While most people see beers from places like Hacker-Pschorr and Paulaner, and think “Oktoberfest”, Munich Gold is actually more of a summer time beer. It’s a helles lager, which translates to “Pale” lager. Outside of Bavaria, this could easily just mean a pils, but in Bavaria, it means a very specific style. A golden lager, that is bright and clear, less hoppy than a pils, lighter in colour and weight than a marzen, and less juicy than a weisse beer. Many Bavarians consider this the ultimate hot-weather beer for patios (gardens, as they call them). Regardless, I’ve got this in my heap o’ fall beers to review, and I’m cool with that. It’s a hell of a nice helles.
Munich Gold — Hacker Pschorr Brau GmbH
From a 500ml swing-top, Hacker-Pschorr Munich Gold pours (unsurprisingly), a brilliant clear amber/gold. A big frothy head dropped to a film that lingered due to a nice carbonation, throughout most of the glass. Aroma is light a lively. Cereal grains, floral notes and a touch of lemon. Taste shows more malts, and still that little touch of lemon. Hops are less prevalent than other helles lagers, though I do get a bit of traditional German hop on the mid to back palate. Helles lagers are not a style a lot of Canadians are familiar with (Lowenbrau would be the one most people know) but they are lovely, and this is a great example. At 5.5% ABV, they are expressly NOT Oktoberfest beers, though fall is when most people’s minds turn to German beers (with the exception of lovely bright weisse beers). And to be fair, I would drink Munich Gold pretty well any time in the year. It’s a tasty brew.
Prost, Hacker-Pschorr!
Buy This Beer
Available at the LCBO, #247478, and apparently, also, The Beer Store. Like Paulaner, though, you will find no shortage of Hacker-Pschorr beers in Munich. Maybe it’s time for a little vacation?
Drink It With
Here’s a different choice for a beer from Munich: Fish and Chips. Sure, this would go well with some of the lighter classic German fare, but it’s got that little lemon zing and enough hop to hold up with the fatty fried batter and spuds, but it is delicate enough to not beat the hell out of the fish.
About The Brewery
Hacker-Pschorr Brewery traces its ancestry back to 1417 when the Hacker brewery was founded in Munich, Germany, 99 years before the enactment of the Reinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516.
In the late 18th century, Joseph Pschorr bought the Hacker brewery from his father-in-law. He subsequently founded a separate brewery under his own name. His two sons divided his estate by each taking control of one of the two separate breweries. In 1972, Hacker and Pschorr merged to form Hacker-Pschorr, but the beers were sold as separate brands well after 1975.
The brewing process has remained virtually unchanged for over 580 years.
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