Augustiner Bräu Lagerbier Hell - Augustiner-Bräu Wagner KG

RuudJH

Netherlands

3.93/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Helles vollbier, lager 0.5 l bottle.

Clear (obviously) pale golden, a bit fizzy soapy white head, that does hold up decently, with lacing. Modest carbonation.

Malty and yeasty, with a nice balance of grassy and floral hoppyness. Earthy garden characteristics.

Mild bitterness, with a very nice, quick dry finish.
Very simple, but pleasant brew. A lager like it's intended. Good ingredients, i guess, and well brewed.
Nice one in this style.
Nice website too (extra 0.5 point added on 'overall')

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 11:27:11 | More by RuudJH

harrymel

Washington

3.13/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Unk bottle info.

A= pours a nice golden ale with excellent clarity. Single finger of soap suds fall quickly and leave a glass surface. spots are rare on the lacing.

S= not much going on here, sweet, grain, hints of skunk.

T= Grain, lightly bittered (a little more than your typical helles) and nice. No real info to report here, like beer for water.

M= Hollow.

O= I kept drinking it, and ordered another, so, not that bad.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 10:08:12 | More by harrymel

kojevergas

California

3.23/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

500ml Bottle into halleroder mini-stein (.3L) in Leipzig, Germany. Acquired in Leipzig. Reviewed live.

A: Pours a four finger head of mild cream, okay thickness, and good retention. Clear yellow colour with few carbonation bubbles.

Sm: Strong smell of cream, hops, and slight barley. Pleasant and inviting.

T: Hoppy! Some nice cream and barley combine with the hops on the climax. Unfortunately, the hops are not distinct and defined, which renders them a bit unidentifiable. It is quite a pleasant and refreshing taste, but is also just shy of being a refreshing one. Balanced but limited by simplicity.

Mf: Nicely coarse without being overly so. Wet and refreshing. The mouthfeel complements the flavours of the body to a degree, but comes short of perfect.

Dr: Average ABV, excellent price, above average beer. Definitely one worth trying, especially for fans of the style. Just don't jump through hoops to get it.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 23:20:08 | More by kojevergas

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.8/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled on tap in Munich at one of the breweries pubs.

A nice looking straw yellow colour with a hint of amber. Forms a massive white foam head that looks quite thick & leaves some lacing.

A mix of your usual grain along with some nice grassy hops that is followed by some floral notes and minor skunkyness.

Tastes of grassy hops & some crisp fruity flavours upfront. The beer is quite sweet and is rounded off with a mild bitter finish.

Light & crisp, somewhat refreshing and easy to drink. The beer is pretty smooth & carbonation is generally quite good.

Although this was a pretty good beer it was by no means outstanding & is probably not one I'd go out of my way to drink again. Still good, I just prefer others more.

http://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2011 00:09:03 | More by flyingpig

riedog

Germany

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

A - A Fluffy white head (not Hefa thick, but still solid), light and bright gold body

S - Floral hop aroma, earthy

T - Perfectly balanced malt and hop flavor and so smoooth

M - light almost airy

O - This is my favorite of all time. Just superb, refreshing on hot days, or after a workout.

I have drunk a few beers in a few countries and most I can put down, but not this bad boy. I keep a rack of this at the house all the time.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2011 08:13:58 | More by riedog

Zimbo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.63/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Was really up for this. The last time I had it I was in Munich many many years ago and to get back into the spirit of things I poured two 500ml bottles into the Stein of Truth.

Popping the cap I was reminded immediately of that appetising beautiful smooth sweet smell of bread and the bottles poured superbly yeilding a three inch thick head. Reasonable yellow in colour. All good to go...

But to taste it began almost on the acvidic side with none of the firmness, smoothness or complexity I had once loved. Its elements were no where near as integrated as I remembered and this just struck me as being far to skinny.

A bit bewildered by the end of the litre. Another favourite traditional world classic fails to deliver the quality and taste I have grown to expect.

So bewildering in fact that I could have sworn I heard just a trace of a mocking croaking voice whisper 'Good. Good. Now go Extreme my young apprentice'.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2011 07:44:59 | More by Zimbo

Cozzatoad

Italy

3.76/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

On tap

A- Light pale yellow with good head and perfect retention

S- Smell is quite weak. Obviously on the sweet/malty side, with background grassy and lemonish notes

T- Delicate taste but pretty nice. Smooth malts, mild fruitiness (mainly citrus) and some herbal tones. Overall on the sweet side, even for the style. Finish is still dry and refreshing

M- Thin, almost watery, maybe a little oily, but still very pleasant. Average carbonation with a light natural crispy/crackery feel. Goes down so easy

O- Maybe a tad too sweet for me but all in all a classic, highly drinkable hell. Great at what it is supposed to be: a delicate, refreshing beer

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2011 20:04:08 | More by Cozzatoad

StJamesGate

New York

3.73/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours white gold with lumpy snow white carpet of foam with trailers. Nose is fresh cut grain, grassy hops and maybe a hint of DMS. Biscuity malts with some straw followed by spice and hay hops. Perhaps a whiff of sulfur. Sweet finish, tingling dry linger. Creamy, crisp, round and lively, light verging on thin.

Superbly balanced and very drinkable. At the same time, a few off notes in there, too. A better than average Helles.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2011 23:38:14 | More by StJamesGate

kjc51478

Germany

3.4/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance:Pours a pale yellow color with thick, white head.

Nose: Aroma is weak but of sweet malts and yeast.

Taste: Taste is very sweet - mostly pale malts with a little bit of citrus.

Palate: Palate is thin, a bit oily and a light body. Finishing is sweet and long-lasting.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2011 21:55:01 | More by kjc51478

Ochsenblut

Italy

4.47/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is an old standby for me, reminding me of brilliant times passed in Augsburg. 50 cl, proprietary bottle, labeled in both German and Italian.

A- This beer's head retention is less than expected. One finger of white disappeared to sticky lacing within a few moments. I suspect the glassware is responsible though. This Helles is yellow!

S- Dry grass, and a delicate floral hops presence

T- Crackery malts give way to a nicely balanced and conclusive hops' bitterness.

M- The carbonation is upfront, but not overpowering. It takes only a moment to subside before the beer can speak it's mind. Without it, it would lie flat and watery on the palate.

D- Highly drinkable- Every sip demands another and although not terribly complex, it's strong suit is awesome balance and a pleasing malt profile.

Overall: Augustiner helles is widely considered a superior Hellesbier, and for good reason. It's uncomplicated, honest and easy to knock back. Where Munich contemporaries add hops extract, Augustiner brews traditionally by using the finest ingredients.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 20:10:04 | More by Ochsenblut

pinkano

Czech Republic

3.8/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - lightly hazed light yellow
S - nice fruits at the beginning with light malt, ends with kind of salty smell of the sea
T - light and crispy taste with fruit tones at the beginning. Little bit sweeter overall, not so bitter.
M - well balanced body with nice mouth-fullness
D - easy and light beer, very drinkable

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 20:35:02 | More by pinkano

appenzeller

Washington

4.88/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

One of my all time favorites. I'm so excited, I finally found this Stateside for the first time.

Pours a straw yellow with good depth of color. Short head with good retention.

Smell is of grain and fruit, subtle and very pleasing aroma. Taste is smooth yet rich, crisp yet substantial. Both smooth grain, apple taste in the malts and a sweet hoppy finish like a Czech pilsner. While the bottled version isn't quite what I've had fresh on tap, as I recall, this is still a superb lager. A benchmark for the style, having all the smoothness and subtleness it should, but with more depth and complexity of flavor than its European peers.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2010 03:33:23 | More by appenzeller

thierrynantes

France

3.73/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer bottle (50 cl.), tasted in 2010.

Appearance : golden color, with white foamy head.
Smell : malty and floral notes.
Taste and mouthfeel : sweet malty flavour, a bitter and slightly floral finish.
Drinkability : a good beer in the style Munich Helles Lager.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2010 18:56:43 | More by thierrynantes

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Consumed 11.02.2010. Thanks to drabmuh for helping me get this one.

Pours a modest yellow straw color with a white head. A good pours doesn't yield a large head, though there's a good amount of lacing. The nose is slightly sweet and brings a really nice pale grain scent. The taste is fairly plain and difficult to describe, but is quite, quite good. Light straw and grain with a touch of sweetness. The feel is excellent, with a nice amount of carbonation and is incredibly soon. Uber sessionable, this is one fine beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 20:52:09 | More by Thorpe429

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Just got bottles of this in at my local shop

A - Ow wow pours clearer than expected. A nice hazy bright yellow with a half inch of head with aggressive pour.

S - Grainy and malty with a bit of a sugar sweetness, which is very pleasant.

T - Starts off fairly dry moving to a semi - sweet grain or corn and then finishes sweet and wet.

M - Very light and drinkable. Bitterness is way lower than expected.

D - Well this changes my mind that a lager has to be an amber lager before it is sweet. A damn nice and smooth Helles! Better than most with less ABV. Bravo

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2010 05:21:31 | More by DrDemento456

drabmuh

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a Kostrizer Schwarzbier stein. Beer is light yellow and mostly clear with a thin white head of tiny bubbles and high carbonation, low lacing. Looks good.

Aroma is mildly grainy mildly sweet.

Beer is light in body and bright on the palate. Carbonation is high on the palate the back flavors fall away quickly leaving a nice finish with no aftertaste. Beer is moderately dry but its not bone dry, leaving a nice feeling in my mouth. The graininess gives the beer a nice flavor and overall its a really nice drinking beer. Probably the best helles I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2010 02:08:52 | More by drabmuh

dasenebler

Maine

4.53/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

.5L, Germany.

Pours light gold with a foamy head. Nice lacing.

Good aroma of grainy malts and grassy, lemony hops.

The flavor is outstanding. Definitely fuller and more flavorful than the average helles: some tartness, spicy hops and a pleasantly crisp and grainy malt backbone. Delicious mix of the bready and bitter, also nicely dry for the style. Hints of minerality throughout but not metallic, with a lightly tangy, hoppy finish. Soft, medium-high carbonation and a smooth, surprisingly delicate drink.

This beer drinks exceptionally well: I don't know why, it just does. It really engages the palate, providing a lot of flavor for a lighter beer. Awesome lager.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2010 17:18:18 | More by dasenebler

Prostman81

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Munich Helles are one of my all time favorite styles. Not flashy like an IPA or DIPA, but a well crafted beer of this style exudes drinkability and the well balanced flavors of continental malt and noble hops.

Beer pours a wonderful deep straw color with gold hues. Leaves a nice 1 inch head in the glass with good carbonation.

Aroma is of floral hops and bready grain. The taste on this one hits the Helles style perfectly. Great mouthfeel, excellent flavor, and supreme drinkability. Satisfying and full flavored, but incredibly refreshing.

My sister got to sample this in person when she recently traveled to Germany, and then purchased this sixer for me when she returned to the U.S. because she enjoyed it so much and new I was a fan of this type. I can only imagine how much fresher her experience was, but this certaintly can't be too far off the mark. I'd get this one again in a heartbeat.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2010 21:42:49 | More by Prostman81

austinhensley

Tennessee

4.18/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On my trip to Deutschland this was the first beer I had a chance to encounter. I had just gotten off the tour bus and scurried around until I stumbled into the first restauraunt I could find. It happened to be this 4 star dig and I was severely under-dressed. I asked the waiter (using what little German I knew) what he recommended. He smiled and exclaimed,
"Augustiner!"

When he brought the first glass the first thing I noticed was the 2 finger thick head (and it stayed that way for some time). Before I took the first swig I got a good long inhale. Glorious. Taste: can't be desribed any further than delectable. The only thing that kinda bugged me was the stingy after taste (I took of in the mouthfeel category). Other than that I think this is a finely brewed beverage.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2010 20:00:07 | More by austinhensley

Augustiner719

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a .5 liter stein.

Big thanks to Digita7693 for sending me this beer. I have been looking for it since October 2008 after my first Oktoberfest in Germany.

Appearance: pours a beautiful, filtered and perfectly clear golden yellow. Lots of bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass shows me it's superior carbonation. Nice frothy head recedes to leave spider we like lacing down the stein. Really fresh looking.

Smell: has a bright fresh light bitter aroma to it. Really fresh like sea water. Also has a nice humidity to it, like being in a brewery. Really great toasted white bread aroma as well.

Taste: fresh as can bee flavors. Really eye opening how pure this beer is. Has that great European lager flavor of toasted bread and lemon zest. This is my favorite beer and it's great to see that my palate has evolved in the two years since I have had this, but the flavors still jump out that make me love this beer.

Mouthfeel: has perfect carbonation, effortless transitions between the palates. Really smooth, with some nice bitter hops and a sweet bready malt feel to it.

Drinkability: I could drink 10 of these bottles in a sitting. Really the best beer for every season to me. Not super light and not super heavy. I would love this with some roasted chicken or fish dishes. If you have a chance to try this version it's going to be a revelation. The American import version is good, but this is a whole new level. A must try if you are in Germany.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2010 01:53:21 | More by Augustiner719

jneiswender

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this beer on tap at the Brewhouse right across from the Hofbrau in Munich. Served in a mug cool.

A-fluffy white head, light and bright gold body

S-floral hop aroma, earth, some metals

T-perfectly balanced malt and hop flavor, bready almost light pastry like.

M-light almost airy

D-maybe one of my favorites of all time. Just superb. I wish I could get this on tap at my local bar. I hope to drink this beer again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2010 00:22:07 | More by jneiswender

EwaldEichstaett

Jordan

4.7/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is my go to beer when I'm in Germany. When your in the supermarket and you can't decide what beer to get-- get Augustiner.

A: Looks like a Helles should nice golden colour with quite a bit of carbonation. Has a decent head and lacing.

S: Big malt smells and a little bit of lemon grass. Perhaps something spicy from the hops???

T: Wonderful! nice big malt flavours tastes a bit like bread with some grassy and herbal tones to savour. This beer has a bit more hop flavour than many other Helles beers. Less alcohol taste than Edelstoff, which is a positive IMHO.

M: The carbonation in this beer is what sticks out. I think that is a big factor in this beer's overall appeal.

D: Goes down so smooth. You can drink this all night no problem, which I have done on several occasions.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 20:16:45 | More by EwaldEichstaett

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

2.98/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Half litre brown bottle, best before July 2010, drank early June 2010 on a warm sunny afternoon in my garden. Poured (3 times) into a Veltins Pilsner stemmed tulip.

Pale golden, as you'd expect from a helles lager. Snow white foaming head on each pour, some lacing, but not huge ammounts.

Weak smell, wheat or straw type esters, otherwise nothing.

The beer is crisp and refreshing, but lacks body, the alcohol is evident from the first sip which makes the beer unbalanced in my book.

The sun makes the beers shine, but all that glisens isn't gold. This is an OK lager, but a long way from something I'd recommend anyone having while tasting German beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2010 16:59:09 | More by BlackHaddock

jmhart

Georgia

2.9/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

From the cask at Augustiner across from Hofbrauhaus in Munich.

Color is a deep golden straw color, with almost, ALMOST, a hint of brownish green to it. Crystal clear with no sediment. Served with a strong think head that persisted for several minutes.

Strong flavors on the nose. Leafy with hints of citrus and a little grain. Only mild malt on the nose.

Bready with green leaf on the initial taste. Citrus elements don't continue into the taste. There's not much sweetness to it, but a fair amount of bitters on the finish. Not as balanced as I would have hoped.

Texture is full bodied, thicker than other Munich lagers. Relatively no acid and very little bite.

I found the bitterness on the finish to be a little overwhelming and therefore drinkability takes a bit hit.

Overall, I would not order this again.

Serving type: cask

05-04-2010 14:33:58 | More by jmhart

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a imperial strange)
A- This beer has a crystal clear pale golden yellow hued body with a mousse snow white head that was a bit bubbly on top. There is a big carbonation of microbubbles gliding to the surface. S- This beer has a light green herbal and sulfur note with a very soft raw grain hint coming through as the beer warms.
T- This beer has a light pale malt hint with mineral water note to the soft Noble hop green flavor in the finish. There is a very light sweetness in the finish aswell.
M- This beer has a light mouthfeel with a tight fizz finish.
D- This beer has a very soft smooth light flavor but the sulfur is mild and blends well with the slight sweetness. The hops are not all pungent but still pretty light and dry. It is a refreshing crisp beer just a little drab.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2010 22:38:43 | More by rhoadsrage