Spaten Münchner Hell (Premium Lager) - Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

beragg

Iowa

4.22/5  rDev +15%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer out of a 1-gallon keg. It poured golden, but with little head (I think this had to do with the way the tap worked and I was doing this at an akward angle). The aroma was sweet floral hops. The taste was where it was at though. When this sweet lager hit my taste buds, I was in Heaven. This beer was sweet, but not soda sweet. It was just the right thickness and coated my mouth well. Drinkability is high. This is a beer I could drink a lot of and it's just the right strength for that too. All in all a great German lager.

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2004 23:29:05 | More by beragg

MisterClean

California

4.22/5  rDev +15%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle at brewer's lager tasting

A - Dark yellow, moderate head, which dissipates fast.

S - Malty and honey.

T - Good! Malty, honey, and sweet nectarine.

M - Very sweet and smooth.

D - Excellent example of a helles. Being that I am not a fan of this style though, I didn't rate it high.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2008 22:31:49 | More by MisterClean

fx20736

New York

4.22/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a green bottle into a straight sided pint glass.

I normally avoid beer in green bottles but as this is brewed by the same group that makes Franziskaner I decided to take a chance. I did let it sit for 3 minutes with the cap off before pouring even though I didn't detect any skunkiness.

Poured a 1 inch snow white head, pretty to look at. Beer is golden colored with subdued carbonation.

Aroma is bready malt and grassiness with a slightly sour smell.

Mouthfeel is very full without being thick or slippery.

Taste, mild Noble hop bitterness quickly fades and the finish is dry and pleasing. After I took a few sips I thought, where's the aftertaste? But there really isn't any, just a slightly sour dryness that is very pleasant.

This beer is a marvel, it doesn't try to surprise or overwhelm you, it just presents itself quietly as a wonderful, enjoyable drink. Until knocked down this will be a Summer Regular in my fridge.

This is yet another Euro Beer that proves that most American Beers are generations away from the fine quality enjoyable beers made in Germany, Belgium and England.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 21:44:10 | More by fx20736

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a pale golden color with white puffy head. Modest lacing.
Smell is a pleasant combination of fruity malt and fragrant hops.
Taste is extremely enjoyable with an absolute perfect balance of the sweet malt and crisp hops. Immensely refreshing.
Leaves a pleasant full rich crisp feeling in the mouth with nice lingering after tastes.
Excellent beer. What a lager should be.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2006 00:45:20 | More by tgbljb

mjc410

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap - sort of. It's from one of those 5L mini-kegs, which I hauled with great labour from Wegman's in my bike's panniers. Working a little harder for beer is never a bad thing!

I've decided to make a review of the second pour, since the first poured more than 90% head. Well, this one probably amounts to 40%, but I'm stubborn enough to write down the details anyway. The white head in my Spaten becker falls slowly, and leaves thick spongy lacing as it does. The beer's body is a bright but translucent gold, as simple as that. A beautiful beer. The nose smells of cereal, rich bread, and herbal hops. Very nice. The taste is clean, but rich. Definitely focused on a crisp, balanced malt flavor, with noble hops filling out the other end. The mouth is thick for a lighter type of lager, with great crisp carbonation. A fine helles that I'll be working on for the next few days.

EDIT: Or maybe not a few days. I polished it off over the course of the whole day while watching all the Rocky movies but the newest. THAT was a lazy day.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2007 18:54:25 | More by mjc410

AChamberlain

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Eurob-brown bottle bought from Central Market in Austin.

A: Golden pour with the slightest orange hue. Bright white foamy head.

S: Biscuity and malt aromas. Smelled of a Helles I guess.

T: Sweet and Malty. Biscuity to boot.

MF: Crisp and clean, smooth bodied.

D: Super drinkable. Litres and litres, all night, no problem. The word "drinkability" was made for beers like this.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2008 00:14:35 | More by AChamberlain

Domingo

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Good 'ol Spaten Helles.
Aa usual I'll preface this with - buyer beware. I've had this beer on tap many times both in the US and in Germany. On tap it's wonderful. The issue is, the imported version is in green glass and because it's usually a few months before we even get it (and it likely doesn't move quickly) it has a horrible problem with skunking in bottles. If you buy it in bottles - try to get it in a paper sealed 12-pack or case.

Anyway, my local German Restaurant (Helga's in Aurora, CO) carries this on draft. That's absolutely wonderful as it's a favorite that doesn't fair well here in the US.

Arrives a moderate to dark golden color. Among the darker helles offerings you'll find. A 1/2" head fills out my .5L mug.
Smells of fresh grain, a malty toasted sweetness, and a little hops. Smells a little mild, actually.

It starts off sweet, with a little bitterness in the middle. The finish is biscuity and reminds me a little of mild graham crackers.

Everything goes down easily, and it would be easy to have glass after glass.

A great helles that's one of my favorites when fresh. In fact, it might be my 2nd favorite behind Augustiner.

Even in bottles this can be great. Just get a paper sealed 12-pack and check the date on the outside. Make sure it's the same year and make note that the first two digits are related to the day of the year. The closer to today's date the better...obviously.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2008 23:16:52 | More by Domingo

eschbach

Arizona

4.2/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I stopped by Total Wine looking for a good imported lager. I came across the Spaten so I decided to buy it.

This beer looks great in a pilsner glass. It has exceptional head and a nice light golden color. The smell is incredible. All lagers should smell like this. It has a great hops smell. the taste is superb! Wow! Why can't all Lagers taste this great? I can actually taste the hops and it does not have a mineral aftertaste. It's a very crisp tasting beer. It's 100 degrees out and I'm enjoying with this Spaten.

If you like lagers you need to buy this beer! It's delicious!

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 22:43:45 | More by eschbach

rkinsella

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had this beer for the first time on tap in a German restaurant in Hudson Wisconsin.

Straw yellow in the mug, with a pure white foamy head.

On the nose, notes of grain, lemon, and a touch of floral hops.

Taste was fresh and snappy. Fairly complex malt profile, touch of citrus zest on the smooth finish.

Easy to drink. Looked forward to the next one.

This was a bit of a sleeper...had it in the bottle a few times, but on tap it was very surprising and absolutely delicious.

A near perfect Munich Helles. Enjoy!

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2010 03:56:06 | More by rkinsella

deejaydan

Michigan

4.18/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours very clear and pale, huge head off the get go, but the head settled down quickly, but hung around. Smell of floral hops, taste is crisp at first, with a slight malty finish. Thick mouthfeel for style, aggresive carbonation. A very nice to style beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2004 19:42:28 | More by deejaydan

HardTarget

Texas

4.18/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Aroma: Spicy hops, Saaz is my guess, light clean malt base.

Appearance: Painfully clear golden glass crowned by a cream white head that laced wonderfully

Taste: Sweet clean malt overpowers the noble hop, but finds a peaceful balance. This is a bit off for the style (if this IS a Pils) as I expected more hops, but it’s hard to complain. Taste is clean and clear as the appearance.

Mouthfeel: Lively, on the edge of fizzy carbonation. Dry but lip smacking finish.

Overall: Easy drinking. It has been a couple years since I’ve touched a Spaten, I’m glad I’ve revisited it.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2006 03:44:33 | More by HardTarget

bier_uber_alles

4.18/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

the beer has an average appearance. Nothing that would stand out in any persons mind as unique.

smell is of strong malt and grass. very pleasant.

taste substantially overlaps with the scent. Taste comrpises flavors of grass, toasted malt, etc.

mouthfeel is agreeable. carbonation is mild, bubbles are small. Leaves the mouth feeling a bit wet.

overall, this brew is not very complicated. It's straight forward and easy to appreciate. Perfect all year round.,

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 18:00:14 | More by bier_uber_alles

jackndan

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Spaten Premium: Very nice example of the classic German taste. Pale golden beer with a pure white head. The aroma reminded me of skunk, but the taste of the beer was anything but. Sweet taste, with a pleasant sour follow through and a hoppy dry, absolutely clean finish. Very nice and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2002 19:44:11 | More by jackndan

BierManVA

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A fine golden colored crisp lager. A little weak on the smell, (no skunk, like a good Lager shouldn't) but, I drink bier for the flavor and punch. A very smooth bier but with a nice after taste. Meaning, 'swallow the bier and enjoy'. Not overly carbonated but a very good lacy head.

"Lass Dir raten, trinke Spaten" = "Left to your advice, drink Spaten..."

An excellent Munich macro with drinkability, Especially at the price. Easy to see why they are part of the Big Six.

I highly recommend it. I mean...What else do you want from a Lager Bier?

John

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2003 02:04:05 | More by BierManVA

jiggahertz

New Hampshire

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Straw yellow beer with a nice two finger head which dissipates slowly, nice soapy action.

S: Hops a clean wheaty nose

T: Rich nutty malt up front, cleansing mid taste and a good amount of hops come through at the end. Not much floral or citrus to them.

M: FInish is good, long lasting light bodied.

D: Great easy drinking all around lager.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2011 23:35:44 | More by jiggahertz

McD0uche

California

4.15/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: This beer has the typical lager appearance in that it is golden, visibly carbonated, and produces a nice frothy head. Nothing spectacular here, although it does look fresh and appetizing.

S: Malts make up the majority of the smell profile. Some grassy and floral notes are mixed in. Reminds me of olives.

T: Wow. It possesses the lager flavor, but there's something more there. The flavor is more full and rounded than other lagers, if that makes any sense. The skunky, malty bitterness is present, but doesn't overpower.

M: Light bodied, crisp, and finishes dry. Superb.

O: Here we see a high quality beer that encompasses everything I look for in a lager. It hits all the high notes you expect out of a quality lager--the very qualities that are absent from mainstream lagers popular in America today. I will stock up on these around the summer months, as something this refreshing can't be passed up.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 06:57:50 | More by McD0uche

Jason

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 12 oz green bottle with a no freshness date.

Appearance: Glistening golden straw colour holds a decent white lace for some time.

Smell: Crisp graininess with a lemon back and some faint grape tannin as well, a touch grassy from the hops and very clean.

Taste: Fluffy crispness lifts the tongue to feel all of the tiny bubbles, a mild biscuity malt shows some grape tannin off … this show the quality of the brew by the choice malt it was brewed with. Graininess hits with a light bready and faintly lemon note, hops round everything out and seems to clean things up nicely. Long lingering grain and hop finish leaves a trail of dryness.

Notes: One of the originals and some what underrated in my opinion, this brew has no problem pairing with a plate of knock and bratwurst with a tangy kraut and some German potato salad.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2003 19:05:31 | More by Jason

kmcnair

California

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a straw color and makes a fluffy white head, fades slowly and has good retention, brilliant clarity.

S - Sweet, grainy malts. Clean fermentation characteristics, no fruity esters. Subtle hint of noble hops. Slight vegetal cooked corn DMS aromas.

F - Slightly sweet, malted grains, clean, low hop bitterness however well balanced. Spicy noble hops are detected.

M - Medium bodied with a dry yet very slight sticky coating of the palate, medium carbonation, rather smooth but dry in the finish.

D - Crisp and refreshing, malty but not overly sweet. Easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2006 05:23:06 | More by kmcnair

jwc215

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into pils glass

The smell is of sweet grass with some fresh grass and a tpuch of fruitiness. No Euro skunk here.

The taste is of fresh, sweet malt balanced by oily, slightly fruity hops. Light, clean refreshing finish.

It has a nice body for the style. Very smooth.

For a green bottled Euro this is very nice. Holds up well. Nice taste with a smooth, refreshing feel. Good choice for a "session".

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2007 23:37:12 | More by jwc215

Mistofminn

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz green bottle. Consumed at a Christmas party with assortment of other beers.

Straw yellow color with white head. Impressive lacing.

Malts. There are some faint hops here, and maybe some citrus.

Great taste and mouthfeel. There is a good balance with the malts and hops (the hops are barely noticeable) and it works well with the carbonation. Medium body.

Very drinkable. Especially after you've had many other beers in a holiday party environment. Don't get carried away though.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2008 01:46:48 | More by Mistofminn

billshmeinke

California

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. green glass bottle into a standard pint glass.

Pours a pale golden body with intense clarity. One finger fizzy looking white head that quickly dies down to a ring of foam clinging to the edge of the glass and scattered wisps of foam in the middle. No real lacing left behind.

Fruity lager scent, some faint grain, and grassy hops in the nose.

Taste follows smell with a fruity lager fragrance, some bready yeast, some grain, grassy and slightly peppery hop finish.

The mouthfeel is light, smooth, creamy on the bigger sips, and clean with a nice crisp finish. Quite refreshing.

So easy to drink. One of the best widely available lagers in my books.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2010 05:54:56 | More by billshmeinke

nickfl

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - poured with a large head of white foam on a clear, golden body. The head settles quite slowly and leaves nice lace.

S - rich, thick malt aromas with light, spicy hops.

T - clean malt up front with a rich sweetness that kicks in towards the finish. Lingering malt with just a hint of spicy hops and light bitterness.

M - medium-thick body, moderate carbonation, and a balanced finish.

D - a very nice german lager, the aroma is virtually perfect and the flavor profile is spot on as well.

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2012 23:55:23 | More by nickfl

TappaKeggaBrew

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear, liquid gold in color. Head was a fat finger of off-white foam, with both large and small bubbles, that lingered well. A scant lacing lasted on the surface, but none clung to the walls of the glass.

S: Citrus, grain, and fresh-cut hay dominate, with faint peppery and briny notes.

T: Citrus hops are present start to finish, but not to the point of drowning out the faint malt and medium grassy-grain flavors. The hops' bitter notes appear late, then fade and mingle with the other lingering flavors. Lagers tend not to be very complex, and this one is true to the class.

M: Crisp, but not heavily carbonated. The finish was medium-dry.

O: A nice thirst quencher on a hot day, or as an accompaniment to a warm meal. A good example of a lager.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 23:34:34 | More by TappaKeggaBrew

brureview

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in Pilsner glass. The beer poured a yellow color which lightened and looked like champagne as it warmed. The head was small- a 1/4 finger, with a decent smell of hops.

The mouth feel was excellent- crisp, effervescent, almost like champagne, and sparkling.

The finish is a light lager taste which sweetens with warming.

In general, a good light German lager with a very clean taste,

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 00:53:43 | More by brureview

Shaw

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I like this beer a lot. I'm already of Spaten's great Optimator and this beer maintains Spaten's reputation.

It looks nice: Pale yellow with a large, puffy white head. The smell is hoppy, grassy and grainy.

The taste first begins with light flavors of toasted malt and ends with a nice hop bitterness and flavor. This is good stuff. It's very refreshing.

The body is light and easy to swallow, just as expected. This beer is very easy to drink and is a great session beer, as are most German lagers, for some reason. ;-)

Overall this is a fine lager and good for when you're looking for something good to drink on a hot day or when you don't want a really heavy hitter.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2005 07:25:45 | More by Shaw