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Helles

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Balanced hop and malt aromas meet a subtle sweetness and a gentle bitterness in the finish. Innstadt Helles is brewed at 11° Plato and reaches 5.0% ABV. The Innstadt brewery appeared in the books of Passau's St. Johannes Hospital in 1318, and since 2012 the brand has belonged to Hacklberg. The entry lists a brewhouse at the Graben beyond the Inn bridge.

ABV
5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
SRM
pale gold4
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
hoppymaltyclean
hoppy
malty
clean
bready
Aroma
Noble hop character emerges first—delicate, herbal, and floral without aggression—balanced immediately by soft, grainy Malz notes that suggest fresh bread crust and subtle sweetness.
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Helles

◎ Appearance

Pale golden in color with excellent clarity and a bright, luminous quality characteristic of the style. The head forms quickly and persists with fine, tight Schaumkleiden that cling evenly to the glass walls. Carbonation is lively and well-integrated, creating a gentle effervescence.

pale goldencrystal clearpersistent headbright

◌ Aroma

Noble hop character emerges first—delicate, herbal, and floral without aggression—balanced immediately by soft, grainy Malz notes that suggest fresh bread crust and subtle sweetness. The overall impression is clean and inviting, with no yeast-driven or adjunct characters; the aroma sits in perfect equilibrium between hop definition and malt foundation.

noble hopsgrainy maltherbalclean

◐ Taste

Entry is soft and approachable, with a gentle sweetness that carries a faint honeyed quality from the malt bill. Mid-palate develops a mild, restrained bitterness that integrates seamlessly rather than asserting itself, while the malt provides a light, bread-like framework. The beer remains smooth-drinking and undemanding throughout, with a dry-finishing quality that prevents any cloying impression.

balanced sweetnesssoft bitternessbread crustsmooth

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and relatively short, trailing into a dry aftertaste with lingering hop bitterness and a faint malt sweetness in perfect proportion. No harsh edges or astringency remain.

dryclean finishrefreshing
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
78
Appearance
82
Finish
75
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 Helles

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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 hoppy, malty, bitter character as Helles 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 →