Monday, June 11, 2012

Schlafly's Helles Style Summer Lager

 

Summer Lager

Available April-August.

ABV: 4.5% | IBU: 17

  • Appearance: Straw-colored, bright
  • Process: German-style Helles
  • Hops: Mittelfrüh, Magnum (DE)
  • Malts: 2-row and Europils malted barley, Carapils malt
  • Yeast: German Lager
  • OG: 11.1
  • SRM: 3.4
Our Helles-Style Summer Lager is a bright, golden beer, perfect for summertime. The malts we use impart a wonderful, fresh grain character, reminiscent of European lagers. The German Noble hop, Mittelfrüh, lends a mild lemony, spicy flavor.

The German word “Helles” translates as “light” and “Lager” means “to store”. This beer style emerged in Germany through the Spaten Brewery’s marriage of British, Bohemian and German brewing techniques. This style is an integral part of brewing history and a predecessor of the straw-colored, light-bodied beers which are the most widely consumed beers in the world today. The lager yeast ferments the beer more slowly and at lower temperatures; it is then stored for maturation. This results in a beer which is more smooth and drinkable. Today, many American craft brewers offer this style as a maltier and hoppier alternative to American light lagers.

13 comments:

  1. Meh?! Tastes like...Budweiser. If I saw this on draft at a bar, I might find another bar to drink at.

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  2. Very bland; kept waiting for more taste somewhere, anywhere but it never came. Funny this seems like all the other summer beers. Very light, without much of a full body taste.

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  3. The name of this beer is very appropriate. I find this beer to as objectionable as Phyllis Schlafly. I wonder if they are related. In all honesty, I thought I'd like it much less. Between the name of the brewery, being a German lager, and the mention of "toasted malt flavor" on the label I really thought this would be down at the bottom (not including peach beers of course which are a class of their own). But I found it to just be so-so. I would never order one but if I was at a BBQ and someone offered me one, I sure wouldn't say no. And it's better than Heineken. Ro says it tastes like the Anchor Steam. This is what happens when you play catch-up.

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  4. I liked this Beer a lot. Its definitely one of my favorites!

    Tony, where the hell are you? I am reading "50 Shades of Gray" and I have Iron Man warmed up and ready to go. Get your ass in here now!

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  5. Light or "helles" is a good descriptor for this beer. I agree with Joe that the taste never really came. Wasn't offensive at all, but pretty forgetable. C+.

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  6. Concur, no taste. That sums it up.

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  7. Well, this is the best beer I have ever had brewed in St. Louis... so it has that going for it. It is a nice solid helles with a very (very, very) subtle hops on the back end. If I had to drink a light summer beer, I could live with downing one of these. Fortunately, I am not anticipating any evil super villains to force me into such a position.

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  8. I agree that this tastes like a lot of the other summer beers. I like it, but since I can't really taste the difference, I would probably just get a Miller Lite instead. It is nice for a Monday night post soccer game, quenches my thirst.

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  9. This beer was light on taste. As I drank it, it didn't affect me positivly or negativily. The beer was just there. I could see myself drinking some at a cookout if it was in the cooler just because it was different that coors, miller, or bud lites. 5 out of 10

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  10. Wish I could have tried this one last night. Katy put them in the freezer to get them cold and forgot to take them out. When I went to get them, they were frozen solid. Rookie mistake, except for Katy's not a rookie, so I really don't know what to say. I guess I will try this one tonight...

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  11. I don't ever know what to say about this beer. It just tasted like a normal light beer to me. Nothing special...7 of 10, C

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  12. I enjoyed it. Very light and I could have a few more. Perfect summer brew.

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  13. Not terrible, but nothing that stands out. I could drink more, but I will not seek it out.

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