If you want to understand lager this is the reference point.

Augustiner Lagerbier Hell isn’t just a pale lager; it is the quiet benchmark against which the entire style is measured. Brewed in Munich by the city’s oldest independent brewery (est. 1328), this beer represents over 700 years of incremental refinement rather than innovation for innovation’s sake.

While many know it’s "the best," few know why it tastes different from the other Munich giants (Paulaner, Spaten, etc).

• The "Floor Malting" Difference: Augustiner is the last remaining major Munich brewery to operate its own historic floor maltings (Tennenmälzerei). While others buy industrial malt, Augustiner germinates their barley on stone floors, turning it by hand. This labour-intensive process creates a specific protein modification in the grain, contributing to that signature "slick" mouthfeel and lasting head retention that modern industrial malts struggle to replicate.

• The "Anti-Marketing" Empire: Augustiner is unique in the modern beer world: they have no marketing department. No billboards, no TV spots, no sponsored influencers. They are the only major German brewery to grow consistently over the last 20 years purely on word-of-mouth.

• The Ethical Pint: The brewery is 51% owned by the Edith Haberland-Wagner Foundation. This means the majority of the profits from every bottle don’t go to shareholders, but are legally bound to support cultural preservation, child protection, and medical research in Munich.

🍺 The Style: Munich Helles

Helles is the most unforgiving style in brewing. With no heavy hopping, roasted malts, or yeast esters to hide behind, Helles exposes mistakes instantly.

• Water: Drawn from their private well (230m deep) tapping into Jurassic-era aquifers.

• Fermentation: Cold fermented and lagered for significantly longer than the industry standard to ensure distinct clarity and softness.

👃 Sensory Profile

• Appearance: Bright pale gold, crystal clear, with a dense, long-lasting white foam (thanks to that floor malt).

• Aroma: Fresh bread crust, hay, and a distinct "noble" herbal note from Tettnang and Hallertau hops.

• Palate: The texture is key here—it is exceptionally soft and rounded. It starts with a delicate malt sweetness and finishes dry, crisp, and quietly bitter.

• The "More-ish" Quality: German brewers call it Süffigkeit—the urge to take another sip before you’ve finished the first.

🍽 Best Enjoyed With

• Pretzels, Obatzda, Rye bread

• Roast pork or Schnitzel

• Simply on its own—this is a beer for conversation, not just contemplation.