Edelstoff
Augustiner-Bräu

REVZEB from Illinois

4.66/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This is the best dortmunder I have had, sorry GLB. Active crystal clear golden body, bright white cap, light amounts of lacing. Smell feature cracker, freshly baked white bread, floral hops, general grainy spice, a kiss of lemon and apple. The taste is an incredible example of an under appreciated style: earthy spice, white bread, cracker, biscuit, flowers, grass, lemon, subtle apple, and crisp general grains. Body is light but full, bready yet has the sharp and crisp finish that is so satisfying, captures what the dortmunder is all about bready and sweet malt texture colliding with spiringy hops. Goes perfect with pretzels and mustard. The wife loved it

Jul 12, 2020

Steve555 from Wales

3.34/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Soapy white head that breaks up easily. Aroma of bread and sugar. Taste is of grainy malts dominated by sugar. Mouthfeel is soft but claggy. Too sweet for my tastes. Their flagship helles is far more balanced.

Jun 13, 2020

hopsputin from New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: super clear straw yellow color with an off-white head that fades to a 1/4 finger. Head is a little weak

S: sweet grains, lemongrass, hay, grass, crisp noble hops. Some pepper spice and a nice lager spice crispness. Some sweet citrus in here. Bready backbone

T: sweet grains, grass, lemongrass, and a subtle noble hop bitterness upfront. Some zesty peppery spice, sweet lemons, and straw. Like the nose, huge bready malts backbone

M: lighter mouthfeel with high carbonation

O: awesome Helles. Easy to drink and flavorful. Only ding is I wish the head was a little larger

May 08, 2020

Hatchjaw from Washington

4.88/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

One of my faves, makes me want to punch a philosopher in the face and cry, "Helles yeah!" Just sat and watched the hypnotic up-cyclone of the fizz rising to the delectable head. Pretty much one of the best around, if my senseless hyperbole isn't hipping you to the point, I strongly suggest you go and try to prove me wrong. This Helles makes girls jealous.

Apr 27, 2020

Lucular from Maryland

3.41/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Bottle poured into a tulip pint glass. Pours a clear straw yellow with a rocky head that quickly subsides. Aroma and flavor feature grass and biscuit notes with a slightly stale cardboard flavor. Not great but this may have been an older bottle.

Apr 13, 2020

yuriyt from New York

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle. Pours a brilliant gold with white foam. Aroma mostly from malt. Delicate flavor with malty sweetness at the fore and just enough bitterness for balance. Medium body. This beer is one of the best original examples of the style, highly recommended.

Dec 29, 2019

Gajo74 from New York

3.88/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a clear pale golden straw color. A moderate head dissipates rather quickly but yields some lacing.

Clean grainy and bready malt aromas. These are supported by grassy hops and a hint of and acceptable level of yeast driven notes of apple skin.

Flavors of grainy malt form a solid backbone. They are supported by a well hopped profile that yields grassy, earthy and citrusy flavors, and a clean bitterness.

Light bodied, crisp and lively carbonated. The finish is dry and yields a lingering earthy spice.

Solid and easy to drink. The flavor feels authentic.

Dec 26, 2019

bigdeuce from Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a pint glass from an 11.2 oz bottle.
Pours a bright color in true fashion of a helles lager. Nothing unusual. Bright with a decent head which leaves some lacing. Low to moderate carbonation.
Scents of hallertau And german noble on the nose and pilsner malt.
Tastes crisp, slightly sweet, and a conglomeration of tightness as the hops round out this beer perfectly.
Easy to drink. Absolutely clean with no aftertaste. Balanced. Hacker-Pschorr, my favorite Gold, has fallen out of favor with me in the past year. I think they’ve changed suppliers or something so this may turn into a year-round go to. It’s a bit pricey but worth it.

Dec 24, 2019

Nass from Florida

3.69/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

There is no date on the bottle. The pour is fizzy yellow & the carbonation is as lively as can be. The taste malty, white bread, slight herbal, & slight floral. The bitterness is faint leading towards the finish. It's a good beer but it's just not as good as I expected it to be. Cheers! B

Dec 24, 2019

drdiesel9483 from Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

look - extrememly clear thin looking, slight read head a lighter yellow color like if you peed and were dehyrdrated.
smell - grassy earthly slight citrus
taste - a lot like the smell but a little more citrus taste than the smell
feel - light carbonation and lighter medium body
Overall - pretty good but would use more cabonation for sure

Oct 15, 2019

mothman from Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle in Berlin.

A very nice and easy drinking helles lager. Grassy, earthy, and citrusy. Biscuity malts. Crisp with a light bitterness. Light bodied, very easy drinking.

Sep 30, 2019

VABA from Virginia

3.9/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours a golden color with a slight head and lacing
A-Aroma had slight malt hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a malt flavor
M-A light bodied decently carbonated beer
O-A decent Helles

Aug 31, 2019

Bouleboubier from New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

(330 ml bottle, 5.7% abv, code L092081913; purchased cold single... poured into fluted goblet)

L: brilliant, polished-clear, pale yellow-gold liquid; tight, white bouncy froth of foam... head slowly fall - took 2 pours to empty bottle... only weak collar left; not much lace

S: green grass, peppery spice, floral concentrate; pale malt with a fresh toasty edge, doughy undercurrent... fantastic, dynamic intensity

T: malt attack is notably subdued; softly floral, peppery aftertaste... second sip, the malt expression is more fresh-malty, with a brief hint of sultana(?); subtle fruit note lingering, still a bone-dry aftertaste, with the lovely, low-volume, leafy-piney noble hop flavor/bitterness increasing in fragrance and force

F: body tightly-bound; the subtle alcohol warmth (legs) has a longer finish by several degrees... I'm very curious to try a 0.5-1.0 L serving and take some big gulps; ridiculous how dry it is

O: solid, restrained, pale lager with a peppery bite, sharply-dry finish, and incredible drinkability, if lacking a bit of depth in flavor... I did have this once or twice a few years back, from bottles with the old (I'm assuming most recent previous) labels - I remember that being taut and crisp, but not quite as much as this (1480)

Aug 25, 2019

JonnoWillsteed from England

4.34/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

In England there is a saying that 'Germans don't export their good wine' [just their rubbish like Blue Nun and Liebfraumilch]. Having lived in Germany I'd suggest that Germans seem loathe to drink beer from outside of their particular region too, never mind find it available, and good luck finding the good stuff abroad.
This is a lovely beer, from it's elegant lable onwards!

Aug 23, 2019

SaltofOH from Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle dated L032021919. Pilsner glass.

A: pours a bright yellow straw color with two fingers of white frothy head that lasts as a lengthy white cap. Streams of carbonation blasting away.

S: familiar Munich malt that I love! Sulfury and floral. This aroma is about as classic German lager as it gets!

T: arrives with a crisp but bready malt sweetness, just a touch of honey. Mild floral hoppiness an mid palate leads to more bready sweetness on the swallow, followed by a mild bitterness. Perhaps just a touch too sweet for my taste.

M: thick and mouth-filling, but with a moderately crisp finish and high carbonation keeps it refreshing.

O: really excellent, perfectly-executed Dortmunder style lager. Hoppier than Weihenstephaner Original, maltier than any pils I’ve had, it’s right in the middle. Unfortunately it is just a little sweeter and heavier than my preference; perhaps even sweeter than a helles. Would definitely buy again, but falls ever so slightly short of my expectations.

Aug 23, 2019

jkblr from Indiana

4.09/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle coded L263091805 poured into a becher glass at fridge temp 5.7% ABV. The beer pours bright straw yellow in color with nearly white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and a few tiny bubbles. No lacing. The aroma is mostly grass and hay with traces of pils malt and yeast character. The taste is balanced up front with pils malt and grassy hops in a complementary dance finished with a firm, but mild, and drying bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium to thin bodied with adequate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, very good Helles.

Jul 28, 2019

kflorence from California

3.41/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours clear and golden in color with a small amount of head that quickly dissipates. Faint lacing on the glass as you drink. Aroma is sweet grains with a bit of earthiness and floral, grassy hops. Taste follows the aroma pretty well. Grassy hops dominate up front with a sweet, buttery malt profile towards the back and a lingering grassiness on the swallow. Finishes crisp and dry. Mouthfeel is light with ample carbonation. A bit thin, but some substance. Overall this is not a bad helles, but it doesn't offer any complexity and it isn't the best tasting in my opinion.

Jun 06, 2019

Smakawhat from Maryland

4.49/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a Libbey style pilsner glass.

Beaming crystal clear body, with minimal carbonation, some large some very minuscule. Rich lathery rocky bright white head, making easy three fingers of foam, with little retention but a small settling puck. Real nice looking lager.

Big aroma of clean chewy grains, with light touches of herbal hops. Comes off like a giant classic loaf of fresh bread. Hits with a wallop and almost feels like you could bite into it. Faint hints of layered white cake as well.

Real impressive palate. Large chewy mouthfeel full of excellent bready aromas and flavors. Thick rich malt and dough quality mixing with a smattering of herbal bite that just pops in the mouth. Clean but full and rich filling on the finish, touches just a hair of sweetness but almost toying with your senses. Spreadable touches of bakery bread and green herbs all over.

This might be one of the best Gerrman Helles I've ever had.

Apr 05, 2019

BayAreaJoe from California

3.99/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Crystal clear gold, big two-inch head, good rentention and a little spotty lacing. Delicate grain & malt aroma and flavor. Slightly sweet and very light, thin, & easy on the feel. Overall, a nice Helles but a bit pricey. I'd probably be more inclined to go with a domestic one that's about half the price with all the aroma & taste and a more substantial feel.

Apr 04, 2019

jdhilt from New Hampshire

3.45/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a three-finger white head that slowly fades leaving some lace. Crystal clear yellow/green color. Medium carbonation and light bodied. Grainy nose and flavor is cereal, citrus, and honey with a light sweetness. $3.25 for a 330ml bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

Jan 19, 2019

drtth from Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

The clear light bright yellow colored beer pours out into a Duvel glass with a 1/2” bright white head that slowly but eventually recedes to a thin cap of foam and a ring around the glass while leaving lacing on the sides. Eventually the foam thins out to an irregular island on the surface but the ring and some lacing persist. Sipping creates a couple of thin arches and several scattered spots and legs of lacing.

The aromas are mostly about the crackery malt that is nicely backed up by some floral and slightly grassy hops.

The flavors are mostly about the crackery malt and some light malt sweetness. The floral, lightly grassy hops provide a moderate amount of bitterness.

The mouthfeel is on the light side of medium bodied and crisp with the prickly finely bubbled moderate carbonation. The clean crisp finish begins as the malt and sweetness begin to fade to a slightly floral, lightly bitter dry ending with just a bit of grassiness which moves to the back of the palate before disappearing.

Overall this is an enjoyable and quite drinkable beer which is both flavorful and refreshing. There’s some nice maltiness and the light bitterness serves as a counterbalance to add a touch of hop flavor. I’ll expect I’ll be having this one again and will probably do some side by side tastings with locally brewed Helles lagers.

Oct 07, 2018

WoodBrew from Ohio

3.67/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

I tried this at Augustiner in Berlin near the Hilton hotel. It poured a clear golden with white head that left some lace. The scent had faint grain. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall its a good beer.

Sep 18, 2018

keithmurray from Connecticut

4.26/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - clear straw colored body with white head

Smell - lemon zest, grain, honey, biscuit

Taste - Grain, biscuit, slight honey sweetness, some lemon zest, bready malts

Mouthfeel - medium bodied, medium prickly carbonation, bready upfront, honey sweetness in the back end, crisp, clean and refreshing, so easy to drink this one

Overall - very good Helles lager that is worth a re-visit

Jul 13, 2018

Tucquan from Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Had this on 2018-06-17 in Columbia, PA and again on 2020-06-28 near Pittsburgh, PA from a 330ml bottle

A - Golden-straw with a 1-finger white head that dropped quickly leaving mild lace.

S - White bread, white grape, grassy and floral hops.

T - Delicious. Everything I like in a Helles. The white grape sweetness is very present over an enticing french bread (minus the crust) malt base. The noble spicing is perfect with honey and floral notes. Bitterness is low but enough to balance the lingering fruit/grain sweetness.

M - Light-medium body and carbonation. Smooth.

O - Top notch; really.

Jun 18, 2018

TrojanRB from California

4.41/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From wooden kegs at Augustiner Keller in Munich

Pours a beautiful pale gold, with 3 fingers of head in my mass. Settles relatively slowly. Smells crackery,sightly floral/herbal. Taste is light malt, a touch of honey, incredibly well balanced

Dry, crisp, drinkable.

Pinnacle of the style

Jun 03, 2018