Import Friday – Holsten Festbock
Whenever I type about a beer I usually, but not always, check the big two reviews site to make sure I’m drinking the same beer. When I first smelled Holsten’s Festbock I immediately noticed a solvent/chemical aroma. A really unappetizing off-flavour that should never be present in beer. I was perplexed. I’ve had this beer before, but I’ve never noticed this solvent presence. So to the BeerAdvocate and Ratebeer I went. Several reviews on BeerAdvocate echoed what I had experienced. Especially MeisterBurger and biegaman. Even more said there was a strong alcohol presence. It’s wasn’t alcohol folks. For horrible quality control on a mediocre beer I’m giving out my first bad rating. I didn’t think I’d have to do this until I had near exhausted all of the beers made in BC and had to type about Pacific Western’s beer.
Rating: Bad
Style: ??
ABV: 7.0%
Serving Temp: 6-8ºC
Website: http://www.holsten.de/
BCL: 334276
Next week I’m going to making up for this fourfold. That’s right fourfold.
Holsten Pils, at 5.5% ABV rather than the standard 5%, was the fighting lager of choice for many of my English contemporaries when I was growing up in Northampton.
It used to be advertised on TV by Jeff Goldblum.
For shame, this is a great beer! I love a balance of nail polish remover, wet cardboard and corn syrup. If one has a bad day, all they need to do is check the couch cushions for change and buy this beer. It is often under $2 a can. After 2-3 of these your can forget all your problems and loose all your friends.
I often have one of these in my fridge and in my couch cushions (just to save time).
I think I might try to pawn the can of Maibock on a guest…