Church Street Heavenly Helles 4Pk

Church Street Heavenly Helles 4Pk is a German-style Helles lager brewed in Itasca, Illinois, at 5.4% ABV and 20 IBU. Rated 92 by The Beer Connoisseur, this traditional lager stands out for its use of old-world decoction-mashing — a labor-intensive technique rarely employed by American craft breweries that deepens malt complexity and produces exceptional clarity.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.4%  |  IBU: 20  |  Origin: Itasca, Illinois, USA  |  Style: Munich Helles Lager  |  Brewery: Church Street Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Church Street Brewing Company operates out of Itasca, Illinois, with a focus on European-influenced lager styles. Heavenly Helles is built on a decoction-mashing process — a traditional German technique in which a portion of the mash is removed, boiled, and returned to the main vessel, promoting richer malt character and the brilliant clarity that defines an authentic Munich Helles. The result is a remarkably clean lager anchored by pale malt, with restrained German hop bitterness at just 20 IBU.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Fresh hay and dry wheaty biscuit lead, followed by subtle floral spice and a faint citrus lift. A clean, inviting nose with an earthy undertone that signals traditional lager craftsmanship.

Taste: The entry is soft and malt-forward, with crackery, biscuit-like pale malt forming the core. Mid-palate brings a fruity burst of apple skin and light citrus before gentle German hop bitterness provides understated balance. The malt sweetness remains controlled throughout — never cloying, always refreshing.

Finish: Clean and moderately dry, with warm bread and wheat character lingering alongside a very slight citrus note. The finish is short to medium in length, encouraging the next sip without any harsh bitterness or astringency.

How to Drink Heavenly Helles

Serve cold, ideally between 40–45°F, in a traditional Helles glass or clean pint glass to appreciate its brilliant golden-straw color and clarity. This is fundamentally a drinking lager — best enjoyed straightforward rather than mixed — but it also works well in these beer-based applications:

• Shandy: The biscuity malt and low bitterness blend seamlessly with fresh lemonade for a warm-weather session drink.
• Michelada: Its clean profile provides a neutral but malt-rich base that lets lime, hot sauce, and Worcestershire shine without clashing hop bitterness.
• Beer Cheese Dip: Use as the liquid base in a warm beer cheese — the decoction-driven malt depth adds a toasty, bread-like backbone to the finished dip.

Best For

• Introducing craft beer drinkers to traditional German lager styles
• Backyard cookouts and warm-weather afternoon sessions
• Pairing with a weekend bratwurst or pretzel spread
• Gifting to a lager enthusiast who values old-world brewing technique

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Heavenly Helles taste like? Heavenly Helles delivers a crackery, biscuit-forward malt character with touches of apple skin, light citrus, and fresh grass, finishing clean and moderately dry. It is a malt-accented lager with very restrained hop bitterness at 20 IBU.

How does Heavenly Helles compare to New Glarus Two Women? Both are Midwestern interpretations of Munich Helles, but Heavenly Helles leans more toward crackery biscuit malt and earthy undertones, while New Glarus Two Women tends to express slightly more pronounced fruit character and a smoother, rounder body. Church Street's decoction-mashing also contributes a deeper malt complexity that distinguishes it from many American-brewed Helles lagers.

Is Heavenly Helles good for beginners? Yes — its clean profile, low bitterness, and approachable 5.4% ABV make it an excellent entry point for anyone exploring German-style lagers or craft beer in general.

Where is Heavenly Helles made? Heavenly Helles is brewed by Church Street Brewing Company in Itasca, Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago. The brewery specializes in European-influenced styles with an emphasis on traditional brewing methods.

What foods pair well with Heavenly Helles? Bratwurst and other grilled sausages complement the biscuity malt character. Soft pretzels with mustard mirror the bread-like quality of the beer. Roast chicken benefits from the lager's clean, palate-cleansing finish. Mild, semi-soft cheeses like Havarti or young Gouda echo the subtle sweetness without overpowering the beer. A simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette matches the light citrus notes.

What sizes does Heavenly Helles come in? Heavenly Helles is available in a 4-pack format, the standard offering from Church Street Brewing Company for this expression.

Is Heavenly Helles worth the price? Heavenly Helles positions as a craft lager with a genuine old-world production pedigree — decoction-mashing is a time- and labor-intensive process most breweries skip — which justifies its craft price point. Its 92 rating from The Beer Connoisseur reflects quality that competes with imported German Helles lagers at a comparable tier.

Why Heavenly Helles?

The defining differentiator here is the decoction mash — a traditional German technique that most American craft breweries avoid due to the additional time, energy, and technical skill required. That commitment shows in the finished beer: a golden-straw lager with brilliant clarity, layered malt depth, and a clean finish that outperforms many domestic Helles interpretations. A 92 score from The Beer Connoisseur validates what the process delivers. For drinkers who want a genuinely tradition-driven Munich Helles brewed in the American Midwest, Church Street's version is one of the most authentic available.