Baurenhaus Ensemble
Upright Brewing Company

L: Light golden blonde ale.
S: Old gym socks.
T: Small amount of brett. No other flavor.
F: Water with brett
O: A sad brett beer with little flavor.

this is approaching perfect. brett beer from one of my absolute favorite breweries in the game, and one who continues to be somehow so far under the radar. like, i have beer friends who live in portland and tell me about how cool great notion is or whatever, and have never even heard of upright, let alone enjoyed some of their epic, fermentation forward brews. i live for what these guys do, i stand for what they stand for, and when i found this little bottle from them i was stoked. this is the first of their beers i have encountered in this format, and it is so darn good! the head is high and white and looks like shaving cream or beaten egg whites, stiff peaks for days. sexy. i get an incredible gin essence on this, like real botanicals in the beer, dried apricot, melted snow minerals, and somehow a heaviness and lightness at the same time that i am not sure i have ever gotten in the same way in a beer before. the texture is full but also light, starchy and grain dense, like porridge, but the carbonation is high and this is real dry, its crazy nuanced in feel as in flavor, so special! juniper and yellow fig, white peach and white port wine, brett to the max, but wild not cultured to me, different or somehow more complex than it is most of the time, but super mature. i just think upright has something unique going on, maybe its their cultures, maybe the open ferments, but their beer is best in class right now. the small bottles rule, and i need more of this one. a collaboration with the commons, do they still exist? woody and funky in a way that is unique to itself. not to be missed for saison and wild beer folks!

A nice gift from Phil! This one pours a gorgeous orange with quickly dissipating white head. Nose is amazing. Tons of citrus, vanilla, a touch of spice, and maybe a bit of leather. Sour smelling, if that's a thing. Taste is smooth. Not as sour as I thought it might be, but really balanced. Lemon, orange, grapefruit, vanilla, funk, leather, wheat. Mouthfeel is really nice - a bit dry and light. Overall, this is a great beer!

A straw to 18 carat golden glow with a softness to it as it is not absolutely transparent. The rustic image is topped by a humble ring of white soapy bubbles that hug the coast of the glass.

All of the usual suspects jump out. Cracked grain and tart apple skins, a touch of acidic vinegar, and a musty, weathered wood. White wine elements creep out with pops of green grape and oak derived tannins.

A light earthy element and strawberry compliment the above. The rustic wood and grain weave in and out of the fruits, giving wave after wave of delicious flavors. Pear, grape, apples…. Again, like a fruity white wine, perhaps in the vein of a Sauvignon Blanc.

The soft texture and light carbonation only enhance the wine-like experience. Smooth and dry, warming despite it's modest abv, and wonderfully balanced.

Another winner from Upright. Unique and exciting flavors and textures with a laid back persona. Another beer that I wish was in any other format so I could drink all day long.

Cheers.

On tap at Upright.

Clear yellow, no head. Nose is wonderful wild fermented hefeweizen. Clove,banana, plum, a little nightshade leaf, white wine, tartness, vanilla, peach. Palate opens tart with a blend of mild lactic sourness, a little lemon and paired with a grainy, wheat like note. There is a touch of clove and banana but inspired pairing with the lemon. A touch of earth and mushroom. Drying, mildly lemony with a little vanilla on the finish with green grape, lemon and earth. Excellent.