Hazy IPA
Upslope Brewing Company - Lee Hill

 

 

Drinking this one nearly a year old (store's fault for selling it, my fault for buying it and not checking the date)

Appearance: Pours a mostly clear, medium golden color with a moderate white head. SRM of 8. (3.50)

Aroma: Mild aromas of pineapple, lemon citrus, and some tropical fruit underneath. Some rubber balloon aroma mixed in. (3.50)

Flavor: Mild flavors of lemon citrus, pineapple with some rubbery and plastic flavors off the end.

Feel: Medium-body. Moderate carbonation. A slightly juicy finish. (3.75)

Overall: Well not a great IPA, but maybe because I'm drinking it too old. First, it doesn't pour hazy. Then it has some rubber balloon type of off-flavor here. Didn't appreciate this one and was a drain pour. (Rating: 3.38)

 

DISCLAIMER: I generally dont go for IPAs but this was a gift, with that in mind I've had my fair share of ipas and know the style varies wildly and all tastes are different.

The look is classic light amber with haze as expected head forms relatively quickly to 2 fingers, and is lacking more than most as I drink despite other reviews (freshness?)

The smell however is very ferment heavy until it warms a bit then hop character jumps out a bit more, very simple smell its beer and hops, not the most pleasant but not a turn off, but not really a draw either.

Taste is fine (especially for someone who doesnt prefer ipas), but for a hazy the hops are pretty average, not a lot of fruit character present other than the obligatory grapefruit flavor which is quite subtle until the last few (warm) sips, but not very bitter either. Hops are obviously there but if it wasnt a "hazy" you could almost call it an apa. One thing I will say is that it's easy to drink. Nothing off about the flavor, just not a lot going on for an IPA

The feel is its redeeming value very smooth mouth feel, easy to put down and not too heavy or intense other than the 6.6% that brings sessionability down a bit, but makes for a good after work wind down TV beer.

Overall not a bad beer, definitely drinkable and craft brewing but not their strongest style or very creative within the style. The feel makes me want to revisit upslope more often within my taste preferences.

 

its never been their hoppy beers that stood out to me, but they keep trying. this is a very derivative hazy, nothing really unique about it at all, a little sloppy in execution to me, and it doesnt smell or taste particularly fresh, which also hurts my experience with it. after being recently super impressed by new flavors from them from kolsch to mexican dark lager to german pils, i wanted more from this one. its very dense, smells a bit oxidized, and despite having appealing hints of honeydew, kiwi fruit, and spruce, is weighty and relatively uninteresting to me. a bit of a grain soup front half, wheaty and a little raw, maybe a slightly yeasty here too, a british or burton type thing happening to me, at least in combination with the grain, and then the hops just sort of go green, pellet tasting, and faded, without the fun layers i could smell in the background. some apple notes, a doughy element, pine resin and some bite late, not as refined as their best beers, not even close, and without the freshness this really sags despite having fine carbonation and a relatively dry finish. not my favorite from these guys, who have demonstrated repeatedly that they can do better than this. will try it fresher next time hopefully, but this is relatively forgettable as they go, at least in my experience with it this time...

12oz can. Poured out a hazy, golden orange color with a good-sized, off-white head of bubbly foam. It left sticky trails of lace on the glass. It smelled of orange, grapefruit and toasted malt. Sweet tropical fruit taste with a piney bitterness and caramel backbone.

Upslope makes a lot of different styles and cans them, so it's no shock that they now have a hazy IPA just like everyone else does. This one is listed at 6.6% ABV on the can, and you can taste it. I'm not a huge fan of their year-round stuff by and large, but I'm willing to give them a go since they keep trying to add new things to their roster. This is one of the better ones I've had from them.

12 fl oz pull-tab can ($8.99 USD/sixer):

6.6% ABV.

C- / BELOW AVERAGE

 

 

Got better as I consumed but not at all impressed by this one unfortunately. Please support this brewery and try their stuff though. Definitely not a bad hazy.

 

 

From a 16 ounce Prowler bought at Liquor Shed. $4 minus 10% discount since it's a Wednesday.

Pours a hazy gold with a half inch of foam, ends up with a ring around the glass, minimal lacing.

Piney, citrus fruity, with bready slightly sweet malty backbone smells.

Juicy is what I get on my first sip. Likeable notes of citrus and pine, tropical fruit mostly pineapple, some overall sweetness abounds. Me likes.

Juicy ends up in the mouthfeel as well. Nice.

Upslope did good.