Quöllfrisch Hell - Brauerei Locher AG

kojevergas

California

2.6/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

4.8% ABV according to my can. Aluminum can served into a generic drinking glass in Zurich, Switzerland. Reviewed from notes taken June 2010.

A: Pours a one finger head of no cream and bad retention; quite thin to boot. Body colour is a clear yellow

Sm: Very light aroma of simple barley and cream. Underwhelming, boring, and bland.

T: Cream and light barley. Somewhat refreshing; might suit spicy food alright. Otherwise simple and imbalanced. Quite underwhelming and unimpressive.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Complements the flavour profile, I guess. Far from tailored specifically to its flavours.

Dr: It's very affordable and drinkable. This is what I'd politely call a student beer. Not worth seeking out.

C-

Serving type: can

12-06-2012 20:41:48 | More by kojevergas

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

3.88/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml can served in a Pint glass.

A: Pours a pale clear yellow color forming a beautiful big fluffy aired bubbled head :). Good retention and MANY chunks of lacings formed

S: Sweet grains, mainly. Ashes. Skunky hops and Lager yeasts

T: Follows the nose. Sweet upfront. Sweet grains, ashes, Lager yeasts and grassy-skunky hops. In overall, a crisp/dry beer. Good quality water

M: Light body. Medium to high carbonation. Very smooth mouth sensation. Good quality water was used here. Aftertaste is mild hops bitterness

O: Very easy drinking beer. Good quality Lager

Serving type: can

07-07-2012 21:59:28 | More by eduardolinhalis

keeganfrank

Ohio

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Straw-colored beer with a light, sudsy head of about one finger. Tons of carbonation. The aroma is primarily oats and cereal, with some hints of fruitiness. Toasted oat and fruit flavors with just a hint of bitterness in the aftertaste. This is a really good lager.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 21:59:50 | More by keeganfrank

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brought a 330ml can home from Europe. The beer pours a clear yellowish gold color with a thin white head that dissipates quickly. Not much lacing. Light grassy hops, honey and sweet fruit in the nose. Light, clean body with a faint floral character. Sweet malt, fruit and grassy hops flavors. The finish is clean and fruity with a mildly bitter hops aftertaste. Overall a decent Euro beer.

Serving type: can

12-17-2011 14:58:04 | More by WoodBrew

Phocion

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Notes from phone (9/30/11). Served at Glarner Stube in New Glarus, WI. Forgot to write down the freshness date from the bottle, but it was still several months away.

Poured from the 11.2 ounce green bottle a pale yellow with a bubbly white head. No retention but decent lacing.

Aroma is of floral/herbal hops and light honey/caramel malts. Thankfully, no hint of skunkiness. Quite a bit of roasted malts.

Sharp hops bite on the tongue, very spicy. Warm malty finish, very well-balanced.

Well carbonated with a medium body. Very crisp and clean.

Fairly light beer, but not lacking in flavor. Low ABV made this one extremely sessionable. These things did quite a bit of damage after dinner the other night.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2011 18:28:21 | More by Phocion

LWG1970

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Found this on sale at Jungle Jim's for $3.99 a six pack (Normally $9.99) so I took a chance. I was BLOWN AWAY..

Color: Light Golden Yellow
Smell: Very Fresh and clean
Taste: Nice Balance of Sweet and Bitter VERY SMOOTH.

Overall: At $3.99 a six pack I am going back to get MORE.

GREAT BEER :D

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 23:25:01 | More by LWG1970

Daredevil

Switzerland

2.98/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

nose: strong hoppyness, hints of parsil and basilicum, fresh baguette

palate: almost bready, cream cheese, some hints of peach in the aftertaste, which is rather sour than bitter

one of the best Swiss lagers, full in aroma, rather on the sweet side, lacking a bit of refreshing bitterness, which I personally love in lagers ...

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 22:33:38 | More by Daredevil

DabblinWiscCraft

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This was one of the featured bottles at Foundation in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood--this is the first time I've seen it in the city.

It pours an extremely pale, yellow straw or apple juice color with a half inch eggshell head that dissolves to virtually nothing and leaves just a bit of cling on the glass. Clear, with very little visible carbonation. There is pronounced sour bread in the nose, along with just a fleeting sense of skunk and some slight herbal hop notes. There's a lot of sour bread in the first taste, with subdued grassy and herbal hop just gently touching the sides and back of the tongue. There is just a bit of the skunk from the nose in the taste, but it really doesn't detract from the flavor; on the contrary, it adds some complexity to the palate. This one closes with a bit of sweetness from the malts. The feel is light-bodied and quite effervescent. It's both smooth and clean-finishing, but fairly run-of-the-mill.

A pleasant and drinkable lager, with enough complexity to keep things interesting. This one could certainly benefit from a better hop profile, but how many beers couldn't? Some people I was drinking with compared this to Heineken, but I find it to be much more palatable and engaging. Well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 07:31:09 | More by DabblinWiscCraft

htomsirveaux

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz bottle tried at Glarner Stube, 8 Jul 2011.

Small off white head quickly dissipates. Medium carbonation. Clear pale straw color. Light mineral aroma, touch of lemon, no skunkiness (best by 23 Feb 2012). Some light malt, kind of grassy. Mineraley in the middle to finish. Light body, light alcohol. Lingering mineral finish and aftertaste.

Light and refreshing, good with the Swiss food.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2011 17:54:14 | More by htomsirveaux

MrWinky

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My friend's sister lives in Appenzell, Switzerland and was kind enough to bring me a few goodies from across the way. This is the first of three to try and I enjoyed it immensely so I can't wait to see, or taste rather, what else he brought back.

A. Poured a nice golden straw with a really delicate head that dissipated quickly.

S. Yeasty, grain, bread with a slightly sweet skunk note...just smelled like a perfect summer bier.

T. I get the hops but not in a one-not kinda way and without a strong bitterness. You def taste the grain and some grass notes too.

M. Light and refreshingly crisp. Has a really great sharpness to it.

D. Perfect for lighter grilled foods...will cut any richness and perfect in the Maryland summer heat to refresh you.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2011 15:33:12 | More by MrWinky

zeff80

Missouri

3.43/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a clear, golden-yellow color with a small, off-white head. It left little to no head.

S - It smelled of caramel and grasses. Not much else.

T - It tasted of sweet caramel malt with a slight spicy hop kick.

M - It was crisp and very sharp. A light bodied, easy drinking ale.

D - This was an interesting beer. It tasted like most Euro Pale Lagers. Good news there was no skunk aroma or taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2009 03:52:43 | More by zeff80

BedetheVenerable

Missouri

3.7/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Presentation: 11.2oz green twist-top bottle with clear freshness date and nice ditty about the beer...yay for my first Swiss beer!

Appearance: Highly carbonated, light golden brew, crystal clarity, with a thin, whispy white head which fades to nothing fast

Smell: Typical of the style...a touch of grainy malt, light skunkiness (which fades with a couple of minutes in the glass), and light grassy hops

Taste: Perfect reflection of the aromas...dead simple, but, for the style, above average

Mouthfeel: Light, crisp, refreshing, but a bit watery

Drinkability: High

Conclusion: A style of mediocrity, but this one is a bit above the average...this paired great with a simple tomato and basil bruschetta

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2009 01:46:47 | More by BedetheVenerable

crossovert

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Hell Quöllfrisch best before 2 2010, in charming green glass with a neat painting on it.

Pours a crystal clear pale gold with a foamy white head. Smelll is fresh and pleasant, mostly hops with some grain, feels like smelling the air on a fresh alpine hops farm.

Its a great tasting, smooth, highly drinkable lager, enough said, the ultimate session beer. It has the perfect balance of hops and malt. Get it if you can find it. For a Euro Pale lager its near the Pinnacle.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 23:33:31 | More by crossovert

jbro434

Switzerland

4.38/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Believe it or not, good beer is not easy to find in Switzerland. After having moved here from ths US where I traveled extensively and drank some mighty fine micro brews, the selection in the stores and pubs is weak. I will be going to travel across the EU soon and that should change.
Quollfrisch? The best of the Swiss beers I have tried by a long shot. Straw colored, nice foamy head, decent lacing with a slightly sweet and dry middle with a nice malt-hop balance and tangy, hoppy finish that lingers. I have not been to the Appenzeller region yet since I am in the west. However, I would love to find this on tap. If so, I will update.

Serving type: can

05-14-2009 15:23:06 | More by jbro434

plaid75

New York

3.83/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a medium straw hue with a one finger foamy white head. There was decent retention and lacing.

The smell featured a robust and musty noble hop and grainy malt.

The taste was upfront lightly sweet doughy malt coupled with a grassy and musty hop.

The mouthfeel was toward the fuller side of the style.

Overall a very tasty euro lager that is tastier than most.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2008 18:25:56 | More by plaid75

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Ok, the green bottle persuaded me to try something else first, but i came back to this one.

A bit darker than straw color in the pour. Fluffy, yet soapy white head. Still it stayed around throughout.
No skunk in the smell, I was pleasantly surprised. Malty and yeast, with a bit of crisp lemongrass whiffs.
Taste flows very lightly and crisp. a good light beer. Pale lager is right, the malt and yeast come together to form a bit of breadness, but the hops and lemony taste makes that bread light and sweet. Good finish and nice drinkability. Not my style, but good for summer days.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2008 16:03:50 | More by Mebuzzard

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to mmmmBEEEER for sharing a bottle. The beer pours a clear yellowish gold color with a thin white head that dissipates quickly. Minimal lacing is evident. Light grassy hops, honey and sweet fruit in the nose. Light, clean body with a faint floral character. Sweet malt, fruit and grassy hops flavors. The finish is clean and fruity with a mildly bitter hops aftertaste. Luckily this bottle was kept away from the light and as a result was not bad at all.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2008 20:34:44 | More by Dogbrick

Wildman

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer poured a clear dark straw color and formed a nice foamy white head that left latticed lace as it subsided. A medium amount of carbonation is present. An aroma of malt, hops, grass and bread is present. The flavor was of lemon, hops and a touch of malt and pepper. A fairly light body with a crisp, clean finish. A very nice session beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2007 21:11:55 | More by Wildman

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pale gold that becomes bright sunshine yellow when backlit. The snow white cap is the best part of the appearance. It possesses a wonderful stickiness that looks good at all stages of deflation. Also, not surprisingly, it lays down an attractive array of lace. This is a bright, clean, classic looking pale lager.

I thought Quollfrisch might be a helles, but it smells like most Euro pale lagers that I've tasted. Olfactorily speaking, it's equally balanced between untoasted grain and musky, grassy hops.

Despite the green glass bottle, there's no hint of skunkiness in the nose or on the palate. This Brauerei Locher lager is a well-brewed version of a style that doesn't get much respect. I'm sure it helps that I have a reasonably fresh bottle, something that is never a guarantee when it comes to drinking European beer in the states.

Balance is the operative word. The pale malt provides a moderate biscuity sweetness that is perfectly countered by a noble hop bitterness that, again, favors musky and grassy. It's hard to imagine a more simple, straightforward beer that shows off its simple, straightforward ingredients this well. I've said something similar in the past, but I'll say it again: this is what Budweiser should taste like.

The mouthfeel is spot-on given the style (which, by the way, I'm now prepared to call a helles lager). It's light without a trace of wateriness, and has a spirited amount of carbonation that keeps things lively in the mouth.

I had no idea what to expect when I saw this beer on my most recent trip to Columbus. I didn't hesitate to buy it, though, because one doesn't run across Swiss beer every day. Quollfrisch is a lovely little lager that is tremendously quenching and impressively drinkable. It would make a great lawnmower beer, although I'm sure that wasn't the brewer's intent. I can't imagine there's much of a need for a lawnmower in the Alps. That's what goats are for.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2007 11:50:50 | More by BuckeyeNation

emerge077

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Big cannabis/noble hop aroma from a few feet away.

Pours crystal clear yellow, with lazy champagne bubble carbonation.
Spiderweb rings of lace in the fluted glass.

Crisp mouthfeel, hop bite at the front, giving way to a dry, mild honeyish white grape aftertaste. Slight mineral/well-water taste. Clean and balanced.

Simplicity yields positive results in this case, a subtle and nuanced lager that sets itself apart from the norm. Very smooth drinking, a summertime quaffer to be sure.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2007 01:39:16 | More by emerge077

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

4.22/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This beer tastes better in Madison, WI then anywhere else. This is where it is impoted to and it just tastes good here. It must have something to do with New Glarus (America’s Little Switzerland) being near by.

Sulfurous bright golden “hell” lager with honey malts and herbal hops. I dig it. This is super light and drinkable. This tastes more like a really great pilsner than a lager.

I would drink this beer over any American pilsner as my light beer of choice any time.

Served in a green bottle yet not the slightest bit skunky.

Just great!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2007 20:37:27 | More by DaPeculierDane

beveragecaptain

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +22%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

11.2 ounce bottle. Quöllfrisch pours out a clear, very pale yellow color with a large, white head. The aroma is crisp grain, spicy hops, and a bit of citrus. From the light color, I expected this beer to have a light flavor, but this was not true at all. This beer is fairly malty. Not too sweet. Hops come through at the middle and are restrained. There is no off-flavor in this beer. Mouthfeel is crisp. Great drinkability. This is a delicious and refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2006 18:22:39 | More by beveragecaptain

orbitalr0x

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The Hell Quöllfrisch arrives in an 11.2oz green bottle. After checking out the Appenzeller website this beer appears to be different from the Quöllfrisch in the swingtop bottle. It pours from the bottle a light, clear straw yellow with great clarity and a half inch tightly packed bubbly head. Not a speck of yeast in the bottle. Aromas of crisp sweet grains upfront with a nice spicy, noble hop as well. I get a slight light fruitiness as well. Clean and crisp.

First sip brings a mellow, sun dried toasty grainy maltiness that has a nice sweetness to it. Slightly spicy, herbal hops come in midway through and they're quite laid back. This is a light, refreshing Euro lager that's crisp and clean with really no off flavors considering the green bottle. Finishes with a hint of light citrus.

Mouthfeel is light but there's a nice creaminess to the body of the brew. Steady carbonation is there but not over the top. This goes down easily and is a nice, straight forward European pale lager, one of the better ones that I've sampled. This would make a good lawnmower beer in the summer for sure..glad I took the chance on trying it.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2006 03:03:09 | More by orbitalr0x