Hofbrau Original -- Staatliches Hofbrauhaus (Munich, Germany)

One of the classic lagers of Bavaria, I first experienced Hofbrau at "The Great Beer Palace" (R.I.P.) on the north side of Chicago back in 1998 when I was still primarily a Celis White devotee.  I haven't ever been to the Hofbrauhaus (or anywhere else in Germany for that matter), though I will likely stop by one of its US outposts the next time I'm in Milwaukee.

Characteristics: Rich clear gold color, light body, clean and slightly bitter (but not hoppy) taste with perhaps a little caramel in the finish.

Minor Gripes: There isn't much of a "flavor" to be moderated by the bitterness -- that bite hits so quickly that the underlying malt hardly has a chance to get through.

Bottom Line: Not as sharp or crisp as the Czech pilseners, but still a substantial and worthy alternative to any "yellow" American macrobrew (and quite a few of the micros as well).

Rating: 6 / 10