Cigar City Hotter Than Helles Lager
Why so punny? “Helles” is German for “light colored.” Hotter Than Helles is more than just a (very) silly pun; it perfectly reflects the nature of this beer. A lager meant to be consumed when it’s truly hotter than helles outside.
So there are no peppers or spices in this beer!
So there are no peppers or spices in this beer!
3.3
342 reviews
Tampa, United States
Community reviews
I like a good lager. This is a good lager. Enjoyable, and I'd definitely drink again.
12 oz can. Pours a mostly clear golden color and topped by a thin head of off white foam that quickly fades away. The aroma shows notes of pale grains, fruity esters, a hint of floral hops, and toasted bread malts. The flavor follows and is centered around the bready malts and pale grains with some fruity, yeasty esters that gives hint at banana. Mild floral hops adds a touch of bitterness on the back end. Light in body with good carbonation that leads to a slightly sweet and grain finish. Easy drinking and refreshing lager. Solid but unspectacular brew. Great for hot days though.
August 31, 2015 - can from Knightly. Clear yellow pour with some head that faded quickly. Aroma was sweet, maybe a little fruity and grain. Taste was consistent with aroma, also some banana and had a mild bitter finish.
Can from a trade with Weezel, thanks again. Pours a yellow, white head that dies to a thin film, no lace. Nose is yeasty and fruity orange. Tastes malty sweet, thin, refreshing, decent summer brew.
Best. Lager. Ever. Smooth as silk, full of flavor, not too heavy. The ultimate beer for a hot Florida summer day.
Easy drinkin’. Like everyone says, great session beer (5%). Does have a slight banana finish, which is a little distracting...a little more hops/bitter finish would work better. But I Will be picking up a 6 pack for disc golf.
Draft @ CCB.
Dorée, col blanc.Arôme présente une fine note de douceur rappelant le maïs, malt pils, léger rétro noble.
Palais est distinct de grains, maïs avec un rappel noble, malt pils en usage unique léger avec une agréable touche d’amertume en fin de bouche.
Rafraichissante.
Can pour. Cloudy yellow, minimal head. Nice lager taste with some banana-like flavor as well. IMO, the banana flavor is a little much and mildly distracting.
Canette au Reservoir, Waterbury Vt. Le grain est présent mais avec un accent citronné qui la rend légère en bouche. Présence de houblons herbacés et citronnés. Drôle de lager.
Can poured a light golden color with a thin coating of white head. Aroma has grains, mild yeasts, and some faint hops. Mouth feel is light with good carbonation. Flavor centers on the grains, mild supporting malt, and a light bit of hops on the back end.
Really nice example of the style. Little to no hops. A lot of soda bread, biscuity, light malt. Really nice.
6 pack from local Publix cons 2015-05-06 Spring Hill, FL
AR: cardboardbox, corn, white bread
AP; wee dizzy yellow, wee head
F; white bread, caramel, sweet mouthfeel, dry finish - yeah a beer for s hot day.... I was a wee bit sad when I checker the bottom of the can: canned feb/03/15
nice malt flavor full of malt and farina with a sweetness that is refined. kind of soda malt in a way but not overdone this is a nice helles without the darker malt gimmick.
12 oz can poured into a Boston lager glass. It pours a slightly hazy straw yellow color with a medium sized quickly fading white head. It has the aroma of hard candy and bread. It has a bread taste to it and is super refreshing and easy to drink. Excellent beer. I would drink as much as reasonably possible from this brewery if it were available in Georgia.
Old rating. Simple, but so clean and refreshing. Clear golden pour. Bready body with a small hop bite. Solid malty profile. Extra crisp. Super sessionable. Great.
12oz bottle. Code date on can was illegible. Appearance: Light golden and clear, with a moderate white head.
Aroma: Bready malt with faint spicy hop.
Taste: Sweet, doughy malt with just enough hop bitterness to balance. Slight hint of some vegetal DMS on the backside.
Mouthfeel: Light body with a crisp carbonation.
Finish: Sweet maltiness lingers, while the bitterness quickly fades away.
Overall: Really refreshing Helles. Malt character is bit more sweet than other versions of the style
Simple formula. Well executed. Probably one of my favorite helles. Good level of malt content. So important.
Can. Pours a slightly hazy golden with a thin layer of off white head. Aroma and taste of a bit of hops with some bready malts.
12 oz. can. Pours pale yellow, with a big, but fleeting, fluffy, white head. Nose is akin to a pilsener, with notes of cut grass, hay, sugar, and corn, but with a hint of bananas and some cereals. Very sweet, with a touch of bittering in the finish that give it a nice crisp, and very drinkable flavor. Light body, smooth, with no off aftertaste. This is a lovely, very light and unassuming beer.
Good cold drinker for a the hot weather. Not a helles of a lot going on, I didn’t get much of a bready character but it was clean, leaning almost toward American pale.
Pours a hazy yellow, fruity grainy aroma. Flavor is light and grainy with some cidery notes. Light body medium high carbonation.
(draft @ Cigar City Brewing - Tampa International Airport - Tampa, FL) Hazy gold pour with a fizzy white head. Light hop aroma with not much else. Flavor is very mild. Light hops and a bit of malt. Not too much to it.
Clear golden color with a medium sized white head which dissipates fairly quickly. Aroma is a mild hay with but mainly clean. Very clean flavor with just a little bit of bread malt in the finish. Very refreshing.
Wife: 3.5
Can. Slightly hazy pale gold with almost no head. Not the best looking helles. Slightly floral aroma. Notes of floral hops with a slight malt sweetness. Clean and refreshing. Nice artwork. Overall the flavor makes up for not having a head.
Pours deep lemon peel yellow into the glass. Beautiful to watch the towers of bubbles sparkle to the top. Fresh scent on the glass. A clean drinking helles, with a nice chewy breadyness (is that a word?) that shines a bright light on the style. Great stuff. Lately obsessing on rate fails from others, & this beer offers no exception (my favourite example being the rater who didn’t like it cuz it was like an IPA). Uh huh. Recommended.
Appearance: Pale golden-yellow body, minimally hazed, with a thin, wispy, white head.
Smell: Pils malt, quickly toasted breadiness, cereal-hinted honeyish accent, a thin whiff of sulphur and a bit of herby hops.
Taste: Semi-sweet pilsner maltiness with a bit of deeper breadiness. Slight honeyish vibe. Lightly fruity. Soft herbal quality to the hops, subtly bitter. Remains slightly sweetish on the close.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation.
Overall: Nicely refreshing option.
Can shared by Eric, thanks for the opportunity.
Sweet pilsner maltiness, light floral spicy hops. I didn’t realize CC made a lager, I’m glad they do.
New Beer Distributors, NYC can: pours light gold with white head. Aroma is bread and light hops. Taste is sweet with a nice bready backbone. I am not sure how much better this is than the originals of this style. It is clean and all but that is about it.
Very good and slight apricot flavor. Highly recommended. Shocked I Liked it this Much. Good coloring. Tap
Can at home while visiting Jacksonville. Pours a lightly hazy gold with a white head. Bready, doughy aroma with lemon. White bread, light honey, lemon... a hint of metal but it's pretty tasty. OK.