Upper Hand Lager
Upper Hand Brewery

Upper Hand LagerUpper Hand Lager
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Upper Hand Brewery
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American Lager
Ranked #112
ABV:
5%
Score:
84
Ranked #22,449
Avg:
3.7 | pDev: 10.54%
Reviews:
9
Ratings:
51
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 13, 2022
Added:
Oct 31, 2014
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  22
Upper Hand® Lager is perfect for any season in the north, and strikes a nice balance of substantial flavor and moderate body. This lager has a crisp bite, with herbal and floral hop aroma balanced out by a subtle malt character.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by GRPunk:
Photo of GRPunk
Reviewed by GRPunk from Michigan

3.89/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12 oz. bottle (dated 01.02.15) gifted by Al and poured into a tall pils glass.

A- A normal pour creates a 2-finger, dense, off-white head atop a clean, golden body that's a shade or two past straw. Medium-heavy carbonation. The head settles to 1/2 finger, leaving plenty of sticky spots on the glass.

S- My initial impression is "sweet." Berry/fruit mixed with husky, cereal malts, and grassy/floral hops. Something like a less sweet Fruity Pebbles.

T- Clean and refreshing. Grainy malts mix with herbal hops (both fairly delicate, but substantial enough to call it robust for the style). Somewhere between an American Lager (as labeled) and a solid pils.

M- Medium body and carbonation. Sips are through thin head that sustains itself throughout. Somewhere between a sweet and herbal/dry finish.

O- A great drinking, craft lager. I tried my best to score it as an American pale lager. If it were more available, it could become a summer staple. It's a good "lawnmower" and paired nicely with a handful of peanutbutter pretzels.
Aug 02, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.54 by Zaphog from Michigan

Apr 13, 2022
Photo of Red_Hook_Madness
Rated by Red_Hook_Madness from Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Good session beer with a pleasant finish. Nice lager
Mar 31, 2019
 
Rated: 3.22 by PackenGreen from Michigan

Aug 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4.15 by MiraJade from Michigan

May 05, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by dannycohen62 from Illinois

Feb 19, 2018
 
Rated: 3.85 by Tracker83 from Michigan

Oct 15, 2017
 
Rated: 3.96 by DanGeo from Michigan

Aug 08, 2017
 
Rated: 3.64 by bplabernie from Michigan

Aug 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by BamfBacon from Ohio

Jul 12, 2017
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

3.06/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
L: brilliant gold with hoards of bubbles rising rapidly to the surface under a 1.5" foam cap with good retention.

S: initial whiff of hot dog smoke. Swirling that off finds some cracker, light grain and spicy, resiny hop aromas.

T: flavors start with fairly big lightly sweet green apple up front followed by a bitter hop accent. It finishes mildly sweet with apple and a traces of canned corn.

F: medium light body and medium high carbonation

O: Initial phenolic odors (smoked hot dog), acetaldehyde (green apple) and traces of DMS (canned corn) detract from the beer.
Jul 10, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by MaxOhle from Illinois

Jun 18, 2017
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.56/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
this really didnt do a whole lot for me. picked up as a random single because i remain intrigued by beers from breweries i have never heard of, this let me down a little bit. slightly oxidized and skunky, it is fresh enough on the bottle to not be that way, but stored on the warm shelf, which may have limited its longevity. pretty in the glass though, thats for sure, with a gorgeous pale yellow sunny clarity and a lot of rising bubbles amassing into an inch of delicate bone white foam. aroma is a little skunky with some herbal bittering hops behind it, and the taste matches that. very little flavor from the lager yeast and just a basic pale pils type grain base, a little european flare in there, but its all very subdued and behind the off flavor for me, which is a staleness that i dont really dig, especially the the hoppiness, you just cant have both in this style in my opinion. its almost corny, but then late harvest grainy in the finish, not as dry as it could be, but also a little bigger than many in body which i like, especially considering it still has such pronounced carbonation. a pretty forgettable bottle of beer overall though, i need to try this fresher, and id be curious about some of their other flavors, but as a single, this really doesnt add much for me...
Jun 06, 2017
 
Rated: 3.63 by sparx1100 from Minnesota

Apr 22, 2017
Photo of larryi86
Reviewed by larryi86 from Delaware

3.87/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Thank you Blackop555 for this
12 oz bottle, dated 2/10/17, poured into a pint glass

A- A clear golden color with a two finger white head.

S- Bread, a little sweet, some floral and spicy hops.

T- Bread, some sweet malts, floral, touch of spicy hops.

M- Smooth, crisp, light body.

O- A solid lager that is easy to drink, flavors could be a little bigger.
Apr 09, 2017
 
Rated: 3.38 by Bum4ever from California

Apr 02, 2017
Photo of KarlHungus
Reviewed by KarlHungus from Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
This beer pours a clear light gold color. The head is a half inch in height, and sticks around awhile. The aroma is has some nice bready notes, toast, and a little spice. The taste is fuller than the aroma. It is well balanced between bread, toast, a bit of caramel, and some spicy hops. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a velvety texture, and lively carbonation. Overall, this is a nice, easy drinking lager. I like it.
Mar 26, 2017
Photo of Blackop555
Reviewed by Blackop555 from Michigan

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours golden with a medium, foamy, white head that is short lived.

Light malt. Grassy, floral, maybe light pine. Hints of berry

Tastes nice light flavor. Light grassy and floral and pine. Balanced with bready malt. Finish is semi dry. Light bitter and short linger leaves you wanting more. Lighter side of medium body with bubbly medium-high carbonation
Feb 02, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by LXIXME from New Mexico

Feb 01, 2017
Upper Hand Lager from Upper Hand Brewery
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 51 ratings