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Football Friend

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Football Friend is Sureshot's Helles, a 4.8% lager that has stayed in the range alongside the hop-forward pale ales and IPAs. It is brewed with a traditional malt bill and hopped with Saaz and Hersbrucker for a continental profile. The brewery describes it as crisp and dry with a bright straw colour, a lively white head and a refreshingly bitter finish. Expect light bready malt and a herbal, faintly floral hop note of the kind these noble varieties bring.

ABV
4.8%
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
herbalnoble hopbready
herbal
noble hop
bready
malty
floral
clean
Aroma
The nose leads with soft, light breadiness from the traditional Malz bill, laying a mellow foundation.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Football Friend

◎ Appearance

Football Friend presents a bright straw yellow with excellent clarity and a fine, white head that persists with good retention. The carbonation is lively, creating a steady stream of small bubbles that animates the glass. The overall presentation is clean and inviting, characteristic of a well-executed Helles.

bright straw yellowcrisp white headlively carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with soft, light breadiness from the traditional Malz bill, laying a mellow foundation. Noble hops—Saaz and Hersbrucker—contribute a delicate herbal character with faintly floral undertones, typical of these continental varieties. The overall aromatic profile is restrained and refined, inviting without assertiveness.

light bread maltherbal and floralnoble hop character

◐ Taste

The palate opens with gentle malt sweetness and bread-forward notes that give the beer body without heaviness. The Edelhopfen varieties introduce a subtle herbal bitterness that builds through the mid-palate, balancing the malt with precision. The finish is crisp and dry, with a lingering herbal bite that refreshes rather than dominates.

soft malt sweetnessherbal bitternessdry and crisp

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and moderately short, with the refreshing bitterness fading to a subtle herbal memory. A gentle dryness persists without any astringent aftertaste, leaving the palate ready for the next sip.

herbal persistencerefreshingly dry
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
77
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 Football Friend

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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, crisp, herbal character as Football Friend 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 United Kingdom beers →