Weihenstephan Cans!!!

Ugh! Just spent awhile writing up my review and my time to edit expired.

 

Ok, let’s try this again...

First, a few caveats and disclaimers:

1). I’m notoriously bad at blind tastings. The flavors begin to get muddled for me, and I generally pick the beers incorreclty.

2). Don’t read too much into the differences in the head on the beers. I had to split the bottle among a few glasses/a mug, so I couldn’t pour it as aggressively into the glass. The can had more volume, so I could pour harder into the glass. Thinking back, I don’t know why I didn’t crack open two bottles?

3). I have another can left and a few bottles, so I can do this again.

Set up:

I had my roommate pour some from each one into coffee mugs so I could do a blind tasting.

My initial impression is that one was far more robust in the malt department. It had that classic melanoidin hit that I know and love from a great Helles. The other was hoppier, crisper, and lighter overall. First impression is that the former was the Original, and the latter was the new canned Helles.

However as I finished the mugs, the flavors became more muddled, and it was harder to discern between the two. As a result my final guess was incorrect, as I switched my opinion.

I then poured the rest from each into separate glasses for my roommate and I. We both definitely preferred the Original.

Now that I had more time to sit back and enjoy each separately, the differences I detailed here....

“My initial impression is that one was far more robust in the malt department. It had that classic melanoidin hit that I know and love from a great Helles. The other was hoppier, crisper, and lighter overall. First impression is that the former was the Original, and the latter was the new canned Helles.”

....stood out much more. The Original is a malt forward, sweet and bready classic Helles through and through. A world class example of the style.

The new canned Helles is crisper and hoppier. And it might not even actually BE hoppier, it just appears that way because the malt profile isn’t as pronounced as in the Original. It’s definitely just a lighter beer overall, which could be good if you’re sessioning the beer.

That being said, it’s a Helles. A style I absolutely love, and that’s because of the malt profile. Therefore my preference is with the Original, because “less” in the malt department isn’t what I’m looking for. Not to say the new canned Helles doesn’t have a good malt backbone, it’s just not at the level I’d expect in a stellar example of this style.

 

I already know that because I had the new cans when they first came out all by themselves!

My opinion was the same as it was above. See my post from January 22nd.

And I hadn't had the Original in a very long time (maybe over a year) before having the new Helles. But I still immediately knew it wasn't the same beer.

I LOVE the Original. It's just about a perfect beer. And it might be my favorite Helles. Not to mention these bottles were only two months old! I don't know if I've ever had it that fresh.

That's not to say the new Helles is a BAD beer, but it's facing stiff competition in the book of AlcahueteJ. Weihenstephan accomplished their goal though, it's a lighter, crisper, easier drinking Helles. I think that makes for a lighter beer, but not a better Helles. Just one fella's opinion.

 

@steveh above is my very first impression in this thread. Seems like my opinion didn’t really change.

Tasted like it to me, see my post from earlier in the thread below:

 

Ok, so I tried blind tasting them again, but this time I had each beer on separate days, poured blind into a glass by someone else.

I guessed wrong both days!

The first day was on Easter and I had already had some red wine and lots of food, so I figured maybe my palate was off. It tasted more spicy (Noble hop spicy/herbal) and the malts didn't pop as usual...definitely figured it was the new Helles...nope. It was my beloved Original!!!

The next day I did it again, this time on a super clean palate. Smelled DELICIOUSLY bready, taste followed the nose. I was again tasting a bit more Noble hops than I usually remembered in the Original, but man was it tasty in the malt department...this is the Original I know and love!!!

Nope, it was the new Helles.

So maybe these are closer than I originally thought. But then again, I really do suck at blind tastings.

For me personally, I really need to know which beer I'm drinking, because then I'll search for certain flavors I otherwise would never pick up on.

Anyways, that's that.

Prost!