Robin Shepard
During the recent Great Taste of the Midwest beer festival, I sampled quite a few beers. The one that stood out most, and the only beer I went back for a second sample of, was Howard. It’s a wonderful take on the German light (helles) lager.
What is it? Howard Helles Lager from Lakefront Brewery of Milwaukee.
Style: The Münchner (Munich) Helles is a light golden- to straw-colored German lager known for being medium-bodied with an emphasis on malt character and low bitterness. The maltiness is soft and smooth, with bready or toasted qualities. A helles should be very clear and bright. These beers commonly range in alcohol content from 4.5% to 5.5%. This style is quite popular in Germany; it even outsells Oktoberfest beers at the Oktoberfest event in Munich.
Background: The “My Turn” series consists of beers designed by Lakefront employees. Howard is the brewery’s maintenance manager and is credited for the 19th beer in the series. Howard has worked at Lakefront since 2011 and is a quiet, dependable guy who prefers not to have his last name out there, says the brewery’s sales manager Matt Krajnak. “He’s the brewery’s MacGyver. One day he’ll be fixing a doorknob and the next he’s fine-tuning the German-designed bottling line,” says Krajnak.
Howard chose the helles lager style because he wanted a light-bodied, flavorful beer for late summer. Yes, he’s proud of calling this a lawnmower beer. It’s made in the traditions of Bavaria, featuring German ingredients including pilsner malt and Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops. It’s fermented with a German lager yeast that leaves the beer clean, allowing the Hallertau hops to really come through. It uses the same strain of yeast that turns up in two of my favorites from Lakefront, Riverwest Stein Beer and East Side Dark.
Howard finishes around 4.5% and is sold in six-packs for about $10. The My Turn beers are one-offs and can be a bit hard to find, so you might need to check around some of the larger beer stores. As of the late August the brewery says about 40% of this beer remains in the warehouse, so it should be available through most of September.
Tasting notes:
Aroma: Light, sweet, floral-maltiness.
Appearance: Clear, golden color and a thick, light tan head.
Texture: Medium-bodied, with malty softness.
Taste: There is a solid bready maltiness to the body; however the herbal, spicy, floral quality of the Hallertau really comes through.
Finish/Aftertaste: Clean and balanced.
Glassware: There’s enough aroma and flavor in this beer that it could easily be enjoyed in the style-appropriate pilsner or the iconic German glass mug. Given that, I like to compromise between the two with a tall, narrow and heavy glass stein that makes for a great presentation and recognizes the beer’s Bavarian origins. Or just go with a glass that’s thick, to insulate the beer. Keep it cold to accentuate those wonderful German hops.
Pairs well with: Classic Bavarian pork and lighter seafoods on the grill. The Munich Helles is flavorful and thirst-quenching, making it a versatile meal beer. It’s crisp enough to cleanse the palate between bites.
The Verdict: Howard is true to the German style of the helles lager. It has a light bready sweetness from the pilsner malt that gives it a solid backbone while the Hallertau Mittelfrüh lend herbal aroma and spicy dryness. Overall, it’s nicely balanced, flavorful, clean and crisp. And, as the helles should be, it’s light enough to have another. Put this on your short list of beers to enjoy before summer ends.
