View source for Helles

{{Short description|Type of pale lager beer}}
{{use dmy dates |date=February 2020}}
{{distinguish|Hellas (disambiguation){{!}}Hellas}}
{{otheruses4|the beer|the place|Cape Helles}}

[[File:Helles im Glas-Helles (pale beer).jpg|thumb|right|A glass of ''helles'']]

'''Helles''' or '''hell''' is a traditional German [[pale lager]] beer, mainly produced in [[Southern Germany]], particularly [[Munich]]. The German word ''[[:wikt:hell#German|hell]]'' can be translated as "bright", "light", or "pale".

==Flavour profile==
Helles-style beers are typically full-bodied, mildly sweet and light-coloured, with low bitterness. The beer is clear due to filtration before bottling,<ref name="legalimage">{{cite web |last1=Jositz |first1=Heinrich |date=n.d. |title=Kleine feine Bierkunde |url=https://davidgiacomo.com/kleine-feine-bierkunde/ |access-date=2022-08-31 |website=davidgiacomo.com}}</ref> though some restaurants and breweries offer an unfiltered version.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Helles & Dunkles: Die besten Berliner Bier-Brauereien, Brauhäuser & Biergärten |url=http://www.morgenpost.de/berlin-aktuell/article108440009/Die-besten-Berliner-Bier-Brauereien-Brauhaeuser-Biergaerten.html |newspaper=[[Berliner Morgenpost]] |date=2012-08-01 |access-date=2015-10-22 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.schanzenbraeu.de/biere.html Schanzenbräu Hell]</ref> Munich-style helles is a yellow beer brewed using [[Brewing#Cool fermentation|cool fermentation]] with a [[lager]] yeast such as ''[[Saccharomyces pastorianus]]'', bitter hops such as [[Hallertau hops]], and an [[Gravity (alcoholic beverage)|original specific gravity]] (prior to fermentation) between 1.044 and 1.053 (11 to 13 [[plato scale|degrees plato]]), and between 4.5 and 6% [[alcohol by volume]]. Helles has a less pronounced hop flavour than German pilsner beers.<ref name=legalimage />

==History==
Until the 1960s, Helles was universally available in German-speaking regions. In many regions, Helles was slowly replaced by [[pilsner]]-style beers,<ref name=derberater>{{cite web|url=http://www.derberater.de/genuss-lebensart/trinken/bier/pils-oder-helles-wo-liegt-der-unterschied.htm |title=Pils oder Helles: Wo liegt der Unterschied? |last=Geyer |first=Tim |date=n.d. |website=derberater.de |access-date=2015-10-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117021635/http://www.derberater.de/genuss-lebensart/trinken/bier/pils-oder-helles-wo-liegt-der-unterschied.htm |archive-date=2015-11-17 }}</ref> which was also driven by changing consumer preferences from draft beer to bottled beer. In regions outside of Southern Germany, Helles was regaining popularity in 2010, particularly [[Berlin]], where the beer's traditional image has become trendy.<ref name=tagesspiegel>{{cite web |url=http://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/augustiner-in-berlin-ein-helles-bitte/1864594.html |title=Augustiner in Berlin: Ein Helles, bitte |last1=Baumstieger |first1=Moritz |date=2010-06-20 |website=tagesspiegel.de |publisher=[[Der Tagesspiegel]] |access-date=2015-10-22 }}</ref>

==Distribution==
Helles enjoys great popularity in the [[Southern Germany|Southern German]] regions of [[Bavaria]], [[Franconia]], and [[Baden-Württemberg]]. It can be referred to as {{lang|de|Helles}}, {{lang|de|Spezial}}, {{lang|de|Landbier}}, "Munich lager", or "export". No clear distinction is drawn between lager and export, although export typically is closer in style to [[Dortmunder Export]], which has a slightly higher [[ABV]] of 5.5% for [[extended shelf life]].<ref name=legalimage />

==Examples==
* [[Andechser]] Hell
* [[Augustiner-Bräu]] Lagerbier Hell
* [[Ayinger]] Lager Hell
* [[Bayreuther (brewery)|Bayreuther]] Hell
* [[Chiemseer]] Hell
* [[Dinkelacker]] Hell
* [[Erdinger]] Brauhaus Helles
* [[Flötzinger]] Hell
* [[Giesinger (brewery)|Giesinger]] Münchner Hell
* [[Hacker-Pschorr]] Münchner Helles
* [[Hofbräu München]] Original
* [[Kichesippi Beer Co.]] Heller Highwater
* [[Löwenbräu]] Original
* [[Oberdorfer (brewery)|Oberdorfer]] Helles
* [[Paulaner]] Münchner Hell
* [[Spaten]] Münchner Hell
* [[Schönramer]] Hell
* [[Stiegl]] Hell
* [[Herzoglich Bayerisches Brauhaus Tegernsee|Tegernseer]] Hell
* [[Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan|Weihenstephaner]] Original
* [[Ølsnedkeren]] Sikkert og vist
* Юзберг Helles
==See also==
* [[Beer in Germany]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Beer styles}}

[[Category:German beer styles]]
[[Category:German cuisine]]