Shiner 99 Munich Style Helles Lager - Spoetzl Brewery

Domingo

Colorado

3.45/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An American Helles - sounds cool to me. It's a style we probably should see more of, considering the typical American beer palate could easily adjust to it.

Pours a standard yellow to golden color. Looks just like most German helles beers I've had, and I've had a lot. It's always funny to see people say a color isn't impressive when an American brewery does it, but when someone else does, it's "spot on." Head's there and with a proper pour, forms normally per the style.
Smells grainy and a little malty. It's headed in the right direction, but it's not quite there. It's too subdued.
Tastes sweet and slightly toasted, with a hint of hops in the finish. Much like the smell, they seem to have the style understood, but their attempt isn't strong enough. It's like they took a Bavarian example and watered it down. It's good, but just needs more flavor.
Mouthfeel's fine. Not too thin, but not a carbonated monster either.
I could certainly have a couple of these, but because the flavor's so mild, these would serve better as a lawnmower brew.
Looks and feels like a Helles, and even tastes and smells like one. Too bad it tastes and smells like one mixed with an extra 1/3 cup of water. Close...but not quite there. Still, an appreciated effort.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2008 14:59:22 | More by Domingo

bmwats

Louisiana

3.48/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pilsner.

A: Dark straw, light golden. Medium heavy carbonation pours into a one finger white bubbly head which dissipates quickly into a thin layer of carbonation on the surface. Carbonation continues to rise. No real lacing to speak of.

S: Light malt, hops, yeast, wheat.

T: Yeast and wheat. Light malt. Hint of citrus. A bit of a soapy palette.

M: Light feel. Yeast and wheat to start, hops to finish. The soapy trail, unfortunately, also lingers.

D: Solid drinkability. Refreshing, light but flavorful.

Good overall quaff. Worth a try if you can get one, as they claim it's a one time only brew. . . we'll see.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2008 02:21:23 | More by bmwats

colts9016

Idaho

3.33/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: A golden amber color with some carbonation. There was a foamy one finger head that came as quick as it was lost. There are like little lily pads of the head on top of the beer with a very, very thin ring around the lager glass.

Nose: Toasted malt and yeast. There are hints of ester, citrus, and pears or apples not sure.

Taste: Toasted malt, some fruit, and a sweet bread yeast. There are notes of citrus, esters, and straw.

Overall. The mouth feel is some carbonation. There is no finish. It isn't a too bad of a beer. I think all those Budweiser fans should up grade to this beer. I think it is a good game beer when you want something to pound or drink in large quantities. Not a beer to enjoy per say.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2008 07:22:03 | More by colts9016

Goliath

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear golden color with one inch of bubbley white head. Decent retention.

Aroma is up to par. Familiar light malt tones boasting a little sweetness.

Taste is nice. A simple light malt character, very typical.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a big carbonation bite.

Drinkability is high. Low alcohol, good flavor, crisp and refreshing makes for an easy drink and a summer pleasure.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2008 20:03:25 | More by Goliath

joe1510

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz Bottle

Received this as an extra in a recent trade with TPoling, thanks Travis! Shiner Helles pours a crystal clear straw golden with a glassful of large carbonation bubbles rushing to the surface. A minimal half finger fizzy white head formed on the pour and settled to a skimming rather quickly. No lacing left behind.

A clean raw graininess is the first and last thing that hits the nose. A slightly sweet maltiness flashes here and there. Seems to be a fairly standard, crisp helles aroma that is enjoyable but somewhat one dimensional.

The flavor contains a little more breadiness then the nose led on but the raw graininess is still the main component. The malt adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the grain. Not a bad example of the style but not one I'd drink very often.

I liked the mouthfeel at first but the more I drink the more I notice a slight stickiness on the swallow. I'd prefer a much more crisp lager as opposed to the stick.

This is an easy helles to put away. Refreshing and easy to drink. A good summer afternoon beer to sip away when planning on having a few in a sitting.

A decent helles that I wouldn't mind drinking occasionally but I wouldn't necessarily seek out either. Thanks for the sample Travis
.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2008 00:17:44 | More by joe1510

MrHungryMonkey

Texas

3.63/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a pale-to-medium golden straw color with good clarity, plenty of head, and not-bad retention.

Has that clean, crisp Pilsner-kind-of lager aroma full of bright hops and toasty malt.

Pleasantly malt with a keen, soft sweetness. Clean toasty malt. Floral and bright hops dance around on top of the malt in a sort of Fantasia fashion. A subtle initial tartness grows. Medium-thin body is thicker, solider, and juicier than I would have expected. Finishes pretty clean, leaving only a pucker on the sides of my tongue.

Huzzah! I'm ecstatic to find that 99 took the path of 97 and avoided being another abortion of a beer 98 was. I can't say with any accuracy how close this brew is to a paradigm Helles Lager, but this is a fine offering from Shiner. They would do good to award this beer a membership to their permanent lineup, and maybe scratch the Blond.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2008 02:41:42 | More by MrHungryMonkey

ATPete

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

bottle received in a trade, no bottled on or best by dates.

A- Pours a transparent, deep yellow. Haven't had a glass of water in 2 days yellow... Small white head formed after a rigorous pour but quickly faded leaving a thin sheet of collected carbonation.

S- Decent nose however. Lots of fresh fruit and fresh hops. Good balance. Roasty malts hold it all together.

T/M- Very bright initially, a sting of citrus, astringent. Tons of tiny bubbles embrace the tongue. It is growing on me though, the only downside to the taste is the lingering after taste of malty metal and some other breed of funk. A good lager, a bit to fruity, not bad though. A good representation, but by no means a great one.

D- It does go down very quick and very easy...

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2008 23:21:50 | More by ATPete

PatrickJR

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12 oz bottle into pilsner glass.

A - Bright golden color; they mean it when they say it was brewed to be bright. One finger head that quickly disappeared into nothing with no lacing. Nice stream of bubbles from the bottom.

S - A lot of corn and macro-lager smell, with a slight overtone of spicy hops.

T - More of the corn dominates at first, and soon gives way the spicy character of the hops. Tastes a lot like a suped-up macro. Slightly sweet on the finish, with hops not contributing much to bitterness. Very little malt profile.

M - Fairly thin and highly carbonated. Pretty refreshing.

D - Very easy to drink. Thin enough to down quickly, though the carbonation gets in the way some, but the flavor makes up for it. A decent, cheap, flavorful beer to make a night with.

This is my first Helles lager, but I've had a few Czech Pilsners and of course my fair share of American lagers. It's not a bad beer, but it isn't particularly engaging.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2008 05:51:08 | More by PatrickJR

tronester

Oklahoma

3.63/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a light golden with a small off-white head. Smell is of a German yeast strain and green apple. Taste is light, malt dominated, with a nice, hoppy finish. Mouthfeel is medium, slightly high carbonation. Very drinkable, it would be easy to drink several of these. A good beer, one of the better Shiner Beer's I have had.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2008 04:16:28 | More by tronester

goochpunch

Texas

1.88/5  rDev -43.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours out a very clear brassy honey with some sparse bubble movement. Head starts off thinnish and eggshell but then soon disappears, leaving just a white ring around the inside of the glass. Smell is rather grainy with some cooked vegetable smell mixed in. As I poured it, I could get a good whiff of some earthy hops, but as I smell it now, it's hard to pick out over the grain. Taste starts off with some faint malt sweetness then gets really grainy and sticky sweet in the middle. Towards the end, I get a slight medicinal quality and some "corniness" (although, I'm almost positive that this would be all-malt). I can really only pick out the herbal hops in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is kind of light but kind of sticky. Carbonation feels like it's foaming in the mouth. Yeah, I don't like this. This is to helles lager what Shiner Bock is to bocks. Is this the blonde relabeled (only half-joking)?

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2008 03:08:57 | More by goochpunch

hwwty4

Missouri

3.03/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to assurbanipaul for this one.

Poured a 12oz bottle into my trusty Chimay goblet. This beer pours a light straw golden with a little white head that melted away into a what reminds me a slight film on the top of the beer. The aroma is a mild sweetness, with just a kiss of hops and a little biscuit. The taste is odd. Sweet but there is a touch of what reminds me of wheat malt. Not much discernable flavors. The mouthfeel is light and mildly carbonated. It reminds me of every other Shiner beer I've had. They are all all right, nothing great, but easily drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2008 01:16:06 | More by hwwty4

Mosstrooper

California

3.53/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into 19oz pilsner.o

Appearance: Pours blonde with a very minimal thin white head.

Smell: Sweet, fruity smell. Slightly spicy, too.

Taste: Very sweet at the beginning, and finishes with a slight taste similar to apple juice with a mild spiciness. Lacks the strange metallic taste other Shiner beers have, which is a good thing.

Mouthfeel: Seems a little heavier-bodied than other Shiner beers and not as heavily carbonated, which is a good thing.

Drinkability: My only regret is that I didn't have this beer over the summer, as it is a good refresher. It is pretty solid, but not a stand out. A good beer and worth a taste.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2008 20:36:30 | More by Mosstrooper

nick76

Florida

2.85/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

The aroma is corn malt, sour kraut, and grass hops. The appearance is pale gold with a small head. The flavor is like the aroma but not as cheap or sour as I was expecting. The palate is thin but right for the style. Overall its not a good beer but I find it drinkable none the less.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2009 06:20:51 | More by nick76

EPICAC

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear, bright golden. A one finger, white head quickly fades to a patchy film. Light bready malts, and a spicy, leafy hop character in the aroma.

Clean and crisp. Light, slightly grainy malts are followed by an herbal, peppery hop character that imparts a subtle hop bitterness to the finish. Its light body and vigorous carbonation give the beer a refreshing quality, while a bit of dryness from the hops keeps you drinking.

Overall a pretty good lager, light and refreshing, but far from bland.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2009 04:59:45 | More by EPICAC

EagleTalon

Arkansas

3.35/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours to a thin white head that dies off to almost nothing. Clear golden color. Lots of carbonation bubbles, but still no head? Aroma is not very strong but what little is there is malty and sweet with a slight butteriness that i don't mind at all. Flavor is clean and malt dominant with just enough German hops to balance. The hop presence and the overall look and smell disappoint when it comes to the style. I like the taste as a beer drinker, but as a judge I have to knock off points. I regularly drink beers rated this low with no problem. Easy to drink and very "sessionable". Not bad but has some technical glitches.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2009 19:50:42 | More by EagleTalon

paulthebeerguru

Florida

3.05/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: snifter. pours a light, clear bronze/copper color. White head that dissipates rather quickly. very faint lacing.

S: smells like a helles. some sweet malts, mostly corn in the nose. some odd spices, like mint and thyme.

T: decent corn malts. some spices still lurking in the flavors. very sweet and spicy flavors in the finish.

M: good carbonation, shockingly with the lack of a good head. a little too bitter on the palate.

D: not a bad take on the style, but not that close either. it is a very easy drinking session beer. could drink quite a few if I was in the mood.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2008 04:25:05 | More by paulthebeerguru

biggmike

Mississippi

3.58/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a nice clear yellow with fluffy white head that hung around for a while. Aroma is subdued hoppiness with hints of citrus. Flavor is nicely malty that is balanced by the hops. Mouthfeel is good. Not my favorite style, but this is very high on the drinkability scale.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2008 07:33:51 | More by biggmike

beeragent

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a light straw, forming a 1 inch white head that fades quickly. Very light spots of lace slide down the glass. The aroma is a light hop presence, along with a slightly stronger grassy smell. The taste starts out with a light fruity/hop flavor, leading to a grass middle, and ending with a smooth light malt finish. Light smooth mouthfeel. Light refreshing flavor and low abv. make for a highly drinkable beer. Overall, not a bad beer, and definitely one with a summer feel. A fine offering from Shiner.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2008 23:09:46 | More by beeragent

bboven

Texas

3.98/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep and bright yellow, crystal clear body with no head or lacing.

Great hop nose with a nice malty, grainy sweetness.

Big hop flavor, maybe too big for the style, but tasty.

Highly carbonated and pretty drying.

A pretty good beer from a brewery I usually don't dig too much. Check it out if you're in the mood for something light but still full of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2008 21:21:29 | More by bboven

saintwarrick

South Carolina

3.38/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Perfect a nice clear and shiny gold with a fizzy white head that doesn't stay around long. Aroma is mostly malty, dried sweet bread and other grains and herbs, with a kick of citrusy lemon. Lots of MHL flavor in it, but the hops chracter falls a bit by the wayside. Very smooth, and refreshing.

Not a bad little number, but after a couple weeks of Stoudts, Lagunitas and Left Hand lagers, this one doesn't quite add up.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2008 05:42:57 | More by saintwarrick

EnojysAnyBeer

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A good shiner brew but nothing exemplary/special

A- Settles in the glass a light-copper/amber with not much head to speak of

S- Smells pretty good with a balance of sweet malts and spicy Noble hops. Unfortunately has a mettalic tone from the bottle.

T- Taste is what sticks out in this beer. Sweet, relaxed malt with a balanced spike of Hallertau Noble hops. The description on the bottle describes it well

M- Sorta grainy and harsh like most pils but not light and refreshing enough to capture the style

D- Drinks well like most Shiner brews

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2008 05:18:05 | More by EnojysAnyBeer

stumac

Texas

3.1/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

this brew pours up a clear straw yellow color with a decent sized white frothy head. the nose is hay, lemons, floral hops, sweet pale malts. the taste is crisp, lemon zest, faint crisp hops, sweet malts. light bodied, low smoothe carbo. Out of the 97, 98, and the 99 this is my least fave...

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2008 17:13:19 | More by stumac

Atlas1

Texas

3.83/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I like that Shiner is doing well enough to break out from the grip of their ordinary (but solid) Bock to brew some other styles. Their Shiner Black is a nice schwarzbier, and I already know, after having two prior to this review, the 99 is a good helles lager.

Pours a bright, crisp looking pale gold straw color. Big white fluffy head but it fades fast. Some lace, but not much. The nose is malty but unimpressive. Some buttery popcorn scent with a bit of lemon, but nothing overly special. The taste is smooth and malty and nice. Lightly fruity (mostly lemon, maybe some white grape juice) but with a solid malt punch. Good sweet malty aftertaste with the faintest hint of hops (maybe my mind playing tricks on me). Mouthfeel is smooth, almost creamy upon warming to room temp.

A fine beer from the crew at the Spoetzl Brewery. This is one of their best efforts, in my opinion. True to the style and very tasty. I would recommend this to fans of the style and fans of German lagers in general. A fine alternative to much other stuff out there, and a good example of an under-appreciated style.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2008 02:19:36 | More by Atlas1

theghost3

Louisiana

3.05/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Shiner 99 pours a light golden with a medium white head. Little lacing. Smell is yeast & sweet malts. Taste is mostly sweet malts, faint hops, apples, soapy, and slight spiciness. Mouthfeel is smooth, not too much acidity. This is a sessionable beer, but nothing to get excited about.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2009 04:11:33 | More by theghost3

mjurney

Texas

3.4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Deep straw color with a very thin head.
Aroma: Malty, grassy, hint of citrus. Very strong aroma.
Taste: Strong maltiness, nuts, lemons and hint of spices.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, harsh aftertaste that lingers in the mouth.
It's alright beer, I really love the maltiness in this beer, but the harsh aftertaste makes this beer hard to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 22:16:47 | More by mjurney