Swakopmund Brewing Company Special Brew & Helles

Posted on by Evan

As I cruise the west coast of Africa, I keep finding local beer. Recently, while touring Walvis Bay, Namibia, I had a late lunch in nearby Swakopmund. I found a brewpub restaurant Brewery & Butcher that made Swakopmund Brewing Company beers. The first beer I had was their Special Brew, a smoked beer. This beer was a bock beer with an ABV of 7.4%. This bock beer pours a dark brown with a big three-finger beige mushroom head. The aroma is smoky and malty. The taste is sweet, smoky, malty, and deep. This beer has a full-bodied mouthfeel. Then this beer finishes with a malted smoked flavor. The smoky flavor fades in the aftertaste with hints of fading sweetness. This was such a delicious beer that is an A+. This isn’t like inhaling a campfire and is quite drinkable. This is a beer that you should have. 

Then I had a smaller Helles Lager. This beer is 5.2% ABV. This lager pours a mildly golden color with a two-finger white head. The aroma is sweet and fruity with a light bread note. The flavor is mildly sweet and fruity with subtle hop notes. This has a light-bodied mouthfeel. Then it has a semi-sweet finish. The aftertaste has fading sweetness and fruity flavors. This one was good, A-. It was refreshing and smooth. Easy to drink and another that is not to be missed. So if you are in Swakopmund, Namibia then you should go to the Brewer & Butcher. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly!

Ceris Strela Kriola

Posted on by Evan

I arrived in Cape Verde by ship and I took a hike. Later I had lunch by the seaside and had Ceris Strela Kriola the local Helles Lager of the island. This lager is 5% ABV. Strela means star in Portuguese. This beer pours golden with a one-finger white head. The head faded steadily. The aroma is lightly sweet and fruity with a faint malt note. The flavor is lightly sweet, hoppy, and fruity. I did get the faintest malt flavor. This has a light-bodied mouthfeel. Then it finishes with semi-sweet fruity with a tiny hop note. The aftertaste is a fading sweetness. This is not a bad beer, it is a refreshing beer. But I think I have had better Helle Lagers, but I would recommend this because you might never have it again. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Sint Bernardus Brouwerij & Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan Kombine Unfiltered Helles

Posted on by Evan

Kombine is a collaboration between St. Bernardus in Watou, Belgium, and Weihenstephan in Freising, Germany. This beer is a 6% ABV unfiltered Helles. This beer isn’t bottle-fermented like St. Bernardus beers. This Helles follows the German Reinheitsgebot and uses Weihenstephan yeast, a blend of hops from both St. Bernardus and Weihenstephan. This Helles is the first bottom-fermented beer that St. Bernardus has brewed. This Helles pours a yellow that has a very light orange hue. This beer has a two-finger white head that fades at a steady pace. The aroma is semi-sweet notes, banana, and very light hops. The flavor is similar to its aroma. This beer flavor reminds me of Delirium, but a lighter Delirium. The mouthfeel is medium. Then this helles has a smooth finish of light, sweet notes. The aftertaste is very little banana with a light hop note. This beer is a very delicious Helles. I give Kombine an A+. I found it to be smooth, flavorful, and refreshing. I hope that you find it that way as well, because I highly recommend Kombine. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Lenny Boy Brewing Co. Creature of Habit

Posted on by Evan

This is Creature of Habit a Greman Style Helles Lager from Lenny Boy Brewing Co. This lager is 5.4% ABV and is brewed here in Charlotte, North Carolina. Helles means pale, so this is a pale lager. This lager pours a bright yellow/gold color with a two-finger bright white head. The aroma is sweet, biscuity, malty, and clean. The flavor isn’t far off from its own aroma. This beer has a sweet, malty, biscuity, and clean taste. The flavor is balanced. This beer feels light on in the mouth. Then you get a nice semi-sweet, biscuity, malted finish. The aftertaste is clean and refreshing, with a touch of malts that linger for a few seconds. This Helles Lager is good, but it’s not the world’s best, it’s a B+. I would recommend this beer. I would go for this again. It is crushable. The flavor wouldn’t overwhelm your tastebuds after a few of these. Please stay safe, be kind to each other, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Southern Strain Brewing Company Move Me Brightly Helles Lager

Posted on by Evan

This beer is Move Me Brightly, a Helles Lager from Southern Strain Brewing Company in Concord, North Carolina. It comes in at 5.7% ABV. This Helles Lager has Epiphany Malting’s Helles Malt. This beer is in the style of a traditional Munich Helles Lager. This beer pours a yellow color with a two-finger white head. The aroma is bread, spice, and a light hoppy aroma. The flavor of this beer is also ready, spiced. This beer has a low bitter/hoppy flavor too. Then this Helles Lager finishes with a trace of light bitterness and light floral notes. The aftertaste is light bitterness and some spiced bread. This Helles Lager beer is okay. I would say it is a C. This beer starts fine, then ends with an average flavor. It’s worth a try. But I would not rush out for it. It does have the traditional flavors of a Munich Helles Lager. But it is just an average-tasting beer. Please stay safe, be kind to everyone, and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!Sou

Tucher Privatbrauerei Helles Hefeweizen Naturtüb

Posted on by Evan

This beer is Helles Hefeweizen Naturtrüb from Tucher Privatbrauerei. This brewery is in Nüremberg, Germany. Tucher is the oldest wheat beer brewery in Nüremberg, which is Bavaria. This beer comes in a 1-pint .6-ounce can at 5.2% ABV. This wheat beer pours a slightly hazy yellow color with a five-finger thick white head. The head fades slowly into thick lacing. The aroma is banana, clove, sweetness, and light wheat. The flavor is much similar to the smell. There is banana, clove, sweetness, and creaminess. The mouthfeel is medium. Then this Hefeweizen finishes with a banana sweetness that fades into almost a banana bread-like taste. The aftertaste is light banana bread. This is a good beer, and I’d never really heard of Tucher Privatbrauerei before having this. I give Helles Hefeweizen Naturtrüb an A. The whole flavor is lighter than most traditional German Hefeweizens. That’s not bad, but a little unexpected. I would recommend this beer. Yes, I’d have it again in a heartbeat. Please be kind, stay safe, and remember to enjoy responsibly! Cheers! 

Lost Worlds Brewing Adventure Series Stinnes Helles Lager

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This beer, Stinnes Helles Lager 5.1% ABV, from Lost Worlds Brewing in. Cornelius, North Carolina, is a 2020 North Carolina Brewers Cup gold medal winner. This Helles Lager beer is named after Clara Stinnes, a German race car driver. In May 1929 she jumped behind the wheel of her Adler Standard 6 automobile with her companion, she drove across Europe, over Asia, through the Pacific, across South America, and across the United States, where is briefly met, President Hoover. In June 1929, she arrived in Berlin after a 29,000-mile trek. She was the first person to circumnavigate the world by car. This beer pours a golden color with a barley two-finger thing white head. The aroma is breaded, citrusy, light pice, biscuity, and light malt The flavor is similar to its aroma. There is bread, biscuit, and some light sweet notes. The mouthfeel is light. Then it finishes with a light spice and ready notes that carry over to the aftertaste with a bit of bitterness. This is a good Helles beer. It’s an A. It has a great refreshing flavor. I would have this again and again, and so should you. Please be kind, be safe, and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!

Grimm Artisanal Ales Invisible Touch Helles Lager

Posted on by Evan

This Helles Lager Invisible Touch, 4.9% ABV from Grimm Artisanal Ales in Brooklyn, New York. This Helles Lager pours a golden color with a one-and-a-half-finger white head. It steadily fades into itself. The aroma of this beer is biscuity, malty, crisp, and has little spice. The flavor is crisp, breaded, biscuity, malted, piney, and spiced. The spice is a peppery spice but comes to life on the back of the tongue. The mouthfeel of this beer is light. This hells then finish with a nice breaded, biscuity flavor. The aftertaste is semi-sweet, biscuit, with a pine note at the very end. This Grimm Artisanal Ales Invisible Touch Helles Lager is quite good, and It’s an A+. I have not had a Helles Lager in quite a while, and this was great to return to the style. I highly recommend it. Please be kind, stay safe, and enjoy responsibly! Cheers! 

New Anthem Beer Project the dream is over Crystal Helles Bock

Posted on by Evan

New Anthem Beer Project the dream is over Crystal Helles Bock, 7.3 ABV is from Wilmington, North Carolina. This beer, made with Crystal hops, Pils, Munich, and Vienna malts. It also contains honey and orange blossoms. It pouts a deep yellow/amber color with a two-finger steady white head. It has a sweet caramel aroma with honey and orange. There is a faint beaded note on the nose. The taste is very caramel and sweet, probably from honey and orange blossoms. The mouthfeel is fuller but not that full. This beer has a caramel orange finish. Then it fades into a sweet lager with a linger of some sweet caramel. This overall is a good beer. I give New Anthem Beer Project the dream is over Crystal Helles Bock an A. It’s a good beer. It’s an interesting take on a Helles Bock beer. It has just the right amount of sweetness coinciding with the caramel and the honey/orange blossoms, and that’s what’s giving the beer its good sweet flavor. I think that you should go and try New Anthem Beer Project the dream is over Crystal Helles Bock. Please be kind, be safe, and enjoy responsibly! Cheers! 

Birdsong Brewing Co. Good As Helles

Posted on by Evan

Birdsong Brewing Co. Good As Helles Lager, 5.4% ABV is a local Charlotte, North Carolina brewed tropical Helles Lager. It is brewed with Strata Hops. This is a battering hop that brings tropical fruity flavors to a beer. This Helles Lager pours a golden color that is clean and has a one and half finger white head. The head has good retention and is slow to dissipate. The aroma is fruity with pineapple, mango, and some passionfruit. There is bitterness on the nose as well. The flavor is tropical with pineapple and mango with low bitter notes. The mouthfeel is light and this Helles finishes with a bit of bittersweet tropical crisp notes. The aftertaste is crisp with some fruitiness. Birdsong Brewing Co. Good As Helles Lager is an interesting Helles Lager that does deliver a tropical flavor to your taste buds. I give it a B+. It’s not an explosion of tropical fruit flavors, but they are a bit subtle. It goes down easy with a crisp flavor. I do recommend trying Birdsong Brewing Co. Good As Helles Lager. Please be kind, stay safe, and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!