What the helles?
Written: May 06 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: smooth finish; light body
Cons: almost no real taste other than a generic pilsner flavor
The Bottom Line: It works as an easy-to-drink summer beer, but would a little more taste be too much to ask for?
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| Chad9976's Full Review: Saranac Helles |
It amazes me that there are so many niche styles of lagers and pilsners since they all seem essentially the same to me. It’s not that these types of beers are inherently bad, but they just don’t have a lot to offer. That’s how I felt about Saranac Helles Lager – an American beer that tastes almost exactly like one of those European green-bottle pilsners.
POUR, COLOR AND AROMA
This beer poured smooth to a crystal-clear white gold body. A lot of carbonation was immediately noticeable after pouring, but the body quickly became absolutely tepid (by far the quickest transition I’ve ever seen in a beer). It initially formed a white, two-finger fizzy head, but it dissolved within a few moments. Ironically, there was some lacing on the glass. The aroma was standard for a beer of this type – nothing but grains and even a little skunky (which is also ironic since this beer comes in a brown bottle).
TASTE
It’s hard to accurately critique a beer with almost no flavor. I can honestly say Helles does not taste bad, but at the same time I’d also say it doesn’t taste good. It’s rare I encounter a beer like this that I am absolutely indifferent to.
But, just for the record, this beer has a taste reminiscent of most other pale lagers on the market with a clean, slightly crisp taste (which is just a nice way of saying “water”). Some hop presence is noticeable, but it’s buried underneath the grainy taste. I get a dry, malty finish and a similar aftertaste. It’s not off-putting, but it’s not pleasing, either.
FINISH
Considering this is a very tepid beer with a watery complexion, it’s not surprising this beer finishes extremely smooth. After all, this is a summer seasonal and easy drinking is the name of the game. I don’t think anyone would have any trouble going through a few bottles of Helles.
BODY
At 4.8% ABV, this is a light performer. I drank two bottles back-to-back without feeling the least bit buzzed. I’m not sure of the calories and carbs (Saranac doesn’t provide those statistics on its website), but I’d estimate they’re quite low, bordering on those of a flat-out “lite” brew.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There isn’t a lit to genuinely enjoy about Saranac Helles Lager, but I don’t think that was the brewer’s intention. To me, it seems like a very standard pale lager with a gimmicky ethnic name. It absolutely would work as a lazy summer day beer that you don’t have to think about, and that makes it also respectable. Still, I prefer something a little more original.
NOTE: watch the video version of this review at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ual7eP9n7A
ALSO BY SARANAC:
Saranac Adirondack Lager (3)
Saranac Belgian Ale (4)
Saranac Belgian White (5)
Saranac Black & Tan (4)
Saranac Black Forest (4)
Saranac Bohemian Pilsener (2)
Saranac Brown Ale (4)
Saranac Extra Special Bitter (4)
Saranac Golden Pilsener (3)
Saranac Hefeweizen (5)
Saranac Imperial IPA (3)
Saranac India Brown Ale (4)
Saranac India Pale Ale (4)
Saranac Kolsch (3)
Saranac Octoberfest (3)
Saranac Pale Ale (4)
Saranac Pomegranate Wheat (3)
Saranac Pumpkin Ale (4)
Saranac Rye Pilsener (3)
Saranac Season's Best (4)
Saranac Summer Ale (3)
Saranac Vanilla Stout (4)
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
Chad9976
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Member: Chad Polenz
Location: Albany, New York
Reviews written: 663
Trusted by: 147 members
About Me:Check out Chad'z Beer Reviews on YouTube
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