Belgian Style Pale Ale - Upslope Brewing Company

AlfaMale

Virginia

2.28/5  rDev -37%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2

Nanner, nanner, nanner... A bananna smoothie does taste this fruity. Pours slightly opaque with a head that disappears as fast as a freshman coed's bra. Strong bananna taste overpowerers everything else. No bite. Marginal aroma. That same coed mentioned before would probably love it. Sorry boys, it's just not my type of beer. Glad I ordered a "shorty."

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2013 01:02:24 | More by AlfaMale

BeerWizard

Colorado

4.2/5  rDev +16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from what looks like one of those generic "BEER" cans they used to sell at the supermarket into a Chimay goblet. Not much of a head; what was there quickly dissapated, and not much going on in there now, save for the steady bubbles coming off the bottom of the goblet where it's etched. Looks medium-amber in color. Experience improves with the aroma, which is candy-coriander-alcohol-yeast. Nice. I literally went "Mmm!" after the first sip, as I wasn't expecting it to be that big of a flavor, but it is really nice. Sweet, floral, coriander, and alcohol is present just a bit on the back end, as well as some herbal funkiness. I'm pleased with the oiliness of the mouthfeel, but would like more carbonation. Other than that, I think this stuff's great. I'm always on the lookout for sixers of domestic Belgian-styles, and this one says it is a limited release so I will for sure try to get it again before it's gone.

Serving type: can

05-06-2013 00:33:27 | More by BeerWizard

Zimbo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.15/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Marty enthused about this and he was right to do so. Typical of the style to the eyes but its the other senses which really luck out with this beer. The sweet damp fruity (banana-ish) nose and core is beautifully dominant and is well supported by a supple but concentrated core which goes the distance. Gloss and silk on the way down too. Easily the most authentic and deep American made Belgian PAle Ale I've tried. Tip top.
Thanks again Marty.

Serving type: can

10-17-2012 08:37:25 | More by Zimbo

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

My utmost thanks to the dear Blargimus for sending me enough CANs to sustain The CANQuest (TM) for some time! I see that local trader, tone77, has already reviewed his CAN so now it is my turn.

From the CAN: "Hand-Crafted Beer"; "Ale Brewed with Coriander"; "Limited Release"; "Ingredients [-] Snowmelt; Malt; English hops; Turbinado sugar; Coriander; Trappist yeast"; "Specs [-] Hand-Crafted; Unfiltered; Aluminum CAN; Portable; Recyclable; Good".

That last reminds me of my specs in the Navy - Sandwich-fed, Chief-driven, Beer-cooled, Semi-awake. It probably should be no surprise that there was wide-spread rejoicing when I decided to pull the plug and retire early.

The Crack and inverted Glug went really well and I ended up with two fingers of dense French vanilla-colored head with very good retention. Color was a cloudy oranish-yellow with visible floaties. Nose was peppery and musty, undoubtedly caused by the combination of yeast and coriander. Mouthfeel was full, kind of dense and viscous and the black pepper flavor was immediately evident on the tongue. The finish had an initial flavor of mixed fruit, like Juicyfruit gum, but then the peppery flavor returned and caused it to be almost gaspingly dry. Once upon a time, I used to eschew such beers, opting for the latest AIPA instead, but now I feel as though I CAN appreciate them much more. Gadzooks, but this was dry.

Serving type: can

08-28-2012 23:51:59 | More by woodychandler

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Another beer provided by the creator of the can quest, woodychandler. Poured from a 12 oz. can. has a dark golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is fruity, some spices. Taste is spicy, malts, fruits, easy drinking, alcohol well hidden.Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a good quality beer.

Serving type: can

08-25-2012 01:11:06 | More by tone77

mactrail

California

3.88/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy to cloudy light golden brew, plenty of suds and lots of yeast.

Rather sweet, like a Hefeweizen. Kind of a Saison style, with plenty of Belgian yeasty bitterness, but also lots of fruit. More bubble gum than bananas, but quite rich with the esters and spicy notes. Lots of malt, and certainly a heavier version. Thoroughly pleasing and nicely balanced with the bitter twang and dry finish.

All the flavors and fine condition of a live beer should put to rest any concerns about canned craft beers. I am getting more pleased to buy cans the more I try the whole range of beers in aluminum. From Grapevine on Monaco.

Serving type: can

07-18-2012 04:03:32 | More by mactrail

Beaver13

Colorado

2.05/5  rDev -43.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

12 oz can. Pours clear golden orange with a small white head that quickly goes to a thin collar.

The aroma is sweet bready banana malts.

The flavor is sweet sugary malts and bananas with a little grassy bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with low carbonation.

Overall, I didn't care for it - way too much sweet banana.

Serving type: can

07-14-2012 02:14:29 | More by Beaver13

alexipa

Colorado

4.33/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I could see how this one wouldn't be for everyone. It's basically a beafy Wit (meaning it has some sweetness you wouldn't expect).

A: Beautiful hazy orange, exactly what I was hoping for. The head dissipates too quickly.

S: Lots of belgian trappist yeast in the nose, followed by coriander and hops. Great!

T: Hit with some funk up front, then comes some serious sweetness/sugar, followed by a slight hoppy kick and more yeast. It took nearly a full can to pin down the flavors: Slight banana, coriander, citrus, along with the ever present belgian yeast. There's some nutty malt flavors going on as well. Wow, this is good.

M: Slightly hot. It's got great carbonation, nice and milky smooth.

O: This is an excellent beer that I will likely purchase far more of in the future. Crazy drinkable and the ABV sneaks up on you. Belgian ale fans- seek it out!

Serving type: can

06-29-2012 04:54:47 | More by alexipa

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.6/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

always love trying new upslope stuff. this one pours a very very cloudy orange to amber color with a nearly 2 inch white head. smells like belgian yeast, pale english malts, and mellow but flavorful hops. flavor is surprisingly sweet from the turbinado sugar. that wasnt detectable in the smell, but man this whole beer has a sweetness to it from start to finish, not overpowering, but always present. yeast mixes nicely with the hops. this isnt a belgian pale ale in the sense of like a petrus or even some of the new belgium products, but it is a cool take. feel isnt bad, a little sugary on the teeth, but a good medium body and appropriate carbonation. overall a very drinkable 6pack, and at 7.5% its good bang for the buck as well.

Serving type: can

05-09-2012 18:06:04 | More by StonedTrippin

lnashsig

Texas

3.78/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

BOTG# 29! I'm an animal! Thanks to Courtney at Crafting a Nation for this one- my first every Upslope beer.

Poured from can into Brooklyn tulip. Pours a super cloudy orange color. Cant see through it at all. Not much head on this. Looks nice though. Smell- coriander, cream, this smells like dreamcicle popsicles! Some vanilla as well. Taste- huge orange presence, nice hop bitterness on the back on the throat. Borders on being overly sweet, but the vanilla and coriander flavors come back together. For 7.5% this is amazingly drinkable. Nice mouthfeel. Overall, I could see this being a sneaky high abv alternative during the summer months. Well done.

Serving type: can

05-05-2012 02:47:59 | More by lnashsig

chugalug06

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Fast growing and fast leaving white foamy head. Very little lacing. Brew is very cloudy (almost a wheat look) orange.

Huge banana nose. Upslope nailed the Belgian aroma, but where's the funk? Tons of cloves too.

Very weird aftertaste, highly metallic*. *For the record, I'm not a believer that cans leave metallic flavors behind. High carbonation and high abv, heat is very traceable. Flavor is of thin cloves and heavy banana.

Hum. An interesting brew. Can't say I was blown away, but can't say I was disappointed. I know UpSlope can do better yet, I've had their "better". This brew is a *slight* mess.

Serving type: can

04-27-2012 23:43:16 | More by chugalug06