BEER: Holgate Hop Tart Semi-Sour Pale Ale

January 11, 2017

Holgate Hop Tart Semi-Sour Pale Ale

Pale Ale meets sour. God I’m tired of these hybrid beers – conceptually they promise much, but in reality it’s just a car crash. That said, it is hard to achieve decent balance in sour beers, and Holgate otherwise make great stuff.

Lactobacillus gives this brew it’s tang funk, but I’m curious whether there might be some Brett in there too. Whatever, this definitely has an ‘earthen’ edge, which seems like a mismatch to the otherwise clean and refreshing pale ale base. It’s like someone threw up a nice beer. Nup. 1.5 stars. 4.5%. Would I buy again? Nope.

Beer, Pale Ale

Andrew Graham was once voted the 23rd most trusted wine critic on the planet. A WCA Journalism Young Gun now old hack with 25yrs as a buyer, judge, journalist, marketer and too much more.

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4 responses to “BEER: Holgate Hop Tart Semi-Sour Pale Ale”

Stu

January 11, 2017 at 1:30 pm

Agreed on this Holgate, Try the Wolf of the Willows acidulus if you can find it. Much better balance IMO

Reply
1. Andrew Graham
  
  January 11, 2017 at 11:03 pm
  
  So few sours are actually enjoyable. Most are just masochistic drinks…
  
  Reply
Daniel

April 4, 2018 at 3:38 pm

I feel like you might be a little bit hard on this one, You don’t like hybrid beers but do a lot of write ups on IPA Hybrids.

I 100% get that this beer isn’t for everyone nor are Sour beers in general but it shows balance has good malt, fresh hops and a sour finish. It’s a great foodie beer I just don’t think it’s fair to write down a style because it’s not for you. Hence why I don’t talk about Kolsch as it’s not for me I have seen great examples of the ol Wicked Elf Kolsch was a technically perfect Kolsch I just don’t like them.

Judge it on what it is not because you would prefer to drink IPA.

PS I really do like reading your reviews as well.

Reply
1. Andrew Graham
  
  April 4, 2018 at 3:49 pm
  
  I hear exactly what you’re saying Daniel.
  
  My gripe with sours is that mostly the sourness just doesn’t quite fit – the balance just isn’t right, much the same with plenty of IIPAs for that matter.
  
  I’ll stick my hand up for the sours from La Sirene as examples of how it can work. Again, that is because the sour feels balanced.
  
  Further, I find the use of excess lactic acid bacteria in many sours as a turn off (same with brett) as they’re such dominant, singular flavours – and hence unbalanced.
  
  Hey and I don’t just love IPA – I love many colours of the beer rainbow!
  
  Reply