Holsteiner Lager

500th Post! Thank you Kaylee Vande Voorde for bringing a six pack of this over last night for a micro-brew tasting. I'm interested in Argus because they were mostly a contract brewery and they seem to be popping up everywhere, so they must be doing alright. Tasted Monday afternoon while making my second attempt at Foccacia bread.

Sound: When opening, the beer let out a fresh, over-pressured pop. Nice.

Appearance: I'd say more ambered with a reddish tinge when the glass is filled. Perhaps coppered when poured. Head is sustained a couple minutes after pour, but falls thereafter into an entire off white film caressing the surface of the beer. A dense ring coats the perimeter of the glass. Lacing is wet. Clarity is optimal aside for the color inhibitory factor.
Aroma: Lightly toasted malt parallels a rich caramel backbone. Floral hop undertones reside against a near fruity character. A bit of a soapy smell is present however.
Taste: Toastiness appears to be more prominent in the foretaste of the beer, but the caramel transcends the rest of the sweetness. Midtaste is complemented by a brief note of fruity esters, only to be completely masked by a noble, floral hop bitterness. There still remains a subtle soap like element in the back of the mouth once the beer has left the palate. It remains in conjunction with the re-appearance of the toasted barley flavor in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with somewhat of a watery profile at the tip of the tongue. Carbonation braces the sides of the tongue and is on the lower side, but nothing too far noticeably negative. Crisp, but still leaves a cloying coat on the roof of the mouth.
Overall Impression: Definitely a beer worth trying. A base of toasted malt and noble hops from your Bavarian brewtheran. Everything was well balanced except for that soapy element that was retained in the aroma and taste. Something certainly needing to be worked out in order to reach it's fantastic potential.
Price: $9.49/6-pack