Helles. Or maybe just needs more malt. Could pass as a Pils as easily as a Helles but very pleasant to drink on a VERY hot Key West day. Won't seek it out but wasn't at all disappointed.

★ 379 characters

4.22/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Uggh, Just noticed the canned date is 11/7 and drinking on 4/7 (5 months old). Look is somewhat lackluster. No head at all. I do like the smell though. Lots of nice bready and grassy aromas in there. Taste is nice as well. Sweet and bready with the Euro malts/hop flavors I like. Nice body. Overall, I really wish I could get this one again a little fresher. Even 5 months old its still a solid German lager. Will try to revisit again with a fresher one and adjust my ratings.

★ 486 characters

3.85/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

pours a cloudy gold, yellow in color with a nice 1 inch white head. Notes of Citrus, lemongrass on the nose. Taste is of the lemongrass, hops that is refreshing to drink. I am not usually a lager drinker but I keep hearing great things about Cigar City Brewing so while in Florida I picked this up.

★ 299 characters

3.28/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Cloudy light yellow, with a moderate white head.

Freshly cracked black pepper and a fresh hop nose.

Tangy lemon and cheese flavors.

Crisp and refreshing.

★ 156 characters

3.84/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a clear deep straw yellow with a nice 2 finger, fluffy, white head notes & webs of lace. Aroma is sweet bready grains, lemon & grass. Taste is bready malt with with a hint of wheat, honey, aggressive lemon & grass notes finishing with a pleasant Noble hops bitterness. Very clean, crisp & drinkable.

★ 305 characters

4.21/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

My second offering from Cigar City and it did not disappoint. It is, by far, the best lager I have had in quite some time, if not ever.

Although I wasn't much impressed by it's looks, other than the nice clear, golden color, it's head has little to no staying power even after a hard-pour. I noted a citrusy scent to the beer and it was very, very crisp, making it a drinkable beer in the heat. What most impressed me though was it's taste. To me, it was a wheat beer without the cloudiness. The crispness, the distant sweetness, and the easy "down-ability" of the beer is simply amazing. Another good one from Cigar City...

★ 633 characters

3.85/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Deep clear gold with steady carbonation. There isn't much head and it doesn't leave any laci no. The aroma is biscuits and grass, not funky grass but a clean crisp aroma. The taste is stronger and malt-forward, with bread and a little lighter fruit sweetness. The body is lighter but not watery with a nice crisp finish.

★ 320 characters

3.62/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Gold in color with exceptional clarity. A faint wisp of off white is barely present on top. Faint odor of light bready malt is present. I taste light sourdough notes and just a hint of bittering hops in the fade. The body is very light, clean, and refreshing.

★ 263 characters

3.73/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Had this one while touring the brewery in tampa. The name is dumb, no offense. It makes it seem like it's a pepper flavored beer. It's not. It's good, refreshing and has a nice German lager taste. I'd get this again as it's easy drinking.

★ 238 characters

4.02/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This is my go-to for beer at the beach. Comes in a can, check. Light and refreshing, check. Perfect session drinking, check.

This isn't going to be something you drink on a Saturday night at a bar, or pub, or even with a nice dinner (unless BBQ by the pool). This is a crisp, sweet, drinkable beer with enough of a grain flavor to keep your interest. But not overly complex to make you really think about this beer. Seriously, I'm at the beach and listening to the waves, not contemplating the aroma or look of this beer.

★ 522 characters

3.82/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

A great tradition helles, something most people on beer advocate know nothing about. It's a lighter profile than pils (baby pils) great for a hot summer day. I feel the bitterness is a little light and the malt character is also a tad on the lighter side for a helles. I feel this beer would benifit from a decoction to bring a more malty carmel profile without rasing the ABV and darken the beer to a more golden color. It poors a little light on color. A decoction and a little more assertive noble hop profile would make this a near perfect beer.

★ 549 characters

3.6/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Yellow to gold. Drank from can so no clear head and aromas were muted. Had enough hop bite to be noticeable. Refreshing, clean and crisp. A decent lager.

★ 158 characters

3.5/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A really good lager. Has a good sweet and malty bite to it. I get some hops on the back of the tongue. Definitely one of the better lagers i have had.

★ 153 characters

3.38/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle. Code date on can was illegible. Appearance: Light golden and clear, with a moderate white head. Aroma: Bready malt with faint spicy hop. Taste: Sweet, doughy malt with just enough hop bitterness to balance. Slight hint of some vegetal DMS on the backside. Mouthfeel: Light body with a crisp carbonation. Finish: Sweet maltiness lingers, while the bitterness quickly fades away. Overall: Really refreshing Helles. Malt character is bit more sweet than other versions of the style

★ 491 characters

3.59/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Light orange, 1/2 inch white head that disasters quickly, no lacing

S: Malty, orange, slight hoppiness

T: Really malty, I get the orange flavor, floral hoppiness at the end

M: Light, crisp, dry

O: A good lager. Definitely a change up from the widely available American lagers. First I've had of this style and from a great brewery. I look forward to more from cigar city.

★ 383 characters

3.48/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A: poured from a 12 oz can into a pint glass, straw colored with a white head that dissipates quickly leaving little lacing, clear

S: grassy, slight sweet grain, peppery hops

T: light flavors of sweet grains, pale malt is prevalent, slight spice of hops as the finish dries

M: light and crisp

O: good for hot summer, refreshing

★ 331 characters

3.75/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Cigar city came highly recommended by a friend. Must say, I was slightly disappointed. Good beer...great at nothing. Glad i tried it, but will keep it moving.

★ 158 characters

3.26/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a freshness dated 12 oz. can: bright and clear with light golden hue with sustained foamy head.

This is a good representation of the style with perhaps a little to much fruity flavors for a lager. Very refreshing, lemony flavor with a hint of vanilla. No harsh metallic flavors sometimes found in attempts at this style.

Thirst quenching and quaffable for a hot day.

★ 382 characters

4.92/5  rDev +35.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Slightly sweeter and lighter than most helles lagers i've had. I find it more session friendly. Taste is of fresh grain, with a slight and mellow hop bitterness. Somehow, the flavor and mouthfeel remind me of fresh coconut water, in the best possible way.

★ 257 characters

3.32/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

I picked up a can of this as part of a limited release.

Pours a bright golden hue with a thin head into my glass. Looks like it hits the right notes there.

Sweet and grainy malt greet the nose. Simple and hopefully tasty.

Right on cue with the sweet and grainy malt.

Finishes clean with a flowery essence, despite the lack of actual spices.

Easy drinking beer that works, whether you're mowing lawns in FL or mowing lawns during Vermont's short, but sweet summer.

★ 470 characters

3.84/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pale golden-yellow body, minimally hazed, with a thin, wispy, white head.

Smell: Pils malt, quickly toasted breadiness, cereal-hinted honeyish accent, a thin whiff of sulphur and a bit of herby hops.

Taste: Semi-sweet pilsner maltiness with a bit of deeper breadiness. Slight honeyish vibe. Lightly fruity. Soft herbal quality to the hops, subtly bitter. Remains slightly sweetish on the close.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation.

Overall: Nicely refreshing option.

★ 495 characters

4.29/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Beautiful white-gold flaxen color; furious columnar effervescence in the center of the Sierra Nevada tulip-pint; nice, dusty-ash white ring of foam forms the head; decently robust dry-malt, strawberry-&-banana, orange-flower, and yeast-fruit bouquet arises from deep inhalation; fairly crisp, very smooth, well-bodied and mild flavors of a wheaty-sweetness—almost creamy—with prevalent notes of grass producing an almost acrid, nonetheless pleasant light bitterness that lingers alongside the residual agua-miel characteristics that melt away. A definite thirst-quencher—along the lines of Ska's Mexican Logger—that would work quite well with hot foods or under hot suns. Not the most complex of lagers—nor, like many a lager, does it warm particularly well—but it very much seems to achieve Cigar City's stated goals: an effective nod and effectively refreshing and consumable.

★ 892 characters

3.49/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

LOOK: Clear straw yellow beer with a white head that recedes to a fine film.

AROMA: Grains, pilsner malts, pungent noble hops, slight lemon, slight skunk, I am assuming Tettenager hops are used.

TASTE: Hoppier than a standard Helles lager, herb and citrus play with a grainy malt flavor. Husk, earthiness, bitterness and some lemon like notes. Pretty solid flavor.

FEEL: Light to medium bodied, but ample carbonation and firm crisp finish. Grain and hop oils linger on.

OVERALL: A pretty solid, crisp Helles Lager, reminds me more of a Pilsner due to the hop flavor. Drinkable and quenching, just don't pour it into a pint glass and leave it out in the Florida sun.

★ 677 characters

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Poured from the can into a shaker pint at the FL condo. Clear yellow-gold body with a foamy white head. No lacing. Aroma is grain, grass, a bit of spice, and light malt. Taste is floral and grassy with a touch of noble hop spice. Some cereal sweetness to the backbone. Medium-light body, just barely creamy texture, above average carbonation, and a grassy bitter finish.

★ 370 characters