North East Beer Review

Donzoko is a brewery which always brew top notch beers especially when it comes to their more German style brews. I have tried many different types of Donzoko beers now and so far have not tried a bad one. The Northern Helles is part of Donzoko’s core lineup and appears to be a perfect fit for casual drinkers and craft beer enthusiasts. During the course of this review, I will cover the history of this brewery and beer, the pour, the taste and aroma and finally my verdict. Cheers.

Crafted in German, Brewed in Newcastle

Donzoko Brewing Company was founded in 2017 by brewer Reece Hugill. Reece had aimed to bring together fermentation traditions from Germany with the modern creativity of UK and US based beers. The name Donzoko comes from the Japanese word meaning rock bottom which could indicate the down to earth nature. The brewery began life in Hartlepool, then spent some time in Edinburgh, and has since settled with a permanent brewery and taproom in Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Donzoko is known for its Northern spin on German style lagers such as the Northern Helles (subject of this review) and the Big Foam Rustic lager which is immense. This involves cold fermentation and a crisp and clean character. Donzoko has also explored a wide range of styles such as Wheat beers, IPAs and also many collaborations with breweries such as Fell Brewery. Donzoko aims to combine respect for tradition with modern day craft beer inspired inspiration.

Donzoko Northern Helles is based on a classic German lager base. It is brewed using German malts and Swiss yeast strains as well as New Zealand based hops. This is cold brewed and left unfiltered. With an ABV of 4.2%, this is a pretty sessionable beer. Donzoko aimed with the production of this helles to not copy German brewing traditions but to reinterpret with a mix of brewing styles including UK craft beer. Since its release this is one of Donzoko’s most popular releases and is part of their core lineup.

A lively pour

When poured, Donzoko Northern Helles presents a pale golden colour which is typical of a lager style beer however being unfiltered this means that it has a slight haziness. The carbonation was lively and inviting with a steady stream of bubbles rising to the top. A small bubbly cap forms which left a small amount of lacing down the glass. I expected a bigger head but it may have been the glass I was supplied. Overall, despite this, the pour was quite inviting.

A floral taste and aroma

Aroma

The aromatics of this pour was that of a floral and citrus flavour which is due to the New Zealand hops used in the brewing process. There is a bready malt backbone which is slight grainy sweetness. Overall, the aroma is simple and inviting which has the impression of quality oozing out.

Taste

When it comes to the first sip of Northern Helles, a sweet and crusty bread malt backbone is present which clearly has the German aspect which inspired this helles. This malt backbone is sweet but not overpowering. Mid-Palate, the hoppy character begins which is faint and subtle which gives a small amount of citrus and floral flavours. The flavours in particular are maybe orange and lemon peel with an earthy grassy edge. The finish is that of crisp and dry lingering mild bitterness. Overall, a very drinkable and sessionable beer which is ideal for those who are casual drinkers and those who are into craft beers.

Time for my verdict

Overall, Northern Helles is a well crafted helles style lager which brilliantly balances the traditions of German brewing techniques with the craftsmanship of the UK craft beer industry. When it comes the flavour of Northern Helles this is very clean and balanced pour but does not sacrifice the character. The delicate addition of the New Zealand hops turns this from a regular lager to a lager this has a lot of character. Overall, I rate this 4.25 out of 5 for a lager. Cheers

Where did I purchase this beer from?

I got this beer from Smoke and Sear in Newcastle to go with my hot beef sandwich that I had on a meal for Valentines with my girlfriend. Lovely coffee and brunch spot.

If you enjoyed this review. You will love my review of Donzoko Edge of Town. Thanks for reading this review I really appreciate it.