Helles

[Thumpasaurus]

An old German roommate of mine came back to Atlanta for graduation in mid December and brought me some Augustiner Lagerbier Hell straight back from Munich. I had just bought some Weihenstephaner and Spaten lagers a few days earlier so I was pumped to compare the Augustiner not only to those two lagers side by side by side, but also to see how it tastes when an actual German imports for me in his luggage.

So I read that DannyW pointed out that the BJCP lists all of those as examples of a Munich Helles. When I compared the Weihenstephaner and Spaten, they did not necessarily taste the same but it was obvious that they were the same style. But then the Augustiner tasted so different from the other two that it would be difficult for me to consider it even the same style as the other two.

My question is this: Would the simple fact that one was imported directly and the other two were imported via distribution make that much of a difference in the flavor? I love all three, but I'm planning on brewing my first lager here in the next couple of weeks and wanted to make something similar to Spaten so I don't want to use a typical Helles recipe and have it turn out like Augustiner. I don't know enough about recipe development yet so I wouldn't be able to tweak it to exactly what I want. Any suggestions?

By the way, this 3rd Optimator I'm hammering right now is fucking incredible. A 12-pack for $11. Too easy.

[DannyW]

... Augustiner Lagerbier Hell straight back from Munich. I had just bought some Weihenstephaner and Spaten lagers...

...Weihenstephaner and Spaten, ...it was obvious that they were the same style. But then the Augustiner tasted so different from the other two that it would be difficult for me to consider it even the same style as the other two.

My question is this: Would the simple fact that one was imported directly and the other two were imported via distribution make that much of a difference in the flavor?

Can you describe how the Augustiner was so different? was it more bitter, more sweet, darker, lighter, clearer, cloudier, etc?

Rule of thumb says that the one that was brought directly to you will be better because it is fresher and likely been treated better. The ones you bought at the store have spent who knows how long in a ship, on a dock, in a warehouse, on a truck, and at room temp in the back of the liquor store.

[Thumpasaurus]

The Augustiner was perfectly clear, seemed a little more carbonated, had more of a bready flavor, and was generally crisper (crispier?) than the others. The others were also crystal clear but a little more pale in color and seemed to have more of a malty sweetness to them. They were definitely generally sweeter than the Augustiner. There was also no real perceivable bitterness in any of them.

Next time I do this with beers I need to take notes.

[DannyW]

Sounds like maybe the bitterness had faded a bit in the older examples, bringing the balance more toward malt (and toward your preference).

You could make a Helles with the BU:GU ratio on the low side to suit your palate or you could make it middle of the road and just lager it for a long time.

1.048 with 18 IBU might be middle of the road (.375 BU:GU)
you might want to make one with about a .30 BU:GU, or 14-15 IBU to go along with that 1.048 gravity.