Dovetail Helles
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Tasting Notes
Soft, bready malt aroma with a faint hint of noble hop earthiness — nothing showy, just clean grain. On the palate, it leans into doughy, slightly sweet Munich malt character with a restrained bitterness that keeps things balanced rather than tipping toward either extreme. The body is medium-light and the carbonation is gentle enough to let the malt do its work. The finish is dry and short, leaving you with a lingering sense of breadiness rather than any hop sharpness.
About the Brewery
Dovetail Brewery is based in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood and opened in 2016, founded by two brewers who trained at the Doemens Academy in Munich. They focus almost exclusively on European lager and ale traditions — Helles, Märzen, Rauchbier, Weizen — styles that demand long lagering times and technical discipline. In a city known for bold craft ales, Dovetail carved out a distinct identity by committing seriously to slow, traditional brewing methods.
Food Pairings
Roast chicken works well because the malt sweetness mirrors the savory skin without competing with it. A soft pretzel with mustard is a natural match, echoing the Bavarian roots of both the food and the beer. Mild semi-soft cheeses like Muenster or young Gouda complement the bready grain without overwhelming it. Grilled white fish is a good call too, since the beer's restrained bitterness cuts through delicate fat cleanly. Even a simple charcuterie of cured pork — weisswurst or mild salami — plays directly into the style's traditional table companions.
Style Guide
Munich Helles is a pale German lager developed in the late 19th century, largely as a response to the popularity of Bohemian Pilsner. Where Pilsner leads with hop bitterness and a drier finish, Helles tips the balance toward soft malt sweetness while keeping overall bitterness low and the profile clean. ABVs typically land between 4.7% and 5.4%, and the style demands a high degree of technical brewing precision — off-flavors have nowhere to hide. It sits in the broader family of continental pale lagers but is distinctly rounder and less bitter than its Czech and German Pilsner cousins.