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Max 5,2

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Relatively sweet, with something honey-like: Max 5,2 is a lively, pleasantly light 5.2% beer made from hops plus barley and wheat malt. Michael Leibinger developed it in 1996 after a stay in Canada. In 2026 it returned as a limited seasonal edition, with its familiar character from back then and a fresh look.

ABV
5.2%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
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
honeywheatmalty
honey
wheat
malty
clean
bready
Aroma
The nose leads with pronounced honeyed sweetness and soft malty grain notes that evoke fresh bread crust and light cereal.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Max 5,2

◎ Appearance

Max 5,2 presents a bright pale golden hue with excellent clarity and a delicate white head that settles into fine lacing around the glass. The carbonation is lively and persistent, releasing steady streams of fine bubbles that maintain the beer's visual vivacity throughout the tasting.

pale goldencrystal clearfine lacinglively carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with pronounced honeyed sweetness and soft malty grain notes that evoke fresh bread crust and light cereal. Noble hop character emerges subtly beneath, contributing a refined floral and herbal backdrop without asserting bitterness. The wheat malt component adds a faint grainy warmth that completes an inviting, accessible bouquet.

honey notesbread crustsoft graindelicate florals

◐ Taste

The palate opens with immediate sweetness and creamy malt body, where honey and wheat flavours blend seamlessly. Mid-palate maintains smooth drinkability with gentle bitterness (18 IBU) providing only minimal resistance, allowing malty sweetness and light grain character to dominate. The finish arrives clean and crisp, with no harsh edges or lingering astringency.

smooth malt sweetnesswheat forwardrestrained bitternessclean finish

◑ Finish

The aftertaste fades gently and quickly, leaving a pleasant residual honey-malt impression without cloying heaviness. The overall sensation is one of refreshing lightness that invites another sip.

short finishresidual honey
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
76
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 Max 5,2

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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 sweet, honey, light character as Max 5,2 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 →