Hohenthanner Tannen Hell
 

Review Date 1/25/2021  By John Staradumsky

           

For Christmas of 2015, my wife bought me a really cool present: BeerAdvent Calendar 2015 from Kalea. In truth, my wife got me a lot of nice presents (she’s the best wife ever), but the nice thing about the Beer Advent Calendar is you get it early. You have to, since it’s comprised of 24 different imported German beers in a box with little doors that you open, one per day from December 1st through December 24th. All of the beers are listed on the side of the carton, however, so be careful not to look and spoil the daily surprises!

I love German beer more than beer from any other country on Earth, so this was definitely right up my alley. I have managed to get my hands on one of these calendars each year since, and have never been disappointed. Overall, this is an amazing way to sample 24 German beers over 24 days, and I look forward to it every year. For the first three years, I've found these at Costco in Georgia and paid $59.95 for the box. In 2018, though, we were in Spring Hill Tennessee and I saw these on a pallet at the local Costco in mid-October. I grabbed one there to make sure I didn't miss out. They were up $5 to $64.95 (and indeed, when I did see them at the new Costco in Woodstock, Georgia a month later they were the same price). For 2019, I found them earlier than ever (September 26th) and bought one at Costco here in Georgia for $63.95, though curiously they were down to $59.95 on my next visit.

As with many things, 2020 proved to be a challenge for other reasons. Covid ravaged America, and one had to wonder if the 2020 Beer Advent Calendar would make it to America at all. Kalea said it would, so starting in early September, I made a weekly trek to Costco (masked, and practicing social distancing). On September 25th, there they were! I got one for myself, and one for my daughter's boyfriend, which she got him as a Christmas gift. I paid $62.99 and I am glad I did, because within a few weeks they were gone. Grab them when you see them friends!

That might sound steep, but when you distribute that price over 24 different half liter cans, it only works out to $2.62 per can. Not a bad deal at all looked at that way. It certainly does not stop these from selling, as I mentioned, they always go quickly.

For 2020, there are eight new beers in the mix and 16 returning favorites. I do like this, because there are a lot of the beers that I really enjoy, and want to enjoy again. It's like 16 old friends and 8 new ones in the same box. What's better than that? But wait...did I say 8 new beers? I did, but there are actually *9* new beers! That's right!

When I opened the Day 22 door I found a can of Kurpfalz Bräu Kellerbier! Seeing this on the box, I had mistaken it for the Kurpfalz Bräu Helles that we have seen before, but no, this is an entirely new beer, although it is not, you see, the beer I am here to talk about today. No, I am here to tell you about the Day 8 beer (surprise!) which is the ninth and last of the new beers I tried. That beer is Hohentanner Tannen Hell. For the past few years we have received a weissbier from Hohentanner; Tannen Hell is only the second beer for me from this brewery.

Once again, as with other cans in the calendar, scanning the QR code yields no results, but never fear, I am off to the brewery website.


Tannen Hell


Der Europameister unter den hellen Bieren präsentiert sich goldgelb im Glas und verbreitet einen frischen, blumigen Duft.
Rund im Geschmack mit einer feinen Zitrusnote.

Zutaten: Wasser, Gerstenmalz, Hopfen
Stammwürze: 11,8%
Alkohol: 5,0%

BIER: Feinglänzendes, untergäriges Lagerbier im klassischen Einmaischverfahren hergestellt
GETREIDE: Helles Gerstenmalz verleiht die goldgelbe Farbe und den malzigen Geschmack
HEFE: Klassische kalte Gärung mit untergäriger Hefe sorgt für einen angenehm runden Geschmack
HOPFEN: Milde Hopfung, die Hopfensorten Hallertauer Tradition und Tettnanger erinnern mit dem Duft nach Zitrusfrüchten an eine Blumenwiese

If you don't speak German, we're here to help:

The European champion among pale beers appears golden yellow in the glass and offers a fresh, floral fragrance. Round in taste with a fine citrus note.

Ingredients: Water, barley malt, hops.

Gravity: 11.8%

Alcohol: 5%

BEER: Brilliant, bottom-fermented lager beer produced in a classic mash.

GRAINS: Light barley malt provides a golden yellow color and malty flavor.

YEAST: Classic cold fermentation with bottom-fermenting yeast ensures a pleasantly round taste

HOPS: Mild hopping, Hallertauer Tradition and Tettnanger varieties reminiscent of a flower meadow with the scent of citrus fruits

Hohentanner Tannen Hell has an alcohol content of 5% by volume. My can is stamped EXP 2022/05. It is also marked as brewed by Hohenthanner, although these beers can be canned at Egerer for the calendar.

Hohentanner Tannen Hell pours to a slightly hazy pale straw color with a moderate head of creamy foam and a bready, grassy herbal hop nose. Taking a sip, the beer is light to medium in body, a bit bready, and pops with those grassy, earthy herbal German hops in the finish. Oddly a little watery and light on the malt  as it warms, but the hops are there with a fresh grassy bitterness. Refreshing, but not the best Helles I have had in this year's calendar.

I’m greatly enjoying my Beer Advent Calendar 2020 with the day 8 beer. Here’s looking forward to the remaining 16, and another assortment of 24 in 2021. We’ll be on the lookout next year at Costco once again! Follow them on their Facebook page.

The beers of the 2020 Beer Advent Calendar:

Day 1 Flötzinger Hell

Day 2 Furst Carl Kellerbier

Day 3 Käuzle German Pilsner Style

Day 4 Zwönitzer Steinbier

Day 5 Graminger Kirta Dunkles Weissbier

Day 6 Propeller Bier Turbo Prop Pilsner

Day 7 Egerer Jubiläumsbier 333

Day 8 Hohenthanner Tannen Hell

Day 9  Perlernzauber German Pale Ale

Day 10 Herrnbrau Tradition Bayerisches Festbier

Day 11 Ankerbrau Nordlingen Grandl Helles Lagerbier

Day 12 Loncium Vienna Style Lager

Day 13 Schwarze Tinte Collab Stout

Day 14 Herrngiersdorf Hallertauer Hop Cuvee

Day 15 Burgerliches Brauhaus Altbairisch Hell

Day 16 Landgang Pils

Day 17 Alpinebrauerei Burgerbrau Alpen Stoff

Day 18 Herrnbrau Jubilaums Sud

Day 19 Erlkonig Hell

Day 20 Hosl Marzenbier

Day 21 Perlernzauber IPA

Day 22 Kurpfalz Bräu Kellerbier

Day 23 Egerer Bären Weisse

Day 24 Ladenburger Weizenbock Hell

Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??

 

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled, Canned

(D)=Draft





 

Home