583. New Holland Incorrigible

New Holland’s Incorrigible is described as a “white sour ale” on the label, and is part of their Cellar Series. While I’m not sure what a “white sour ale” is—my best guess is that New Holland is taking their cue from the current white IPA craze and trying to create their own niche—I am something of a sucker for sour beers, so what the hell. Plus, it has been a while since we’ve tried anything from New Holland, although this is our seventh beer from our windmill and tulip loving friends to the north. Previous victims of our rapacious thirst include Hopivore, Beerhive Tripel, El Mole Ocho, Dragon’s Milk, Golden Cap Saison, and Envious.

Incorrigible pours a crystal clear and brilliant straw; there is a thin white head that quickly disappears, although the tiny clear bubbles continue to run up the sides of the glass. The nose initially starts earthy and musty, but gives way to bright acidity with some doughy malt as it opens; I get the gummy Lactobacillus of a good Berliner Weisse mixed with the acidic sharpness bite of a young lambic, and a touch of earthiness from both. As the beer warms, you also get hints of oak and an almost chardonnay-like wine butteriness. Flavors start with candy malt and a slight sour tang; the middle has some clean acidity that is bright, crisp, and almost cider-like. There is a bit of wheat gumminess and bread dough hiding in the middle as well; the finish is clean and dry with hints of bread crust and cracker malt mixed with acidity that is just short of citric and has some pleasant game-y hints. The beer starts soft on the palate in the front; the acidic bite in the middle gives the body some brightness that carries into the finish, and the carbonation cleanses and clears the palate, allowing the clean acidity to wash over the tongue, lingering briefly before disappearing. A delicate yet complex beer that is enjoyable as it is subtle. The carbonation does disappear a bit too quickly, but you’d hardly know it via the tart flavors that keep the beer bright on the tongue. The nose on this beer is particularly impressive; it kept changing as it opened, offering new layers to sort through and enjoy. Well done, New Holland.

From the bottle: “Incorrigible celebrates the beauty of mischief. Wild yeasts, and bacteria run free in our sour-aging cellar, the house of funk, creating vibrant sour and acidic character in this delicate, yet complex wheat beer. The refreshingly tart session beer will tease your palate with a subtle, layered nuance.”

ABV: > 4.0%

(12/27/2013)