Upslope Pale Ale - Upslope Brewing Company

DelMontiac

Oklahoma

4.13/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Good to have bro-in-laws in high places - like the Rocky Mountains.

Poured from the can into a pint glass the way it was intended. Visualize a clear light scattering golden yellow capped with nearly two fingers of mountain snow white bubbles. Lacing is scant and delicate.

Although the aroma is not massive and in your face, it is pleasant. Cupping the glass allows me to capture the citrus fruit, banana, and floral hops and forces them to billow up to the nose.

Well balanced flavors here. Sweet malty caramel backbone flanked by citrus orange and lemon balanced by a mild and floral and spicy hop tang. Some sweet banana lingering with a dry but refreshing finish. Love this. What a great break from monster beers and nuclear hop bomb assaults!

Medium body with ample carb and dry finish hits the spot. All this and somewhat velvety.

I love this brewery. I love this beer for what it is and what it isn't. I must get more as Spring arrives.

Serving type: can

03-15-2013 00:19:19 | More by DelMontiac

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

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

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #41 (Jun 2010):

More craft in cans! Not as crisp as expected, nor is the head as large as expected, but nearly clear and pretty smooth. Doughy malt and citric zest-like hops in the nose. Bitterness is modest and balancing at first, but sip after sip, it tingles and coats more. Fine and clean alcoholic ester rides along with that hop character. A bit raw, but relatively clean. Maltiness ranges from grassiness to a nutty, bready flavor. Brewed to style rather than trying to be something it is not. Defining canned craft in a great way!

Serving type: can

01-11-2011 03:05:20 | More by BeerAdvocate

emmasdad

Colorado

3.98/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Finally got around to picking this one up, after enjoying the IPA on a number of occasions. Pours a medium copper color, with a decent little light beige head. Nice hops on the nose, along with a little caramel and some bready malt. Smooth, nicely carbonated and easy to drink on yet another hot day in Denver.

Serving type: can

09-02-2010 04:50:14 | More by emmasdad

znichols

Wisconsin

3.95/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Light gold with about half an inch of off-white head that lingers towards the sides of the glass as it sits.

Smell: Muted, but there. I get a little sweet biscuit at first moving towards a little spicy hop aroma.

Taste: Soft caramel, toffee and bread flavor from the malt. Transitions pretty quickly to a combo of spicy and somewhat piney hop flavor. Very surprised at how long the flavor lingers on the tongue for how balanced and sessionable it is.

Mouthfeel: Medium. Appropriate to the style.

Overall: Very solid pale ale. I haven't found many pale ales as balanced as this. I tend to prefer my APA's a little hoppier, but this shows a little more malt. As others have said, it might be closer to a hoppy amber ale. Highly recommended for a summer sipper. Clean and refreshing.

Serving type: can

Serving type: can

05-23-2011 02:30:00 | More by znichols

LittleDon

Texas

3.93/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden yellow and hazy with plenty of carbonation. Thick bleached white head that dissipates into a healthy amount of lace. Grainy aroma with a touch of both hops and caramel. Big up front with a bitter middle. A bit of a bite from the carbonation. Crisp bitter finish with a hint of spiciness that reminds me of a decent cigar. Medium mouthfeel. Bold enough to make a good pairing with a cigar.

Serving type: can

09-26-2009 19:26:42 | More by LittleDon

SamN

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Colored a bit like an macro adjunct. Slightly hazy, golden straw color. Thick creamy head with classic hop lacing in e glass. Smell of toasty biscuits, honey malts, citrus fruits like oranges or grapefruits. Taste is quite balanced between the mlts and crisp hops. Sweeter and very refreshing, uplifting taste, highlighting the reasons I prefer American pales to IPAs. This beer has a definite sweet fruit edge. Feel is somewhat watery, but not too bad.

Pretty good APA from Boulder. Yay for cans.

Serving type: can

03-26-2011 20:52:58 | More by SamN

kkrez

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Upslope Pale pours a clear golden color with an off white head.

The aroma is of doughy malt and crisp citrus hops.

Taste follows in suit with citrus and slightly grassy hops with a doughy and biscuity malt balancer.

This beer is highly drinkable and sessionable. Upslope Pale Ale uses pilsner malt which lightens up the body and increases drinkability and also allows the hops to shine through.

Overall, I love this offering. It is light and sessionable, nice on a hot day, and getting warm in my golf bag actually increases the hop characteristic a bit.

Serving type: can

11-06-2011 19:45:19 | More by kkrez

rowew

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz silver can, fairly simple design with the company's logo and a red/brown pattern. Ingredients: Snowmelt, malt, Patagonian hops, yeast. ABV is marked, but I don't see anything that resembles a date.

Appearance: Poured into a dimpled mug. Gold color with just a slight hint of red, nice head that has pretty good retention, slight lacing.

Smell: Reminds me of noble hops, a bit of a bready malt flavor.

Taste: I'm not familiar with Patagonian hops, and I'm sure they grow in many varieties, but just like the smell these remind me of the noble hops in a lot of European beers. Hops dominate in flavor but are not overpowering.

Overall impression: This is a pretty drinkable beer - in my taste notes it may sound like the hops are too much - but I wouldn't really describe it as a hoppy beer, that is just the flavor that pops out the most. Always nice to see a new local brewer, especially one putting out cans.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2008 19:09:20 | More by rowew

syrupjoe

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can into pint glass.

Pours with a whopping two finger creamy white head, with great foamy lacing. Pale golden color with a hint of red.

Nose is grainy (smells like British malt), yeasty, and a bit grassy/oniony.

Taste is very grainy, bready, and a bit graham crackery. Hops are decently bitter and contribute a bit of pineyness. Some spicy pepperyness.

Mouthfeel is very smooth with moderate carbonation.

Overall I'm glad I bought a sixer of this brew while in the area. Not a super unique beer, and doesn't really fit the style that well but I will enjoy all six of them (unless I have to share) and will definitely grab more when it's available.

Serving type: can

08-15-2011 02:31:00 | More by syrupjoe

StoneTSR

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

APPEARANCE: Pale, yellow-straw and crystal clear. Hundreds, maybe thousands of bubbles are streaming up from the bottom as soon as I pour this beer. The stark-white head is about 3/4 of an inch thick to start, but quickly falls to a 1/4 inch. The lacing is outstanding on this Moylan's pint glass. Seriously. Outstanding.

SMELL: The aroma is disappointing. In fact, almost non-existent.

TASTE: This is a ridiculously balanced Pale Ale. There really isn't any sort of malt or hop "wave in this one like there is with most other Pale Ales. Instead, it seems to be wonderfully balanced all the way through. The citrus from the hops (mostly lemon) is present, but not overwhelming all the way through and the sweetness from the malt is just enough to make this an easy drinker. A little spice gives this beer some character.

MOUTHFEEL: This is a very well carbonated beer. It is also crisp, clean and dry. I would describe the feel as "playful". Light bodied and really a great feel.

OVERALL: There really aren't a lot other beers out there like this. It is an easy-drinking, lighter bodied Pale Ale that is absolutely loaded with flavor. Boulderites who are spoiled with access to this beer often overlook just how well done and unique it truly is.

Serving type: can

08-27-2012 10:11:44 | More by StoneTSR

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I was waitin' on the effin' Old Lady to send me some of this when a stellar CANTrader came through in the meantime. Kudos to him, leave her alongside the road. My life as a C&W song in a CAN.

From said CAN: "Ingredients - Snowmelt, Malt, Patagonian Hops, Yeast. Specs - Hand-Crafted, Aluminum CAN, Portable, Recyclable, Good. Crisp, Clear, Dry".

I personally love the CRACK of a CAN being opened and the subsequent Glug, glug, glug sound as it rushes into my glass. I remember one respondent to a CANQuest (TM) post saying that those were the very things that put him off of CANned beers, but for me, they are the equivalent of bells to Pavlov's dogs or the CAN opener to my brother's late cat. Man, I just CAN't wait to try some of that beer!

I began with a finger of bone-white head, but unlike the Grateful Dead's Sugar Magnolia, it did not wait while I typed for you. Color was lazing in the sunlight, a golden-honey like deep amber with NE-quality clarity. Nose was as grassy as a new-mown lawn or the parking lot of a Dead show (no, sorry, different grass, especially with The Man peeping in). This had everything delightful, this had everything I need in an APA. There was some grassy hops initially on the tongue, but then I caught some beautiful malty sweetness. I knew I'd have to come up soon for air. It had everything delightful and everything I need except for piney-ness, but it had the sun and bright moonlight as I was lazing in the moonlight, yes indeed. Finish left me in a haze, like I had been at a Dead show. Still, a nice, smooth finish with the malt doing a good balancing act with the hops. Throw this in your cooler and head out for some summer love in the spring, fall and winter.

I CANnot tell you why I was inspired to write an homage to the Grateful Dead but the review should still be taken seriously. After all, are we not to have fun?

Serving type: can

07-07-2010 06:20:25 | More by woodychandler

spoony

Colorado

3.79/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

From a 12 oz can into a globe glass.

A-The brew is light golden in color and clear. There is some visible carbonation. The head starts out as two fingers of dense, white foam that drops to less than a finger after a minute or two.

S-The aroma is interesting for a pale ale. It trends toward the sweet, fruity, and floral side of things, not the sharp, peppery aroma I would have anticipated. There is a touch of biscuit-flavored pale malts to go along with the floral notes.

T-The taste tracks the smell. Thus, I get bright, floral, almost-citrusy fruit flavors. There is also a light nutty flavor (peanuts, not bitter like almonds or walnut skins). The beer is pretty well-balanced.

M-The feel is medium-bodied with a little roll of fine carbonation that adds some punch to an otherwise creamy body.

O-This is a unique take on a pale ale. Unlike other, sharper flavored brews, this one lets the floral and fruit notes come through. I'm not entirely convinced it works with my palate, but it is not a bad brew, nevertheless. This beer is for those on the look-out for a little something different.

Serving type: can

03-23-2013 03:58:29 | More by spoony

GilGarp

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First time I've seen this one outside of Boulder so I picked up one of this and one of their IPA. There are some great pale ale/ipa/dipa available in cans around (speaking of dale's and gordon, of course) here so this will have a lot to live up to.

Can states it was made with snow melt - seems a little cheesy and gimicky.

Pours into a pint glass a pale golden yellow color. Good clarity and head sticks around a while. No lacing to be seen.

Aroma is mildly hoppy overtones on top of a very bland (i.e. cereal) malt backbone. Not very impressive so far.

Flavor is better than expected but still nothing special. Good balance and the hops are a little more forward than in the nose. A little spicy and a little sweet.

Mouthfeel is medium-light in body and moderate carbonation. Good balance, like I said.

Overall it's not bad but, then again, it's not that special or unique either. With all of the amazing pale ales and IPAs available these days, you need to have a pretty great product to break into the market on those two alone. Hopefully they will do some other styles and really knock it out of the park with those!

Serving type: can

10-15-2009 22:04:27 | More by GilGarp

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.73/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

One finger of head on a medium straw colored body.
Smell is a subtle grapefruit and pine. It's nice.
Great flavor of lemon, grapefruit and mild malt.
Fizzy texture in the best way. Moderate carbonation and medium body.
The texture and flavor combine well together and make it a beer to find and try.

Serving type: can

01-04-2013 07:22:12 | More by Fatehunter

rawfish

California

3.68/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours from the can, a bit hazy when cold, grain colored with a 2 finger rocky white head that settles into a fine layer. Leaves rings of lacing on the glass.

Very grainy and raw, a little bit of canned corn with the same type of sweetness. Some white grape as well. Hops are muted and full of pine.

Malt profile is very light, grainy and a bit creamy. Hops add a lingering bitter note but not much else to the flavor, slightly earthy and pine. Very much like a lager in body and malt profile, less crisp and dry than what I would expect but active bitterness.

Light body with active but pleasant carbonation. Very smooth and drinkable.

A rather simple and enjoyable brew, sessionable and matches style well. Nothing ground shaking but well put together.

Serving type: can

04-13-2011 02:37:29 | More by rawfish

birchstick

Missouri

3.65/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - pours a clear orangeish yellow without much of a head

S - smells of bready malts and nice citrusy hops

T - nice caramel and bready malts open this up. These are balanced by some bitter grapefruit hops. Ends with a lingering bitterness, but not as bitter as an IPA would leave. Pretty solid profile for an APA.

M - medium to full bodied, but it goes down a little watery; decent carbonation - average mouthfeel.

D - this is a pretty good APA. I love the snowmelt reference in the ingredients. So far I have been really impressed with this brewery. Thanks to krayziejman for the opportunity.

Serving type: can

01-16-2011 20:42:25 | More by birchstick

bluetravlr

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Decent initial head, but this fades very quickly leaving just a few bubbles by the end of the glass. Surprisingly clear. Golden/yellow with just a touch of amber coloring. Little to no lacing.

S: A faint sweet, slightly grassy scent with a touch of citrus.

T: Initial flavors of caramel and malts are balanced by a hoppy, slightly bitter finish. Notes of grapefruit and pear. Nicely balanced, though slightly watery.

M: Nicely carbonated, but a little on the thin side.

D: Definitely a session beer. No question this beer goes down easy.

A little on the simple side for my liking. This is a good beer, but there really isn't anything special about it. If it didn't taste slightly watered down I'd say they really hit the style, but it's a bit too thin and thus a bit too bland. Decent but not great.

Serving type: can

05-03-2009 22:37:46 | More by bluetravlr

Yeastcakes

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Serving notes - 45F, poured from the can into imperial pint glass.
A - one finger of head upon pour that quickly dissipates to a thin film. Crystal clear light straw.
A - grassy hop aroma with some buscuitiness.
M - Medium body with light carbonation.
T - Same grassy hops from the aroma. Smooth sweetness across the entire palate with some residual sweetness on the back of the tongue. This quickly fades though for a very dry overall finish.
D - very drinkable beer. Could be a little maltier for my personal pallet, but a good effort by a newer brewer in Boulder. Also like the cans.

Serving type: can

09-05-2009 03:02:37 | More by Yeastcakes

htomsirveaux

Texas

3.6/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. can tried 28 May 2010.

Poured in a Celis shaker pint. Large cream colored head. Well carbonated. Faintly hazy bright orange yellow color. Aroma of light sweet grains. Pretty sweet and malty. Bit of resin through middle into the finish. Bittersweet lingering aftertaste. Becomes hazier as more of the beer is poured. Becomes more bitter as it warms, a touch of butter at the end. Foamy mouthfeel. Mild ethanol.

Fortunately the touch of butter was fairly minimal.

Serving type: can

06-10-2010 02:37:51 | More by htomsirveaux

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.58/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got this from Bitterbill, cheers Bill! Review based on notes

Pours a light straw color with 3 fingers of pearl colored head. Average head retention & lacing

S: Grassy & piney hops, faint breadyness

T: Bready with citrussy hops & a flinty dryness up front. Breadyness along with pineyness & lemony hops as this warms. Finishes with grassy & mineral hop notes & slight breadyness

MF: Light bodied, with soft carbonation & good balance

Drinks easy, but could've used more flavor across the board, these guys aren't cause much concern for OB any time soon from what I can see...

Serving type: can

08-30-2010 21:50:13 | More by russpowell

brentk56

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a clear straw color with an inch or two of foam that leaves a decent trace

Smell: Very bready, with sweet undertones and a rather bitter, slightly minty hop character

Taste: Opens with the bready flavor from the aroma, with a developing sense of caramel that arrives by mid-palate; after the swallow, the earthy and slightly minty bittering hops take over but there is no real flavor beyond the bitterness

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: I am not crazy about the Patagonian hop selection for this beer as it produces a load of bitterness without a lot of the things I love in hops

Serving type: can

04-28-2011 04:59:19 | More by brentk56

chugalug06

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Very mild pour... Not too much head build or retains. Brew is copper color with lots of yellow and orange.

S - Very pineapple. Lots of malty tones. Not much stands out in this brew.

T - Tastes a little like vodka... Not overly flavorful. Drink like more of a Blonde ale than a Pale.

M - Super mild. Very light and nicely carbonated. Missing a lot of the Pale bitterness.

O - A delightful brew, but very mild for the style. Not sure the style fits. It seems all of UpSlope brews are becoming much more mild than they when they started.... Interesting.

Serving type: can

07-06-2011 23:36:45 | More by chugalug06

Rayek

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Nonic.

A: Hazy gold, with a fluffy off-white head. Retention is OK and a fair amount of lace is left behind.

S: Quite light. Mostly fresh baked biscuits, plus a bit of lemon citrus.

T: Mild and well balanced. Biscuit like malts start things out. A mild lemon and grapefruit bitterness comes on to balance rather than overpower the malts. Gets a bit metallic toward the end.

M: The medium light body has the right amount of fizz.

D: This was OK, but not great to me. One of the first things in my notes was the word pedestrian. There just isn't anything here that distinguishes this beer from other APA's. The lightness; however, makes it an easy drinker.

Serving type: can

01-09-2010 03:48:21 | More by Rayek

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pour - pale golden in color, sort of straw like and slightly opaque. A thin wispy white head crowns this beer with some lacing inside the glass.

Aroma - caramel sweetness with just the eenciest hint of hops. Some buttered toast smells come through along with faint aromas of black pepper and freshly cut grass.

Taste - definitely on the lighter side of hoppiness when it comes to American Pale Ales. Some nice peppery flavors combine with some citrus and plenty of caramel maltiness to bring about a very nice full-flavored beer.

Overall - more than anything I'd have to say that Upslope's Pale Ale is rather neutral. It has no real defining flavors or aromas, it just sort of is. I don't know how else to describe it. Its a very non-offensive beer that I really think would go over well at a party full of randoms. Hell, its a great beer for a long afternoon of pitching horse shoes or shooting the shit and making some new friends and if that isn't enough it comes in a nice shiny package that is sure to intrigue anyone (including your cat).

Would I buy more of it? - not sure just yet. I think I need to try the Upslope IPA before I make a call on that.

Serving type: can

06-17-2010 01:25:48 | More by indiapaleale

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids, Longmont, CO

Poured a straw-yellow, clear, moderately carbonated, with a decently-sized white head that retained fairly well. Aroma of sweet bready malts, light pine character, with a bit of citrus. Taste is lightly toasted bread, caramel, with a good balance of citrus and pine hops. Nice and basic. Light-medium mouthfeel and pleasantly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2011 14:48:45 | More by Rifugium