Shiner 99 Munich Style Helles Lager - Spoetzl Brewery

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

htomsirveaux

Texas

3.08/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle tried 24 May 2008.

Pours with a small light yellow head. Medium carbonation that quickly dissipates. Clear honey golden color. Smells mineraly, sour, like tonic and apple juice. Starts quite sweet, appley. Somewhat grainy. Very slight bitterness in finish. Light body, light alcohol.

Good thirst quencher on a warm spring day.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2009 03:31:57 | More by htomsirveaux

ruckzuck

Georgia

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

Picked up randomly.

A - pours a golden transparent color with a very thin white head that quickly subsided

S - hints of hops give notes of citrus and fruit held together by a malty backbone

T - almost tart initially, maltiness really dominates

M - light bodied and pretty bright, definitely some carbonation present

D - this isn't my favorite style, but I had several of these the other night and enjoyed knocking them back. Pretty drinkable I'd say.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2008 18:06:44 | More by ruckzuck

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

BeerBrotha

Texas

3.15/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

My boys in Texas. Good to be home. Beer is a bit on the malty side. I actually liked it better a bit warmed up. Straw colored with with white fleeting head. Subtle malt on flavor and smell with very low aftertaste. Not bad, but I'm looking forward to the 100th anniversary.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2008 18:05:40 | More by BeerBrotha

Vengeance526

Louisiana

3.15/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a medium golden color with about a half finger white head that lasts for a little while before subsiding to a thin ring and leaving a small amount of lacing.

Aroma of malt and wheat with some slight notes of spice.

Taste is quite malty with a little bit of citrus and spice.

Medium bodied and medium carbonation. This is another fairly drinkable, but rather bland offering from Shiner. All of their offerings seem to be decent but still leave much to be desired. Compared to the 98, I'd say they lowered the bar a little bit from the previous year.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2009 23:09:30 | More by Vengeance526

jujubeast6000

Texas

3.18/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Reviewed 4/17/2009 (bottle):

Pours a clear yellow colored body, with some white creamy head, diminishing. Has a funky malty wheaty aroma, some nutiness, fruitiness. Fruity malty taste, somewhat fruity aftertaste. Maybe apple, banana, berry? Fizzy, malty.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2009 04:35:09 | More by jujubeast6000

zeff80

Missouri

3.25/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Poured out a golden yellow color with a good deal of carbonation. It had a two-finger, bubbly, white head.

S - It smelled of corn and light caramel malt.

T - It had a smooth blend of grains and light caramel maltiness. Also, a very subtle spice kick.

M - It was crisp and sharp. A very light-bodied beer.

D - This isn't bad, but I'd rather have a true German brew of this style.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2008 01:36:27 | More by zeff80

oberon

North Carolina

3.33/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I bought this as more of a throw back beer after work and it served its purpose last night.Poured into a pilsner a light golden with a well formed bone white head that had good defination,a nice pour. Cooked vegetal notes are real strong in the nose for me to strong a passing iron/metallic and a light hop presence is there as well.Not bad on the palate slightly toasted and grainy with some iron and a light leafy hop presence in the finish.Pretty basic but a cut above a macro lager,tru to style well not so sure.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2008 12:54:38 | More by oberon

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

AustinBeerLvr

Texas

3.35/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 12 ounce bottle into a pilsner style glass.

A: Pours to a very nice golden color with a good looking amount of body to the beer as well. Pretty good head, as well as lacing on the glass.

S: Nose of this brew is good, but reminds me a whole lot of a Pabst Blue Ribbon (which is not a bad thing). I would call it your basic "Helles" aroma of mostly sweet malt but a nice touch of hops in there as well.

T & M: Starts off with a good dose of sweet malt, kind of has some pear like sweetness in there that nicely mixes with the hops. The graininess that I taste in other Shiner Beers is there as well, which seems out of place for the style. The finish is probably its biggest downfall, as it's fairly weak and more sour than bitter. Mouthfeel is solid for the style, as it isn't watery.

D & Notes: Overall, this is a decent stab at the Munich Helles Lager style. I cannot confirm this, but I think there are probably some cheapened ingredients that go into this brew (a true Helles brewed in Germany can only be brewed with water, hops, malt, and yeast), but I can't confirm this. The graininess in the flavor seems to point to that being the case though. That being said, this is a pretty decent drinking brew. Not a "helles" I would probably buy again, but certainly not a half bad effort.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2008 01:47:11 | More by AustinBeerLvr

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

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

Bagman007

Texas

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

Served in a bottle poured into a pint glass. I'm a big fan of Shiner beers, but this is not one of my favorites. It has a light yellow color without much head. You can smell the hops and malts with a hint of spices. The taste is a little too malty for me. Slight hops, but not much. It's drinkable, but not one I'd drink several of. I liked the 98 much better.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 03:47:48 | More by Bagman007

OHLRangers

Michigan

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

12oz bottle received as part of a trade with mhewes. Thanks Michael!

Poured into standard pint glass. Deep gold color, with lots of carbonation, yielded a less-than-one-finger creamy white head that quickly dissipated with minimal lacing.

Aroma lemony and corn on the cob-eqsue. Not a whole lot of body in this one, but it is a drinkable brew, especially on a warm summer evening. I much prefer ales to lagers, but this one works as an occasional summer brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2008 00:02:02 | More by OHLRangers

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

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

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

Gold colored with a constant pillar of bubbles emanating from the glass bottom. Decent white head that is quick to fade to a thin skim.

Smells of light malt, mild pepper, and Thomas' English muffins.

Sweet with a mild pepper and noble hop presence. Full bodied, though not as crisp as many lagers. Very drinkable "whatever" beer.

via colts9016

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2009 02:46:06 | More by donkeyrunner

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

hellomcfly

South Carolina

3.43/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into tulip glass

A - Pours a bright gold color with about a 1 finger white head that dissipates quickly.

S - Sweet corny malts dominate

T - Clean and refreshing. Bready malts and tiny bit of citrus. Little bit of bitterness.

M - Light bodied and a lot of carbonation.

D - Pretty drinkable. Makes for a good summer beer in my mind.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2008 18:03:53 | More by hellomcfly

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

yesferro

Mississippi

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

Bought a bottle of this at the Corner Store. Tupelo MS

Poors a golden yellow, what little head there was disappeared very fast. Smells like a lager,light on the malt, nothing special there. Pretty crisp, the carbonation is just right. Light citrussy malty flavor, a munich lager done right although a little on the light side on flavor. Not my favorite Shiner though.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2009 00:05:08 | More by yesferro

HardTarget

Texas

3.48/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

Shiner '99 Helles
Bottle Inspection: A lot of words talking about how this is celebrating the 99th year of brewing by Spoetzl brewing, and a note about Hallertau hops.

Aroma: Grainy malt with a firm earthy hop note. Hops seem noble (oh, the label claims Hallertau, I should read first) and there is a yeast element.

Appearance: Bright, painfully bright yellow gold with lots of carbonation streams that struggle to hold a thin white head that failed to lace or last.

Flavor: Lightly sweet with a slightly metallic earthy hop bitterness that keeps the package balanced.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is extremely high which with the light body makes for almost painful drinking. Body seems a bit thin.

Overall Impression: Not a bad taste, easy to session, but the carbonation level is a flaw in my book. This is one of the brightest beers I've seen; it just has a glow about it.
I'm happy to celebrate Shiner's upcoming 100th year, but I hope they bring a heavier beer to the party next year.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2008 03:15:19 | More by HardTarget

vickersspitfire

Texas

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

This is a very blonde beer that's crystal clear with medium carbonation and a thin, light tan head that quickly thins out. There's some mild lacing around the edge of the glass, but nothing fancy. It has a sweet semi malty aroma to it, its got a light feel to it, but it does have a clean crisp taste with a bit of spice and some mild malts as well, there is sweet undertone through out with a bitter aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2008 03:46:32 | More by vickersspitfire

jasonjlewis

Texas

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

Pours a weak head that has some decent retention. Could go to 3.25, but so could the smell.

Smell is of some lemony citrusyness and some cooked corn. The corn smell was horrible when I first started, but it died down a bit and wasn't so bad. They obviously used corn in this brew.

Clean flavors with a moderate pale and caramel malt sweetness. There is a little corn in there, but it doesn't come out on the palate as much as it does at first on the nose. It still is a little bit of a nuisance though.

Clings decently well to the palate. Could be a little bit fuller and a tiny bit more crisp for the style.

Not a bad beer at all. At first I smelled too much corn, but it died down a bit and the beer came together and was fairly decent. The corn still is a problem, but I could definetly have a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2008 01:35:27 | More by jasonjlewis

skeetermoses

Oklahoma

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

Good beer, although I would say this is one of the beers that could be used with most any food it felt like it was a little floaty. by floaty I mean too carbonated, or I dunno it just felt kind of full bodied but it seemed to miss something in it. I cannot put my finger on it. It is good I do like it but I felt like some thing was missing from this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 05:15:06 | More by skeetermoses