munich helles [style] lager in a can?

I actually considered making a thread about this, so I'm glad to see this discussion play out. Side-by-side, would it be easy to tell Acetaldehyde vs say an ester in a BSPA that has light fruit qualities? I want to be able to discern how these flavors differ. (Though since I'm a beginning homebrewer I'll likely gain a lot of insight just through experience)

 

@ONovoMexicano you have already heard from the others.

I suppose there can be a variety of honey-like flavors? I personally do not perceive honey-like flavors in fresh German style lagers. I have unfortunately on multiple occasions perceived honey-like flavors in imported German lagers and for my palate it was not a pleasant flavor. As beers age they go stale and one of the oxidative reaction flavors is a honey-like flavor. It seems to be fairly common on BA to associate a cardboard flavor with stale beer. A cardboard flavor is a result of an oxidative chemical reaction where the compound of 2-Nonenal (an aldehyde) is formed. There are many other compounds that are formed during aging beyond 2-Nonenal.

As regards the apple-like flavor the principle culprit discussed on BA is acetaldehyde which is developed relatively early during the primary fermentation process but in a properly conducted fermentation is 'cleaned up" by the yeast later in the primary fermentation cycle. There are other compounds (e.g., esters) which can provide apple-like flavors in beer. On a related matter some beer people like to state that the apple-like flavor in AB beers (e.g., Budweiser) is caused by a perceptible level of acetaldehyde but that is false; the apple-like flavor in Budweiser is an ester compound that is generated by the AB house lager strain.

Cheers!

Jack

 

I think the change had more to do with the name seeming to imply it was a pepper/spice beer.

 

Below I've quoted a post from @hopfenunmaltz, another guy who really knows his stuff. This progression of descriptors and the explanation truly resonated with me. White bread (without the crust), lightly toasted or plain, tastes sweet to me, sweeter than the other breads. I hope this helps!

 

Acetaldehyde always tastes tart and sharp to me, not at all like the subtle, smooth fruitiness from warm-fermented yeast. Fruit esters always taste like they're working with the other flavors in an ale, acetaldehyde always stands out in contrast to the other flavors, at least to me.

 

To be a little more specific, I don't think Wonder or other American sandwich bread should come to mind when "white bread" is used as a descriptor; think more of a French or Italian loaf with richer flavor characteristics.

 

Löwenbräu is sold in cans.

 

If you volunteer as a steward at a local competition, sometimes the judges will let you taste the beers. If you let them know that you are interested in flaws they may even point them out for you. The competition organizer could also help you out if you let it be known. A lot of times there are extra bottles that didn't advance.

 

That's actually a super helpful reference -- thx for tagging @hopfenunmaltz there. I honestly had the hardest time understanding everyone calling lagers "bready", since I almost never ate white bread as a kid -- when they said "bready", my mind was looking for totally different flavors (a la multigrain, wheaty, darker colored/flavored bread). I actually still sometimes have a hard time perceiving helles as especially bready, but where I definitely see it is in the bocks and, most clearly, doppelbocks -- those taste like my kind of bread

 

It's that same sort of character to look for in a Helles, but less pronounced. As you start to recognize it in Doppelbocks it will become more apparent in Helles (and Pilsner) -- as long as it's been brewed well.

Sometimes? Seriuosly, that's how I started in home-brewing and when I started judging I always took care of my steward(s) -- especially when they tell me they want to work up to judging.

 

I think that in the czech style pilsner you can taste the sweet floral and the almost nut like sweetness of the pils malt more than in the german pilsner. I would not call it honey but some have said clover like sweetness. It's like there is a kernel in that grain that is sweet and the czech style shows it to you where the german style does not.

 

It may be because you're drinking the wrong German Pilsner. I'm not saying the two renditions aren't different, but a well-brewed German-style Pils will definitely have a good malt sweetness from a good decoction mash. If you can get it, try Trumer Pils, a German-style Pilsner that has great malt character even if it showcases hops.

 

Ive only had that beer once, two years ago and i still remember how good it was. Havent found it since. Id love to find the 360 can. I almost thought for a bit that Sly Fox stops NJ distro.

 

I think the german style has more bitterness and that also shows me less of the malt sweetness than the czech style which has a softer bitterness. I like the difference in the crusty bread between the styles too. I would say for pils that I have just tried so fresh in my memory, the konig is the one to put against the czech style to notice differences. That one is perfect malt without much sweetness to it and the great lakes turntable pils I just had is a good representation of the czech style. =)

 

Pug Ryan has a helles in the can, but it's more like a helles bock.

 

It's not the Pug Ryan Helles I'm thinking of. I just need to go to the store and find out.

 

That may not be available in NJ due to state litter laws?

Cheers!