Style: Munich Helles

All Styles

Style Profile based on 936 recipes

BU:GU

0.38

Hops

3.2 g/L

Mash pH

5.51

Style Guidelines BJCP 2015 Beer
OG
1.044 1.048
1.05
FG
1.006 1.012
1.011
IBU
16 22
19
ABV
4.7% 5.4%
5.1%
SRM
3 5
Description

A clean, malty, gold-colored German lager with a smooth grainy-sweet malty flavor and a soft, dry finish. Subtle spicy, floral, or herbal hops and restrained bitterness help keep the balance malty but not sweet, which helps make this beer a refreshing, everyday drink. History: Created in Munich in 1894 at the Spaten brewery to compete with pale Pilsner-type beers. Currently the most popular style in Southern Germany. Style Comparison: Similar in malt balance and bitterness to Munich Dunkel, but less malty-sweet in nature and pale rather than dark. More body and malt presence than a German Pils, with less hop character throughout. Similar malt profile as a German Exportbier, but with less hops in the balance.

Examples: Augustiner Lagerbier Hell, Bürgerbräu Wolznacher Hell Naturtrüb, Hacker-Pschorr Münchner Gold, Löwenbraü Original, Paulaner Premium Lager, Spaten Premium Lager, Weihenstephaner Original

Typical Grain Bill

% of total grain weight across all recipes · sums to ~100%

Common Additions

% of Munich Helles recipes using each malt category (addition % in brackets)

Hop Usage by Addition Type

g/L · median with IQR range

Bittering
0.34 g/L 1.37 g/L
0.72 g/L
Flavour
0.25 g/L 1.07 g/L
0.66 g/L
Aroma
0.26 g/L 1.35 g/L
0.67 g/L
Whirlpool
0.34 g/L 1.37 g/L
0.69 g/L
Dry Hop
0.24 g/L 1.61 g/L
0.56 g/L

Common Hops

% of Munich Helles recipes using each hop

Typical Water Profile

Ca²⁺ 50 ppm
Mg²⁺ 5 ppm
Na⁺ 10 ppm
Cl⁻ 75 ppm
SO₄²⁻ 52 ppm
HCO₃⁻ 25 ppm

median across recipes with a declared water profile

Similar Styles

Ranked by similarity across OG, IBU, ABV, hop rate, and grist composition.