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

amk786

California

4.97/5  rDev +35.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer is a great German Lager. For anyone who loves to drink classic american pilsner such as Budweiser will love this German creation. This beer is extremely smooth, the taste is neither bitter or sweet but perfectly balanced. The color of the beer is light golden, and has a malty aroma with a hint of lemon.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 03:05:58 | More by amk786

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from tasting notes.

Very transparent light straw color with an eggshell white foam head that lasts for quite some time but leaves minimal lacing. Aroma at first whiff reminds of apricots and tangerines, but resolves into a cracker malt with strong and complex herbal / floral hopping. Taste is somewhat pushed into sweetness but not unbearably so, finish is semi-sweet but lasts for a respectable amount of time, texture is lighter side of medium body, refreshing, and definitely worth sessioning!

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 23:06:43 | More by WastingFreetime

megmulvaney

California

3.23/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer is a relatively average lager. It is and enjoyable and easy beer to drink. The color is a light golden. It comes in a green bottle with a neat label. The smell is wheaty or grassy. It has a very clean finish. The taste is very balanced...neither too sweet nor too bitter. There is a slight caramel flavor as well. This beer is similar to a heineken.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 07:10:09 | More by megmulvaney

lindalo112

California

2.7/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

It has an herbal, almost grassy taste and was pretty smooth.
Color: Golden yellow
Smell: Had a wheaty smell
Taste: maltier, balanced, hint of hops, herbal taste with wheat or grass taste.
Carbonation: little carbonation
Head: very tiny head with light to none hold
Mouthfeel: light mouthfeel
Extra: Didn't particularly care for this beer. It was your average run of the mill beer. The taste was identical to that of Coors or Heineken.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 04:46:17 | More by lindalo112

Olivia55555

California

2.6/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This beer was lighter yellow in color. To me it was just like a typically, standard beer. What you think of when you hear the word beer. It has an herbal, almost grassy taste and was pretty smooth. Not my favorite, but what I did like about this beer was that it has a super clean finish and did not leave a horrible after taste!

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 03:12:40 | More by Olivia55555

stunna12

California

3.18/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer comes in a neat green bottles with a cool unique logo. It has golden color light brown. This beer has just about no head. Another neat thing is the carbonation of this beer, it reminds me of champagne. Thus beer smells like clean cut grass. It has a sweet malt taste and a clean after taste. This beer goes down smooth and is a Classic German Lager.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 01:07:02 | More by stunna12

AllenJasper

Minnesota

2.98/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I can't seem to figure out when it was bottled... but it can't be that fresh, since it was made in Germany, imported to New York, then to Minnesota.
Bottle to glass. Not Coors Light cold, like I presume the Germans would drink it.

A: Light Golden, clear very carbonated, head dissipated rapidly.

S: It smells skunky and floral, but not strong.

T: Well, IMO it's better than all the 'domestic' lagers, but not by a whole lot. It has a little more bite to it, hoppier. A slight skunk aftertaste.

O: I've had the Optimator and the Marzen Oktoberfest, and I was a little disappointed at first, but then remembered it's a light lager, and should be judged as so... that being said, it's pretty good, and it's probably not nearly as fresh as the domestics, being in the middle of America.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 04:39:02 | More by AllenJasper

mactrail

California

3.43/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Popping the top releases that hoppy aroma that does have a whiff of skunk, but perfectly pleasant. Fairly sharp with a light body, but nothing watery about it. Golden color with a fairly coarse head. Pleasant flavor with that same hoppy fragrance as you sip. A touch of malt and a little more sweet than typical lagers.

Not a bad drink but probably needs to be icy cold and really fresh so you get a nice froth. Seems to be all about the perfume of the hops. Modestly bitter aftertaste. In the right mood this could be fine, but it is a little unusual.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 05:01:34 | More by mactrail

BerkeleyBeerMan

California

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Light bronze with good clarity. Lots of carbonation. Bubbly bone white head with light retention and lacing.

S: Lightly toasted malts, cracker barrel grain. Floral and grassy
hops. Hints of lemon and spice.

T: Grain. Powerful german hops. Mild peat and warming alcoholic backing.

M:Full flavored dry and crisp finish.

O: A fine beer that I will often revisit. Pairs excellently with German cuisine.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 06:18:17 | More by BerkeleyBeerMan

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a flared pokal at bauer's Brauhaus.

Watchin' Jeopardy! and drinkin' German brews. Good times. This one pours a clear pale straw topped by a finger of relatively short-lived white foam. The nose comprises grass, flowers, light wheat, and a very light twist of lemon. The taste takes a simpler tack, rocking just wheat and flowers, almost pilsner-like. The body is pretty light, with a very light moderate carbonation and a smooth feel. Overall, a decent helles lager, but lacking any kind of real character, any kind of discerning remarks, so to speak. It's nowhere near bad, just not something I would aim for, especially with other quality German choices around.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2011 22:57:07 | More by TMoney2591

darylvelez

Massachusetts

2.78/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer had great promise. I was told by the owner of the shop I bought it from that it's one of the best lagers on the market. But as soon as I smelled it i knew he was wrong. Maybe it was skunked, cause this thing smelled foul. Good color, loads of bubbles, look was great. Mouthfeel light. Taste was ok. Slightly more complex than a bud. Not buying this again, not asking that dude what he reccomends again.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 00:09:41 | More by darylvelez

bubseymour

Maryland

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - nice pale yellow and very clear with a 3 finger head that leaves nice lacing

Smell - some earthy bready notes but faint and slighty skunky

Taste - Nice flavor with straw hints. Light and easy to drink. No bitterness yet crisp and refreshing.

Mouthfeel - fine

Overall - A nice light German easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 22:41:33 | More by bubseymour

3.53/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer is a very light golden colour with visible fine carbonation bubbles and a thin but persistent froth. Its aromas are of grain, grass, and a touch of fruit. Overall a very clean aroma. It's light bodied and well-carbonated with flavours of lemonbread, grain, and apple, with very slight bitterness and a hint of spicy hops.

A very clean and easy drinking beer. Exactly what one would expect of the style.

Serving type: can

11-03-2011 22:30:24 | More by

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.18/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Usual brown 500ml bottle, labelled as the Munchner Hell. Best before Mar 2012, poured into two pilsner stemmed tulips.

The beer was reviewed in a blind tasting along side the Spaten Pils: this beer was slightly dark in its golden colour and smoother, meaning softer and so bitter as the Pils.

Looks good, as already stated it is a good rich gold colour, a thin white head tried to hang around, but like all beers I've had in this style, it failed to stay for long.

No real smell, gets my usual score of 3 for a non-smelling pilsner/lager/helles.

Although there is a hop feel to it, its not harsh or too bitter (like its Pilsner brother).

Easy to drink and I could see myself drinking this sort of brew on a hot summers day in a Munich bier garden.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 12:11:02 | More by BlackHaddock

Sorvahr

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Purchased from a gas station in Memphis, TN for $12 for a six-pack. Comes in green bottles with the Spaten logo front and center, a much simpler label than the Dunkel or Optimator. Poured into an Abita pint glass.

A: Pours a golden color, somewhat darker than the average pale lager, with a 1.5-finger fluffy white head that quickly disappeared. Lacing is decent at first but also quickly goes away. The glass may be partly to blame for this, as it seems to make head disappear particularly quickly with the various beers I've poured into it. At least it had plenty of carbonation bubbles, almost like a champagne.

S: A clean smell, not particularly strong, with a somewhat floral hop aroma.

T: Very crisp and refreshing, with a nice balance between the slightly sweet bready malt and spicy lemon hops. A hoppy aftertaste settles in and lingers on the tongue for a long time. This beer starts sweet when it hits the tongue but has a very dry finish.

M: Light-bodied but not unsatisfying, with moderate carbonation. Goes down easily, but is not watery.

O: It's not as good as the Spaten Dunkel, Oktoberfest, or Optimator, but a very nice pale lager. Definitely a step up from the cheaper European lagers like Beck's or Heineken. But, unless you're crazy about pale lagers, I'd recommend one of Spaten's darker beers instead, especially now in OCtober.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 19:04:08 | More by Sorvahr

ZenAgnostic

Texas

3.13/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Tapped from a 1gal 1qt 9fl oz mini keg with the dates 17.03.11 and EXP 12.2011 stamped on the bottom.

Appearance - Gold body with fine suspended particulate matter. One finger white head with decent retention and good stick.

Smell - Strong musky corn and wet cardboard. Sweet. No hoppiness.

Taste - Light. Metallic finish. Stale water aftertaste. Corn in the body. The metallic taste really ruins it.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium body. Not quite refreshing.

Overall Drinkability - It's not a bad beer. Perhaps slightly better than average for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2011 19:01:44 | More by ZenAgnostic

godlessape

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: This beer pours a light golden straw color like most German lagers and gives up a thin white head.

Smell: The bready, grassy and earthy malt notes come together perfectly with maybe a hint of lemon.

Taste: The biscuity malt flavor comes through with great might and ends with a subtle spicy hop crispness.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied--feels just right on the tongue.

Overall: This is great stuff. I wish American lagers had this much flavor. Das bier ist gut.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 06:40:09 | More by godlessape

janubio

Spain

3.53/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 ml. botte. Clear yellow colour, big head that does'nt hold much, but leaves a ring on the surface. Smell of lemon, grain, slightly fruity. Fresh and crispy palate, taste is herbal, lemon. Not a omplex beer, but very drinkable and enjoyable. Good one.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 16:09:50 | More by janubio

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500 mL can picked up at the LCBO; BB date June 2012. Pours a bright, almost fluorescent yellow colour, topped with one finger of white head that has dissipated to a patchy cap and collar within a few minutes. The aroma is rather subdued but generally pleasant; bready malts with some grass and lemony citrus notes.

Not bad. Slightly sweet doughy-cracker malts are the first flavour I pick up, but this leads into some grassy, slightly spicy hop bitterness toward the finish. A bit of lemon zest; excellent balance between the malt and hops with neither overpowering the other. Highly carbonated, a bit much for my liking, with a medium-to-light body. Thirst-quenching and highly refreshing.

It's been a while since I last reviewed a Munich lager, but this one instantly reminded me why I should seek out this style more often - perfect balance, crisp and refreshing, with enough flavour to keep me interested for the whole session. Definitely worth a try; a supremely well-made lager.

Update Sept. 17 2012: I had this for the first time since my last review (this time side-by-side with some Lowenbrau) and I really don't think I gave this stuff enough credit last time - it is just an absolutely superb lager, and easily the best Munich Helles I've ever had. Smooth, refreshing, with a delicately balanced flavour that is far superior to 95% of the pale lagers distributed widely throughout Ontario. Based on this second sampling, I felt it necessary to bump the score a bit.

Serving type: can

09-26-2011 08:40:17 | More by thehyperduck

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

on tap at devils den in philly

Pours a clear golden color with plenty of bubbles. Thick layer of white head rests on top, fades slowly with plenty of patchy lacing.

Soft scents of lemon peel and straw. Hints of citrus and spice with faint sweetness and a metallic note.

A little bitter up front with faint hops. Citrus and lemon peel with a thin straw malt backbone. Light metallic touch towards the middle, finishing a little dry and crisp.

Lighter medium body, higher carbonation, bubbly and somewhat refreshing. Drinks okay, but not exactly thrilling in any specific department.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2011 00:31:49 | More by xnicknj

barleyroad

Pennsylvania

2.58/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Gold in color with that euro lager smell.
average taste with a good feel to the mouth, clears nicely. Better that most american lagers, with exceptions of course. Overall not bad, but again falls short of american micro brews. Stay with the home team.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 23:27:56 | More by barleyroad

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear pale golden colour, one finger white dense head, not much lace but decent retention. Smell is malty and floral, grass, grainy with lemony citrus and a grainy presence. Taste is malty with lots of fruit going on, lemon, floral, citrus with a mild bitterness. Nice mouthfeel, medium crisp carbonation, medium body, good feel. Pretty good stuff, solid and more complex than competing brands at the LCBO, fairly easy drinking stuff here.

Serving type: can

09-21-2011 16:36:27 | More by peensteen

Kartoffeln

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours clear, pale straw-yellow with a white, bubbly head of average size but fair density for a lager; it's short-lived, though, dissipating to patches of foam and leaving little lacing.

S: Typically robust Munich malts joined by a slightly sweet grain aroma, joined by fainter notes of noble hops. Hint of ethanol.

T: Loads of rich, well-attenuated Munich malts with a mild biscuity character ease off to a lighter, slightly sweet grain taste that lets floral, noble hop flavours show through.

M: Body on the light end of medium with moderate carbonation giving initial lightness and a crisp swallow. Well-balance flavour profile with a clean finish of increasingly prominent, lasting hop bitterness makes for a refreshing and exceptionally drinkable Helles.

D: An excellent Helles: it's to-style with a distinct taste and tremendous sessionability. Well worth trying.

Serving type: can

09-09-2011 19:23:48 | More by Kartoffeln

GodOfBeer

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a very pale straw yellow with a foamy head that quickly fades away. Looks like apple juice after a while.

Smells of grassy, bready malts, some slight citrus derived from the hops.

Tastes like you're typical Munich lager, I've had many like this, not very unique. It's getting harder to really differentiate between these european lagers. That being sad it does have a nice hop character balanced by a nice sweetness.

Very refreshing and enjoyable, but nothing I would really buy again.

Serving type: can

08-13-2011 21:39:27 | More by GodOfBeer

musicman575

California

4.08/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Spaten has this big beer stigma about it that makes me avoid drinking it when there are other options. I went against my instincts and got some anyway.

Poured three 12-oz bottles into a 1-liter vintage clay Spaten Mug, pouring the last one a bit harder to make some foam. I still had trouble getting much foam out, but I didn't really expect much.

It has that good ol' German grainy smell with a bit of hops to it. I don't know why I was surprised to find it really didn't smell like cheap beer to me.

I loved the way it drank. I didn't try to pace myself since I could enjoy all of its goodness in large gulps. Not even close to the most flavorful fancy beer in the world, but it sure does have a jolly spirit!

Prost!

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 18:15:42 | More by musicman575