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

Globetrotter

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I ordered this in a German restaurant in Moscow, and it brought me back to my college days in the beer gardens of Munich. My favorite Munich beer then, it still delivers today.

Came out clear gold under a big slightly off-white contoured head that left excellent lace down the glass. The nose is mildly malty with, unfortunately, a touch of soap. The mouth is prickly and light, as it should be. The flavor features a good light malt followed by a nice hoppy bite in the finish. The aftertaste combines the light malty sweetness with a hoppy bitterness, making you long for the next sip. Good stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2003 19:48:15 | More by Globetrotter

proc

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours out to a bright golden in the glass with a slight, very white head. Aroma is that of a light lemon and grass. The taste is very Euro-lager and is quite good. This could be an easy session beer to sit back with during a sporting event on the tube.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2003 13:31:56 | More by proc

fattychubs

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This was served in a giant Spaten Mug at a local tap room. The color was like fake cheap gold jewelry, with a bit of white lace resting. The aroma was mostly clean, a faint sweet malt smell and just a touch crisp grassy hop. Taste starts with a crisp and sweet malt, goes to a subtle cracker taste, then a bit of balancing hops and very subtle citrus.

Very easy going down, and could make a good session brew. Not a lager fan, but this one seems right on, for flavor and drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2003 21:02:18 | More by fattychubs

yosh

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Flying Saucer, Raleigh, NC.

Served in a half liter Malles Munich Mug and had a bright golden color. It started out a little grainy, but the hops were evident towards the end. The mouthfeel was smooth for this light-bodied beer and it went down pretty easy. Smoothness leads to a great drinkability for this beer

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2003 14:48:19 | More by yosh

oberon

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I liked the nice gold color to it medium sized head wich left a good lace that stayed for quite awhile.Very grainy,sweet minerally aroma very malt accented.Pretty clean tasting a hint of hops in the finish,a little thin in the mouthfeel department though.A pretty good lager better than the American giants but not as good of its European partners.

Serving type: on-tap

03-15-2003 05:50:21 | More by oberon

cokes

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

An average, yet solid, German Helles.
Served up bright golden as expected. White head settled out quickly.
Nose is faintly malty and sweet. Touches of spicy hops.
Taste is comprised mostly of (very lightly-) caramel drizzled breadiness. Quietly grainy. A quick jab of spicy hops finishes things. Nothing else is noted.
Not complex in the least, but a decent session choice.
Light-medium in the mouth with steady rolling carbonation. Brainlessly quaffable.
Agreeable, yet remarkably average. But there is nothing here to criticize. If US macros were anything like this, I'd still drink them.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2002 00:40:50 | More by cokes

goindownsouth

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A very nice example of what a German brew is and should be. It is very refreshing and aromatic at the nose. From the very inital sip to the very last, it is extremely consistent and user-friendly. The head is light, yet still lightly omnipresent. The aroma of the earthy malt and hops are a fantastic match with all foods German, particularly with pork and sauerkraut. Well worth seeking out! Prost!

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2002 05:52:45 | More by goindownsouth

MrHassellYaHurd

Louisiana

4.04/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Crystal gold, dense white head, about a finger in thickness lasts for about 10 minutes before receding to a hazy cap. Vigorous visible carbonation release.

The scent is predominantly a bready malt with some faint peppery hops in the background. There is also a slightly vinous quality to this brew's aroma.

This brew has a quite pleasant bready flavor with a constrast of grassy hops. Very clean, with just a bit of hop bitterness.

The texture is silky smooth, with some prickly carbonation. Medium-bodied.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 20:21:52 | More by MrHassellYaHurd

TeamMathis

West Virginia

3.55/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Clear, pale yellow.
Smell: Lemon.
Taste: A pilsner with a splash of lemon.
Mouthfeel: A bit carbonated.

This is a refreshing brew. Its smell stands out the most, just like a Lemon Drop. It tastes like a pilsner, but it has a hint of lemon. This is certainly not exciting, but it's definitely drinkable. I might get this again.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 02:44:14 | More by TeamMathis

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

These Free Beers From Work never cease!

Poured to a pint glass darkish yellow. White head winds up a thick ring and spotty cap, light lacing left behind.

Scent is quite 'lagery', with bread, butter, grains, kind of papery tones. Some lemon and spicy hop there as well.

Taste brings a decent, but somewhat standard German lager. Big graininess with bready, pale, buttery malts, with a tiny bit of skunkiness there too. A good amount of spicy and grassy hop going on here, lemon and some apple crispness. Nicely well-rounded.

Good mouthfeel. Body is fine, could use some more carbonation maybe. Easy drinking, crisp and refreshing.

Certainly not the most exciting lager, but this seems like a good standard for an authentic helles. It's refreshing, drinkable, and not offensive - good cookout beer I imagine.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 23:27:28 | More by Chico1985

WissBrauSean

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

So this beer is in a green bottle. I can't understand why you would use a green bottle. They must like the skunk flavor. I will, however, reuse the bottle and just keep my beer from light.

The beer pours a clear deep straw color with a white one finger head that stays as a ring and a center cap throughout the drink and the lacing is a nice archway pattern.

The smell upfront is that green bottle skunk aroma but the pale malt sweetness and the hops are noticeable and nice.

The taste is almost citrus like up front and then pale malt sweetness a hint of yeast and nice and mellow earthy hops. The skunk aroma is also part of the flavor profile and not too desireable.

The mouthfeel is somewhere between dry and sweet, noticeably dry, but still well balanced with average body and nice medium carbonation. Mild dry finish with a hint of black pepper.

Overall, this is a good beer and I would love to try it on draft. I won't buy it in bottles again. For the life of me, I can't understand that if the Germans were such purists, why they kept the usage of green bottles? The skunk detracts from the beer there is no question, but not terribly so. I'm going to give this beer high 3's out of 5.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 00:13:01 | More by WissBrauSean

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.38/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a Samuel Smith pint glass.

A: Pours a crystal clear golden straw color. I love how translucent the body is, in particular. The head is a two finger white shade; retention isn't the best, but there's some really nice lacing left on the glass.

S: Aye, it's a bit skunked (lol, green bottles), but it could have been worse. The notes of pale malts, faint sweetness, and zesty hops aren't dulled in any significant capacity.

T: At first, some of the hop profile comes through with notes of grass and lemon zest, but the finish is pure, balanced, simple malt goodness. In particular, it has a nutty flavor that I really enjoy (that, and the diacetyl is kept in check). Personally, I want more hops; but I won't complain about the balance this offers.

M: Not quite as bone dry as I like my lagers to be - nor is it too sweet. The texture does the best it can to provide good drinkability without significant hoppiness.

O: Green bottles mean I wouldn't buy this one again. However, I would seek it out on tap. An under-appreciated lager unfortunately scorned both by its bottle color and by who makes it.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 19:04:54 | More by ThisWangsChung

apasternak

Ohio

5/5  rDev +35.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Brewed in Munich, this is another delicious Germany beer. Simple but delicious. I had this beer a lot when I was in Germany and thought it was delicious. Color is not the darkest I've seen in a beer, but was also not the lightest. Clean, full-bodied flavor.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 16:47:23 | More by apasternak

mjurney

Texas

4.44/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance:
Pale gold color, clear. Lots of fine bubble rising up. Thick bright white head. Leaves very nice lacing behind.

Aroma:
Sweet, bready, biscuit, lightly spicy hops, crisp.

Taste:
Breadiness up front, rich, biscuit, cracker, slight caramel. Hop bitterness is mild to medium, it's sharp, spicy-herbal. Clean dry finish. Body is light, soft, clean, crisp, refreshing, lively carbonated.

Overall:
It's an excellent beer. Rich, tasty, highly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 00:53:36 | More by mjurney

GossageBrewery

Missouri

3.38/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured this Munich Helles Lager from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Poured a golden color, produced a nice white head, decent retention and decent lacing left on the glass. The aroma consisted of malted grain and grassy hops. Light in body, this Helles had a foundation of malted grain, fresh baked bread, a touch of lemon citrus and earthy hops. Dry Finish. One of the big Munich breweries, while this was much better served fresh in Munich, this bottle offering won't dissappoint if your looking for a traditional Munich Helles. Prost!

.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 20:25:02 | More by GossageBrewery

McD0uche

California

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
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

thegodfather2701

North Carolina

3.23/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

A-Pours a clear gold with a fizzy bright white head that dissipates quickly.

S-Not a very strong nose, but what I picked up on was some grassy hops and hint of sweet malts.

T-Similar to the nose as grassy, Noble hop flavors stand out along with some sweet grainy malt. Not the most flavorful beer by any means, but nothing offensive. It has a nice bite to it and its refreshing.

M-Pretty thin and watery.

D-One could drink many of these in a session due to its good flavor and average abv.

Overall, this makes a good beer to drink when you just want to drink a few beers and not think about it.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 22:25:59 | More by thegodfather2701

grittybrews

Washington

3.78/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a clear, pale gold with two fingers of bright white head. Sweet, grainy aroma with a touch of grass.

Moderate carbonation and a full, crisp mouthfeel. Biscuity grain up front followed by a bit of malty sweetness, a hint of corn, and lightly spicy bitterness on the tail end.

Balanced and refreshing. Solid.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 04:16:36 | More by grittybrews

SmashPants

Australia

3.83/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: standard German 500mL macro brown bottle and standard label.

Appearance: one-finger fluffy white head that quickly dissipates, the body is crystal golden yellow.

Aroma: sweet grainy malts and some citric hops. Definitely smells refreshing and inviting.

Taste: transfers from the nose - those sweet pale biscuit malts, those citric hops and some faint earthy flavours.

Aftertaste: the more interesting flavours back off, to leave those more typical lager grains. Impressively, No metallic fug - very clean indeed. Good for a lager.

Mouth feel: medium-bodied with a lighter carbonation than the standard American or Australian lagers. Works well as it has more flavour and doesn't need to blast it across with higher carbonation.

Overall: very good quality lager, I thought it must have been a light ale or a pilsener. AU$80 a case for 2 x 500mL - not bad value at all for such a good quality lager.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 04:53:43 | More by SmashPants

Winston_Smith

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: The straw color was a bit darker in this lager. There's very little head, which fades quickly.

Smell: The first scent upon opening the bottle was a hoppy skunkiness (not in a bad way). There's a sweet odor too, maybe honey. Some mild lacing is present.

Taste: Very crisp and clean with some of the earlier mentioned skunkiness.

Mouthfeel: Very light and bubbly with an almost dry after-feel.

Overall: Spaten Premium Lager is a decent beer to try. It's not my favorite style, but I could see myself getting an itch that this style could scratch on occasion. I don't think I would buy it the majority of the time, however. It's a good lighter choice for when you don't want to sacrifice taste like some other *cough*Americanmacrolagers*cough* light choices.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 04:10:14 | More by Winston_Smith

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: poured from 12 oz bottle into pint glass, light straw colored with a short head that quickly dissipates leaving little lacing, crystal clear with some bubble streams
S: fresh clean malted barley, mineral water, small hop aroma
T: sweet up front then a tingly grain middle, finish is dry and clean with subtle hops
M: proper feel for the style, light and refreshing without being watery, lively bubbles
O: an average German lager that drinks easily

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 01:33:35 | More by M_C_Hampton

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.45/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Server in a footed flute glass.

Appearance: Transparent gold with very light bodies on the body. Head barely there coming off white maybe 1/8" off the body.

Smell: Very light hops scent, believe me real light you need to snort it to get the feel.

Taste: Creamy feel, almost like their marzen but not quite there yet. Bitter but still robust. In any other word is simply complex.

Mouth: this brew excels in texture and how smooth it is. Goes down easy especk ally after a hearty meal.

Overall: Great beer to have over and over again, am easy go to and one of the best fail-safes that you can rely on. Salud!

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 23:52:55 | More by BlurryVisi0n

Kremlock

Ontario (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Gold colour, 1/4 inch head that collapsed after 2-3 minutes but kept a nice thin layer of head on top. Very clear beer with medium active carbonation.

S: A very clean malt smell with hints of bitterness

T: A very light bread malt flavour with a bitterness balance to it. Taste is very clean

M: Crisp and dry finish. Carbonation is medium and is very appealing.

O: Great lager worth trying. Bitterness lingers for a long time, full of great clean taste.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 12:36:47 | More by Kremlock

crwrunner

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance- Crystal clear golden color with about a two fingers worth white head. Leaves some lacing around the glass.

Smell- I really don't smell much. Just some grains is really all I smell.

Taste- Just like it smells, grains. It is very clean and crisp although.

Overall- This is a kind of beer that I could drink all night or at a cookout. Very light and clean. Just not much going on with it.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 22:56:42 | More by crwrunner

pkalix

California

4.28/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

i pretty much love all of Spaten's recipes. this pours nicely, laces in little spots and smells very pilsnerly. lager? smells hoppy, tastes very dr; finishes clean with a crisp taste. nice session beer, dry, a little bitter, very germany . . . . wish they would bring back the Club-Weisse....

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 02:19:47 | More by pkalix