Shiner 99 Munich Style Helles Lager

Brewed by Spoetzl Brewery (Gambrinus Company)
Style: Dortmunder/Helles
Shiner, Texas USA

10/4/08: Bottle.
Yellow bodied with a white head. Nose oh hay. Flavor of day old grass clippings.

12oz Bottle Received this as an extra in a recent trade with TPoling, thanks Travis! Shiner Helles pours a crystal clear straw golden with a glassful of large carbonation bubbles rushing to the surface. A minimal half finger fizzy white head formed on the pour and settled to a skimming rather quickly. No lacing left behind. A clean raw graininess is the first and last thing that hits the nose. A slightly sweet maltiness flashes here and there. Seems to be a fairly standard, crisp helles aroma that is enjoyable but somewhat one dimensional. The flavor contains a little more breadiness then the nose led on but the raw graininess is still the main component. The malt adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the grain. Not a bad example of the style but not one I’d drink very often. I liked the mouthfeel at first but the more I drink the more I notice a slight stickiness on the swallow. I’d prefer a much more crisp lager as opposed to the stick. This is an easy helles to put away. Refreshing and easy to drink. A good summer afternoon beer to sip away when planning on having a few in a sitting. A decent helles that I wouldn’t mind drinking occasionally but I wouldn’t necessarily seek out either. Thanks for the sample Travis. 6/4/08

Bottle. Pours clear gold with a dissipating, frothy white head. Light toffee and bread nose with grassy hops. Light body and active carbonation. Lightly sweet taste, of citrus and bread. The finish sort of wanders between crispness and oblivion. This one would be great with food or belching championships.

Bottle courtesy of cartdan. Pours a clear blonde, white head. Aroma is hoppy, taste grainy (wheat), hoppy, light caramel malt. Boring beer, not bad, but nothing special.

Light, sweet, kind of tasteless but not really offensive. Tastes more like a pale lager than anything else. Eh.

Bottle. Pours a yellow color with no head. The aroma is malt and water. Taste is the same. Does have somewhat of a hop bite to it. Not a very good beer.

12oz bottle-Pours a clear golden with a nice white head that dissipates into a small ring. The aroma is that of malt, bread, and a hint of hops. Taste of the same with a bit more malt and hops thrown in. This light to med bodied brew is not bad for Shiner but nothing to write home about.

Clear gold with a fluffy white head. Malty, bready aroma with a somewhat thin malt taste. Definitely taste the Hallertau, but it’s really a poor imitation of the style. Not awful by any stretch, but nothing compared to a decent German helles.