MAHRS BRAU HELLES
'I've been around the world, a couple of times or maybe more…. While I love singing along with the chorus from Home Among the Gum Trees, the line that I really like is 'Just you and me, a cup of tea.’ It reminds me of how important it is to sit down at talk. By all means, have a conversation over a cup of tea, but if craft is more your thing, you'll be well served by this offering
Origin – Bamberg, Germany
ABV- 4.9%
Size- 330mL can
Style- Lager
Women marvel at the way men deal with everything from emotions to sex to their penchant for sport and beer. And the men? Well, many of us are just trying to figure out why our wives want their problems heard, recognised and heard again, yet need no solution despite us having one readily available! Obviously, twenty years on from Dr John Gray boxing up all the answers in his groundbreaking book Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, most of us are still left baffled.
While I’m not sure on his position on emotions, sex or sport, Stephan Michel from Mahrs Bräu is very transparent on his predisposition for beer. As any keen observer will know Michel makes some of the best lagers in Germany, which logically makes them some of the best in the world. It’s a claim that’s given credence by the Champion Medium International Brewery trophy at the 2018 Australian International Beer Awards and further success at last year's World Beer Awards. Owned by Stephan’s family, Mahrs Bräu dates back more than 100 years, although the Bamberg brewery itself goes back further still. But this isn’t a brewery stuck in the past. Rather, Mahrs Bräu is on the cusp of a new wave of drinkers in Germany. Historically, German beer culture has often involved swilling a lot of beer very cheaply, but Michel is working hard to convince the locals to come around to paying more for higher quality beer. Not only does Mahrs already serve the most expensive beer in town, before recently moving to cans they sold beer in 250mL bottles – Michel’s way of saying ‘focus on the flavour, not the flow'.
Although Germany doesn’t have a strong craft beer market compared to other countries, it’s the New World markets of Italy, the United States and Australia where Mahrs is really taking off. And downunder it’s our new found fondness of craft lager that’s seen this offering from Michel gain such a strong position. A classic Helles lager, it pours clear straw in colour and is perfectly packed with German Perle hops that provide a little spice and grassy character reminiscent of flowering hops. The body is pure, mild, and discretely aromatic. It finishers with a sweet malt hit that is balanced by a firm bitterness that never overpowers.
At only 4.9% and in a little 330mL can, even after two you’ll still be sharp enough deliver, should your better half change her mind about needing that solution!