Climax Hoffman Helles

Growler from Market Street Wineshop, Uptown Location, Charlottesville, VA. Pours a hazy straw/lemon yellow color with a moderate frothy head that fades quickly to a persistent thin layer atop the beer. Aroma is very grassy and tart with a subtle layer of grain in the background. Taste is grassy hops with big cereal graininess. Some dry fruits as well, including banana and apple. Medium bodied.

Not my favorite style but really good for the style. Overall this beer went well with my wings.

Draft at Barcade. Pours an orange golden body with a dry fruity grainy aroma. Light bready notes, dry grain, crackers, hints of apples. Simple and sessionable.

Tap at Barcade. Pours a nice pale blond light carbonation- thin white head. Aroma when chilled is mostly nice fresh bready pils malts- surprisingly fresh and doughy light and fresh German floral hops- get s a slight cleanser phenolic as it warms. Flavor is also very bready doughy slight cleanser- slight DMS, nice fresh pils malt and a nice hoppy thin yet crisp finish. Pretty good for Climax- they can really be hit or miss it seems.

Draft at Craft Ale House. Pours hazy deep golden with 1-finger off-white creamy head. Nose is grainy pale malt, mild hops, citrus, and honey. Tastes smooth, with lemongrassy, grainy pale malt, hops, citrus, in a solid balance, and as complex as you can get for a Helles. Very smooth.

British pint pour at the Gutter (man, Barcade people love Climax). The color is completely clear straw color. Aroma is strong, especially considering the style, with lagered sweet fruitiness and a light oiliness on the nose. Taste is much less fruity but instead the light fruitiness is complemented with a light herbal flavor. It has a bit of a seltzer/mineral mouthfeel to it. This is the exact opposite of the finish, which leaves a lightly oily feel and sweet fruit aftertaste. It’s an original take on the Helles style (whatever that may encompass).

On draft, this poured a clear fizzy yellow beer color, and tasted every bit like what a Helles should. Nice and crisp with that malty yet citrusy thing going on. Carbonation was slightly low for the style, but aroma was much more fruity and interesting than what most beers in this style have. A very nice example of an underappreciated style of lager. Good stuff.

Tap at Barcade. Clear pale golden beer with a thin white head. Aaroma is lightly malty with a touch of sweet light apple aroma. Low hop rates, but there is a nice light bready character. Flavour is also quite cidery. The body is decent as is the balance of hops and malt, but that appley esters just shouldn’t be here and I find it quite distracting.