Released every November, I reviewed this superbly hoppy Heller Bock less than two weeks after bottling. The aroma is absolutely gorgeous, perfectly clean, showing bright notes of lemon, persimmon, herbs, honeysuckle and dandelion with a background of faintly toasty Pilsner malt. The yeast is lightly sulfuric-eggy but not in an unpleasant way, more than made up for by the high minerality that is so typical of Franconian lager.

It’s full bodied, rich, sticky, full of savory melanoidins, semi-sweet to off-dry, made apparently drier in the mouth due to the strong hop bitterness. Not a touch of alcohol noticed, and the dryness and hoppiness work astoundingly well. Overall a singular Heller Bock, hoppy as can be, mineral-forward, bitter, malty and exceptionally clean.