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Hotter Than Helles Lager
Cigar City Brewing


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Cigar City Brewing
- Florida, United States
- Style:
- Helles
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 81
- Avg:
- 3.59 | pDev: 12.53%
- Reviews:
- 114
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- May 22, 2021
- Added:
- Sep 28, 2011
- Wants:
- 37
- Gots:
- 132
SCORE
81
Good
81
Good


Notes:
Our Munich Lager is a nod to the thirst quenching lagers of Germany. Our Helles has a sweet malt expression that is balanced by floral bitterness from the use of German Hallertaur Mittelfruh hops. A very refreshing beer that will also entice you by its subtle complexity and drinkability.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by Newbeergeek1 from Maine
3.02/5 rDev -15.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.02/5 rDev -15.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Not my style but just wanted to try it. For something who likes this style it would like rate higher than mine.
Aug 04, 2019Reviewed by Dragginballs76 from South Carolina
3.34/5 rDev -7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.34/5 rDev -7%
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.
Jun 04, 2016Smell - 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.
Reviewed by PhilsPils from Texas
3.71/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev +3.3%
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.
May 04, 2016Reviewed by bubseymour from Maryland
4.22/5 rDev +17.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev +17.5%
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.
Apr 07, 2016Reviewed by JamesBondGA from Georgia
3.85/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +7.2%
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.
Apr 05, 2016Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio
3.28/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.28/5 rDev -8.6%
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.
Apr 02, 2016Freshly cracked black pepper and a fresh hop nose.
Tangy lemon and cheese flavors.
Crisp and refreshing.
Rated by ThisWangsChung from Maryland
3.35/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.35/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.35/5: No real standout flavors here, but the crisp lightness is almost exemplary
Feb 17, 2016Reviewed by mothmanscott from Georgia
3.84/5 rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.84/5 rDev +7%
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.
Feb 17, 2016Rated by ParnellJoseph1138 from Minnesota
3.79/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
golden blonde, lightly carbonated, nice malt body, some lemon character and nice crisp light taste.
Jan 24, 2016Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida
4.21/5 rDev +17.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +17.3%
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...
Jan 17, 2016Although 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...
Reviewed by delta490 from Virginia
3.85/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +7.2%
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.
Jan 10, 2016
Hotter Than Helles Lager from Cigar City Brewing
Beer rating:
81 out of
100 with
813 ratings
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