Antur Helles Lager - 440ml

Antur Helles Lager is a 440ml Welsh craft lager brewed in the classic Bavarian Helles style, produced by Antur Brew Co in Crickhowell, Powys, on the northern edge of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. The name Antur is Welsh for adventure, a nod to the brewery's setting among the hills and rivers of the National Park and to the outdoor pursuits that inspired its founder. At 4.8% ABV, this is a lager built for clarity and drinkability rather than intensity, offering a clean, malt-forward profile that stays true to the Helles tradition first established in Munich in the late nineteenth century.

Antur Brew Co was set up during the pandemic by Lance van Dijk, who brought experience gained at several established ale and lager specialist breweries before striking out on his own. The brewery opened its doors in 2022 and has built its reputation on a small, focused range of well-made beers rather than a sprawling catalogue, with the taproom in Crickhowell serving as both production site and local gathering point. Being based within a National Park has shaped the brewery's identity closely, with beer names and branding often drawing on the surrounding landscape and the sense of adventure that comes with it.

Helles Lager is cold conditioned and fermented extra-cold before being left to condition for an extended period, a process that helps produce the smooth, rounded character expected of the style. The recipe combines UK malts with German noble hops, giving a beer that leans towards malt sweetness on the palate while the noble hops contribute a gentle, herbal bitterness rather than an assertive hoppy bite. The result is a pale gold lager with a crisp, clean finish and real depth for a beer of its strength, closer in spirit to a traditional Munich Helles than to the mass-produced lagers most drinkers are used to.

Serve Antur Helles Lager well chilled, ideally in a stemmed lager glass or tall pilsner glass to show off its pale colour and help build a good head. Its clean, malty character makes it a versatile food pairing option, working well alongside grilled meats, roast chicken, pork sausages, and mild to medium cheeses, as well as classic pub food such as fish and chips or a cheese ploughman's. It is equally suited to drinking on its own as a refreshing session beer, particularly after time spent outdoors, which fits neatly with the adventurous spirit behind the Antur name.

For anyone interested in what modern Welsh brewing looks like away from the larger, more established names, Antur Helles Lager offers a good introduction. It shows a small Powys brewery applying German lagering technique with UK ingredients to produce a beer that is approachable, well balanced, and made with genuine care in the heart of the Brecon Beacons.