2016 Ale
Upstate Brewing Company

 

 

The almost grayish color is a bit unappetizing, but the nose, which is loaded with tropical and citrus fruit (especially apricot), is fantastic. Taste is hop forward and matches the nose closely with a NE style juiciness. My main critique is that the beer is all front end and little back end. It just kind of disappears on the palate after that first and truly incredible hop rush on the front. It's the kind of beer you want to linger in your mouth because it tastes so damn good, but it doesn't hold on for long.

16oz tallboy can, sample from the brewery.

Very hazy, nearly turbid with a decent lacing on top. Very aromatic with suggestions of melon, grapefruit rind, soft pine, green peppercorn, white tea, and orange pith and zest. Smooth with a medium body, palate is a little bitty with lot of raw hop resin, big orangey character throughout. Bitterness comes around with melon rind and pithy flavors. Lots of pungent hop feel, nearly dry finish. A bit more cleaned up and the everything would really pop here, appearance is pretty muddled as well. Some people dig it but its not an appealing look and the beer drinks a bit like it looks.

Juiciness for days in the nose that translates to the taste as well. Just the right amount of bitterness to back it up. Incredible beer.

 

 

 

L: Murky, milky opaque, dirty yellow...almost gray. It looks like gravy. Thin white head with excellent retention, and moderate lacing.

S: Yellow peach, apricot, pineapple, a little bit of passion fruit, guava, lemon, lime, and bubblegum; earthy dankness, white bready malt. Not zesty or explosive to the nose, but there is a depth of juicy tropical character.

T: Upfront, it's fresh squeezed orange juice, with white peach, passion fruit and pineapple popping in and out. The malt character is subtle and laid back, merely a canvass for the hops. Doughy, white bready, and wheaty. On the mid-palate, you're hit with a yellow grapefruit, and orange peel bitterness. There's also a subtle bubblegum note. An earthy dankness scrubs the palate clean, and then a mild orange peel bitterness lingers.

F: Chewy, pulpy, orange-juice like. Low on carbonation, soft, and slightly creamy on the tongue. Hefeweizen-like.

O: Upstate have outdone themselves again on another NE style IPA. A little less bright and tropical than Double, but less bitter and with more depth of character. A clear winner.

 

Can graciously provided to me by Will, thanks man.

This one pours a glowing, translucent orange/yellow- it's not quite opaque- light can get thru, but it's still pretty hazy. There's a small head, and lots of lacing.

It smells wonderful- so bright and juicy, tons of citrus- tangerine, mango, and pineapple, with a very slight bitterness on the finish. This rivals some of the best in New England, IMO- it's really, really nice.

This is a pretty excellent beer, and one of the best beers I've had made in NY. All of the fruity hop flavors mentioned above, and all of the specific fruits, are apparent in the taste. It's got a nicely creamy taste to it, with just a small hint of bitterness on the finish. It really does kind of feel Trillium-eque in a way.

This is medium bodied, thick, and super juicy, with a good level of carbonation.

It remains to be seen if Upstate can recapture this lightning next time they put this beer out- or put out a similar beer. But for now- they're on top of the world, and this beer is crazy good.