Teddy Bear Kisses - Upland Brewing Company

nhindian

Pennsylvania

2.55/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

22oz bottle poured into a Lost Abbey Patron Sinner's tulip. Bottles generously provided by stfun37 and denimdemon in separate trade, both as extras. Thanks a ton, guys!

Bottled in September 2010.

A - Much like the label portrays, this beer pours like the shade of your room when you know it's dark, but your eyes have adjusted and you can pick out gray and dark brown mingling in the shadows. Only a little, half-finger of head appears, tan in appearance, with low retention. Likewise, the lacing is thin and wispy, without covering a lot of glass.

S - Very nice and robust nose on this from the start. Big wafts of espresso roast, bittersweet cocoa nibs, burnt sugar, slight ash, and a bit of molasses. Quite rich, and entirely satisfying.

T - Starts off awesome, with that roastiness that gives off great flavors and depth, leading into the almost milk chocolate richness. However, it deteriorates much too quickly into an ash and almost char bomb. I don't know what happened, but halfway through my glass, each sip was more and more difficult to get down, and there's an eerie soy taste in the finish that is depressing as well. It feels like an overly roasted coffee, and at times even burnt. The word that best comes to mind is 'acrid'.

M - Mouthfeel is is moderately heavy-bodied with decent carbonation. The feeling isn't awful, its just that the flavors do not complement it in any way. Fairly smooth with a nice body to it.

D/O - Drinkability is moderately low. The first half of this beer is a joy, but after a bit it just becomes too much. Aggressive roast bitterness (even acridness) assaults the palate and makes it a slow sipper at bit. A bit of a disappointment given the appetizing nose, but alas.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 01:26:43 | More by nhindian

drgonzo2k2

California

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%

05-19-2013 14:29:23 | More by drgonzo2k2

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.81/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Received in trade from ajzy, thanks for thew opportunity!
Pours a solid dark brown/black color with a decent sized tan head that persists for a while before falling to a cap on top. Smells of roast and chocolate with a solid earthy hop edge and a faint plastic phenol. The flavor is roast and chocolate up front with enough roast and earthy hop flavor to provide more than enough balance. Light bits of dark chocolate and Hershey's syrup mixed with a faint oxidized character round things out. Thick body with a light level of carbonation and a sweet rich chocolate mouthfeel. Nice brew, a couple of minor flaws, I enjoyed it for what is was.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 01:00:00 | More by johnnnniee

monitorpop

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

05-16-2013 10:23:20 | More by monitorpop

BrianSherry

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +19.7%

05-01-2013 20:43:33 | More by BrianSherry

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%

05-01-2013 05:44:10 | More by spycow

TheDarkKnight

Delaware

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%

04-24-2013 23:57:56 | More by TheDarkKnight

markasparov

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -15.5%

04-17-2013 02:25:49 | More by markasparov

IrishColonial

Virginia

2/5  rDev -43.7%

04-17-2013 02:24:58 | More by IrishColonial

bluejacket74

Ohio

4/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle, bottled October 2012. Served in a snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with about a half inch light tan head. Head retention is OK, and there's a lot of lacing. The brew smells mostly like roasted malt and dark chocolate, along with some coffee and dark fruit. It tastes like roasted malt, dark and milk chocolate, coffee, burnt/charred malt, and some dark fruit. There's a nice lingering sweet chocolately finish. I think it tastes better compared to the aroma, the flavors just seem stronger to me. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's creamy and coating with a good amount of carbonation. Definitely worth a try, I wouldn't mind picking up a bomber of this again. $7.99 a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 23:43:38 | More by bluejacket74

smithj4

New York

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%

04-07-2013 04:03:54 | More by smithj4

metter98

New York

3.65/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a thin beige head that quickly died down, leaving lacing on the surface along with a thin collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas or roasted malts and cocoa nibs are present in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of dark roasted malts along with a moderate amount of bitterness plus notes of cocoa nibs. The bitterness lingers through the finish.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer definitely tastes like a Russian Imperial Stout with the roastiness and bitterness with some added complexity from the cocoa nibs. The alcohol is rather well masked from the taste.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 03:38:49 | More by metter98

chugalug06

Colorado

3.96/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Very little brown-rust colored head rises from an oil black brew.

Smokey, roasty, heavily malted, tons of molasses, dark chocolate, and slight kick of licorice.

Solid, a bit thin. Robust, coffee, chocolate, toasty. Heavyer carbonation than I would have imagined. Slight rust flavor, mildly off. Dry and nicely bitter.

Nice beer, can't say i'll still be ISO, but nice. Glad I finally got to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 22:01:22 | More by chugalug06

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

3.71/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Appearance - no light is getting through this one. A thick creamy head of mocha foam is going nowhere and is very sticky. Excellent retention, a thick wall of lace is around half the glass.

Aroma - dark roasted grain, a touch of soy. Not very expressive, though some chocolate emerges with warmth.

Taste - huge blast of roasted grain, dark, slightly burnt. The swallow is a touch ashy, the hop bitterness is drying to enhance that even more. No sugar to this beer either, a very dry experience all around. A bit metallic early, excellent dark chocolate flavor on the aftertaste and finish. A couple elements taken on a deep dive. Very tasty, wouldn't mind a hint of malt sweetness though.

Mouthfeel - weighty but not as much as I was expecting. Very fluffy, that should tame down if I am patient. A bit thin for an imperial.

Overall - excellent sipper on the last evening of Winter '13. Nice job Upland!

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 01:34:08 | More by brewdlyhooked13

guytyping

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

03-16-2013 23:34:03 | More by guytyping

PhillyStyle

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%

03-14-2013 03:51:00 | More by PhillyStyle

gunclubchris

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

03-08-2013 04:56:09 | More by gunclubchris

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

03-07-2013 19:25:17 | More by orangesol

CaptainNomihodai

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%

03-05-2013 03:08:56 | More by CaptainNomihodai

t0rin0

California

2.75/5  rDev -22.5%

03-04-2013 17:00:35 | More by t0rin0

RWNewhouse

Montana

2.75/5  rDev -22.5%

02-28-2013 04:56:45 | More by RWNewhouse

MSandahl23

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +19.7%

02-17-2013 08:54:46 | More by MSandahl23

Etan

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750ml.

A: Pretty nice appearance. Glassy black body with a thick tan head, lots of lacing.

S: Light char, roasted grain, mildly sweet chocolate in the nose.

T: Starts on the palate with sweet milk chocolate, followed by heavy notes of charred grain. The bitter roastiness feels a bit harsh and metallic when the beer is colder, but as it warms it smooths out a bit. There's almost a vanilla-like sweetness that comes back after the roasted malt fades.

M: Between medium and thick-bodied with creamy carbonation.

O: Not nearly as bad as I expected. Yes, the roasted malt should be toned down a bit, but the chocolate shines through nicely and the mouthfeel is good.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 02:31:50 | More by Etan

vodkammunion90

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +26.8%

02-12-2013 03:02:27 | More by vodkammunion90

bigclydeoliver

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -8.5%

02-10-2013 01:22:06 | More by bigclydeoliver