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Vagabund Helles

Vagabund Brauerei
Germany·Helles Lager
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Berlin-Wedding's answer to a Munich Helles, brewed at Vagabund since 2011 — the brewpub three Americans crowdfunded into Europe's first crowd-funded brewery, in a 1902 light-bulb factory on Antwerpener Straße. Decoction mash, Hüll Melon and Northern Brewer hops for honeydew and floral lift. 4.9% ABV, 28 IBU, soft-bodied with a Berliner-Schnauze bite.

ABV
4.9%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter28 IBU
SRM
pale gold2
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
What makes this beer itself
MaltHop
cleanmaltybready
clean
malty
bready
Aroma
The nose is delicately balanced with subtle grain and bread malt notes that form the aromatic foundation.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Vagabund Helles

◎ Appearance

Vagabund Helles presents a beautiful pale golden hue with exceptional clarity and brightness. The beer displays a fine white head with good retention, topped by lively carbonation that creates an inviting visual presentation characteristic of classic German lagers.

pale goldencrystal clearwhite headbright

◌ Aroma

The nose is delicately balanced with subtle grain and bread malt notes that form the aromatic foundation. Clean lager yeast character dominates without any off-flavors, while soft noble hop undertones provide gentle floral complexity rather than assertive bitterness.

grainbread maltclean lagersubtle nobility

◐ Taste

The palate opens with soft malt sweetness and grainy cereal character, establishing a smooth, light body that's highly approachable. Mid-palate reveals creamy mouthfeel with balanced breadiness, while the finish remains crisp and refreshing with minimal bitterness and no harsh edges.

malty sweetnessgrainysmooth creamycrisp finish

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and refreshing with a dry quality that invites another sip. Any residual sweetness fades quickly, leaving only pleasant malt echoes and a bright, thirst-quenching aftertaste.

cleanrefreshingdry
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
83
Appearance
85
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 Vagabund 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 clean, crisp, refreshing character as Vagabund 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 →