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Helles is a pale lager beer from Munich, Germany. It is made from barley, hops, and water, with an alcohol content between 4.5% and 6% by volume.
History
Helles was first produced on March 21, 1894, in Munich at the Spaten brewery by brewer Gabriel Sedlmayr. It was created to compete with pilsner beer. The first shipment of 'Munich light' beer was sent from Munich to Hamburg on that day, and by June 20 of the same year, the new Munich lager was being sold in bottles and kegs in Munich.
Characteristics
Helles beer is typically clear, moderately sweet, and pale in color, with a slight bitterness. It is filtered before bottling, though some establishments offer an unfiltered version. The beer is brewed with cold fermentation using lager yeasts like Saccharomyces pastorianus and hops such as Hallertau. It has a less pronounced hop aroma than pilsner beer.
Types and styles
Depending on the brewery, this beer may be sold under different names. In Germany, synonyms include Hell, Helles Export, Helles Lager(bier), Export Helles, Urhelles, Urtyp-Helles, Edelhelles, and Spezial Helles. Urhell or Urtyp Helles emphasizes authenticity, while Edelhell refers to noble hop varieties. In English-speaking countries, it may be called 'Munich Original Lager' or 'Munich Light'.
Adapted from the Russian Wikipedia article Мюнхенский хеллес, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Well-known brands
- Fucking Hell (Germany)