Helles
Bierstadt Lagerhaus

 

Received a couple of 16oz cans from @atl6245 on 4-25-26 while hanging out at Good Word Brewing in Duluth, GA. Canned 3-17-26; consumed 4-29-26. Cold stored since received.

Beer poured clear gold with a very nice white head with a touch of carbonation feeding the head post pour.

Nose has notes of crackers along with some herbal hopping.

Taste is a clean crackery pale malt base that is expertly hopped by herbal hops that leave it balanced and with an appropriate black pepper spiciness on the back of the palate.

Mouthfeel is light bodied and very crisp and clean,

Overall, another world class example of a pale lager from Bierstadt. This Helles is among the best i've experienced!

 

 

Crisp, clean, refreshing, slight sweetness, hint of malt, viscous mouthfeel. Every sip leaves you coming back for more.

 

 

Poured a constantly carbonating yellow-straw gold that seemed to leave a quarter-finger head the whole drink and lace ring down the glass. The aroma has a mild graininess to it along with some sweet malts as well (almost grassy like a pils). Smooth, clean, slightly sticky sweet malt presence and really easy to drink (too easy). Beer is well balanced with, to summarize, an herbal and grassy light hoppiness and a mild dryness mixing with a sweet edge and then clean, clear finish that is relaxing and "makes" you keep drinking.

 

 

Appearance: Brilliantly clear gold, white frothy head with good retention.

Aroma: Floral hops, cracker-like malt

Flavor: Spicy hops, cracker-like malt, semi-sweet, restrained bitterness

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, soft yet drying. Short clean finish.

Overall: Super Helles. Beautiful beer visually. Head develops nicely but retention was moderate . All elements are well balanced. Has an amazingly soft mouth-feel that gives a sweet impression to the malt profile but finishes nice and dry. No hint of stickiness or mouth-coating sweetness at all. Finish is clean and dry. Superior drinking beer, not many better.

4/17/26 update: Got hold of a very fresh batch and holy cow is this impressive. Holds its own with its German counter parts. Revised my ratings. World class.

16 ounce can - $4.25 at Woodstock Beer Market in Woodstock, Georgia.

03.05.24.

Appearance: Pours a light golden body with noted clarity and a tall, airy, white head.

Smell: Pils malt, a little dehydrated graininess and soft breadiness alongside some spicy-minded noble type hops.

Taste: Lightly bready, grainy, sweet pilsner maltiness. A little spiciness from the hops, very (very) little bitterness showing leaving the lager to easily finish dry and rather clean.

Mouthfeel: Light-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Overall: Deftly crafted with care. Still, I would take just a slight skosh more hop flavor and a razor-thin sliver more of a bitterness.

 

Sweet and light honey-bready malts and a light lemony citrus nose on this one! Taste follows with a well-balanced, light, and clean bready malty and hint of citrus bitter soft finish! Damn! This is so crushable and clean that it goes down way too fast! I could drink this all day! Fantastic Helles!

 

16oz can. Poured out a clear, golden yellow color with a small, white head of fluffy foam. It left sudsy lacing on the glass. It smelled of biscuity malt, bread crust and caramel. Great bready taste with caramel, toffee and a light bitterness.

With a helles, there’s nowhere to hide. Served in a mug with a thick cap of foam. Amazing clarity. Bierstadt hits the appearance and experience on the head. Crisp, clear, with just a whisper of a hoppy kiss on the finish.

 

Crystal clear with a straw color. I could easily read a book through the thickest portion of my glass. Small head which settles quickly to rim bubbles and leaves no lace.

The smell is half grainy and half (very pale) malty. It would be very easy for flaws to show up here, but none do. Pretty much spot on for a Helles.

Light in the body as would be expected. Extensive carbonation with is a bit high for the style, The flavor more dry malty than grainy, but both are present. There's some stone fruit notes like peach or apricot. The finish, though, remains dry with a touch of hop bitterness. Short aftertaste overall, appropriate for the style.

Had on tap at the brewery

On arrival a beautiful fine 2 finger of head with very nice retention was present. A brilliant straw yellow body with plenty of super fine carbonation was present. Over a coupleinutes the head loses 1cm and becomes rocky. Lacing forms. This is a great looking beer that just shines in the light.

Smell is a pale German lager that flat and crispy lager fermentation note is present with a sweet bready malt note held up by a light herbal citrusy hop note.

Taste follows the aroma but is very very clean with a bready malt that builds after a light noble hop bitterness fades from first impressions. The hop bitterness rebuilds on the finish for a balanced beer. Not very sweet, but rather quite bready.

Feel is drinkable like any good pale lager should be, but this is full yet maintains a certain dryness on the finish. Not a light lager by any means but just as crispy as one.

Overall, if this beer was cheap it would be the best of all time, but for a helles this is pretty damn good. Carries everything a German lager should but is just that much maltier and more drinkable than a pils.