Raspberry Belgian Pale Ale
Upslope Brewing Company - Lee Hill

From notes taken 05/01/17:

Deep but bright mixed apricot and blood orange, opaque but too consistent to seem truly hazy. Fast-dying fizzy orange-cream beige head, two fingers on first pour, one on second. Raspberry smells almost artificial or modified like those “blue raspberry” dumdum suckers that are one of my favorites. We also have a very light vegetal aroma, interesting but not a distraction and common to many Belgians. Palate is very saccharine in the balance. Caramel is sweet enough and then raspberries are thrown in. Still a treat, but a fresh from a new bottle Framboise Lambic, with its more over tartness, is generally preferred. Saving graces beyond the semi-tart raspberries themselves are a grassy suggestion throughout, faint earthy hops (and look at the label which says English Hops and 30 IBUs, I’d say I’m getting the hang of this) manifesting themselves the most near the finish, and mentholated and peppery retro-olfactory notes. It has grown on me a little more with each sip, even a couple times after I thought it would cease. Medium-bodied, plain, inactive, and creamy for a second or two before moderate amounts of fine fizz show up and then promptly turn to fine velvet. A little heat between swigs. Definitely some tannins.

 

19.2 ounce can, cost -$6

Honey coloured, hazy beer with a quickly dissipating head of foam. No lacing.

Smells of raspberries, candi sugar, hints of the English malt. Not much Belgian aboot it other than that candi sugar.

Sweet/tart raspberry notes that are so balanced. Candi sugar puts it more on the sweet side but just. This was canned March 10th so things may have changed over the near 5 months.

Fairly light bodied with medium carbonation.

It's no Raspberry Tart but it is fine in its own right.

Type: 19.2-oz. can
Glass: Clear 16.5-oz. Belgian ale glass
From: Jubilation Wine & Spirits in Albuquerque N.M.
Price: $5.99
Purchased: May 7, 2016
Consumed: May 18, 2016
Misc.: Canned on March 10, 2016; Reviewed as a Belgian Pale Ale (not a sour or fruit beer)

Picked this up on a work trip to Albuquerque on May 7, 2016 at Jubilation Wine & Spirits, a fantastic beer/wine/liquor store near the UNM campus. I’m a sucker for raspberry beers and the few beers I’ve tried from Upslope have been good. (Check that, I’ve only had one and reviewed it as a 3.75). Either way, I’m all in with it, even the 19.2-oz-sized can.

Poured an amber, copper, hazy color with 1-to-2 fingers of fizzy, off-white head, which dissipated rather quickly. Could see lots of bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass. Poor wet foamy lacing. Minimal retention. (Sight - 3.00)

Smelled artificial raspberry, grassy notes, floral hops, pure raspberries, black raspberry milkshake, hints of cherries and candied sugar. Got better with each sniff. (Smell - 3.75)

First thought on the taste was wow. Much sweeter than I anticipated. Sugary artificial raspberries, raspberry milkshake, raspberry candy, touch of Belgian spiciness, bubblegum, Belgian yeast and grassy hops. (Taste - 3.75)

Light body. Thin-to-oily texture. Average carbonation. Long, sugary, fruity finish. (Feel - 4.00)

This wasn’t a bad beer at all and definitely a different take on raspberry beers. Not sure I could drink a lot of these in a row and his 19.2-ounce can is plenty, but not bad. (Overall - 3.75)

3.73 | 84 | B

Appearance: Looks like a red amber ale, but a tad darker.
Smell: Definitely hoppy but the raspberry is pronounced.
Taste: Again, you can taste the hops and the raspberry, but the raspberry doesn't taste fresh, but that is probably due to this being a Pale Ale.
Feel: How a Pale Ale should feel like, hoppy with a little bit of carbonation.
Overall: Interesting twist to add raspberry with a Pale Ale. I would say it could use some more fresh raspberries though.