Beer Style: European Pale Lager
Includes an array of styles including Munich helles, pale kellerbiers, pale lagers, Mexican lagers, and premium lagers.
Dort the Export
The midwestern part of the United States has become chock-a-block with incredible breweries, but Great Lakes Brewing Company is easily near the top of that list in my opinion. Here was my attempt to re-create their Dortmunder Gold, a true standard in the field.
Indeed Brewing Company: Mexican Honey Imperial Lager clone
This golden-yellow lager with a subtle malt backbone is packed with floral notes of orange blossom and citrus thanks to the use of Mexican orange blossom honey. It has a bright hop flavor and features notes of graham cracker and honeycomb.
Flying Dog Brewery: Numero Uno clone
Numero Uno is Flying Dog’s summer seasonal release. Flaked maize makes up one-third of the malt bill and highlights the distinctive corn and cracker flavor traditionally found in Mexican lagers.
Epic Brewing Company: Los Locos clone
Inspired by the Mexican cuisine at chef Troy Guard’s Los Chingones restaurant in Denver, Colorado, Los Locos is a sessionable, refreshing lager brewed with corn, natural lime juice, and just a hint of salt. An excellent pairing with any spicy Mexican dish. “Los Locos is the spirit of summer in a can. It’s light, refreshing, and perfect for enjoying on the hammock or with your friends at a raging pachanga,” said Kevin Crompton, Epic’s Brewmaster.
Mexican Lager
When I recently wrote about grisette being a type of saison, I hadn’t expected to write a similar column about lagers but I keep getting questions that spark my interest. This time,
Victory Brewing Company: Zeltbier clone
This crisp lager is just the thing for fall weather. It boasts a balanced malt profile with an herbal, German hop profile.
Ham’s Sunfest Münchner-Style Helles clone
A Munich-style Helles from Ham’s Restaurant, which was founded in North Carolina back in 1935. Their brewpub location in Greensboro has since closed, but we’ve still got a recipe for their Sunfest!
Heineken International: Heineken clone
This classic Dutch lager available in green bottles across the world is still brewed using the same recipe since first made available in 1873.
Brewing South of the Border Cerveza Mexican-Style Lagers
They seem to be everywhere these days. And I’m not just talking about a certain clear-glassed bottle with a lime sticking out of it. More and more, we’re seeing craft breweries producing
Munich Helles
by the numbers OG: 1.045–1.051 (11.2–12.6 °P) FG: 1.008–1.012 (2.1–3.1 °P) SRM: 3–5 IBU: 16–22 ABV: 4.7–5.4% Today’s craft beer world is full of creativity and innovation. There are many new, creative
Helles and Kölsch: Germany’s Session Beers
Nothing goes with summer like the bottom-fermented helles from Munich and the top-fermented Kölsch from Cologne.
Spaten Premium Lager clone
Spaten’s roots can be traced back to the 1300s. The name of the brewery is derived from the Spaeth family, who purchased the 225-year-old brewery in 1622. Spaten’s modern tradition began in Munich in 1807 when Gabriel Sedlmayr I, brewmaster for the Royal Court of Bavaria, took over the brewery. His son, the legendary innovator Gabriel Sedlmayr II, later became brewmaster and created Munich helles as an alternative to pilsner.
Spaten’s Munich Helles is smooth, delicate, simple and subtle. It has an enticing balance between hop bitterness and malt. Spaten is a beautiful yellow-gold color and has a creamy head. This is a delicious, easy-drinking lager.
