So, part of the logic around brewing Halfway to Helles Leichtbier in May had to do with my May "Seasonal" Helles in a Hand Bock-sket.
Last year, while drinking Hand Bock-sket, I made the comment:
#WillDrinkInJune. Great bready malt character. Loving this beer. I think the only improvement I can think of is making it lower ABV ... But it wouldn't be a Maibock then 😎
I believe this was shortly after drinking a beer at Green Mountain Brewing Company that really reminded me of Hand Bock-sket, but was lower in ABV. It's name was "AstroSuds Lager".
While a 5A. German Leichtbier isn't really anything like a lower ABV Maibock, it is sort of similar in that they are both German lagers.
Before my latest camping trip, I saw cans of AstroSuds Lager in Green Mountain's beer cooler, and I decided to pick up a four pack.
Around that time, I poured the Halfway to Helles Leichtbier and AstroSuds to compare side-by-side.