Upslope India Pale Ale - Upslope Brewing Company

DenverHopHead

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This is the poor man's Titan IPA (Great Divide). Titan grows on you and you want to hit it in the fall and winter with that strong malt balance. Upslope doesn't give you much beyond a good pale. I've got a few more in the sixer, so my opinion could change. Worth a look if you're one of those, "I like IPA's, but not the real hoppy ones"!

Serving type: can

05-25-2013 22:43:53 | More by DenverHopHead

BeerWizard

Colorado

4.08/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

I shyed away from this one for a while due to the generally lackluster reviews, but after enjoying their Belgian-style offering recently, I decided to give this one a go. Comes in Upslope's fairly unimaginatively-decorated cans, which look like some kind of diet soda. Pours an unexpected brown amber, with a shallow head. It has a spicy, jammy nose with some notes of citrus. Taste is definitely well-balanced; not a super-bitter all-hops IPA, but not all malt, either. It's somewhere in the middle, and the middle's pretty good. I was actually suprised by how much malt-caramel gets through, and there is even a bit of a roasted character to it. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, and overall I like it quite a bit. Almost drinks like a DIPA. I'll get it again.

Serving type: can

05-16-2013 01:46:27 | More by BeerWizard

maximum12

Minnesota

2.78/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to blakelive84 for dropping this can into a recent box, a new IPA is always welcome in this house. 12 oz. can popped open on a night with plenty of nastiness.

The pour drips out pure copper piping, filtered like a canoe-country sunset. Nose comes up 97 pound weakling; pine, sweet Hawaiian bread, but only a sliver of either. Mostly this smells like water.

Upslope IPA doesn't bring much IPA to the glass. Heavy dose of caramel coats the palate & strangles other potential tastes. Faint bitterness, touch of sap-coated pine. An almost peaty aftertaste comes on strong & sticks like cobwebs to the tongue. Very sticky. Shrug. I'll finish it.

This beer raises my indifference level to extraordinary levels. Needs hops. As an IPA a failure, as a beer, routine. Works out to sub-routine.

Serving type: can

04-09-2013 02:34:07 | More by maximum12

DelMontiac

Oklahoma

3.95/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A perfect pour from the 12oz can into an Anchor pint glass shows off a splended glowing clear copper orange color topped off with 2 fingers of eggshell head which leaves a sparse rippled lace from top to bottom. Really sweet and piney - caramel candies, warm oven fresh white bread, sweet hot creamed cereal, honey, pine sap, and wet pine needles. Flavors a really sweet if you let this warm to 50F or more - sweet caramel ripple ice cream, honey hot rolls, vanilla bean, and a snappy sharp hop bite before alcohol warms and soothes. Mouthfeel is medium body and somewhat velvety and chewy. If this beer is too cold, you'll know it. Allow some warming time and it's gonna make your day.

Serving type: can

03-19-2013 00:03:51 | More by DelMontiac

drabmuh

Maryland

3.3/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Can into a glass, not impressed with this brewery at all. Beer is dark, too dark for an IPA with a white head, nice retention, some lacing, moderate to low carbonation.

Aroma is cascade hoppy, sweet.

Beer is medium in body and overall really heavy with malt, it is a very malty IPA and I do not enjoy it, this will not be a repeat for me.

Serving type: can

11-02-2012 19:43:07 | More by drabmuh

arizcards

Arizona

3.63/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a sixer today from Central Park Liquor in Steamboat Springs for $9.49.

Beer poured a deep copper with a decent white head that is leaving some lacing behind.

Nose is toasted malts with the hops not really noticeable.

Taste is toasted malts, some cereal, and a floral hop finish.

Mouthfeel is wonderful, chewy, and satisfying.

Overall this is a pretty good beer. Not sure why the brewer calls this an IPA when IMHO an amber. The chewy mouthfeel makes this a winner for me!

Serving type: can

08-25-2012 23:50:45 | More by arizcards

DevilDogBeer

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

UpSlope IPA was a red-amber in my pint glass with a thin white head. The head dissipated to whips fast but did leave nice lacing on the glass for the drink. The nose was packed with floral hops and was crisp and clean. The taste followed the nose well and presented a clean hop burst on the to the that meshed nicely with a slightly sweet but not sticky aftertaste. This was very good IPA that I considered above average. It's a good bet for IPA fans bu won't overpower the new-to-micro beer fan, either. A good choice and a nice IPA!

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2012 04:46:03 | More by DevilDogBeer

stampfler07

Colorado

4.18/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours a clear amber-brown with a bubbly finger of off-white head, lots of tiny suspensions are also visible, head is pretty solid and lingers for a while

S- A mix of pine and floral hop aroma, strong malt component as well, both sweet and roasted

T- Strong roasted malt flavor with a slight sweetness, almost reminds me of a brown, moderate to strong bitter hops throughout that builds in the middle then falls off a bit, aftertaste of bitterness on the back of the palate, slightly warming and light malt finish

M- Moderate carbonation and body, slightly warming, a touch of dryness

O- Kind of liking the brown element, nice roasted flavors and a good balance of malt for the high level of hop bitterness, pretty easy drinking for a 7+%, solid in my book and something I'd recommend to try

Serving type: can

06-13-2012 02:04:13 | More by stampfler07

StoneTSR

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

APPEARANCE: Lighter copper in color, the head is about 3/4 of an inch thick. Bubbles race to the top from front to back and left to right. Retention is decent and lacing is solid.

SMELL: Some pineyness is there along with more malt than I would typically expect from an IPA, but the nose is weak. Even while the head is still in full effect there is not much aroma.

TASTE: This is a nice, malty IPA. In fact, it is amazingly malty for the style and tastes a little more Barleywine-ish than IPA-ish. Banana and clove cut through a caramel and malty base. Some hops work their way in, but the Upslope IPA remains on the sweet side for the entire sip.

MOUTHFEEL: Big, rich and creamy. There is a slight sparkle, but it still goes down very smooth.

OVERALL: This is a very interesting take on an IPA. I am drinking this directly after drinking a Bigfoot Barleywine from Sierra Nevada and it tastes surprisingly similar.

Serving type: can

04-05-2012 11:14:32 | More by StoneTSR

eddy5335

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Like another reviewer I like in CO and wanted to try another IPA from Colorado to see how it compares. Bought a 6-pack cans poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: dark carmel color, white head. I felt it left a nice lacing on my glass the entire time. Good carbonation.

Smell: More malty and citrus smells then a normal IPA I'm used too. Hops are there, just not as strong.

Taste: Again the malty-ness is there, but the hops seem to finish it off on the palate. Not to dry, which I found great. The hops aren't to strong that they make it over powering and undrinkable. I think that this is a very drinkable IPA with an excellent after taste.

Overall: Pretty solid IPA. Not a ton of hop flavor. So hop-heads I'm sorry for an IPA you won't get it. But I think a very drinkable IPA and another good Colorado brew.

Serving type: can

03-10-2012 20:35:57 | More by eddy5335

hopfacebrew

Colorado

2.05/5  rDev -43.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

My man kiddwhiz hooked up a can of this - thanks man. The date on the bottom of the can was illegible so I can't verify freshness. The aroma of the beer was weaker than average for an American IPA: some citrus, pine, spice, and malt. Nothing to write home about. The taste is similarly off with lots of biscuit and bready flavors with barely any hop bitterness or character. Some citrus and floral hop qualities but very minor. The most dominant character is the alcohol which isn't hidden at all and makes the beer seem stronger than it really is. I also found the beer extremely over carbonated. Overall, I don't know if this can was old or not cared for but it was not good. I ended up dumping the beer. I have had similar reactions to all of the Upslope beers I've tried so perhaps it isn't a freshness problem?

Note: This review was a re-post from my former account, jmkratt, which was hacked and I lost all my reviews...sorry for the redundancy.

Serving type: can

Reviewed on: 03-11-2011 15:07:56

Serving type: can

01-27-2012 14:14:13 | More by hopfacebrew

iSip

Colorado

2.9/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Upslope IPA: I like to support Colorado breweries, and since I live in Denver, hopefully the local stuff will be fresher. So I was glad to discover the Upslope brewery in Boulder. There is lots of competition in the Colorado IPA category, but let’s see how Upslope fares. The Upslope IPA is a dark caramel color, clear, with very little carbonation. The head is sparse, but still left a nice lacing on my glass. Aroma is basically not present. A big malt sweetness meets your palate, too big. Then the Patagonia hops do not make a showing to help balance the malt. There is a bitter to the aftertaste. My summary is that the Upslope IPA is a good and drinkable beer, but a signature IPA it is not. It feels more like an English ale to me. And it is not on par with the many fine IPA’s that are brewed on the Colorado Front Range, but that is tough competition for any IPA.

Serving type: can

01-23-2012 20:25:37 | More by iSip

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz can was poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance: The beer poured a one finger head that has reduced to a thin layer and left some nice lacing on the glass. A nice reddish/brown color with great clarity and slight signs of carbonation coming up through the center of the glass.

Smell: All I could get is sweet caramel and bready malts. Floral, pine, and citrus aromas are barely even noticeable.

Taste: This is a veyr funky array of flavors. Sweet and bready malts, but then I get this mocha and chocolate flavor. I get some citrus and pine, but this mocha flavor is killing it. A. very weird off flavor. Ugh. I have taken several more sips and drank some water to no prevail.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, medium carbonation, chewy in a strange way, not the easiest thing to put down.

Overall: I am a little dissapointed about this beer, what started off great, ended up going downslope quickly. I would still be willing to give this beer another time when we go to Denver or have our friend bring some back in her suitcase just like we did.

Serving type: can

01-17-2012 06:36:21 | More by Flounder57

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a fine ipa here. pours quite dark for what it is supposed to be, copper colored with a one inch white lace head. smells very malty for an ipa too, but with the expected resiny hop aromas as well. taste is huge, really round flavors. certainly is more malt driven for an ipa, which works well here. simple flavors in perfect harmony. mouthfeel is nice, full bodied and thick, a fairly heavy drink. strong abv is needed here. this is one of the better colorado india pales ive had here. could definitely put a few of these down

Serving type: can

01-15-2012 20:37:04 | More by StonedTrippin

ScorpyX

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark copper pour with a good, white head. Leaves behind a good amount of lacing.

S: As with any good IPA, the hops dominate. There's an earthy scent to it as well as some malty sweetness. Very pleasant.

T: The hops are at the forefront in the taste. Transitions a little bit into a secondary malt flavor. Bitterness lingers through the sip and returns upon the swallow.

M: Surprisingly crisp, well balanced for an IPA. Not too heavy, not too light, very much a medium-bodied feel. Quite drinkable.

Definitely one of the better IPAs I've had. A very good beer from a very good brewery.

Serving type: growler

01-11-2012 08:01:27 | More by ScorpyX

deanhead

Vermont

4.05/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Rich garnet color with a nice lacing. taste is rich with malt and hops. Hint of cereal grains with a touch of malty sweetness to counter balance the bitterness.
Crip dry finish with a hint of lingering cling dankess from the hops. Leaves a slight warming on the palate.

Serving type: can

12-10-2011 03:02:31 | More by deanhead

mastodonj

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was really surprised at how good this was since I was told, quite a while ago, that it wasn't really a west coast IPA with loads of fresh hops.

Well, on tap at the Upslope tap room, it is definitely loaded with
fresh hops!

Huge lacing from rim to bottom, a deep amber color.

Great hoppy freshness.
The fresh hops, the high abv and a little malty complexity
really make this special.

Very drinkable.
Really, just should not be missed on tap (disclaimer: I have not
tried it from the can....yet)
Did I mention how fresh the hops smelled and tasted?

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2011 01:29:54 | More by mastodonj

dankster

Colorado

4.55/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Dark copper with one and half fingers head. nice lacing after head dies

S- more malt up front than hops but can note their presence. nice balance

T- AWESOME! One of the most balanced IPA's on the market. Great hop taste of the ipa with great smooth malt backbone to slow the bitter down with each sip.

M- somewhat thick but slick at the same time. not oily at all. very drinkable for the 7.2 ABV

O- Top three IPA for colorado ales. Top ten Nation wide IMO. Great buy for $9 after tax for a sixer. A go to at all times for me being so close to Boulder. anyone that has not tried this is missing a great beer that does not get a lot of cred on this site or even outside the boulder area.

Serving type: can

11-16-2011 18:48:25 | More by dankster

BJsLove

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Upslope's IPA Pours with not so much head. Appearance is copper, almost ruby. The taste is big but well balanced, considering that this India Pale is 7.2 ABV. Three or more and you will feel the abv the next day if you have to get up early. It's a great value (I bought it for 8.88 + tax) for a delicious beer. I would buy again as I'm always pleased with what I drink from Upslope. I prefer their Pale though.

Serving type: can

11-16-2011 02:13:47 | More by BJsLove

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. can into a pint glass.

Appearance: With an aggressive pour, a monster beige sea foam froth forms, resting on top of a deep amber colored beer. The beer is a little bit hazy and there are a few flecks of particulate matter at the bottom of the glass. Spiderwebs of lace coat the sides of the glass.

Smell: The aroma has a dry bitterness with a strange aroma that reminds me a bit of sawdust. Some peat and and other earthy notes combine with a light caramel sweetness and medium strength grain character. This smells much more English than American IPA.

Taste: The flavor is also consistent with an English IPA. A full grain flavor is most noticeable with just a bit of caramel sweetness. There is a lot of earthy, peat, and moss character that leads into a long, full bitterness that lasts through the finish.

Mouthfeel: This is somewhat dry, especially for an IPA, with a body that drinks right around the 7% ABV. The carbonation is fairly standard in magnitude and creamy smooth. There is no real lasting bitterness or hop residue. If anything it is a little bit grainy and has a mineral character to it.

Overall: The flavor definitely surprised me a bit as I was expecting more of a West coast style IPA, but I thought this was a well brewed beer. I would be interested in having it again.

Serving type: can

11-04-2011 03:37:25 | More by KickInTheChalice

claytong

Vermont

3.83/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

not typical for the region. a hop head area.

appearance - copper earth in color, small off white head. decent lacing.

smell - english ipa if ya ask me. lots of caramel malt. nut, earth, floral.

taste - lots o caramel malt. more floral. nut shells. english ipa for sure

mouthfeel - thick bodied and light carbonation for the style. a bit sticky in the mouth.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2011 14:56:10 | More by claytong

Tone

Missouri

3.55/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, amber color. One inch head of an off-white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of earthy malt, nuts, slight citrus hops, and a hint of floral hops. Fits the style of an American IPA. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of citrus hops, earthy malt, nuts, slight sweet malt, and a hint of alcohol. Overall, reminiscent of a New Belgium beer (per the malt flavors), good appearance, and blend.

Serving type: can

10-18-2011 23:39:51 | More by Tone

stabzmcgee

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

aroma was that of pumpkin bread. Nice appearance. Head sticks around for a while- white tan. Beer is dark mohogany brown. Taste is malty with a bitter earthy hops. Palate is crisp and refreshing. Overall a pleasant surprise. Can't wait to try their pumpkin beer.

Serving type: can

10-17-2011 21:45:06 | More by stabzmcgee

GrahamwH

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +25.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This darker and richer American Pale Ale is heavier on the malt and alcohol than the bittering hops. However, this APA also has a refreshingly hoppy aroma and a smooth finish to compliment the complex malts. I just wished they sold & distributed outside the Rockies. Highly recommended!

Serving type: can

09-09-2011 21:42:24 | More by GrahamwH

zhanson88

California

2.55/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks a lot to Rbald42 for getting me a can of this stuff. Much appreciated.

Appearance: Pours a deep amber color with a slight amount of haze. Carbonation is very light. About 1" of off white head forms, which has decent retention, and worse than average lacing.

Smell: Very malty, lots of caramel in there. Light citrus, some florals, perhaps a bit of pine. Way too malty with little hop presence for an IPA.

Taste: Again, a lot of caramel malts here. Probably a bit more hop presence than noted in the smell. More florals mainly. Finish shows off even a bit of coffee character. Seems more like an English version of an IPA to me.

Mouthfeel/Overall: Medium bodied with a pretty low amount of carbonation. Alright...probably a little heavy, or just lacking a bit of carbonation. Overall, an interesting IPA to say the least. Would call it more in the pale ale range, or maybe English by style. As it stands, not a favorite.

Serving type: can

08-29-2011 03:54:30 | More by zhanson88