Climax Hoffman Helles

Brewed by Climax Brewing Company
Style: Dortmunder/Helles
Roselle Park, New Jersey USA

Draught at Barcade, New York
Hazy blond color. It shows light Hallertauer aroma. Simple flavor, hay; it has correct bitterness. Boring.

On tap. Poured a medium golden color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of grains and citrus. Tastes of grains, doughy, and citrus. A little honey sweetness in the taste as well. This was drinkable, but I usually don’t overly enjoy Helles as a whole.

Draft at Barcade under the name Hofmann(sic) Helles. Clear light golden hue, shining, decent sized white head, mostly lasting. Great hallertau? Hops nose, very floral and lemony, grassy, spicy enveloped by delicious strawy pils malt. The power of the maltiness takes form on the tongue developing mind-boggling pureness of flavour, bread and biscuits of the highest order. Very fruity as well with lemon and tropical fruits being surprisingly omnipresent and bringing a pleasant low level of acidity which enhances drinkability to rarely encountered levels. Not too dry, not too sweet. Oily texture, small bubbles, restrained carbonation. Awesome focus in there, so soft, so clean, so pure balance glory. Another tour de force by Climax.

growler-pours a white head that laces and yellow color. Aroma is grain, fruity/spice-light hops. Taste is grain, some huskiness, light malt-caramel, fruity/spice-light hops, crisp. Good carbonation.

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.

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.

Herbal, grainy and leafy hops in the clean, fresh and lightly sweet aroma. Clear golden body with a low white head that diminishes to ring. Soft and grainy, clean malt character is followed by a sneaky herbal hop flavour that builds throughout and fair finishing bitterness. Light body is lively with effervescence that lightly prickles the tongue and awakens the tastebuds. Sampled on tap at Barcade in NYC with Olivier_MTL and Rastacouere.

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.