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Crimson
Upland Brewing Company
- From:
- Upland Brewing Company
- Indiana, United States
- Style:
- Flanders Red Ale
Ranked #14 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 94
Ranked #2,414 - Avg:
- 4.23 | pDev: 10.4%
- Reviews:
- 81
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jun 16, 2022
- Added:
- Feb 05, 2012
- Wants:
- 296
- Gots:
- 138
A stronger version of a Flanders Red Ale aged in previously beer-stored bourbon barrels for some light oak/bourbon character.
Previously known as Malefactor and Gilgamesh
Previously known as Malefactor and Gilgamesh
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by SHODriver:
Reviewed by SHODriver from North Carolina
3.93/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.93/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A: Poured into a Duvel tulip to a nice deep red that is almost brown. Slightly hazy and topped by a dense three finger head which retains well and fades slowly to a collar around the edge of the glass with minimal lacing
S: Smells of sourness, oak, sour cherries, and vanilla with some slight toasted malt. HInts of funk and chemicals on the back end(chemicals in a good way)
T: Taste is tart cherries, smooth vanilla, toasted oak, slight band aid, hint of caramel. and slight plastic. Swallow is more cherries, and oak with more caramel, vanilla and oak with some lingering funk.
M: This beer is about the middle of the road when it comes to mouthfeel and slightly syrupy. Carbonation is adequate and just below prickly while the acidity gives the beer a drying finish.
O: It started out great on the nose but the taste just couldn't keep the momentum going. Really nice complexity and surprisingly gentle on the palate. I expected this one to be a bit of a bruiser from the nose but it didn't punch me in the palate. Worth a try but there are others that are better.
Apr 27, 2018S: Smells of sourness, oak, sour cherries, and vanilla with some slight toasted malt. HInts of funk and chemicals on the back end(chemicals in a good way)
T: Taste is tart cherries, smooth vanilla, toasted oak, slight band aid, hint of caramel. and slight plastic. Swallow is more cherries, and oak with more caramel, vanilla and oak with some lingering funk.
M: This beer is about the middle of the road when it comes to mouthfeel and slightly syrupy. Carbonation is adequate and just below prickly while the acidity gives the beer a drying finish.
O: It started out great on the nose but the taste just couldn't keep the momentum going. Really nice complexity and surprisingly gentle on the palate. I expected this one to be a bit of a bruiser from the nose but it didn't punch me in the palate. Worth a try but there are others that are better.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.62/5 rDev -14.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.62/5 rDev -14.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
So this is a review of "Gilgamesh" which was consumed at March Madness 2017. I still have a bottle of this in the cellar, might be a good time to crack it next time the boys get together.
Anyhoo, this is basically an imperial flanders ale coming in at double digit abv strength. Pours a ruddy brown and red, there is nothing appearance wise that looks different compared to a normal strength flanders. Thin beige head, 1/5". The aroma was far more powerful, there is amplified sourness for a flanders and plenty of alcohol to notice aroma wise, almost to the point that the word fusel enters the lexicon.
EDIT: So we did crack the 2 last bottles: Summer 2022, and then March Madness 2023. Summer 2022 bottle was probably about a 3.4, was disappointing, March Madness 2023 was much improved like a 3.8, so I'm just going to leave the same score here as before.
The taste of the beer takes on some like cherry like flanders notes, but it is still largely overwhelmed by the hugeness of the sourness and alcohol. This is a bottle from the lactic acid war era. And acidic it is. More red wine than bourbon notes. Lower carbonation keeps the sting present at all stages. Decent in smaller quantities. I would prolly die doming this. If you're up for a challenge, this is a beer that puts it up.
Oct 14, 2020Anyhoo, this is basically an imperial flanders ale coming in at double digit abv strength. Pours a ruddy brown and red, there is nothing appearance wise that looks different compared to a normal strength flanders. Thin beige head, 1/5". The aroma was far more powerful, there is amplified sourness for a flanders and plenty of alcohol to notice aroma wise, almost to the point that the word fusel enters the lexicon.
EDIT: So we did crack the 2 last bottles: Summer 2022, and then March Madness 2023. Summer 2022 bottle was probably about a 3.4, was disappointing, March Madness 2023 was much improved like a 3.8, so I'm just going to leave the same score here as before.
The taste of the beer takes on some like cherry like flanders notes, but it is still largely overwhelmed by the hugeness of the sourness and alcohol. This is a bottle from the lactic acid war era. And acidic it is. More red wine than bourbon notes. Lower carbonation keeps the sting present at all stages. Decent in smaller quantities. I would prolly die doming this. If you're up for a challenge, this is a beer that puts it up.
Reviewed by clayrock81 from Florida
4/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a reddish copper body with minimal head and no lace. Aroma is booze, wood, some tart fruits like cherries and hints of sweet malts. Beer is light to medium bodied, goes down smooth, sharp but not a biting sour edge, has a cherry taste with hints of caramel malts and kept smooth by a woodiness and finishes slightly boozy. Good balance and easy to drink and maybe not spot-on for style but worth trying anyway.
Jan 18, 2020Reviewed by beersampler6 from Michigan
3.54/5 rDev -16.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev -16.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Quite a nice sour - not really my style but I could appreciate the skill it took in making this beer. Great balance of the bourbon barrel aging, sour puckering fruit and malt. Looks fairly red-orange with just a little fluffy white head and spotty lingering lacing. Aromas matched the flavors with the bourbon, wood, tart ripe fruit and malt all coming through clearly. Not too sour, not too much warming alcohol. Smooth fairly mild mouthfeel and good carbonation.
Jul 14, 2019Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.67/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.67/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Formerly known as Gilgamesh; later known as Crimson.
Unknown vintage; drank 7/28/15 @ Sheffield's.
Semi-opaque red appearance.
Minimal tan head; minimal lace.
Oak, mildly tart cherry & marshmallow notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Cherry, oak & marshmallow flavors up front; a mildly tart finish.
My dream sour; balanced, flavorful and not puckering. Delicious.
May 06, 2019Unknown vintage; drank 7/28/15 @ Sheffield's.
Semi-opaque red appearance.
Minimal tan head; minimal lace.
Oak, mildly tart cherry & marshmallow notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Cherry, oak & marshmallow flavors up front; a mildly tart finish.
My dream sour; balanced, flavorful and not puckering. Delicious.
Crimson from Upland Brewing Company
Beer rating:
94 out of
100 with
426 ratings
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