CAN YOU GET A GOOD BEER AT WEIHENSTEPHAN? HELL, YES! WEIHENSTEPHANER ORIGINAL HELL.
5.1% Abv 24 IBUs
We were among the first true hop heads in the mid-Atlantic and we still appreciate well-designed hoppy beers even if they’re over the top. But like so many long time Greenies, we’re increasingly crawling out of the hop pocket to seek out more a more balanced beer as an evening’s companion.
A good pilsner can still satisfy the need for a hop fix, though at reasonable levels. A well-made helles is an absolute delight even at barely noticeably hop levels.
The overwhelming favorite in Munich is Augustiner’s and it’s ours too, but there’s a boat load of other excellent helles beers that aren’t far behind.
One of the best of the also-brewed is Weihenstephan’s Original Hell. The brewery has the resources of the world’s best technical university for brewers as well as the world’s premier source of yeasts in its backyard, so it’s no surprise that they brew well. Our main problem with Weihenstephan (other than the walk uphill to the brewery that we now avoid by taxi), is that they offer so many good beers. They have close to a dozen on tap; beer styles that are often mediocre, such as the Crystal Weizen, are quite good and styles that you would expect to be good, like the Helles, are to die for. If you have the stamina, you can have a .3 liter glass of each and leave bitterly unhappy that you couldn’t have two or three half-liters of each of these world-class creations.
Tasting notes: Augustiner’s Helles is a masterpiece, but it’s sweet; Weihenstephaner’s is nearly perfectly balanced with a firm body that makes it satisfying without having to chug it. The clean malt echoes tastes of dinner rolls – more rich than sweet, but plenty of both. A touch of grain in the finish gives character and somehow manages to avoid marring the smoothness.
Food Pairings: The brewery says it “goes very well with salads, poultry, stews or with a hearty snack” and it’s tempting to say “sure…what’s left that it doesn’t go with,” but the brewery is right on target. It’s too mild for the spiciest of foods, but so clean and refreshing that it will go with almost anything else. Roast chicken, an enormous pretzel, and a half (or entire) liter of this beer will make you feel you’ve gotten as close to heaven as the monks who brewed here centuries ago. Beer Review # 0118 20170914
NEXT WE’LL FEATURE THE BEERS OF CROSS-TOWN RIVALS, HOFBRAUHAUS FREISING [starts September 16]
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