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Hofbräu Original
Hofbräuhaus München


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Hofbräuhaus München
- Germany
- Style:
- Helles
Ranked #119 - ABV:
- 5.1%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #20,131 - Avg:
- 3.82 | pDev: 12.83%
- Reviews:
- 608
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 23, 2023
- Added:
- Mar 19, 2002
- Wants:
- 103
- Gots:
- 457
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good


Notes:
None
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by Beerguy2726
4.4/5 rDev +15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.4/5 rDev +15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
An excellent example of a classic Munich style beer. Widely available mass produced and still excellent. Smooth finish
May 08, 2023Reviewed by txaudiophile from Texas
3.94/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bought a six pack to have some with a friend that usually only drinks lagers. Great flavor, smell, and body for a Helles, and it is wonderful on a hot day. When I had it on draft at Hofbrau Haus in Munich it tasted better, of course, but it is still good out of the bottle.
May 05, 2023Reviewed by Mr_Brown from Pennsylvania
4.25/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap in Englischer Garten. Very nice. It's like a Pilsner Urquell of Bayerischer Hell. They must use the same hops. It has higher carbonation than Pilsener Urquell, not that dry and served not that cold. Like pislner urquell from Tank more.
Apr 27, 2023Reviewed by chum_husk from Minnesota
3.21/5 rDev -16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.25
3.21/5 rDev -16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.25
11.2oz'er
Very clear, with small head and lace. Smell is lightly sweet and malty. The taste is light and crisp, sweet but not overly so, with a surprising amount of spice and hops... But also very skunky
Too light, I'd rather have any other Hofbrau brew
Apr 18, 2023Very clear, with small head and lace. Smell is lightly sweet and malty. The taste is light and crisp, sweet but not overly so, with a surprising amount of spice and hops... But also very skunky
Too light, I'd rather have any other Hofbrau brew
Rated by LukeGude from Iowa
3.95/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
3.95/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Bottle enjoyed during Settlers of Catan. So drinkable but with a hint of German flavor.
Apr 09, 2023Reviewed by Troy-Hawaii from Hawaii
4/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bought a 6-pack 11.2oz bottles $13.99 Whole Foods
L 312V 11:32 stamped on bottle so I think that is 11/2/2022 so 131 days old.
Smell of grains
Clear golden color
Medium mouthfeel
Medium-high carbonation
Taste of malts, light hops bitterness, clean tasting
Overall a great example of German beer. Straightforward, nothing fancy, just good beer.
Mar 20, 2023L 312V 11:32 stamped on bottle so I think that is 11/2/2022 so 131 days old.
Smell of grains
Clear golden color
Medium mouthfeel
Medium-high carbonation
Taste of malts, light hops bitterness, clean tasting
Overall a great example of German beer. Straightforward, nothing fancy, just good beer.
Reviewed by Tartasky from Maryland
4.93/5 rDev +29.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.93/5 rDev +29.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
I’ve been looking, looking, looking for a real deal German lager. Tried a number of “export” German lagers. A recent review of prior German lager reviews led me to Hofbrau Original. Just have to tell the reader, if you’re looking for the “vom fass” taste that you experienced in Germany, look no further. To me, this is the most genuine German lager I’ve had in the US. I’ll definitely be buying more.
Mar 10, 2023Reviewed by Zyphoid from New Zealand
4.95/5 rDev +29.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.95/5 rDev +29.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
A fantastic looking beer , pours a clear straw color with a two finger head, however that soon dissipated rather quickly.
On the nose is immediate bread with a hint of black pepper the Munich malts stand out here.
The taste follows the nose somewhat and has a nice subtle sweetness to it with a slight bitterness to balance in the finish.
Mouthfeel here is not full bodied and i found it quite thin , but i feel it suits the beer in question.
This is a great beer and certainly in my opinion the best of "the big 6" .
Knocking back 5 or 6 of these would cause no problem whatsoever, unfortunately it is starting to get rather expensive in and around Australasia. that said, a solid solid helles and one i highly recommend , good as it gets really.
Feb 24, 2023On the nose is immediate bread with a hint of black pepper the Munich malts stand out here.
The taste follows the nose somewhat and has a nice subtle sweetness to it with a slight bitterness to balance in the finish.
Mouthfeel here is not full bodied and i found it quite thin , but i feel it suits the beer in question.
This is a great beer and certainly in my opinion the best of "the big 6" .
Knocking back 5 or 6 of these would cause no problem whatsoever, unfortunately it is starting to get rather expensive in and around Australasia. that said, a solid solid helles and one i highly recommend , good as it gets really.
Rated by JustinUbes from Pennsylvania
3.47/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
3.47/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
My favorite beer to drink for events. Great lager taste, very easy drinking. Prime German beer.
Feb 15, 2023Reviewed by ramseye4 from Virginia
4.28/5 rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.28/5 rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
A- Poured into my Hofbrau half liter stein (what else!). Golden color, great head that goes away fairly quickly.
S- bready malt, some biscuit, light hippiness
T- caramel, butter, a bit of floral goodness, with some oily bitterness coming through in the end.
M- Perfectly carbonated and full for a Helles
O- I’ll freely admit my judgement may be clouded by the lunch I had 14 years ago at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. I had this and the dunkel with white sausages and it was an incredible experience. Regardless of my lofty views of it it’s a really realy good lager. Can’t hold it’s own against a solid dopplebock but it’s great against the rest.
Feb 04, 2023S- bready malt, some biscuit, light hippiness
T- caramel, butter, a bit of floral goodness, with some oily bitterness coming through in the end.
M- Perfectly carbonated and full for a Helles
O- I’ll freely admit my judgement may be clouded by the lunch I had 14 years ago at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. I had this and the dunkel with white sausages and it was an incredible experience. Regardless of my lofty views of it it’s a really realy good lager. Can’t hold it’s own against a solid dopplebock but it’s great against the rest.
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania
4.2/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.2/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hofbräu Original from Hofbräu München. Six-pack of 11.2 oz bottles on room temperature shelf from Franklin Beer, Franklin, on 02/01/23. $12.50 (Including tax) = $ 0.186/oz. Stored at home at 42 degrees. Reviewed 07/01/23. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Rear label stamped “L 243V 08:45”. Served at 50.1 degrees in a hand washed and dried Kitzinger half liter dimpled mug. The final temperature was 54.8 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Straw (SRM 3), clear.
Body – Pale Gold (SRM 4), clear. Under direct light, same.
Head – HUGE (Maximum 7.5 cm, aggressive center pour), white, high density, quickly diminishing to a 0.5 – 1.5 cm frothy crown and a partial cap.
Lacing – Good! Irregular pieces of three-dimensional foam hang on the glass as the head recedes. A three-dimensional band of bubbles of all sizes connects to the head and produces multiple stalactites.
Aroma – 4 – Bready malt and a bit of grain, light hops, no yeast.
Flavor – 4.5 – Begins slightly sweet and the flavor follows the nose – bready malt, grain, hops, no yeast. No ethanol (5.1 % ABV as marked on labels). Ends just bitter enough to balance the initial sweetness. No gastric burning occurs. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4 – Medium, dry, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4 A beautiful beer – looks like an advertising photo! Aroma, taste, and palate are all near-perfect!
Jan 07, 2023Rear label stamped “L 243V 08:45”. Served at 50.1 degrees in a hand washed and dried Kitzinger half liter dimpled mug. The final temperature was 54.8 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Straw (SRM 3), clear.
Body – Pale Gold (SRM 4), clear. Under direct light, same.
Head – HUGE (Maximum 7.5 cm, aggressive center pour), white, high density, quickly diminishing to a 0.5 – 1.5 cm frothy crown and a partial cap.
Lacing – Good! Irregular pieces of three-dimensional foam hang on the glass as the head recedes. A three-dimensional band of bubbles of all sizes connects to the head and produces multiple stalactites.
Aroma – 4 – Bready malt and a bit of grain, light hops, no yeast.
Flavor – 4.5 – Begins slightly sweet and the flavor follows the nose – bready malt, grain, hops, no yeast. No ethanol (5.1 % ABV as marked on labels). Ends just bitter enough to balance the initial sweetness. No gastric burning occurs. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4 – Medium, dry, soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4 A beautiful beer – looks like an advertising photo! Aroma, taste, and palate are all near-perfect!
Reviewed by davidward from Florida
4/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A classic German Helles. Very good for the style. It has a very handsome appearance with dark copper overtones and a nice white lacing. Beautiful nose with malty toffee texture to the tongue.
Jan 01, 2023Rated by BeerKegger
4.11/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.11/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Tasted in Munich Airport, Germany
Dec 28, 2022Reviewed by pizzabutt from Maryland
3.7/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.7/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
appearance: perfectly clear golden pour with a pure white head that's very foamy. starts medium tall, but quickly simmers down to a beautiful ring around the top. very slight clouds of head remain within the ring. lacing is moderate.
smell: bready malt, slight hints of grass and floral hops. very simple and classic.
taste: sweet, but not cloyingly so. almost like a rye spice, but not as sharp. the primary flavor is water crackers topped with honey, backed up with hints of lemon zest and floral hops. very very slight bitterness to round out everything.
feel: crisp, clean, just the right amount of carbonation. very refreshing and easy to drink.
overall: just a very solid lager. it's crisp, sweet, malty, and lightly hoppy. i bought a pack of this to give it a try, and had to immediately buy another because i went through the first one so quick! this is the beer to bring to a hangout when you want something a little more flavorful than a typical american macro brew.
Dec 16, 2022smell: bready malt, slight hints of grass and floral hops. very simple and classic.
taste: sweet, but not cloyingly so. almost like a rye spice, but not as sharp. the primary flavor is water crackers topped with honey, backed up with hints of lemon zest and floral hops. very very slight bitterness to round out everything.
feel: crisp, clean, just the right amount of carbonation. very refreshing and easy to drink.
overall: just a very solid lager. it's crisp, sweet, malty, and lightly hoppy. i bought a pack of this to give it a try, and had to immediately buy another because i went through the first one so quick! this is the beer to bring to a hangout when you want something a little more flavorful than a typical american macro brew.
Rated by Jaybirdsbeer from Ohio
3.61/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.61/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Tasted like a full-bodied lager.
Dec 11, 2022Reviewed by Dr_Gonzo from Kentucky
4.18/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a tall clear pint glass. Appearance is a clear gold, decently sized white head with decent retention and good lacing.
Aroma: fresh bread, baked bread malts, grain, herbal and hoppy notes, cracker.
Taste has a nice, crisp hoppy bite. Malty, floral, herbal, and particularly grassy notes too, with grain, a little bit of honey, and maybe even a lemon. Body is medium-light to medium, smooth verging on a little chewy.
Oct 30, 2022Aroma: fresh bread, baked bread malts, grain, herbal and hoppy notes, cracker.
Taste has a nice, crisp hoppy bite. Malty, floral, herbal, and particularly grassy notes too, with grain, a little bit of honey, and maybe even a lemon. Body is medium-light to medium, smooth verging on a little chewy.
Reviewed by Mugman8 from New York
3.81/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Classic German Helles. Clear gold on the pour, with thin head and lace. Aroma is fresh bread. Bread and Malt flavors with a nice crisp finish. Moderate carbonation. Good but not great. Prefer the Hefe style for more flavor.
Sep 08, 2022
Hofbräu Original from Hofbräuhaus München
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
1913 ratings
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