Ostinato Saison
Upright Brewing Company

 

 

What a unique friggin beer...

It pours dark straw. Unfiltered straw, obviously, but pretty damn clear. An appropriate, and honestly quite impressive for being barrel aged, white head leaves a proper ring around the edge and laces pretty well.

It smells like every savory spice known to man, along with lemon, lime, and soap. Just like the gin/vermouth barrels that it was aged in...juniper, thyme, yadda yadda yadda. Wow.

Same with the flavor, but once again, Upright is able to tone it down and focus on the few. Lime, lemon, wheat, coriander, oak, soapy, funky, horse sweat goodness throughout.

It's crisp and light, slightly tart. The unique flavors and aging give it a percieved elevated alcohol taste without the warmth, which is exceptionally unique. It is perfectly balanced.

This is a one of a kind brew. I usually don't like gin aged beers, though I like gin. Gin and Vermouth aged along with being from Upright automatically entices me, especially due to the cocktail connotation. I'm a fan. It's a sipper. It's classy. It's so complex. It's delicious. Cheers.

one thing that impresses me every single time i break into a new beer from upright is how subtle they all are, the adjuncts arent over the top, the yeast is complex and often wild but without being the only element, and they all feel so complete and well rounded. this one is a blend, aged at least in part in vermouth vessels, but its not like perfume and its super drinkable, a perfect spring saison for what i like right now, fuller wheaty body, some cool freshness from the lemongrass and the limes, but not sharp or tropical or asian feeling or anything, just sort of botanical and fresh and herbal, gorgeous. the yeast is like a mix of newish brett and french type saison, a little white winey, especially with the white vermouth complexion that comes on at the end, but its not too much here either, mellowed and balanced by the dry cereals of the malt and a little botanical and hoppy bitterness at the swallow. carbonation is super high, a little more lime at the end, some farmy brett, white wine, even interesting flashes of things like tea and ginger, plenty of wheat though, and a creamy sort of feel, minimal acidity. great beer, this is what these guys do best, and its always a treat to find their stuff on tap, definitely one of the most unsung awesome breweries in the country!

 

 

Bottle from the brewery.

A clear orange with a a dense, off-white head with good retention and lacing, this looks solid. The nose is bright with a blend of lemongrass, preserved lemon, black limes, the classic Upright earthy, Brett-heavy funk with clove and a little mushroom. Bright, citrusy vermouth notes, along with a touch of juniper are present too. The palate opens mildly tart with a moderate Brett expression, a blend of clove, earth, a touch of plastic and lemon peel. This is followed by a blend of vermouth and gin, a blend of juniper, citrus peel and a pomace-like bitterness with a touch of heat. A really nice blend of black lime and lemongrass is also present. Medium-light in body with soft carbonation, this beer has a refreshing finish. Excellent.