Pawpaw
Upland Brewing Company

PawpawPawpaw
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From:
Upland Brewing Company
 
Indiana, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
Ranked #34
ABV:
7.3%
Score:
98
Ranked #458
Avg:
4.44 | pDev: 8.78%
Reviews:
25
Ratings:
144
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 10, 2023
Added:
Nov 15, 2013
Wants:
  58
Gots:
  28
Wood Aged Fruited Sour Ale. Asiminia triloba, or Pawpaw, is the largest fruit bearing plant native to North America. Due to the lack of commercial cultivation and the quick perishable nature of the fruit, this highly prized forageable finds its way into regional dishes throughout the United States. Although known by many names, we proudly incorporated the Indiana Banana into our family of sour ales. This golden sour ale was created by aging Sour Reserve on fresh Pawpaw fruit from Indiana. Expect a flavor of soft tropical fruits with mild lactic acid tanginess. We recommend rosemary rubbed pork chops and dark chocolate to join this beer with other fellow dining companions.

8 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by KevSal:
Photo of KevSal
Reviewed by KevSal from California

4.28/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Got this guy winning the raffle!

Looks amazing in the glass, like beatification. Really foggy

The nose is the winner, it's like I bit right into a rip fruit, even the peel comes thru. Upland always astonishes me with their fruit beers

Taste is extremely sour with a good amount of fruit. Really was hoping for more funk. Good but not world class

Feel is well carbed, and medium thick

Overall it is a very good sour, split the bottle with the wife. Could have split this with more folks, 1 glass is enough
Oct 22, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.91/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
750ml ml bottle at share. Pale golden pour with the light frothy head. Lright sour aroma, Brett. Taste brings more of the fruit flavors, Paw paw in particular and more of the funky yeast.
Mar 10, 2023
Photo of Jwale73
Reviewed by Jwale73 from Rhode Island

4.08/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750ml bottle served in a tulip. Bottled June-20 / Batch H-20. Pours a lovely orange hue with a slight haze, and a fizzy, bright white head that quickly dissipates as it disperses towards one edge of the shoulders. Lovely nose - citrus, lactic acid and hints of buttery oak. Flavor profile is dominated by citric acid. Once the acidity dissipates, hints of buttery oak and pawpaw are revealed towards the finish. Mouthfeel is light and bright with a mouth puckering acidity and that stimulates the salivary glands. Overall, a nice wild ale; however, extremely acidic and overpowers the delicate complexity of the pawpaw fruit.
Aug 18, 2021
 
Rated: 4.5 by Zekenyce from New Jersey

Apr 17, 2021
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Reviewed by MichaelSneed from Texas

1.48/5  rDev -66.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5
I'm guessing that I'm not the target demographic here, as I tend to like beer-tasting beer, not fruit juice-flavored sours, which is what this is. Strong notes of fruit flavor (I don't know what pawpaw tastes like, but I'm hoping not too much like this sour) that slaps you in the face with sourness and overwhelms whatever joy you were previously having. I won't be having another.
Feb 19, 2021
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.31/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Whether you're trying to wake up the tastebuds or beat them into submission, there's very few breweries that can satisfy that "sour" need like Upland Brewing. Their pawpaw infused sour ale will have your face "stuck like that."

Hazy gold and slightly peach color, it's lighter hues are a suggestion to the orchard fruit inside. With a racy and foamy rise and an eventual scant recession, the ale projects a vibrant but hazy white wine appearance. That's until the nose draws near, and that tangy fruit nuance and high acidity overwhelms the nose with a jaw-tightening and saliva inducing response.

As apple cider, dry white wine, lime, a hint of white vinegar and unmistakable banana-like soothes the taste buds with its pin-point acidity, a scantly sweet and mustier tone gradually sets in. Its juicy and racy pawpaw taste is mild and not easily identifiable; seemingly scrubbed away by the vigorous nature of fermentation. Its sour and sweet interplay is aggressively acetic even as the character of weathered oak, corkish must, and elements of brine, sweat and general cellar-like conditions start to layer upon.

Its expressive carbonation prickles at the tongue and enlivens the sour taste and feel even more. Though the ale may be slightly more rounded than the driest lambics on the market, its carbonation and acidity counters nicely on its way toward a dry and tangy fruit finish.
Nov 25, 2020
Photo of NCSapiens
Rated by NCSapiens from Indiana

4.49/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Probably the best sipping sour ale I have ever had. Explosion of tart sour fruit up front, then suddenly a fantastic yeasty oat malt finish kicks in.
Sep 14, 2020
 
Rated: 3.91 by Vicirus from Massachusetts

Aug 19, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by rare_bird from Michigan

Jun 15, 2020
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Reviewed by ahacsgt from Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Poured from 750ml bottle. Purchased in October in brewery restaurant outside Indianapolis and carried to Boston. Nice light floral smell golden straw yellow pour. Very mildly sour taste. A delightful beer.
Dec 01, 2019
 
Rated: 4.35 by bschmidt_37 from Illinois

Nov 17, 2019
 
Rated: 4.41 by Futbolmanby from Michigan

Sep 22, 2019
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Rated by robotnewyork from Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had at World of Beers in Canton for World of Sour Event 7/31/19. Anyway, nice solid vinegary sour.
Aug 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by Eyedoc27 from Illinois

Jul 21, 2019
Photo of Tsar_Riga
Reviewed by Tsar_Riga from Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Cracked a old-school 2015 bottle from my cellar.

A - Pours a clear dark gold color, minimal white head and no lacing.

S - Pungent acidic overtones, a bit of funkiness as an undertow.

T - The acidic open is bright and forward, lemony lactic acidity, followed by a slow climb down, where the paw paw comes forward as a light banana hit.

M - For as acidic it is in the taste, this has a surprisingly moderate feel, only just a hint of puckering acidity over time.

O - I have moved away from wild ales focused on pungent sour flavors over the years, but this one has really aged quite well and emphasizes the best of this approach.
Jul 19, 2019
 
Rated: 4.4 by JoeMad from Michigan

Jul 15, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by detpizzaboi from Michigan

Jul 14, 2019
Photo of superspak
Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
750 ml bottle into tulip glass, bottled in 3/2019. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy medium golden yellow color with a 1 finger foamy and fluffy white head with poor retention, that reduces to nothing very quickly. Zero lacing on the glass, with a large amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big juicy/tart/tangy pawpaw, mango, melon, banana, orange, grapefruit, citrus peel/zest, peach, pear, apricot, red/green apple, white grape/wine, peppercorn, oak, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, and white bread; with lighter notes of leathery/musty/lacto funk, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, pawpaws, and moderate oak/pale/wheat malt notes; with big strength. Taste of big juicy/tart/tangy pawpaw, mango, melon, banana, orange, grapefruit, citrus peel/zest, peach, pear, apricot, red/green apple, white grape/wine, peppercorn, oak, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, and white bread; with lighter notes of leathery/musty/lacto funk, and yeast/oak earthiness. Slight oaken vanilla, and white wine vinegar in aromas/flavors. Light-moderate fruity/lactic tartness, fruit tang, and Brett/oak tannin spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/tangy pawpaw, mango, melon, banana, orange, grapefruit, citrus peel/zest, peach, pear, apricot, red/green apple, white grape/wine, peppercorn, oak, hay, straw, grass, wheat, cracker, white bread, leathery/musty/lacto funk, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, pawpaws, and moderate oak/pale/wheat malt flavors; with a fantastic malt/tartness, tangy fruit, and yeast/oak spiciness balance; with great malt/tart/tangy/spiciness balance, and zero puckering/astringent flavors after the finish. Moderately crisp/clean finishing. Moderate increasing dryness from lingering tart/tangy/spiciness and carbonation. High carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth and moderately grainy/acidic/tangy/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is fantastic. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.3%. Overall this is a fantastic fruited sour/wild ale! All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, pawpaws, and moderate oak/pale/wheat malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and pretty refreshing to drink with the modestly acidic/tangy/tannic/drying finish; not overly lactic. Fantastic balance of juicy pawpaw fruit, and Brett/Bacteria complexity; with great oak presence, and pale/wheat malts against acidity. Zero residual sweetness with crisp drying. A highly enjoyable offering, and amazing spot on style example as expected. One of their better sour offerings for sure.
Jul 03, 2019
 
Rated: 4.1 by BarryMFBurton from Indiana

Jun 12, 2019
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Reviewed by cjgiant from District of Columbia

4.19/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
On tap:
A somewhat ugly tannish-yellow, almost like an Arnold Palmer that has too much ice or lemonade. This is countered by a nice ring and lacing.

Nose foretells a pretty acidic sour beer, though there’s hints of sugar and barrel. Grapefruit, lime and sugarcane, lighter raspberry banana yogurt hints. General impression of a tart soda.

Feel has an odd mix of decent carbonation but with a cushioned feel. Light and tart, this came on too sour, but my palate adjusted to it quickly.

Barrel wasn’t noted initially, but a tangy aspect to the fruity sour notes comes out by mid-beer. Little more crab apple tartness with hints of lime, there’s a little glancing touch of sweetness early.

A nice sour from which I wanted a little more nuance and barrel-specific notes. That said, I did like it’s tartness and feel well enough.
May 10, 2019
Pawpaw from Upland Brewing Company
Beer rating: 98 out of 100 with 144 ratings