Upheaval IPA
Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

Poured from 12 oz bottle into a DFH IPA glass. The bottle was stored in a fridge at roughly 45 degrees and purchased as soon as the beer released –drank within 2 months from bottling date. The pour is hazy dark amber in color, two finger carbonated head with cream color, the head sticks for a while until it subdues to a thin foamy crust that still covers the entire surface of the glass. As you drink the beer, the head leaves a short-lived patchy decorative lacing.

Initially, the aroma is a citrusy in-your-face smell that stings with zesty grapefruit and lime, behind it a honey aroma evolves as your senses pick up the spectrum of its flavors. After a few times smelling the brew, I get a very dank aroma consisting of papaya and mango – just as you would smell the basket of ripened fruit containing these at a farmer’s market. The taste is a caramel sweet and fruity (mango, papaya and grapefruit) initially, leading to a very bitter finish that is not as hop-forward as I expected. In fact, to my surprise, there wasn’t much of a hop presence which is uncharacteristic of PNW IPAs – doubtful if due to “bottled to drank” elapsed time but possible.

Mouthfeel is creamier than I would’ve thought – I expected this being a PNW IPA with 7% ABV it would be crisp and with more carbonation (let alone hoppier). The mouthfeel, in my opinion, makes the dankness and ripened fruit flavors more pronounced effectively minimizing the minute hop flavor.

Overall – I was not too impressed with this offering although it’s not bad either. Not something I would seek out or buy again but at the same time I wouldn’t shy away from it if offered.

RB transfer

I remember the label. Had this beer a number of years back. Don't remember specifics but a real good IPA.

 

 

 

Looks like I first had this in the summer of 2014. Pours golden pony boy with a slight amount of cloudiness, they used wheat in the beer, but it doesn't appear to be of the flaked variety with 2019 hazies. White head 1/3". Aroma is lightly hoppy for an ipa. While it has Nelson hops, they must be in a very small quantity, because they don't have a lasting impact in the nose, or really any discernible impact at all.

Taste reveals a little bit why. Seems like there is mostly Chinook and Simcoe here, giving a ibu challenge kind of feel to this 75ibu range banger. Its that pine, grapefruit dry bitterness that doesn't push much of the flavor profile, more inclined to push the mouth feel in a dry bitter direction. Malt body is lower for them not imparting as much heft or caramel as they often have in the past, but still more than most are doing these days on the craft side of things. Carbonation and consistency are good here. Its a good beer at a very good price.

Pours a cloudy golden color with silky foam head. Smell is very light hops. Feel is medium to light body. Taste is the best of the categories. Very well balanced on hops and malt and I don’t think this is bitter. Citrus and pine followed by a malt backbone. I know this is unfiltered and it’s a pretty decent balanced IPA offering.

Had this on 2019-05-26 in Portland, OR at the Portlans Rose Festival on tap.

A - Pretty hazy orange with a short white head.

S - Orange, light malt and floral

T - Orange, herbal and earthy spice, moderately bitter.

M - Light-medium body and carbonation.

O - Generic but hit the spot while walking around the festival.

 

 

 

The appearance is deceptive. Looks beautiful, but falls flat in its complexity. A bit heavy-handed, and the flavors feel overpowering at times. Vigorously hoppy and bold, but very dry, and booze bitter for barely 7% alcohol. Still pretty a good beer overall though, for the price.

 

Amber color with a thick off-white head with good retention.
Refreshing aroma with notes of mint, mild caramel, a bit of apricot and pine.
Flavor with notes of pine, spices, grapefruit, slightly toasted and caramel malts, some white and yellow fruit, resin, tangerines and earth. Dry and bitter aftertaste.
Medium body with appropriate carbonation.
Decent American IPA combining earthy, spicy and piney notes.