Helles

If there is such a thing as a perfect beer, then it is probably the Helles brewed by Augustiner-Bräu in Munich, Germany. This beer is hard to come by outside of Bavaria and features a perfectly balanced malty sweetness. Many other Bavarian breweries also brew good Helles. Tegernsee Helles is another favorite. Brewing culture in Bavaria may be conservative, but it is conservative for good reason. They know what they're doing and the styles they do brew they've perfected.

Plenty of American craft brewers have taken on the challenge of brewing a Helles. Few, if any, have succeeded. The closest I've experienced to date is by Dovetail Brewery in Chicago. It's hard to say why it's so hard to find a good Helles brewed in America, given the skill and innovation of American brewers. Maybe it's the water. Who knows.

Someday we'll take on that challenge. Someday.