Hip 2 the Hops #2
Upper Pass Beer Company

 

Poured into a becher pint glass, the appearance was a soft semi-hazy orange/copper color with a sheet of white foamy head sitting atop finely and then dissipating gently. Some messy lace ran here and there.
The aroma had some orange zest, lemon rind, grassy/earthy hops, a nice level of pine rounds out the edges.
The flavor was moderately sweet with a certain snappy zesty pine bending over a sweet cracker malt. Mild aftertaste of pine and orange zest.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sessionability about it. Carbonation felt fine. ABV felt on par. Mild zesty to piney sort of finish.
Overall, very nice Vermont styled IPA well worthy of coming back to.

 

A mandarin orange floats happily in a pool of fruit cocktail syrup. Expecting a charge of pure sweetness, you are surprised at the perfectly balanced dance of malt to hop ratio. My first Upper Pass experience and so very impressed. A bit of pine comes through as the glass warms, but I had to look for it. Mouthfeel was to style and I wish I could my hands on more. Cheers Vermont.

Golden in color. fairly clear in appearance. Orange, citrus zest, melon and a hint of pine. Lighter bodied. Higher carbonation. Light and crisp feel. Solid IPA.

 

 

 

 

From a 16oz can, dated 01/16/15. I'm going to go ahead and believe that this wasn't really canned three years ago, that the print just sort of squished on the concave can bottom, making an '8' look life a '5.' Anyway, served in a spiegelau-type IPA glass.

Pours a cheerful, pale, light sunshiney gold of startling clarity - startling because I don't expect that kind of clarity in NE beer... unless, of course, it really has been sitting around for three years? A meager half finger of white head doesn't stick around long enough to really get a look at but it does leave a thin, filmy collar.

Meager nose that doesn't really smell like anything. Of course, it doesn't help that I was just cleaning bathrooms and my hands smell like PineSol. But, still, I can't smell any beer.

Taste is another story. Pineapple and caramel followed by blueberries and balsam. Actually, about mid way in, the blueberry character really dominates, which is something I don't think I've experienced before. Nice balance of juicy and bitter ending with some happy-go-lucky fruity-piney hop oils tickling my tongue.

Mouthfeel is creamy. The beer is medium bodied but the carbonation is quite low which makes it feel a little heftier.

The label bears the standard warning about pregnant women and heavy machinery but should probably also caution the consumer that the contents are not hazy and don't smell like anything because, personally, my first reaction was OMG! Something's wrong! Unwarranted as it happens because the contents were rather tasty.

 

 

Moderate pour yields a 3/4 inch white head over a bright, almost clear body with some lacing. Nose of pine, citrus, tropical fruit, and a bit of candied citrus. Taste of citrus, tropical fruit, and a bit of pine bitterness on the back end with a nice dry, crisp finish. Nice feel and overall a real nice easy drinking offering from the crew at Upper Pass (and von Trapp!) for a job well done. Cheers!