Hofbräu Original
Hofbräuhaus München

4.13/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Drinking this on tap.
Poured into a tall 20 ounce Pilsner glass.
Appears golden yellow with a nice foamy head that lasted.
Smells bready, floral.
Taste follows the nose with a perfect balance of malt and hoppiness for the style.
Mouth feel is medium for the style
Overall on tap this is eminently crushable. I will definitely order again.
Cheers!

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4.63/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

I remember being in Munich--this must have been around '99?--and getting caught up in the heady fervor of the big local gay pride festival. Not being gay at all, it was a moment of brash and outstanding unity between differing Weltanschauung, and the Hofbrau Original is a good analogy: golden, vivacious and something you want to support without having to put any actual effort into the cause. My favorite philosophy!

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4.28/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearence: pale gold color, medium head quickly receding to a shallow cap, sloppy, ephemeral lacing.

Aroma: Malt! bready and sweet dominates with hops expressing a mix of spice, grass, and rose petals. Wonderful!

Flavor: follows the nose pretty closely, with malt, correctly balanced with subtle noble hops flavors and lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel: luxuriously full for the type thanks to the generous malt, just as I prefer for lagers.

Overall: an excellent example of simple, unpretentious Munich beer.

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3.76/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

look: two finger frothy bubbly head, decent retention and a bit of lacing, golden coloured beer, completely see-through, some bubbles rising through the beer.

smell: pretty big aroma on this beer actually, first smell is the biscuity bready malts, then there’s some sweetness, apples and oranges, then some hoppy metallic bitter notes.

taste: really malty, those malts being biscuity and bready, quite sweet too, those apple notes really shine, just the tiniest bit of hop bitterness on the finish, but the finish is still pleasant.

feel: medium bodied, highly carbonated, really crisp and dry, most refreshing

overall: pretty solid helles right here, just back from a long day at work and it’s the absolute perfect refreshing beer for a time like this

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3.99/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

330 ml bottle into a flute glass. Had 1/22/20.

Pours a bright, clear yellow gold with a two inch creamy foam head with excellent retention and lots of foamy lacing. Active carbonation. Aromas of herbal and lightly floral hops, malt, a wheaty aroma, some yeast, a little earthy aroma. Flavors of herbal hops, also a little bit earthy and floral, malt, wheat, some yeast, a pleasant bitterness midway through the finish. Smooth, crisp, a good light body, well carbonated.

A very good example of the style, pleasing to drink. Well balanced between the hops and malt, an expressive flavor and aroma.

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3.89/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

First chance I got to try this one!
Looks like a lager should.
Slightly pale but a touch of gold.
Smells malty, a touch of hops.
Taste follows with an added touch of sweet.
Overall one fine bier for sure.
Very drinkable to the point of being dangerous!

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5/5  rDev +30.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This may be the beer I would choose if I had to stick with one the rest of my days. It's just a plain old regular beer, really, and yet so perfectly executed. I haven't really explored the Helles space, obsessed like so many of us with IPAs for so long. So I imagine Hofbrau has some equals. Certainly a few are consistently more highly rated here. People are different, and I'm different over time - many things I've liked later put me off. But not this one. "Down at the Lido they welcome you with sausage and beer .."

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4.6/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Another very good German Helles!
This is your typical European 11.2 ounce bottle poured into a 20oz. weizen glass.. This is a very clear straw yellow with a solid three fingers of lumpy pure white froth on top. It took several minutes for the foam to settle to a half inch leaving very thick lacing up the sides of the glass. The color, the foam, and watching the carbonation float to the top is so classic, very nice!
The aroma is the classic white bread, the yeast, and a little sweetness in the air.
The taste follows the nose perfectly, flavors of bread, some sweetness, and just such a slight mild bitterness to the finish,
The feel is slightly creamy with a mild fizz from the carbonation.
This is a favorite, easy to consume, back to the basics, but so good!

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4.27/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from the bottle into a Libbey style pilsner glass.

Great looking lager here, a full on frothy rich bleach white head with some solid retention going on. Hits three finger high with a mix of big swiss cheese and fine soapy bubbles. Body color is a bold brass yellow and crystal clear showing nice streams of linear carbonation.

Aroma continues to give the goods. Nice clean herbal hop presence, with a good bakery and chewy malt sense behind it. Lots of doughy smelling bread with a touch of light sweetness.

Palate is a real nice flavor. Sneaky light body that is unexpected but packs a strong flavorful punch. Chewy touches of pils malt and light herbal hop that gets into an almost sweet grass like flavor. Finishes with a real light body and clean refreshing nearly hinting mint herb and light touches of honey.

Real nice flavorful helles. Should have discovered this one earlier in my life.

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3.73/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottle poured I a Mountain Rambler Brewing Co pint glass

A: Pours golden yellow with a frothy white head that settles to a light layer and leaves a little nice lacing.

S: Yeasty, grassy, floral, toasty bready malt, spicy earthy notes, and a hint of honey.

T: Spicy grassy notes, fairly yeasty, floral, slightly earthy, toasty bready malt, and a hint of honey.

M: Light to medium body, moderately lively carbonation.

O: Descent enough German lager, but I'm not crazy about it.

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4.78/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer is just phenomenal. Aroma, taste, lacing, mouthfeel, drinkability. Every time I come back to this beer, I remember how great it is. Classic German brewing, with smooth, all-around balanced flavors. This is one I will drink for decades to come.

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5/5  rDev +30.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I am baffled by all the scientific analysis of each beer. Horbrau Original is AWESOME. Smooth, favorable, and easy to drink. Heaven in a bottle: Nom, Mom. Enough said.

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4.35/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

L - Pale light golden with amazing clarity and a light off-white head that dissipates somewhat quickly leaving behind a thin cap
S - Mild yeast, malt, and spices
T - Follows the nose with mild bready yeast notes along with tons of rich malt and spices and some honey. Some earth as well.
F - Light to medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Clean, crisp, and refreshing
O - A really well made, clean tasting German lager.

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3.75/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

On tap at the source.

White head. Lace. Clear golden color.

Crisp, clean, and smooth. Earthy noble hops. Floral. Bready and biscuity.

Very nice to have fresh on tap.

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3.82/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

(330 ml brown bottle, L 051 S; purchased 6-pack off shelf... poured into wide glass mug)

L: brilliantly-clear, yellow-gold liquid; two-finger tall, thick, frothy pad of white foam... keeps thin cap, laces in broad splotches

S: spicy hop, grassy grain; faint dried apple/pear, golden lightly-honeyish bread crust... fair intensity, but relatively dense

T: herbal-floral hop earthiness atop clean cereal pale malt base; soft grassy bitterness lingering in aftertaste, as well as subtle dense doughy note in the back... all nuances mellow; most prominent character is the doughy bread crust

F: clean, light body; soft-smooth sudsy touch; delicate alcohol warmth at the back, enhanced by the subtle spice... aftertaste carries gentle dry cut on the bottom third... not quite invigorating, not quite insubstantial

O: not exactly poppin'-fresh, but quality (textbook) flavors do remain... I'll enjoy the rest of the pack, but the recent cooler whether is begging for darker malt flavors (1503)

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4.18/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a crystal clear, golden coloration with a large, fluffy head and strongly visible carbonation. Smells of doughy, biscuity malt and grassy hops and hay. Taste is a great balance of doughy, biscuity malt and slightly floral, grassy hops, with hints of hay and a light mineral note coming through in the aftertaste. Finishes with a light bitterness and some biscuity malt, grassy hops and a touch of minerals lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a medium body and strong carbonation.

A great Helles with just the right balance of sweet, biscuity malt and grassy, bitter hops. Although it could be just a tad more bitter for my personal taste, it never turns too sweet or grainy like some other Helles. Very easy-drinking and perfectly refreshing, although a bit too highly carbonated for my personal Taste.

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4.27/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A nice, thick head leads into a golden pint. Taste is hoppy on the front, leading into a grassy and earthy finish with a slight crackery taste. Not bad!

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3.79/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

11.2oz bottle marked L 078 S ( bottled 3/19/19-4 months ago) poured into a mug at fridge temp 5.1%. The beer pours bright golden straw yellow in color with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and few bubbles. The aroma is faint but inviting with honey, bread, yeast and grassy hops. The taste is mild grassy bitterness laid over soft pale malt. The mouthfeel is medium to thin bodied, adequately carbonated and dry in the finish. Overall, good. Green bottles and difficult to decipher date codes kept me from Hofbrau beers for years. This isn't the most delicious or nuanced Helles I've had, but it's good.

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3.96/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

another german classic here on tap at prost, what an awesome spot to get acquainted and reacquainted with the all timers. this is a very german lager here, bright yellow in color, well clear, and with slowly rising carbonation lazily joining the tall airy white head that never really settles, so cool to have this on tap! its a true to style german lager of course, but with maybe a little more sweetness to it than some, an almost yellow corn note in the center from the grain, and really its necessary, the beer would be so light without that element, this just sort of beefs it up enough, but i find myself pulling it down in huge gulps anyway, this beer is just made for that kind of fast paced volume swilling. a light classic german hop profile in the taste but it sets in a little earlier than i am used to, which i think also helps define this one. subtle honey and biscuit and dry crackery cereal, more prominent lager yeast and minerals in the water it was brewed with, and a lightly floral finish, springy and delicious. one of those infinitely drinkable old world lagers, this is just as bright as can be and full of character. very few of these i would choose ahead of this one...

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3.96/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle into a pilsner glass.

A: Pours a bright, clear light gold with 1 1/2" dense white head that recedes at a moderate pace. Retention and lacing are just ok.

S: Fresh baked bread with a biscuity sweetness. Traces of grassy hops that imply a deeper herbal/vegetal quality.

T: Comes on with a bready, sweetish malt character accented by faintly bitter grassiness. Mid palate articulates the sweetness with a more well-defined grassy hop flavor that carries through to the finish. Finishes with a bright almost-citrus note that lingers pleasantly.

M: Crisp, not too light with fairly high carb. Refreshing, and substantial without feeling heavy.

O: Hits all the marks for a Helles - big-but-crisp, thirst-quenching and full of flavor. Great balance on the palate between the malt and the deceptively deep profile of the hops - never too sweet or too bitter.

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4.29/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a clear, golden lager color with tons of bubbling and a massive lacy head. Noisy and fizzy pour.
Aroma: So grassy. Dry grass, wet grass. Hay. Some skunkiness too. Behind all of that there is a delicious toasted bread aroma that is incredibly captivating.
Flavor: Tons of wet grass on the flavor. Subtle lemon if any fruit. Some steamed veggies and zucchini. Honey on top of toasted crackers and bread in the flavor. Presents malty and not bitter.
Feel: Perfect body as this one is medium bodied and well-carbonated. Tons of grassy Noble hop flavor, but the malty sweetness drives through a smooth finish that is just the right amount to want you to take another sip.

Overall: This is one of the best helles I've had. Very grassy noble hop flavors yet the balanced body from the malty sweetness is perfect and you could damn near knock down a few of these before you know it. Honey and wet grass in this one but it works so well.

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4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

5 oz pour on tap. Pours an unremarkable pale fizzy straw yellow. Aroma and flavor feature bready malt and light floral/grassy hops. Very drinkable. A great helles lager overall.

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3.97/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the the original Hofbräuhaus in München. I'm not normally a fan of the style, but being in München I tried several and this was the best. The aroma was a bit underwhelming... a bit of grass and sweet malts with a hint of earthiness and maybe some sulfur. Clean and crisp with a grassy, bitter hoppiness and a lovely buttery, doughy malt profile in the background. Very easy to drink in maß ;)

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3.77/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Had on tap at Hofbrau beer garden in Milwaukee.
.5 liter stein. Big white head. Yellow golden. Smells of grass and a little earth. Drinks crisp and clean with a slight bitterness. Lemon carriers thru a bit. Super crushable and decent beer. Lacks a little depth though.
Could hang at the beer garden drinking these all day tho.

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3.97/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Gold with white puff; bread starter and coriander; crackers, tinny tang, and big herbal cut; tight end + crisp. Touch of bubblegum as it warms.

4 3.75 4 4.25 4

This is an on-the-money Helles, no doubt. But there are a few quirks: weird nose, not very bready, and more bitter than expected. Still, sweet, easy, lean… can’t fault it.

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