Summer Lager
Schlafly Beer - The Tap Room
- From:
- Schlafly Beer - The Tap Room
- Missouri, United States
- Style:
- Helles
Ranked #369 - ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- 80
Ranked #36,538 - Avg:
- 3.52 | pDev: 12.78%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 117
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Aug 23, 2025
- Added:
- Apr 14, 2009
- Wants:
- 10
- Gots:
- 74
SCORE
80
Good
80
Good
Our Helles-Style Summer Lager is a bright, golden beer, perfect for summertime. The malts we use impart a wonderful, fresh grain character, reminiscent of European lagers. The German Noble hop, Mittelfrüh, lends a mild lemony, spicy flavor.
The German word “Helles” translates as “light” and “Lager” means “to store”. This beer style emerged in Germany through the Spaten Brewery’s marriage of British, Bohemian and German brewing techniques. This style is an integral part of brewing history and a predecessor of the straw-colored, light-bodied beers which are the most widely consumed beers in the world today. The lager yeast ferments the beer more slowly and at lower temperatures; it is then stored for maturation. This results in a beer which is more smooth and drinkable. Today, many American craft brewers offer this style as a maltier and hoppier alternative to American light lagers.
17 IBU
The German word “Helles” translates as “light” and “Lager” means “to store”. This beer style emerged in Germany through the Spaten Brewery’s marriage of British, Bohemian and German brewing techniques. This style is an integral part of brewing history and a predecessor of the straw-colored, light-bodied beers which are the most widely consumed beers in the world today. The lager yeast ferments the beer more slowly and at lower temperatures; it is then stored for maturation. This results in a beer which is more smooth and drinkable. Today, many American craft brewers offer this style as a maltier and hoppier alternative to American light lagers.
17 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by steveh:
Reviewed by steveh from Illinois
3.78/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.78/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Another new one to our area from Schlafly -- and a favorite style. Bottled 2-26-15.
A -- Clear, deep golden with finely-bubbled white head that settles to a persistent cap.
S -- Grainy malts up front with a hint of breadiness, light citrus from hops, and light DMS.
T -- Grainy malts up front followed by lightly spicy and citric hops blending back into the husky graininess with a spicy bitter finish.
M -- Mouthfeel is soft to dry with a light medium body.
O -- Overall, this is a nice, flavorful drinker -- very reminiscent of Anchor's California Lager. But it's not as big and bready with melanoidin character that I remember from fresh Munich Helles and the graininess is not at all to character. Nevertheless, I won't hesitate to pick up some of this when the mood strikes.
Mar 20, 2015A -- Clear, deep golden with finely-bubbled white head that settles to a persistent cap.
S -- Grainy malts up front with a hint of breadiness, light citrus from hops, and light DMS.
T -- Grainy malts up front followed by lightly spicy and citric hops blending back into the husky graininess with a spicy bitter finish.
M -- Mouthfeel is soft to dry with a light medium body.
O -- Overall, this is a nice, flavorful drinker -- very reminiscent of Anchor's California Lager. But it's not as big and bready with melanoidin character that I remember from fresh Munich Helles and the graininess is not at all to character. Nevertheless, I won't hesitate to pick up some of this when the mood strikes.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by beerdedking from Pennsylvania
3.29/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.29/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
Very mediocre Helles. Leans extremely close to AAL territory with flat/sweet/grainy flavors that lead to a nondescript kind of lemon hop finish. Glad I only picked up one can
Aug 23, 2025
Reviewed by Jmsandberg17 from Missouri
3.22/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.22/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
12oz bottle pours a golden yellow color with a large, fizzy head of off-white foam that leaves chunky lacing while gradually fading down to a thin layer. Smells of crackery malt with a hint of honey and noble hops. Somewhat thin crackery-bready malt flavor with a notable floral-spicy hop flavor and a very distant notes of honey and lemon. Medium body, almost no sweetness, light hop bitterness, prickly carbonation mouthfeel, and a somewhat empty starchy malt aftertaste.
This an okay beer and would certainly refresh on a hot summer day, but it's mostly unremarkable in flavor/balance. Probably won't get again
Jun 17, 2024This an okay beer and would certainly refresh on a hot summer day, but it's mostly unremarkable in flavor/balance. Probably won't get again
Reviewed by daliandragon from Maryland
3.79/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Great clarity, and an enormous white head that doesn't last. Biscuit note is the main player in the nose. There is solid balance and a real clean drinking experience, but other then a moderate cracker note, there isn't any dominant flavors. Smooth, almost silky mouthfeel. Definitely easy drinking and great for the outdoors.
Jun 18, 2023
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia
3.62/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.62/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz can poured into a pint
A- pours a clear bright golden color with a one-finger foamy white head. good retention
S- doughy malt, honey, crackers, a hint of grassy hops
T- slightly sweet up front with some doughy malt, followed by notes of honey and bread crust. The finish gives just a hint of grassy/peppery hops, with a malty linger
O- light-medium body with medium carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel and a crisp finish
Aug 16, 2022A- pours a clear bright golden color with a one-finger foamy white head. good retention
S- doughy malt, honey, crackers, a hint of grassy hops
T- slightly sweet up front with some doughy malt, followed by notes of honey and bread crust. The finish gives just a hint of grassy/peppery hops, with a malty linger
O- light-medium body with medium carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel and a crisp finish
Rated by HanktheTank94 from Maryland
3.99/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.99/5 rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Hi
Oct 31, 2021Reviewed by Elemental19xx from Illinois
4.23/5 rDev +20.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +20.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This is an awesome brew. Its reminds me why lagers are so popular to americans in their domestic brews. Its just a well crafted and flat out better lager than 80% that ive tried. The slight spice and fruitiness of the hops is just good. Nothing bad about it.
Sep 23, 2021
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Texas
3.18/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.18/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
BOTTLE:
Honeyed sweetness. Fresh two row pale malt. Floral hop flavour.
Balanced and drinkable if a bit shallow depth of flavour-wise. Not Schlafly's best effort, but it'd be a nice stepping stone into craft beer for someone used to drinking budget adjunct lagers.
C+ / ABOVE AVERAGE
Sep 17, 2021Honeyed sweetness. Fresh two row pale malt. Floral hop flavour.
Balanced and drinkable if a bit shallow depth of flavour-wise. Not Schlafly's best effort, but it'd be a nice stepping stone into craft beer for someone used to drinking budget adjunct lagers.
C+ / ABOVE AVERAGE
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania
3.26/5 rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.26/5 rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
on draft, served in pilsner glass
clear, light golden yellow in color, thin white head. very mild aroma and flavor. clean, just not much taste. thin bodied.
Aug 04, 2021clear, light golden yellow in color, thin white head. very mild aroma and flavor. clean, just not much taste. thin bodied.
Rated by datstankadank from New Jersey
3.86/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.86/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
very clean, excellent when fresh. One of the better american helles interpretations.
Aug 03, 2021
Reviewed by Luscious_Malfoy from Illinois
4.15/5 rDev +17.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.15/5 rDev +17.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
poured from a 16oz can into my trusty new glarus dimpled mug. pours a slight chill haze straw gold with a soapy white foam head. clean lager yeast, grass and a touch of lemons on the nose. taste follows with an herbal finish. crisp, medium-full mouthfeel. it’s not the most complex beer of all time but it’s so delicious. i look forward to this one every summer!
May 03, 2020
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