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Hofbräu Original

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The brewery's year-round Munich lager, sold as Münchner Bier with protected geographical indication. It is brewed by infusion mashing from pale barley malt and Munich malt, hopped with Herkules, Perle and Select to 24 IBU, from 11.7 °P original gravity. It pours a bright golden yellow under a white head. The nose is lightly spicy with a touch of citrus; on the palate a soft caramel note meets floral hops over a bready malt base, and the finish turns pleasantly bitter and dry.

ABV
5.1%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter24 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
pale gold4
PaceSession
★undefined — Australian International Beer Awards (Munich Style Helles)
★undefined — Australian International Beer Awards (Class 02 - Lager Draught (European Style Lager))
★undefined — Australian International Beer Awards (Class 01 - Lager Packaged (European Style Lager))
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
floralbreadycaramel
floral
bready
caramel
spicy
malty
citrusy
Aroma
The nose opens with soft spice notes from the Herkules hop, followed by a delicate citrus accent that sits subtly in the background.
also:clean
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Hofbräu Original

◎ Appearance

Pours a bright golden yellow with excellent clarity and a dense white head that settles into fine lacing around the glass. The carbonation is lively and well-integrated, creating a consistent stream of small bubbles that sustains the foam collar throughout the tasting.

bright goldencrisp white headclean clarity

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with soft spice notes from the Herkules hop, followed by a delicate citrus accent that sits subtly in the background. A light, bready malt character emerges underneath, with no dominating sweetness—the overall impression is restrained and inviting rather than assertive.

soft spicepale maltcitrus hint

◐ Taste

Entry is clean and smooth, with a gentle caramel sweetness from the Munich malt base. Mid-palate develops a floral quality from the Edelpilz-variety hops, balanced by a bready, grainy malt foundation that keeps the beer grounded. The finish builds toward a pleasant dryness with a measured bitter bite that doesn't linger aggressively.

soft caramelfloral hopsbready maltdry finish

◑ Finish

The aftertaste turns pleasantly dry and slightly bitter, with the noble hop character fading steadily. The finish is clean and refreshing, leaving no sticky sweetness behind.

drymoderately bitter
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
84
Appearance
86
Finish
80
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Hofbräu Original

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About Helles Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Helles Lager?

Helles Lager is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Helles Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same dry, floral, bready character as Hofbräu Original will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Helles Lager beers in hopIQ →New to Helles Lager? Read our guide →Browse Germany beers →