Holsten Pilsner Lager > Reviews (3)

Holsten Pils: Well I remember the clever adverts featuring a wide range of anagrams of the Holsten name. I also remember the delightful television adverts of the 80s featuring the voice of that great actor Donald Pleasance.

Holsten Pils is a full bodied pilsner brewed by Holstein –Brauerei AG of Hamburg, Germany. It is a major imported continental lager beerin the UK (not suffering from the dread ‘under license’ mark). The brewery has been in operation since 1879 but claims allegiance to the purity law (Reinheitsgebot) of 1516. As is traditional in European brewing the only ingredients are Barley Malt, Yeast, Hops and Water. Holsten has always used the maxim “brewed longer so that all the sugar turns to alcohol”. It starts with an original gravity range of 1044°-1050° and a final alcohol of 5.5% by volume. It is in plentiful supply at the local supermarket (current price for 4 x 440 ml cans is about £ 4.95)

So, we open the familar yellow can and pour. Served chilled it has little nose. It is a medium golden colour in the glass and is well sparkling. The initial flavour is both subtle and complex. There are tastes of moderate yeast with undercurrents of caramel and malt. There is also a slight woody undercurrent which is not unpleasant. There is a smooth, dry and bitter aftertaste which lingers refreshingly on the palate.

This is a great continental lager to drink on its own. It is also robust enough to drink with a wide range of rustic or substantial meals - ploughman’s; (dare I say) fish and chips. I like it.

As a company Holsten is well known for sponsoring many activities and sports events. There is an informational web site at www.holsten-gruppe.de (with menus in German and English)

Holsten Pils; my rating 4*
(My yardstick 5* brews: Ybor Gold; Tsing Tao)