Grand Cru
Upstream Brewing Company - Old Market

Grand CruGrand Cru
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From:
Upstream Brewing Company - Old Market
 
Nebraska, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.96 | pDev: 18.69%
Reviews:
19
Ratings:
28
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 28, 2015
Added:
Jul 12, 2007
Wants:
  15
Gots:
  2
This beer exemplifies the best Upstream has to offer. It is the same beer as the Tripel, but the special Belgian yeast (the same yeast responsible for the unique character found in Burgundy wines) added during maturation lends a distinct earthy character to the beer. The aroma displays a strong earthy character, and the flavor shows off the complex blend of citrus, honey and oak.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by drummermattie02:
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Rated by drummermattie02 from Texas

4/5  rDev +1%

Jul 18, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by MisterKilderkin from California

May 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by bigolwilly from Nebraska

Feb 28, 2014
Photo of emerge077
Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Thanks Jeff for sharing this, and letting us do some cellar raiding!
Review from written notes, served in a small flared tulip glass.

Pours placidly into the glass, some larger surface bubbles and a ring of white foam around the edges. Bright clarity, fossilized amber color.

Vinous white wine aromas, tart apple and underripe pears, some light subdued barrel woodiness. Flavors are similar, tart and fruity, mainly apple, grape, peach pit, and pear, crisply sour and dry, medium bodied with low carbonation (as advertised). The vinous qualities work well, and it reminds me a little of a Chenin Blanc I had recently.
May 21, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by t0rin0 from California

Mar 04, 2013
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Reviewed by wisrarebeer from Wisconsin

4.23/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Brought back by Ron H. Cost was $20.
Brewed on July 07.
Bottled Aug 08.
Bottle 305 or 1191.

A: clear amber color, very little head but some lacing, bottles states there is very little CO2
S: tart, malt, pronounced, very good
T: I really liked this beer, tart, fruity, with a good malt backbone, well-done
M: thirst quenching, very lively on the tongue
O: well-made, very true to type
Sep 23, 2012
 
Rated: 1 by TMoore

Aug 12, 2012
Photo of BMoney575
Reviewed by BMoney575 from Texas

4.17/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Sampled on 3-16-12
Bottled in July 2007

Appearance: a very cool orange/red color with a few white bubbles and as much lacing. A few chunks of brown yeast sink to the bottom.

Smell: pungently sour, very floral and nicely complex. Strong notes of fermented grape, giving a big white wine character.

Taste: right where the smell sets you up, with a mouth-puckering huge hit of sourness. Very acidic, adding even more wine quality. Does not taste as aged as I expected, with a still strong alcohol character.

Mouthfeel: rather thin and mostly flat, probably due to the age. Surprisingly this suits the sour flavors.

Overall: a very tasty and interesting beer, and a good example from a brewery I've not had before.

Thanks to david131 for half a bomber.
Mar 17, 2012
Photo of MICAMD
Reviewed by MICAMD from Maryland

4.39/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Purchased in Omaha on my road trip from Michigan to California in 2010.
Bottled August 2008
Brewed July 2007
Bottle 249/1126

A- Pours a slightly hazy orange with no visible carbonation. There is no real head to speak of.

S- Very pungent sour green apple, must, and lemon. Smells very funky and acidic. A bit simple but very appealing.

T- Jesus Christ. Super funky and sour. Loads of green apple, vinegar, lemon, and must. Very tart and tasty. Unique and surprising to say the least.

M- Definitely on the flat side, but for the first time I can recall, it actually works for this beer. Very tart, acidic, dry, and clean on the finish.

O- Very tart and sour. The alcohol is well hidden and the lack of any carbonation doesn't detract from the experience. Very interesting. I am glad I made the purchase, which was around $20 if I recall correctly.
Mar 17, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by imperialking from Illinois

Mar 05, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by pperez38 from California

Jan 31, 2012
Photo of dbossman
Reviewed by dbossman from Nebraska

4.42/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
A: Apricot hue with minimal bubbles and head--actually quite still; looks like peach tea

S: Lots of tart fruits: granny smith apples--quite cidery, pears, apricots, with some slight vinegar and oak qualities; so tart and delicious smelling

T: Very tart and fruity--man, this is delicious: apples, cider, pears, a slight vinous quality, oaky, slightly boozy up front

F: It is a bit under-carbonated but that works well with this beer--pretty good stickiness

O: A delicious and well-aged sour; great work, Upstream
Jan 18, 2012
 
Rated: 5 by canjeeps from Pennsylvania

Dec 16, 2011
 
Rated: 5 by Bornski from Nebraska

Nov 16, 2011
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

3.97/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Jake for sharing this beer.

A: The beer pours a pale golden color with a bit of yeasty haze to it.

S: A light tartness to the nose in the form of lemon and apples. A nice oak note to it and some sweet vanilla, too. A hint of citrus peel and just the most mild funk.

T: The flavor is very much the same (not surprisingly). Oak and mild funk notes (mostly grassy) with some sweet citrus and a bit of citrus peel. Lightly sweet with a mild lemony tartness.

M: Medium in body with a medium carbonation.

O: I liked this beer but it didn't really blow me away. Sort of just a lightly tart Belgian Strong Ale.
Jun 29, 2011
Photo of crusian
Reviewed by crusian from Oregon

2.61/5  rDev -34.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5
Bottle from awesome girlfriend from the brewery.
537 of 1126, bottled Aug 2008 brewed july 2007.
pours a golden amber color with no head, ah crap. she had one at the brewery and thought it was awesome, well carbed, great taste... so she grabbed one for me. Pours with nothing on the head, so damn I am disappointed. Upon further investigation the cork is actually flat, it is not flared at the bottom... You know it is bad when you pull the cork out, get no pop, and can then just easily shove it back in...so it may have just leaked all the carbonation out due to a faulty cork. Little card calls this an american sour, so not sure why it is categorized under Belgian Strong Pale Ale.
The nose is acidic, so much so that I can smell it as I pour, this is going to be sour!
taste is... sour. actually decent. carbonation would definitely kick this up, and would be quite amazing, but it falls flat... bad pun. nice cherry flavor, but man this is hard to drink without the carbonation. I have had my fair share of lower than expected carbonation, and this seems like it would be really really good with it... but it is hard to palate without. sorry to say this might be $20 or whatever it was down the drain. From the looks of the other reviews, I lucked out and got the only one with carbonation problems.
I am going back in a couple months and want to give this another try, and will re-review, but at this time...
Mar 19, 2011
Photo of rye726
Reviewed by rye726 from Colorado

4.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had this one at GABF. It was one of the few stand out of the nights. Pours anice golden color with a white head. Nose is sour with soem oak, funk and candy malts. Taste is also quite dry an dtart, but well balanced. Clean, crisp body. Nice finish. Who would have though a little Ohamaha, Nebraska brewery could make such tasty sours.
Mar 02, 2011
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

4.07/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to Kan for sharing. Served in a Lost Abbey Rastal Teku.

A - Pours with a thin foam that settles to a thick ring, and some light filmy haze on top, leaving behind minimal lace. Hazy orange body.

S - This is more along the lines of Splinter Gold, with a strong Belgian-style base beer that has been funked and oaked up. There's some sweet fruity tripel notes, as well as some perfume notes.

T - Tart finish, light vinous notes, more sour and tangy than the nose. I liked this more than the nose (although not enough to justify the massive score increase from going to 4.5), as it had more richness and complexity, adding more sour and tart notes to a sweeter base beer.

M - Medium body, medium carbonation, dry tannic finish. Very pleasant and refreshing.

D - This was a nice start for the evening. Not mind-blowing or anything, but a well-crafted surprise from a state not particularly well-known for beer. I wish there had been more left when I got to Kan's place.
Nov 16, 2010
Photo of zeff80
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri

4.17/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Brewed in '07, bottled in '08 - consumed 11/7/10.

A - Poured out a clear, copper color with a small, white head of bubbly foam. It left sudsy trails of lace.

S - It smelled slightly sour and funky. There were some caramel notes, too.

T - Good Belgian yeast presence with some sour fruit flavors like grape. Mild caramel notes and a even milder bitterness.

M - It was crisp with a slightly puckering bite. A medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

D - This is a delicious ale from Upstream. I think the age on the bottle made it exceptionally unique.
Nov 14, 2010
Photo of ktrillionaire
Reviewed by ktrillionaire from Florida

4.49/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Big thanks to Ben aka beersack for bringing this one back from Nebraska. 2006 bottling.

A - The beer pours an orange-y honey-ish color, with very little carbonation, scant head, no lace. It looks quite rustic.

S - Huge tart-dry nose; tons of oak and Chardonnay-white grape are immediately apparent. Earthy horseblanket as well. As it airs out a bit, red apple skin, lemon juice and vague floral notes appear.

T - It tastes really a lot like chardonnay. I mean a lot. Better, of course, because it is beer. The flavor is big-time oak, lemon zest, vanilla, and white grape tartness. Beer turned into wine. As I drink more, the vinous sweet acidity increases, which only serves to sharpen my oft-stated beer-wine link. The malt is radically transformed, I don't get the breadiness that surely once was; for its part it shows flavors pale-sweet, tart and oaky. Hop? No. Yeast? I guess it is Belgian-esque on the golden-fruity side of things, but flavors from oak and barrel tend to overrun. Very unusual, albeit exceptionally delicious.

M - Beer turned into wine. Low carbonation. Works well, strangely, in this instance.

D - This is one of the more unusual brews in memory. Let me obliterate the slain equine once more: it is like beer turned into wine. It is intriguing, delicious, pair-able, refreshing, and highly unusual.
Nov 09, 2010
Grand Cru from Upstream Brewing Company - Old Market
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 28 ratings