It's Hell, up north

An unexpected new Helles arrived on the local off licence shelves here a couple of months ago. "I'm having that," I said. It's important to grab these things when they're available as you never know how long they'll last.

Einsiedler Hell announces the label on the bottle, and that it's from Saxony, not Bavaria. Intriguing! It's not as clear as a Bavarian would like it, showing some quite large particles suspended in the gold. It's just about full-bodied enough, with the right honey malt flavour but not the white bread or spongecake consistency found in the best of these. Where it really gives away its northern roots is in the hopping: an intense grassy kick, running the risk of turning to a plastic bitterness but balanced by the malt.

This is an interesting crisp twist on standard Helles, enjoyable for that, and in its own right.