Seven (#7) - Upright Brewing Company

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.01/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-hazy orange yellow color with a nice white head and good lacing

S-orange, grain, hints of lemon and pepper

T-orange, lemon, yeasty dough, pepper, herbal notes, slight funk

F-light to medium body with moderate carbonation, crisp

O-a decent Saison with good balance, but not at the top of the style

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2013 01:54:43 | More by MDDMD

Fatehunter

Oregon

4.48/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Off the tap into a pint glass. One finger of head with opaque, dark orange colored body.
A fragrant aroma of orange and coriander.
The taste was great depth with lemon, orange and yeast. It's bright and sunny.
The texture has a light fizz, with moderate carbonation and medium body.
This is one of the better saisons I've had. It is complex and balanced. Find it and drink it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2013 01:04:35 | More by Fatehunter

porkinator

California

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

1/4" cream colored lacing, good retention. Colored apricot and clear, watching the carbonation float to the top. Little bit of funk on the nose, bready, pieces of peach and apricot. Flavor has even more funk, very dry/biscuity. Nice spice on the back of the tongue. Molasses like thickness.

Awesome beer. Glad I was able to try it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2012 08:31:10 | More by porkinator

charlzm

California

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Consumed February 25th, 2012 at Blue Palms, Hollywood, CA.

Beer is a clear, medium to light yellow with a fine one finger foamy white head.

Aroma - powdery yeast, cinnamon, golden apple, a bit cidery.

Flavor is similar to the aroma: lots of melonoidins with the addition of a bitter finish.

Dry finish.

Supposedly brewed by a 24 year old beer savant in Seattle. Good work, whoever!

Serving type: on-tap

06-22-2012 22:42:19 | More by charlzm

Glibber

Idaho

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at Bitter Creek in Boise, side by side with the Boulevard 7 (both Saison Styles). This one was darker than most Saison beers, and a yeast and fruit aroma. The beer also had a nice hoppiness and fruit taste that you might find in an amber. The Seven was very enjoyable and the 8% was well hidden- could easily have drinken this one all night.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2012 17:15:25 | More by Glibber

cbarrett4

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed from tap at Upright Brewing's cellar.

Overall the best aromatic beer I've had from these guys (other than the sole composition brews). Pours a slightly hazy golden/orange hue with moderate head and fine lace.

Aromas are numerous with emphasis on the saison funk, yeast, and spice (coriander and peppercorn mostly), lots of tree fruit backs this up (more along the lines of apple and fig). The palate follows up nicely but slightly less complex than the nose suggests. There is a true saison style funkiness with some tree fruit, the spice takes a back seat.

On the palate the alcohol does make itself known, but with a snap, not a thunderclap. Medium bodied, good texture, medium long finish with nice grip. Decently balanced other than a bit too much alcohol.

Overall a great beer and a style of which I am rather fond.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2011 22:36:50 | More by cbarrett4

dgilks

Australia

4.38/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Clear, dark golden colour with a creamy white head. Good head retention.

Big, slightly tart aroma with notes of clove and pepper. Light pear and apple. Well balanced yeast character here.

A smoothly malty saison with some good tartness and a nice dose of bitterness. Everything here is nicely integrated and the moderate fruitiness rounds it out. Great.

Medium body with moderate carbonation.

Truly one of the best saisons I've had. Solid flavour, body and balance.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2011 12:16:59 | More by dgilks

womencantsail

California

2.9/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On-tap at Bruery Provisions

A: The pour is a somewhat clear golden color with a finger of white head.

S: Wow, not what I was expecting...The aroma starts off with intense aromas of butter and booze. That is followed by a very floral smell, almost like honeysuckle. Some bread and mild fruit notes, perhaps pineapple.

T: The flavor isn't much better. Still very sweet with lots of honey and a bit of overripe apples. A very floral quality to it, too. Some cracker malts and a mild pepper note. Though it's light, there is still butter.

M: Medium in body with a medium level of carbonation.

O: I've really enjoyed most of the Upright beers I've had, but this was just not very good.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2011 21:50:17 | More by womencantsail

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Le Trappist, in Oakland.

Upright Seven has a nice sunny complexion, marmalade colour and fine, soapy head. The beer actually looks like it was painted with watercolors, the light it reflects off its surface has that same lambent effect. But there's far too much protein haze to see beyond its orange blush. And the lacing makes it difficult to see even beyond the glass.

The usual scent of orchard fruits (pear, apple) appears slightly more tropical than usual, with an orange-y citrus acidity well blended into the characteristic saison mustiness. What else would you expect from a Pacific Northwest brewery? Aside from the very fresh 'outdoors-y', dry scent of field grain, this has the moist dankness of a cottage basement.

The taste is far more floral, like an herbal tea it has lots of dried flower petal taste and fruity essence. Again there's that little extra dose of citric acidity. The malts taste of lightly toasted bread, perhaps with a spoonful of honey, but they are obliterated by yeasty spiciness. Just as anything pickled has brininess, so too anything made with Belgian yeast has spiciness.

Those yeast phenols really do put on one hell of a Fourth of July pyrotechnics show. Once that display is over - rest assured, it doesn't go on too long - graininess is once again sensed on the palate, floral and fruity esters start to flutter like butterflies again and, before all is said and done, a bitter earthy pungency set's in. It's all fantastically pleasant.

Upright Seven deserves at very least an eight of out ten. It's a superbly crafted saison that would have no hard time fitting in with the Belgian countryside, nor the Belgian drinkers. And while I leisurely sipped on it in a Belgian-themed bistro, I couldn't help but almost feel I was actually there. And even though I wasn't, I had the two best things about it (good fare and good beer) - so what was the difference? Airfare is expensive nowadays anyway.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2011 16:08:48 | More by biegaman

PDXHops

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap in a snifter that’s just big enough to contain the 3-finger cap of creamy foam that sits atop the hazy dark apricot body. Retention and lacing are quite impressive.

Lively nose, with plenty of lemon zest and wheat tartness providing a nice balance to sweeter floral and clove aromas. Explosively flavorful. Loads of clove and other spicy notes tango with half-baked bread and ton of fruit: pear, cherry, banana, orange and lemon. In spite of all that fruit, the sweetness is moderate, and it dries out quite nicely at the finish. Booziness comes into play only at the swallow, but isn’t distracting. Of the Upright beers I’ve had so far, Flora Rustica is still my favorite, but this is a very nice saison, and another winning offering from these guys.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2011 19:16:23 | More by PDXHops

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Apex the other day.

The beer pours a hazy honey gold color with pretty good head retention and lots of sticky lacking all around. The nose is attractive, especially if you like a little clove in your saison (clove really dominates in this one). There is also some noticeable wheat and lemon zest, but the aroma of sweet clove really dominates. On the palate, this beer is just delicious. Aside from the clove, there is some lovely cherry, bread dough and light lemon. In combination, the flavors in this moderately sweet beer are terrific. Fortunately, there is a enough underlying spice to counter and balance the sweetness, though I wouldn't have minded a bit more hoppy bitterness on the finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, though I thought this beer pretty rich for a saison style beer. Drinkability is good, though one can definitely detect the increase in booziness the 8% abv. gives this beer (especially when compared to Upright's four).

Another solid effort from the folks at Upright.

Serving type: on-tap

07-22-2010 15:38:44 | More by johnmichaelsen

beertunes

Washington

4.45/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served in balloon goblet. Poured a chill hazed orangeish amber color that had just a thin cap of head with very low retention, but still left OK lacing.

The aroma was surprisingly fruity, with a nice yeast scent and a touch of spice in the background. The taste was Very F-ing good, fruitier than most and not as sour, the beer still managed a nice dry finish.

The body was fuller than most examples of the style and coated the tongue nicely, went down easy and finished dryly. Drinkability was excellent, I rarely drink 2 of the same beer in a row and I had 5 of these in one sitting. Even at 8% these are smoothly drinkable.

Overall, a wonderful beer, go get it now!!!

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2010 20:21:53 | More by beertunes

Floydster

California

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had a glass of this at the brewery, poured by Alex himself, reviewed from notes on my phone, served in an old GABF flute glass, color is a a dark yellow with some orange, big one inch white creamy head that stuck close to five minutes, not much lacing though, aroma consists of yeast, mild booze, sugars, lemon, orange peel, grassy accents, green fruits, and banana, starts off with sweet malts and stays that way through the middle, finish has a hint of booze and a bit of tartiness that tastes along the lines of oranges, some sugars and candy-like flavors come out as it warms more, lots of complexity and is quite full for its so-called style, slightly sweet and warm mouthfeel, medium bodied but probably on the thicker side for a saison, although this does not really fit in to any one style, softer carbonation than the other Upright brews, could drink a few more glasses of this, a bit of alcohol in the flavor but it enhances the taste and feel of the beer rather than limiting its drinkability, very easy drinking for over eight percent, would drink again, recommended

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2009 23:37:01 | More by Floydster

Immortale25

Florida

4.19/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a Due South Brewing Co. snifter. No freshness date.

A- Pours a hazy medium amber color with a full two finger head that bears good retention time before descending to a thick ring around the edge of the glass and a perfectly rounded large bump of surface foam. Fluffy cobwebs of lacing stick to the glass.

S- Very fruity aroma brings about notes of mango, papaya and pineapple. Very floral and borderline soapy. Hint of pepper in the back.

T- Flavor is also very fruit-forward but also features some tangy spice. Very drinkable for the ABV. Slightly tart with notes of tangerine, orange and more mango. Turns out to be quite complex as the yeast and spice alternate with the fruit upon each sip.

M- Tight from the medium-high carbonation and sharp from the spice. The body's on the lighter side and is moist.

O- Although I don't favor the more fruit-forward saisons, if I were to choose one to drink, it would definitely be this. Never had anything by Upright before and this has made a great first impression on me. Looking forward to possibly trying more of their beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 22:58:48 | More by Immortale25

Resuin

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 750 mL bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: Pours a translucent amber (not too hazy but not transparent) and leaves several fingers of extremely fluffy white head.

Smell: Citrus, belgian yeast, perhaps some peach and pear in there as well. Interesting aroma, not necessarily mouth-watering but not unappealing.

Taste: Starts with citrus and moves on to a bread-like dough taste along with some lemon and coriander. Finishes nicely with some fruity notes.

Mouth-feel: Medium to high carbonation with a medium body to it. Very smooth.

Overall: A very nice sipping saison. The flavors aren't overwhelming but they compliment each other nicely. Citrusy and doughy with little funk. I was pleased with this saison, and it was very smooth for its relaively high-for-style ABV.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2013 23:14:34 | More by Resuin

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a tulip)
A- This beer pours a very hazy apricot body with a microbubble carbonation and a big beige cream that fills half the glass on the first pour. The head sticks to the glass with each sip.

S- The yeast bread dough aroma has some fresh meadow aroma with fresh rain and green fruity hops growing in the finish. There is an apricot hint to the fruity finish aswell.

T- The spicy phenols and some classic saison esters blend with a green bitter hint that is soon overpowered by a slightly dry but full flavored hop finish. There is some tropical fruit qualities to the hops with some spice notes and a Munich malt sweetness that complements the other flavors nicely.

M- The medium mouthfeel is enhanced by the thick head texture and the tight fizz in the finish with no alcohol heat noticed.

O- The nice solid saison base has some interesting malt sweetness and good complexity to the full hop profile. This is very drinkable and sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 20:25:59 | More by rhoadsrage

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.96/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a huge fizzy bubbly 2.5 finger head that fades at a med pace and leaves tons of pillowy lacing, quite clear amber-ish nectar orange color.

Nose dry light farmhouse aromas, light saison spices like coriander and clove, light citrus and hint orange peel like but not really those spices in it just from the yeast, pillowy fluffy Belgian golden malts, fruity esters, little pear and golden apple like fruit, all that combined with a light leafy floral and hint fruity hop character.

Taste starts with malts, biscuity toasty malts, quite toasty actually, a light Belgian golden malt character, and wheat, a toasted pilsner with light lemon grass and earthy flavors. then into hops actually, a light earthy spicy hop, chewy and floral with a little grassy flavor again. Saison flavors are in the background, light spices again like the coriander, little peppery, faint citrus, with more fruity Belgian esters, then to the farmhouse earthy flavors, almost saw dust without the woody flavor, fruity flavors bring more golden apple and pear. Bitterness is med to lighter and remains constant throughout. Finish is more dry fruity flavors, citrus, fruity esters lingering, little doughy Belgian malts and toasted wheat, plenty of mild grassy earthy hops.

Mouth is med bodied, plenty of fluffy carb, little syrupy, faint hint of warming booze that is mostly drowned out by the beer.

Overall pretty nice, the hops are stronger than a typical saison but nice as they don't overpower and go beyond their domain, nice Belgian malt flavors, toasted pilsner like malts, nice light farmhouse flavors although I would have liked the farmhouse flavors to come out a little more, and maybe a little too syrupy, booze is hidden well despite that it should have been a little high for a nice farmhouse. But an nice overall beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 02:01:25 | More by jlindros

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.39/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle pours a clear yellow with a white cap more than a finger strong. Some spotty lace clings to the glassware. Streaming bubbles of carbonation support the cap that retains well.

The smell opens up a bit sulfuric and then blends into some of the fruited expected quakity of a saison. Most noteably is a mild essence of pear then minerals. As it warms up, almost a funky cheesy scent emerges.

The taste is herbal and rindy with hops. A bit of neutral fruity citrus almost zesty quality is present that seems to stem from a combination of yeast and hops. A little bit of carbonic aspect emerges when swirled and a flavor of dirty cantaloupe resides in the aftertaste.

This is a medium bodied brew with a visually ample amount of carbonation that comes up a bit light in the feel. Overall not bad, but lacking a but compares to the other staple upright brews. For being described as Upright's most aromatic brew, I have to disagree.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 18:56:08 | More by stakem

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.34/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

750 mL courtesy of Libby pours a very hazed, light gold color with a fine-bubbled white head. Retention is ok and lacing nice.

Nose is interesting...over-ripe oranges, sourdough bread and some tropical fruit I cant identify that I am guessing is from the hops.

Taste is fruity and tart with a grainy bread maltiness and fair amount of sweetness. Id be surprised if this one didnt have wheat in it, it has a tang to it I find unique to wheat beers. Mouthfeel is soft and supple with a fine carbonation. I dont really find this beer to be up my alley...it doesnt seem to come together quite right for me. I dont know if I waited too long to drink it, probably sat in my fridge for 6 months or so. Right up there with Billy the Mountain for my least favorite Upright beers I have had. That said, even a mediocre Upright experience is better than the best of many breweries! Id like to try it again sometime to see if I like it better.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 22:26:36 | More by twiggamortis420

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle to a pint glass. Reviewed from notes.

Appearance - Slightly hazy orange. Small white head. Not a lot of retention.

Smell - Nice citrus and yeast notes. Definite funkiness to it. Maybe some metallic notes as well.

Taste - Fruity, with more of a pineapple twist than citrus. Less funky and still a little metallic. Bready and slightly yeasty, but not as much as the nose gives.

Mouthfeel - Light and well carbonated. Slightly bitter.

Overall - I enjoy all aspects except for the metallic flavors.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 19:12:08 | More by Alieniloquium

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Hazy golden amber with a pillowy white head and thick patches of lace left clinging to the side of the glass.

S - Grassy, herbal hops, peppercorns, floral and citrus undertones. Biscuit malt, banana and yeast esters as it warms. Lemon.

T - Slightly sweet orange and citrus, honeyed malt, grassy spice, yeasty, banana with a tart peppercorn finish.

M - Medium body and creamy with high carbonation.

D - More complex than I am giving it credit. Changes nicely as the temperature changes. Slight alcohol warming. Nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 04:09:56 | More by brewcrew76

PEBKAC

New York

2.9/5  rDev -28.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle from LetsPour dot com. Ommegang chalice. Already well into strong ale season, a lonely saison walks in out of the cold.

Cloudy, yellow orange, turning mustard on the second pour, as it gets stirred up w/ sediment. Hollow, egg white head.

Chalky, saline, menthol scent. Bready yeast. Muted.

Taste is Incredibly chalky & stiff straight out the fridge. Letting the bottle sweat turns the beverage doughy sweet. Not really enjoying that either. Frothy. Begins to feel quite thick. Envelope glue bitterness, some leafy greens. Battery acid & flour finish. Bland yeast.

A short review just because I'm so disappointed. Hope this year's SN Celebration can cheer me up.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 07:52:33 | More by PEBKAC

sweethome

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pour is hazy golden yellow. Can't see through this light colored beer. Beautiful milk-white head. Nice lacing in my Westvleteren chalice. Nose of yeast, straw, lemongrass, citrus.

Nice, crisp entry - fills out to a full palate. Snappy mouthfeel. Satisfying. Big flavor profile, but light and nimble on the palate. A great sipping beer. Alcohol is well hidden.

Flavors are fresh, lemon rind, hay, hint of yeast.

My first from Upright - this one hits on all the notes I enjoy of the saison style.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 01:45:05 | More by sweethome

colforbin73

California

3.58/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

this is a nice decent drinking saison -- a lot richer than the usual, a little more sweet, and a little hotter too... i can detect the 8% here.

the pour is very lively -- it foams up big time and you need to pour very carefully or it will be all foamy head. the retention to the glass is decent... the BREW is opaque, cloudy orange, not the paler yellow i associate with saison. it looks like a double ipa.

the smell is very nuanced and subtle (i don't think i have the best nose btw) i don't get much yeast but it is there, and a good dry grassy aroma. no hops to speak of.... a tad spicey.

the taste is in the ballpark, but again, a little on the rich side. it tastes thick, like a rough boozey mash. i get some piney resins from the hops and then, again, very boozey mash flavor --- it is like a brew made from the runoff of JD.... yes, a little corn booze going on here... there are spice tones, but masked by the booze.

i would certainly try more beer from UPRIGHT, but i would probably try something different next time. when you can get a Jack d-Or or a Dupont etc.... there are just too many other good options for a saison.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 01:19:39 | More by colforbin73

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip.

3.5 A: Needed two pours to get a full glass from the big head. Lightly hazed dark yellow color. Three plus fingers of pillowy white head. Retention is very good, but only a few whisps of lacing are left.

4.5 S: This is what I want. After 4-6, this one is impressing. The nose is huge, complex, and pleasant. Big peppery spiciness to start things off. Next is grass and hay. Some nuttiness after that. Grassy, herbal, floral, earthy, and fruity hops in that order. Lemon and orange fruitiness and maybe a touch of pineapple. Very nice.

3.5 T: The taste is good, but the flavors don't mesh as well as in the nose. Crackery malt character is fairly aggressive and dominates the taste. There's also a lot more yeastiness. After that you will find lemon, nuttiness, pear, and peach. The citrus fruits aren't as apparent. Still a solid grassy and earthy hoppiness with herbs and flowers on the periphery. Still good, just not as good as the nose.

3.5 M: Lighter medium body. Despite the giant head, the carbonation level is about right, but unfortunately it's not as spritzy as I'd like. Still, this is smooth and not bad here.

3.5 D: Another decent, but unimpressive beer from Upright. Good enough all around.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 02:31:57 | More by DavoleBomb