Sour Inc - Concord Grape Gose
New Holland Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottled 04/19/19.

Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy, lightly reddish body with a small-sized, short-lived, whitish head.

Smell: Has that distinct, tangy Concord grape juice scent, as well as some touches of wheat, citrus, salinity and a flourish of lactic acid.

Taste: Moderately sour, the Concord grape addition has an enjoyable jelly-ish, vinous quality, while still delivering that unmistakable Concord grape flavor. Okay, truth be told, I find that many sours that try to overwhelm you with an unnecessary, excessive amount of fruit puree are nigh undrinkable. So, I'm very appreciative of the restraint, here. A smooth, light sweetness rounding out snippets of dough, wheat, curdled lemon and salt join the grape fruitiness through the crispish finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: Quite likable. After a few too much Welch's meets too much lackluster beer offerings, I had been somewhat hesitant to try this one, assuming I was headed for another eye-roller. Instead, I was rather pleasantly surprised with this one.

 

Poured into a tall clear pint glass. Has a glowing and hazy mixture of magenta and amber. Finger thick head with decent retention and lacing. Deep in hue, steady rising bubbles.

Yeast, wheat, cracker, bread, and white peppercorns are upfront in the aroma. Other notes of sea salt, dough, grapes, some grass/straw, and white wine.

Grape and bread malt dominate the palette, much more refined than in the smell. Some other notes that I taste are melon, pear, apple skins, lemon juice, and maybe even a bit of white vinegar. This beer has a good wheaty foundation with a nice surge and overall balance from the sour grapes. Medium-bodied.

Good take.

On tap. Poured a clear, reddish purple color with a pinkish head of foam. It smelled of grape, salt and wheat. Slightly tart tasting with sweet grapes and a touch of saltiness.

Near perfect gose, everything I want in want one. Sour, smooth, salty, I can drink more than one of these without heartburn like I get from some other sours.

Pours a lightly hazy, reddish with a minimal head that disappears quickly. Aroma of tangy grape juice. Tastes like a sour concord grape juice. Good mouth feel.

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 4/19/2019. Pours lightly hazy reddish/pinkish orange/amber color with a 2 finger fairly dense and fluffy light pink head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big sour/tart/tangy concord grapes, fruit skin, lemon, lime, peach, plum, pear, currant, apricot, melon, red/green apple, white wine, sea salt, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, light peppercorn/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of concord grapes, fruity/acidic yeast, sea salt, and pale/wheat malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big sour/tart/tangy concord grapes, fruit skin, lemon, lime, peach, plum, pear, currant, apricot, melon, red/green apple, white wine, sea salt, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, light peppercorn/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tart/sourness, fruit tang, and light spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/tangy concord grapes, fruit skin, lemon, lime, peach, plum, pear, currant, apricot, melon, red/green apple, white wine, sea salt, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, light peppercorn/lacto funk, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of concord grapes, fruity/acidic yeast, sea salt, and pale/wheat malt flavors; with an awesome malt/tart/sourness and tangy fruit balance; with zero puckering flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering tart/sourness, tangy fruit, and carbonation. Medium-plus carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/grainy, fairly crisp/acidic/tangy/tannic, and lightly saline balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 4.5%. Overall this is an excellent fruited gose. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of concord grapes, fruity/acidic yeast, sea salt, and pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, refreshing, and fairly crisp to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/drying finish; not overly lactic/salty. Very flavorful and not watery for the ABV. Awesome balance of nicely juicy/jammy grapes and Lacto complexity; with a great pale/wheat malt backbone against acidity for the ABV. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example as expected. The whole series has been consistently impressive.