Thomas Hooker Munich
Style Lager
Review Date 6/28/2006
Try?
Re-buy?
It might be a little too early to start thinking about
Octoberfest, you say. And I say, you might be wrong. OK, it’s still June
(almost July) as I type. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a tall, cool
stein of what they seem to be enjoying in copious quantities at Oktoberfest
these days: Munich style Helles.
Munich Helles is a lighter bodied beer that is actually perfect for the hot weather months. As the name implies, it’s another Munich favorite, probably why it sells so well at Oktoberfest. It’s a style that many have probably not heard of, but would probably enjoy if they tried. That’s because this is not an overbearing style at all. If you’ve never tried one before, you could do worse than Thomas Hooker Munich Style Golden Lager.
Brewed by Connecticut’s Trout Brook Brewing, Thomas Hooker Munich Style Lager is sold in large 750 ml single bottles. It represents a style that is somewhat similar to pilsner. But where true pilsners will accent hops while retaining a crisp malt character, a Helles is much more soft and malty. Indeed, it will have a very light hop finish and a pronounced malt character. Color will be light (Helles is German for light and refers to color, not alcohol content. This is not “lite” beer).
To make this beer, Trout Brook uses authentic German malts. They lager the brew for a full six weeks, which adds to the beer’s smooth, clean character. Thomas Hooker Munich Style Lager won an award, first place in the Munich lager category at the Great International Beer Festival in Rhode Island in 2004. I used to judge and attend those beer fests, and I don’t remember a lot of entries in that category. Still, this is a good beer.
I like this style of beer this time of year, so I pour myself a tall glass
in a half liter glass stein. My bottle of Thomas Hooker Munich Style
Golden Lager fills the mug nicely with a beautiful golden colored liquid
capped off by a thick foamy head. The nose is bready, biscuity, and malty.
The first sip delivers those wonderful fresh malt flavors, and then some. The beer has a rich, creamy texture and so much fresh biscuity malt flavor it’s like sipping a slice of bread. This isn’t an overpowering beer by any means, and the balanced hop finish reasserts that fact. This would be a great beer to try if you’re fairly new to the craft beer world: not only will it go easy on your palate, but it will give you an idea of the soft flavors malt can impart when presented without distracting corn or rice adjuncts.
This isn't the best beer from this brewery, but it is a credible example of the style. Overall, one Helles of a beer.
Munich Helles is a lighter bodied beer that is actually perfect for the hot weather months. As the name implies, it’s another Munich favorite, probably why it sells so well at Oktoberfest. It’s a style that many have probably not heard of, but would probably enjoy if they tried. That’s because this is not an overbearing style at all. If you’ve never tried one before, you could do worse than Thomas Hooker Munich Style Golden Lager.
Brewed by Connecticut’s Trout Brook Brewing, Thomas Hooker Munich Style Lager is sold in large 750 ml single bottles. It represents a style that is somewhat similar to pilsner. But where true pilsners will accent hops while retaining a crisp malt character, a Helles is much more soft and malty. Indeed, it will have a very light hop finish and a pronounced malt character. Color will be light (Helles is German for light and refers to color, not alcohol content. This is not “lite” beer).
To make this beer, Trout Brook uses authentic German malts. They lager the brew for a full six weeks, which adds to the beer’s smooth, clean character. Thomas Hooker Munich Style Lager won an award, first place in the Munich lager category at the Great International Beer Festival in Rhode Island in 2004. I used to judge and attend those beer fests, and I don’t remember a lot of entries in that category. Still, this is a good beer.
I like this style of beer this time of year, so I pour myself a tall glass
in a half liter glass stein. My bottle of Thomas Hooker Munich Style
Golden Lager fills the mug nicely with a beautiful golden colored liquid
capped off by a thick foamy head. The nose is bready, biscuity, and malty.
The first sip delivers those wonderful fresh malt flavors, and then some. The beer has a rich, creamy texture and so much fresh biscuity malt flavor it’s like sipping a slice of bread. This isn’t an overpowering beer by any means, and the balanced hop finish reasserts that fact. This would be a great beer to try if you’re fairly new to the craft beer world: not only will it go easy on your palate, but it will give you an idea of the soft flavors malt can impart when presented without distracting corn or rice adjuncts.
This isn't the best beer from this brewery, but it is a credible example of the style. Overall, one Helles of a beer.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
