First Drop
Upper Pass Beer Company
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- American Pale Ale (APA)
Ranked #97 - ABV:
- 5.9%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #3,187 - Avg:
- 4.14 | pDev: 6.76%
- Reviews:
- 58
- Ratings:
- From:
- Upper Pass Beer Company
- Vermont, United States
- Avail:
- Rotating
- Wants
- 7
- Gots
- 73
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding
Notes:
Reviews: 58
| Ratings: 260
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4.06/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at Worthy Kitchen
Lightly dingy dark golden color with a thin off white head that dissipates quickly. Citrus tropical earth and light pine with some light bready malt to back it up. tasty
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at Worthy Kitchen
Lightly dingy dark golden color with a thin off white head that dissipates quickly. Citrus tropical earth and light pine with some light bready malt to back it up. tasty
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3.76/5 rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
16 oz can poured into an imperial can-shaped glass.
Appearance
Hazed-out, murky rusty-blonde. Near 2 fingers of loose head.
Nose
Mango, passion fruit, dank, and blueberry.
Taste
Smoked pine needles, earthy dank, and forest floor. Grapefruit pith and light passion fruit. Dried biscuit and slight caramel.
Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, crisp, moderately bitter, and dry.
Overall
Oddly enjoyable smoky pine taste.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
16 oz can poured into an imperial can-shaped glass.
Appearance
Hazed-out, murky rusty-blonde. Near 2 fingers of loose head.
Nose
Mango, passion fruit, dank, and blueberry.
Taste
Smoked pine needles, earthy dank, and forest floor. Grapefruit pith and light passion fruit. Dried biscuit and slight caramel.
Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, crisp, moderately bitter, and dry.
Overall
Oddly enjoyable smoky pine taste.
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4.36/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Definitely some syrup backbone to this beer not a citrus bomb neipa but more of a pine, malt and def a ton of dry hop. Delicious and a great opposite to your fruity hop bombs with plenty of hop.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Definitely some syrup backbone to this beer not a citrus bomb neipa but more of a pine, malt and def a ton of dry hop. Delicious and a great opposite to your fruity hop bombs with plenty of hop.
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4.04/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the 16 oz. can marked 08/13/19. Sampled on August 24, 2019.
These super murky, muddy looking beers tend to turn me off but that is what they are supposed to look like, To me hazy is more like a fog and this looks more like someone dumped milk into a pale ale.
It definitely brings out tropical fruits with meaty type fruits such as cantaloupe, melon, and a little spice over the sourdough bread below.
Medium to full mouthfeel.
Sweetness begins the flavor but the fruity bitterness erupts at the end with a slight spiced ending. Another one that hop heads should enjoy.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the 16 oz. can marked 08/13/19. Sampled on August 24, 2019.
These super murky, muddy looking beers tend to turn me off but that is what they are supposed to look like, To me hazy is more like a fog and this looks more like someone dumped milk into a pale ale.
It definitely brings out tropical fruits with meaty type fruits such as cantaloupe, melon, and a little spice over the sourdough bread below.
Medium to full mouthfeel.
Sweetness begins the flavor but the fruity bitterness erupts at the end with a slight spiced ending. Another one that hop heads should enjoy.
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4.44/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Date on can 5/7/19
Hazy straw colores w billowy white head 4.25
Smells of pineapple when opened can, apricots and pine from glass 4.5
Tastes like it smells, citrus hops a bit of pine back bone. 4.5
On the thinner side for mouthfeel, nice and dry though. Tickles the palate 4
Overall an excellent APA, will seek out more from this brewery 4.5
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Date on can 5/7/19
Hazy straw colores w billowy white head 4.25
Smells of pineapple when opened can, apricots and pine from glass 4.5
Tastes like it smells, citrus hops a bit of pine back bone. 4.5
On the thinner side for mouthfeel, nice and dry though. Tickles the palate 4
Overall an excellent APA, will seek out more from this brewery 4.5
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3.83/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: cloudy muted matte orange color with a hint of light brown. 1 finger tan head
S: mango, pineapple, creamsicle, sweet orange, strawberry, crackers, and some earthy grass
T: pineapple, bitter grapefruit, pine resin, and grass upfront. Mild clementine and herbal bitterness behind that. A touch of apricot follows that dry crackers. Finish is bitter with mild fruit
M: medium mouthfeel with low carbonation and a little hop burn
O: an ok IPA. The bitterness is a bit too one-dimensional, but it’s not bad otherwise.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: cloudy muted matte orange color with a hint of light brown. 1 finger tan head
S: mango, pineapple, creamsicle, sweet orange, strawberry, crackers, and some earthy grass
T: pineapple, bitter grapefruit, pine resin, and grass upfront. Mild clementine and herbal bitterness behind that. A touch of apricot follows that dry crackers. Finish is bitter with mild fruit
M: medium mouthfeel with low carbonation and a little hop burn
O: an ok IPA. The bitterness is a bit too one-dimensional, but it’s not bad otherwise.
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3.62/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Serving: Can
Canned: May-28-2019 (Consumed Jul-17)
Body the color of Werther's original, cloudy, finger of fizzy dirty-white head. Doesn't look at all like what one would expect and likewise does not look particularly good. Decent retention; no lacing. The aroma is vaguely fruity with some definite grassiness and toasty malt. The flavor is mainly a bracing herbal forest floor bite and some spicy malt and a touch of caramel. It is very dry and quenching with active carbonation.
I get the impression that the beer I am drinking is not the beer this was supposed to be (but maybe my perception was poisoned by what xPAs have turned into and what the can/description implied to me). It smells fairly fruity but on the whole is more reminiscent of a classic APA. Everything is kind of muddled and brown, though due to the fact that regardless of what they were going for it is not an undrinkable mess. If I was looking at it like SNPA it is hideous, out of balance/hop character and not malty enough. If I was looking at it like a colorful tallboy with a million DH additions I'd say there isn't enough fruitiness, it's ugly and the malt was too strong. As it is, it was a relatively tasty beer with a little bite that seemed to be halfway between the two extremes.
3...3.5...3.75...3.5...3.75
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look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Serving: Can
Canned: May-28-2019 (Consumed Jul-17)
Body the color of Werther's original, cloudy, finger of fizzy dirty-white head. Doesn't look at all like what one would expect and likewise does not look particularly good. Decent retention; no lacing. The aroma is vaguely fruity with some definite grassiness and toasty malt. The flavor is mainly a bracing herbal forest floor bite and some spicy malt and a touch of caramel. It is very dry and quenching with active carbonation.
I get the impression that the beer I am drinking is not the beer this was supposed to be (but maybe my perception was poisoned by what xPAs have turned into and what the can/description implied to me). It smells fairly fruity but on the whole is more reminiscent of a classic APA. Everything is kind of muddled and brown, though due to the fact that regardless of what they were going for it is not an undrinkable mess. If I was looking at it like SNPA it is hideous, out of balance/hop character and not malty enough. If I was looking at it like a colorful tallboy with a million DH additions I'd say there isn't enough fruitiness, it's ugly and the malt was too strong. As it is, it was a relatively tasty beer with a little bite that seemed to be halfway between the two extremes.
3...3.5...3.75...3.5...3.75
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4.02/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Can dated 04/25/19 into pint glass. Pours an opaque dark amber with a coarse, persistent head. Initial impression is a surprisingly clean grapefruit, pine, mango, and orange experience - from the pour, I was expecting a very thick, sticky NEIPA. Not bitter, but certainly not sweet. Some caramel, but way in the background. Mouthfeel is much lighter than expected, although certainly not "light" in a derogatory sense. Carbonation is perfect. Finish is clean with more citrus, and a slight residual bitterness. First beer from this brewery, and it was quite enjoyable!
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Can dated 04/25/19 into pint glass. Pours an opaque dark amber with a coarse, persistent head. Initial impression is a surprisingly clean grapefruit, pine, mango, and orange experience - from the pour, I was expecting a very thick, sticky NEIPA. Not bitter, but certainly not sweet. Some caramel, but way in the background. Mouthfeel is much lighter than expected, although certainly not "light" in a derogatory sense. Carbonation is perfect. Finish is clean with more citrus, and a slight residual bitterness. First beer from this brewery, and it was quite enjoyable!
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4.16/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
-cloudy yellow-orange can pour with a just a wisp of visible carbonation. The aroma is light citrus. The flavor is bright up front with melon, pineapple and spruce hop notes. The sweetness is low and the hop bitterness is moderate. This is a flavorful, light-bodied APA.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
-cloudy yellow-orange can pour with a just a wisp of visible carbonation. The aroma is light citrus. The flavor is bright up front with melon, pineapple and spruce hop notes. The sweetness is low and the hop bitterness is moderate. This is a flavorful, light-bodied APA.
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3.82/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
L - massive yellowish head atop a brownish-orange body.
S - sweet orange, melon, pineapple.
T - orange, grapefruit, pineapple, cotton candy. Dirty, sweet middle. Moderate-low bitterness. Moderate sweetness. Low booziness.
F - medium-light body with average carb.
O - I liked this way better on draft a few years ago in Vermont.
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look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
L - massive yellowish head atop a brownish-orange body.
S - sweet orange, melon, pineapple.
T - orange, grapefruit, pineapple, cotton candy. Dirty, sweet middle. Moderate-low bitterness. Moderate sweetness. Low booziness.
F - medium-light body with average carb.
O - I liked this way better on draft a few years ago in Vermont.
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4.18/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned 3/12/2019, drinking 4/11. Pours a dark honey look, nice head. Wish there was a bit more going on in the nose. Great PA though in that there’s a lovely malt presence you don’t usually find in a NE-style PA; dark citrus and fresh pine; and it’s in the finish where you get a lovely hint of biscuit/malt. At 5.9 very drinkable and when I see this again, will def pick up more. Def worth your time IMO.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned 3/12/2019, drinking 4/11. Pours a dark honey look, nice head. Wish there was a bit more going on in the nose. Great PA though in that there’s a lovely malt presence you don’t usually find in a NE-style PA; dark citrus and fresh pine; and it’s in the finish where you get a lovely hint of biscuit/malt. At 5.9 very drinkable and when I see this again, will def pick up more. Def worth your time IMO.
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3.92/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Decent New England pale ale. Nice dark hazy look with minimal head. Not much on the nose but some breads and tropical fruit. Taste of citrus pine resin. Feel is medium. Overall a good brew.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Decent New England pale ale. Nice dark hazy look with minimal head. Not much on the nose but some breads and tropical fruit. Taste of citrus pine resin. Feel is medium. Overall a good brew.
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4.24/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned 10-22-18
L: Honey, hazy.
S: WTH.. there is so much going on. Citrus and tropical..earthy and light pine.
T: Matches the smell.. very well presented across the citrus spectrum. Light malt and a tad salty? There's also a mild sweetness that rides along, but it doesn't intrude.
F: Medium, smooth, with low carbonation.
O: What a great PA. With so much ummphh going on, I'm really surprised it's only 5.9%
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned 10-22-18
L: Honey, hazy.
S: WTH.. there is so much going on. Citrus and tropical..earthy and light pine.
T: Matches the smell.. very well presented across the citrus spectrum. Light malt and a tad salty? There's also a mild sweetness that rides along, but it doesn't intrude.
F: Medium, smooth, with low carbonation.
O: What a great PA. With so much ummphh going on, I'm really surprised it's only 5.9%
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4.02/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy amber color with a two finger head; good retention and splashy lacing
Smell: Somewhat dank, with hints of caramel and graham cracker underneath; papaya, pineapple, wintergreen and pine tones waft
Taste: Pineapple forward, with papaya, caramel and graham cracker balance; dank and piney, through the middle, with a balanced finish that features some wintergreen in the finish
Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation
Overall: A bit more malt balance than I see from other NE style beers
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy amber color with a two finger head; good retention and splashy lacing
Smell: Somewhat dank, with hints of caramel and graham cracker underneath; papaya, pineapple, wintergreen and pine tones waft
Taste: Pineapple forward, with papaya, caramel and graham cracker balance; dank and piney, through the middle, with a balanced finish that features some wintergreen in the finish
Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation
Overall: A bit more malt balance than I see from other NE style beers
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4.24/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned today!
L — Classic NEIPA orange juice haze with a finger and a half of soapy off-white head produced with aerated pour. Some retention and spotty lacing
S — Zesty grapefruit&orange, sweaty pineapple, concord grape, lychee, kiwi
T — Yellow grapefruit pith, crackery malt, green mango, touch of leafy earthiness, lemon zest
F — Medium- mouthfeel, medium carb. Nice and easy drinking with minimal residual bitterness
O — It may just be the freshness, but I honestly like this slightly more than Cloud Drop, which I found a little too bracingly bitter for my tastes. This has a nice balance to it
85/100
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned today!
L — Classic NEIPA orange juice haze with a finger and a half of soapy off-white head produced with aerated pour. Some retention and spotty lacing
S — Zesty grapefruit&orange, sweaty pineapple, concord grape, lychee, kiwi
T — Yellow grapefruit pith, crackery malt, green mango, touch of leafy earthiness, lemon zest
F — Medium- mouthfeel, medium carb. Nice and easy drinking with minimal residual bitterness
O — It may just be the freshness, but I honestly like this slightly more than Cloud Drop, which I found a little too bracingly bitter for my tastes. This has a nice balance to it
85/100
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4.21/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Super flavorful and juicy APA, but tight enough around the edges to avoid being too much like an IPA... For an IPA fan, a real nice APA... double dry hopped featuring Azacca, Centennial, Mosaic, and Citra hops; canned 7/26/18...
Medium gold, juice-looking with a basically opaque haze and a few fingers of off-white foam... Moderate-to-mild sweetness with fruit suggestions both tropical and orchard, including notes of apricot, papaya, and mango; but this dries out on the finish, with a mild bitterness... Fairly full-bodied for a 5.9% abv APA, with a bit of chewy fruit flesh and tacky shellac lingering behind...
Surprised and impressed...
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Super flavorful and juicy APA, but tight enough around the edges to avoid being too much like an IPA... For an IPA fan, a real nice APA... double dry hopped featuring Azacca, Centennial, Mosaic, and Citra hops; canned 7/26/18...
Medium gold, juice-looking with a basically opaque haze and a few fingers of off-white foam... Moderate-to-mild sweetness with fruit suggestions both tropical and orchard, including notes of apricot, papaya, and mango; but this dries out on the finish, with a mild bitterness... Fairly full-bodied for a 5.9% abv APA, with a bit of chewy fruit flesh and tacky shellac lingering behind...
Surprised and impressed...
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4.03/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Can dated 6.18.18, opened 7.20.18
Poured into a glass, two finger off white thick, rich, dense creamy foam head
Hazy orange juice liquid, sticky lacings
Aroma is tropical fruits, citrus orange
Taste is citrus hops
Low sudsing
Good beer
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Can dated 6.18.18, opened 7.20.18
Poured into a glass, two finger off white thick, rich, dense creamy foam head
Hazy orange juice liquid, sticky lacings
Aroma is tropical fruits, citrus orange
Taste is citrus hops
Low sudsing
Good beer
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3.69/5 rDev -10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Opaque, almost apple-cider like color to it. Poures with a quarter inch foam layer that dies down into your typical thin layer that leaves a band of lace around the edge of the glass.
The taste is stronger than the aroma. Some fruits come through, with a subtle earthy flavor that mutes the tropical fruity flavors. It has kind of a bready, somewhat malty essence to the taste.
Medium bodied feel to it. It's only 5.7% alchohol (low for an IPA) but feels like more so drink slowly ;-)
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Opaque, almost apple-cider like color to it. Poures with a quarter inch foam layer that dies down into your typical thin layer that leaves a band of lace around the edge of the glass.
The taste is stronger than the aroma. Some fruits come through, with a subtle earthy flavor that mutes the tropical fruity flavors. It has kind of a bready, somewhat malty essence to the taste.
Medium bodied feel to it. It's only 5.7% alchohol (low for an IPA) but feels like more so drink slowly ;-)
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5/5 rDev +20.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
One of my favorite VT beers of all time. These guys know how to brew a fucking beer.
Actually 5.9% BTW
Also BTW, talking about the "mouth feel" of a beer is fucking ridiculous. Or the look. I don't give a shit how my beer "looks". Is it good? Fucking great. Could be purple. I don't care.
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
One of my favorite VT beers of all time. These guys know how to brew a fucking beer.
Actually 5.9% BTW
Also BTW, talking about the "mouth feel" of a beer is fucking ridiculous. Or the look. I don't give a shit how my beer "looks". Is it good? Fucking great. Could be purple. I don't care.
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4.14/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours a very cloudy, dark gold to orange color with a decent white head that dissipated quickly. Aroma is subdued slightly, especially for a double dry hopped beer. Smells slightly tropical, but I had to really search for it.
The taste is stronger than the aroma. Tropical fruits come through with a bready malt backbone. Teeters towards almost tasting like a good home brew which isn't really a bad thing.
Mouthfeel is really nice! Creamy and soft. In the medium range. Bitterness sneaks up on you a little. Drinks more like a 7% or more beer rather than under 6%.
Overall, I really like this beer. It didn't blow me away like Cloud Drop, but definitely furthered my excitement for Upper Pass and I can't wait to try other beers from then.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours a very cloudy, dark gold to orange color with a decent white head that dissipated quickly. Aroma is subdued slightly, especially for a double dry hopped beer. Smells slightly tropical, but I had to really search for it.
The taste is stronger than the aroma. Tropical fruits come through with a bready malt backbone. Teeters towards almost tasting like a good home brew which isn't really a bad thing.
Mouthfeel is really nice! Creamy and soft. In the medium range. Bitterness sneaks up on you a little. Drinks more like a 7% or more beer rather than under 6%.
Overall, I really like this beer. It didn't blow me away like Cloud Drop, but definitely furthered my excitement for Upper Pass and I can't wait to try other beers from then.
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3.96/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours an opaque dark orange with a quarter inch head that dissipates to a ring quickly and leaves blotchy lacing down the glass. Smells of tropical and citrus fruits and pine. Tastes of pine, grass, under-ripe pineapple and mango, tangerine, grapefruit rind, apricot and a hint of sweet malt. Very earthy with a lingering dry and bitter mouth feel. Light to medium bodied and lightly carbonated.
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look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours an opaque dark orange with a quarter inch head that dissipates to a ring quickly and leaves blotchy lacing down the glass. Smells of tropical and citrus fruits and pine. Tastes of pine, grass, under-ripe pineapple and mango, tangerine, grapefruit rind, apricot and a hint of sweet malt. Very earthy with a lingering dry and bitter mouth feel. Light to medium bodied and lightly carbonated.
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4.12/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Look: A deep gold, bronze, orange. Very minimal head - about 1/3 of an inch.
Smell: At first there are some tropical fruit elements. Throughout the course of the beer, though, there's a noticeable sweet smell.
T: Noticable Mosaic hops with an earthy herbal taste. A bit of citrus but much more of the pine taste to me. A bit more bitter than several ~6% APAs out there. Little tropical fruit, too.
F: Medium to low carbonation. Very smooth.
O: A strong APA, especially for a small brewery just down the road in Tunbridge! On par with several other high quality APAs with a nice blend of tropical fruit and pine. Very smooth, easy to drink.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Look: A deep gold, bronze, orange. Very minimal head - about 1/3 of an inch.
Smell: At first there are some tropical fruit elements. Throughout the course of the beer, though, there's a noticeable sweet smell.
T: Noticable Mosaic hops with an earthy herbal taste. A bit of citrus but much more of the pine taste to me. A bit more bitter than several ~6% APAs out there. Little tropical fruit, too.
F: Medium to low carbonation. Very smooth.
O: A strong APA, especially for a small brewery just down the road in Tunbridge! On par with several other high quality APAs with a nice blend of tropical fruit and pine. Very smooth, easy to drink.
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3.73/5 rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a deep orange color with a frothy white head that recedes to a thin film and a ring, leaving fair lacing behind on the glass.
Tropical fruit – mainly mango – greets the nose. An expanded aroma of slight stone fruit or peach or apricot and tangerine are added to the mix. Additional warmth brings a slight dankness to it. A strong inhale pulls out some fresh, light malt notes.
Flavor follows closely to the aroma. I also get some resinous pine on the back of the sip. Light maltiness on the mid-tongue as well.
Light to medium body, resin, nicely carbonated. Some hop zing keeps the soft mouthfeel from falling into pillowy territory.
Well, this is a nice beer. I’m not overly impressed by it though. I wonder if my expectations got in the way? I purchased this at CBC in Waterbury, VT at the recommendation of one of the staff there, so I think I was expecting something really impressive. Instead, what I find is a nice beer that I would gladly drink multiple of. I can’t help but think of Augie Carton's differentiation between drinking beers and statement beers, and this is definitely in the former category, in a very nice way.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours a deep orange color with a frothy white head that recedes to a thin film and a ring, leaving fair lacing behind on the glass.
Tropical fruit – mainly mango – greets the nose. An expanded aroma of slight stone fruit or peach or apricot and tangerine are added to the mix. Additional warmth brings a slight dankness to it. A strong inhale pulls out some fresh, light malt notes.
Flavor follows closely to the aroma. I also get some resinous pine on the back of the sip. Light maltiness on the mid-tongue as well.
Light to medium body, resin, nicely carbonated. Some hop zing keeps the soft mouthfeel from falling into pillowy territory.
Well, this is a nice beer. I’m not overly impressed by it though. I wonder if my expectations got in the way? I purchased this at CBC in Waterbury, VT at the recommendation of one of the staff there, so I think I was expecting something really impressive. Instead, what I find is a nice beer that I would gladly drink multiple of. I can’t help but think of Augie Carton's differentiation between drinking beers and statement beers, and this is definitely in the former category, in a very nice way.
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4.29/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
16oz. can into Night Shift stemware.
Nose is papaya, mango, cane sugar and dank citrus. Fragrant with a great fruit sweetness. Beer opens pine, grass, papaya, pineapple and cane sugar. There's a bright hop bitterness up front with tropical fruit flavors slowly working their way in to create a nice balance. This is really excellent. Body is light to medium with moderate to low carbonation. Slightly prickly in the mouth and goes down soft with a messy, lingering, quenching finish. Incredibly drinkable.
A really impressive beer. Excellent balance with great hop and fruit flavors all around that is tied together masterfully with a feel that makes you go back for more.
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look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
16oz. can into Night Shift stemware.
Nose is papaya, mango, cane sugar and dank citrus. Fragrant with a great fruit sweetness. Beer opens pine, grass, papaya, pineapple and cane sugar. There's a bright hop bitterness up front with tropical fruit flavors slowly working their way in to create a nice balance. This is really excellent. Body is light to medium with moderate to low carbonation. Slightly prickly in the mouth and goes down soft with a messy, lingering, quenching finish. Incredibly drinkable.
A really impressive beer. Excellent balance with great hop and fruit flavors all around that is tied together masterfully with a feel that makes you go back for more.
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4.48/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Dynamite APA. Opaque yellow-orange with a sturdy foam. Highly expressive aromas of guava, banana, and peach. The palate is just as expressive, full of flavor, yet perfectly dry. Strong herbaceousness underlies the fruit and adds complexity and balance. Absolutely delicious and bar-setting for the style. [12/18 can into shaker pint glass]
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Dynamite APA. Opaque yellow-orange with a sturdy foam. Highly expressive aromas of guava, banana, and peach. The palate is just as expressive, full of flavor, yet perfectly dry. Strong herbaceousness underlies the fruit and adds complexity and balance. Absolutely delicious and bar-setting for the style. [12/18 can into shaker pint glass]
339 characters
First Drop from Upper Pass Beer Company
Beer rating:
92 out of
100 with
260 ratings
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