Matilda Bay - Big Helga Oktoberfest Lager

[pk.sax]

Tastes rather good and authentic

I picked up a six pack at liquorland. An interesting aside: the bottles of Matilda bay are a little 20-30 grams heavier than Gage road IPA bottles. I'm not complaining

 

[HoppingMad]

Big Helga Thread of old

Plenty of mixed thoughts on this one. Personally I enjoyed this beer, but the purist in me says that with American Style hoppy taste it ain't no Octoberfest Beer.

Hopefully the brewers have got some hopping consistent with the style now they've had time to tweak it.

Hopper.

 

[Andyd]

Big Helga Thread of old

Plenty of mixed thoughts on this one. Personally I enjoyed this beer, but the purist in me says that with American Style hoppy taste it ain't no Octoberfest Beer.

Hopefully the brewers have got some hopping consistent with the style now they've had time to tweak it.

Hopper.

I have to agree on the original released last year - I'd be happy drinking it, but it's not really "authentic". Will have to grab a 6 pack of the latest batch and see if it's been tweaked (talking to Scott last year about it, this seems unlikely as they were gunning for a relatively hoppy result).

Andy

 

[pk.sax]

Hmnnn. Funnily, I didn't pick up any strong hop. Maybe my hopalate has been polluted drinking too much IPA!

Did definitely come through as Malty though. Reminded me why I started drinking beer again in Germany after I'd pretty much quit over an u fortunate can of VB back in melbourne a year earlier. Less bitterness, more flavour. I'll have to drink another unhurried one and savour it slowly

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I had one recently again, and found that the hop palate I remember isn't there. Either I've been used to the IPA and APA's I've got from other craft beers and my own brews, or it was a more aged batch and the hop has died down in favour of increased malt profile.

WIthout that hoppiness, it tastes thin, the body is more noticeable.

Kinda disappointed.

 

[dj_yiakamon]

Just last week on a weekend away at the snow I bought a case of Big Helga so that i could enjoy and also introduce a more Carlton draught crowd to some craft brews. The first thing I noticed was the pronounced malt profile. Everyone enjoyed them and needless to say the case of Big Helga finished first than the case of Peroni that was right next to it in the fridge and half was left over.

 

[pk.sax]

Quite abruptly, and unpredictably, the third of the 6 pack has come out hoppy like ppl have described above and in the old thread. It could just be my imagination, but it is also clearer and brighter than the previous 2 malty tasting ones. Still pretty good body and flavour, but this bottle is definitely not an Oktoberfest beer. I quite liked it for what this tasted as but I am guessing here that the brewery has some widely swinging quality control. Still pretty weird to get two completely different tasting beers in a single 6 pack.
An altogether pleasant enough drop but inconsistent and thus... Misleading. I cant quite pinpoint what this third one tastes like but maybe a cross between a regular helles and a lighter hopped IPA. Body and some background maltiness but an overriding hoppiness.

 

[super_simian]

I'm drinking one now, and getting a pretty earthy type subtle hop flavour, not much bitterness (pretty balanced) and a grainy pilsner malt aroma with a slight acetone edge (which I find inn most pale lagers). Ping goes my 2c.