Wooden Hill Brewing Company in Edina, Minnesota is back on tap today with Tschuss, a Helles-style lager that adds another clean, classic option to a lineup that already leans on doing lagers well. Tschuss is a German word roughly equivalent to "ciao," and Wooden Hill notes it rolls off the tongue just as easily as the beer itself goes down, which is a fair bit of self-awareness for a can label.
At 4.9% ABV, this sits right in the sweet spot for the Helles style: slight malty character, a light noble hop presence, and an overall sense of balance rather than any one element trying to dominate. Helles lagers are not flashy beers by design. They are built to be poured again and again without ever wearing out their welcome, and that seems to be exactly what Wooden Hill was going for here.
One nice detail is that Tschuss is available both as a regular pour and on nitro, which is a fun option for a lager. Nitro tends to get associated with stouts, but a smoother, creamier texture can work surprisingly well with a light, malty lager too, softening the carbonation bite and rounding out that bready character even further.
This is being called a double release, arriving today alongside a Dirty Shirley hard seltzer cocktail, but Tschuss is clearly the beer of the two, and the more interesting release for anyone who takes their lager seriously. It is available on tap now, with cans to go for a limited time.
If you have been waiting for a well-made Helles to reach for on a warm Minnesota evening, Wooden Hill has you covered. Simple, balanced and easy to keep pouring, Tschuss earns its friendly name honestly.