Maxl Helles
Schlossbrauerei Maxlrain GmbH & Co. KG

Just when I thought there couldn't be more traditional Bavarian family brewers, I find another in Maxlrain. They do all the good traditional stuff, but they also have an 18 hole golf course (not a sport I associate with Bavaria... or the European continent.) While their website is in English (thank you), they could indicate they practice modern and sustainable techniques. Since they are traditional without much modern, I give them OK Overall Hugs.

Their Helles is very pleasant, but admittedly I was thirsty. But all four characteristics are just barely above the average for the Helles style. Maxl Helles could have a more lasting foam. It could Smell of more than mostly malt. A few lingering hops would improve its finish. And I'd like a little more body. Maxl Helles was OK to wash down a sandwich, but I don't think I'd choose it for a meal. All the same, Prost !

Maxlrain just has an aftertaste that is so fantastic.

This helles is very carbonated and crisp.
Clean flavor profile.
Full bodied and crisp.
Not as malty and smooth as Hofbrau original, but great in its own way if you want crisp.
Has a mild Hefeweizen flavor profile that hits in the background.

RB transfer

500ml bottle at my bar in the Alps. Is a clear yellow with a little orange in it as well. Aroma is heavy malt a little cardboard and some sweetness. Taste is nice and light very smooth and the taste is not too strong. The ending is not stong and very good. A very nice Helles.

 

 

 

Once I got past the style name, I never had a beer that is so smooth and crisp. Damn that is good beer. Buy it when you see it.

Clear gold color with an airy head of about a cm. Simple clean malt, light hop aroma. Excellent flavor! with malt well-balanced by hop bitterness a bit higher than normal for a helles. Light floral hop taste makes for a dry-ish finish. Decent body.

Very nice helles lager, that reminds me of sitting in cafes in Europe. It's too bad almost no American brewers these days put out good quaffable beers, instead of endless IPA variants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the small bottle, it pours a clear light yellow color with a modest, though long lasting, head. Lacing. The nose gets a bit of malt and spicy hops. The mouth gets a light bitterness followed by light malt. Nice.

 

A: Golden, clear, medium sized thick head which disappeared fairly quickly, left some lacing.

S: Malt which gave way to some gentle honey notes.

T: Malt forward with delicate hints of honey and tangerine.

M: Low to medium carbonation, smooth, medium body.

O: Nice subtle balanced Helles.

330 ml bottle served cool into a St. Pauli girl mug. Beer #5 in the Beer Advent calendar from KALEA. Best before April 13, 2020.

Appearance - Very clear, bright golden color, two fingers of billowy white head. Lots of effervescence. Pretty decent staying power.

Smell - Earthy hops, some grassy notes and also strong metallic aromas mixed in, not super pleasant.

Taste - Middling sweetness, plenty of bready and grainy flavors mixed in. A touch of apple skin in there.

Mouthfeel - Medium-light bodied, good carbonation, pretty on point.

Overall - A decent if unspectacular brew, that would rate quite a bit higher if it could shed the metal in the aroma.

Pours golden and clear with minimal head and lacing. Aroma is very light grassiness and sweet malts with some light fruit notes and a hint of metal. Taste follows the nose pretty well; the malts come through first... mostly cereal grains. The flavor is quickly overwhelmed by the hops on the swallow; very grassy with light fruit notes. Unfortunately a bit of metal does come through in the flavor as well. Finishes crisp and dry. Mouthfeel is light with solid carbonation, an easy drinker. Overall this is a decent helles, but it lacks depth and doesn't shine in it's simplicity like Hofbräu Original does.

EDIT: 10/20/2023

Bumping up the look, smell and taste. Good amount of head on this pour and no metallic notes. Having sampled many more in this style since my original review, this one definitely stands out in terms of it's flavor profile with its herbalness and hop-forward spice and light fruit (reminiscent of noble hops).

Not my favorite helles, but it is unique and drinkable.