Strawberry Lambic - Upland Brewing Company

nhindian

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Blind Beer #3 from Khazadum, with the text: "Sargent Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band would approve."

Just to start with: Fuck this beer. I haven't even gotten it into my glass (but it got everywhere else) and I already hate it. For starters, the cage holding the cork on is incredibly thin, yet tightly wound, so I cut my thumbs and forefingers up just trying to open it. Then, after I popped it, a steady geyser of foam exploded to greet my face, stove, kitchen floor, and counter, before I nearly threw it into the sink. About 8 minutes and half the bottle later, the creep of foam finally stopped.

Glassware recommendations say flute, snifter, or tulip. After smelling my hands and kitchen and having a good 10 minutes to think on it, I decide that this smells Belgian and go for a Cantillon wine glass.

A - A careful pour to avoid another eruption ends with the glass full of a murky, light orange liquid, almost completely opaque. A 1-finger, eggshell white head lays precariously on top, with moderate retention. A nice ring of foam sticks around for what seems like forever, which is how long this beer gushed for. It looks like it will lace a little, but it tricks me and it trickles down. Like it tricked me in thinking I'd be getting a full bottle of beer. Bastard. (3/5)

S - After my first smell of this beer (which came from wiping it off of my hand, not smelling it in the glass) led me to believe this is a lambic. It's pretty sour smelling and a little musty, with a good amount of barnyard funk in here. Getting a variety of fruits in here from green apple to peaches and oranges or tangerines. I'm also getting some wood or cork as well, coming across as damp cardboard or packing peanuts. Dank and musty like a long-forgotten cellar. (3.5/5)

T - Following in the vein of the nose, this is nice and tart, with a good amount of Brett and Lacto in here. Again, the cornucopia of fruits continues, but now it's more focused on the citrus. The tanginess and tartness is throwing me a little, but I'm thinking it's more tangerine here. (4/5)

M - Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with good carbonation. I was expecting this to be overly carbonated due to the gushing, but it actually feels pretty good on the mouth here. Almost a completely bone-dry finish leaves the palate feeling clean. The combination of all these factors makes it quite pleasant to drink. (4/5)

D/O - As I drink this beer, it starts to win me over. The boisterous entrance likens it to a dear friend who lets himself go at parties; it's not pretty and you want to distance yourself from him, but when he's calm and sober, he's good to have around. This is nice and easy to drink, and thankfully I still have half a bottle to drink after this glass... oh wait. (4/5)

I'm sticking with my lambic prediction here and based on the rather unconventional flavors here, I'm thinking its a U.S. brewery. I want to say either Upland Peach Lambic or Persimmon Lambic, and the big citrus I'm getting is making me go with Persimmon.

The reveal: Upland Strawberry Lambic. No shit. After drinking more after the reveal I guess I can strain to find some strawberry, but I'm still hard-pressed to find it. Still a good beer in any case!

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 23:21:44 | More by nhindian

strangebrew321

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

05-20-2013 16:44:58 | More by strangebrew321

Kelp

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +9%

05-14-2013 06:47:57 | More by Kelp

kscaldef

Oregon

3/5  rDev -23.1%

04-22-2013 05:39:07 | More by kscaldef

jaminjohnson

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +9%

04-07-2013 03:02:15 | More by jaminjohnson

brystmar

New York

3.5/5  rDev -10.3%

03-27-2013 03:07:43 | More by brystmar

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

03-09-2013 22:41:00 | More by spycow

t0rin0

California

4.25/5  rDev +9%

03-04-2013 17:00:09 | More by t0rin0

huskermike12

Iowa

4/5  rDev +2.6%

03-04-2013 16:12:00 | More by huskermike12

scottfrie

California

3.9/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottled 9/23/2010. Sampled alongside the other seven fruit lambics.

Gusher bottle bomb.
A: Pours a hazy golden peach color with a huge white head that quickly faded to a thin collar.
S: Tart citrus nose with just faint hints of strawberries and peaches. Floral and perfumey smelling.
T: Mellow flavors of strawberry jelly or jam with a citrus peel finish.
M: Medium-full body, chewy mouthfeel, fuzzy carbonation, low acidic bite.
O: Good but definitely a difficult flavor to impart. Not my favorite of the bunch, perhaps better fresh.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 01:52:54 | More by scottfrie

leschkie

California

4.75/5  rDev +21.8%

02-19-2013 06:52:54 | More by leschkie

beernads

Florida

4/5  rDev +2.6%

02-08-2013 09:51:04 | More by beernads

CJS

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

02-03-2013 19:09:05 | More by CJS

nataku00

California

4.5/5  rDev +15.4%

01-21-2013 06:37:21 | More by nataku00

flexabull

California

4.25/5  rDev +9%

01-21-2013 02:34:05 | More by flexabull

MordorMongo

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

01-13-2013 23:51:59 | More by MordorMongo

AlexFields

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +2.6%

01-11-2013 23:24:43 | More by AlexFields

Riggsy

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.8%

12-15-2012 21:35:15 | More by Riggsy

Phoenix2443

Texas

4/5  rDev +2.6%

10-26-2012 21:24:15 | More by Phoenix2443

nathanjohnson

Vermont

3.25/5  rDev -16.7%

10-20-2012 23:12:21 | More by nathanjohnson

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Split the 750 bottle with the lady.

Well I guess I should say I split half of a 750 bottle because that's about how much was left after it spewed all over the place upon opening. Pours hazy orange with no head or lacing.

Sweet tart aroma. Loads of funk, blue cheese and serious must. Mild fruit aroma, but wouldn't pick it out as strawberry.

Very tart. More of a lemon presence as the strawberries aren't very assertive on the palate. Very sour and finishes very dry and puckering.

Mouthfeel was a touch on the thin side with obviously more than ample carbonation.

Aside from only getting to drink half the bottle, a decent sour although far from Upland's best offering.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 13:03:24 | More by jmarsh123

GRG1313

California

4/5  rDev +2.6%

08-20-2012 06:50:01 | More by GRG1313

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.23/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 Vintage received in trade from TexIndy, thanks for the opportunity.
Based on previous reviews I got this really cold and opened it up over the sink. In retrospect I didn't have to do that.
Pours a crystal clear deep golden orange color with a nice but small bubbly white head that disappears rather quickly. Smells of lemons, old cheese, gym socks and a hint of berry if I strain a bit. Yeah there's some funk in here.The flavor is nice not as harsh as I was expecting. There's a solid dose of lemony tartness prickling the front of the tongue and the strawberry comes through subtly. There's some still a hint of sweet malt a solid funky flavor and a lot of lactic acid. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a tart acidic mouthfeel. This is quite a nice sour, I'm glad I got to try it.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 00:39:01 | More by johnnnniee

thagr81us

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to aasher for handing this one off to me in our most recent massive in-person trade! Thanks Al! This one was shared during the big Upland sour tasting amongst a large group of BAs! Served from bottle into a Boulevard tulip. Poured a hazy orange with a half finger white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, strawberry, funk, tart, and diaper (NOW THAT’S SOME FUNK!). The flavor was of sweet malt, strawberry, funk, sour, tart, and earth. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a good brew. Upon smelling this one and picking up on a note of diaper with others in the group agreeing I knew this brew was going to bring the funk. Sure enough, it was rather funky with a nice sweetness from the strawberry to balance it out. A really well put together brew that I would love to drink everyday if possible.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 10:59:33 | More by thagr81us

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

pour is dark hazy orange and thin bubbly white head. The nose is heavy band aid and plastic. Dusty Brett and seedy strawberry with a light lactic note. The taste is solid, strong seedy strawberry, light band aid, dusty Brett, fairly sour, light lactic note. Assertive carbonation, fairly dry, light body.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 16:47:30 | More by cpetrone84