An Ode to Helles Lagers

I'll have to see if I can dig up that photo of the Oktoberfest barrel from the buried archives. I guess I feel lucky to have been able to drink those from cask that I did.

Was Augustiner Salzburg using wood back then? Pretty sure the Biergarten there was pouring from a cask.

 

Yes, every time I've been there they were serving from a cask.

 

Ayinger Speis und Trank often have Jahrhundert vom holtzfass like Der Pschorr and Augustiner. I think they tap one every day. Thankfully I was lucky to be there when they did--served from the stone mug. It was delicious.

Edit: Served in a stone mug.

 

Right you are. Just found this from their Web site: "Wir bieten daher im Wirtshaus Ayingers mindestens 6 verschiedene Ayinger Biere vom Faß an; Neben den Stammsorten auch saisonale Schmankerl wie Bock- und Starkbier vom Faß, sowie täglich ab 17.00 Uhr Ayinger Jahrhundertbier aus dem Holzfaß."

Wish I had known, as I would have gone out of my way for some Jahrhundert from the wooden keg. Dang.

 

Given that Speis und Trank is pretty close to Der Pschorr, it really wouldn't have been too much out of your way. I guess that's just one more reason to start planning your next trip.

 

Classic. Just for Ron. Can the barrel be ID'ed by the markings?

 

Was in Charlotte, NC, yesterday on business and had a Ballast Point Smoked Helles. It was really quite well done -- considerably smokier than Schlenkerla Helles, which uses no smoked malt, but really a nice use of (I assume) the milder Weyermann smoked malt to add that smoky dimension to a pretty decent, clean-tasting base Helles.

 

Well had a few in the old bier garden (in the English garden) in Munich but I prefer the Munich dunkel lager myself.

 

Isn't that the lead singer of A-ha?

 

Maybe he was working the Oktoberfest in '90 or '92? He sure wasn't making music!

 

Can't see them well enough, I'm afraid.

 

I am a huge fan of the Helles style too and I completely agree with this, the Victory Lager is awesome! I read that they had changed the formula over the years (and I do recall it tasting a little less flavorful a few years ago vs. now) and whatever they did sure worked, and made it that much better! It really is a beer I could drink virtually anytime.

Stoudts' is great as well, and I have been making it a point to try even more of the German ones.

 

This is a good source. Export is much more widely brewed in Germany than around Dortmund. As well as in Bavaria, it is also very popular in Baden-Württemberg where it is normal to find Export as well as Pils on draught.

 

A lot of Lagers are great with sushi. It's not a Helles, but if you can get it, Brooklyn Lager is the best sushi beer ever.

 

Sokath, his eyes uncovered!

It's great to see you enjoying venturing into some different territory. It's too bad that the Schlenkerla is so pricy, isn't it? Not too many like that one- it's not just the hint of smoke that's so appealing, the base beer is phenominal, too (just like all of their beers).

 

Love the Star Trek reference. Temba, his arms wide (with helles)

 

Ya, Jarhundert from gravity keg at their munich pub might have been the best beer I had when I was studying in munich. It's a goddamn master class in how to make a pale lager super malty and drinkable at the same time.