Thomas Creek Up The Creek - Thomas Creek Brewery

JayAre46

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - 12oz, black and yellow label with childish print "up the creek" pours a deep reddish brown, close to black, khaki colored head that falls leaving flamed lacing down the glass.

A - big brown sugar aromas, burnt caramel malt are abundant and dominating subtle hops if any. not the first time i've had this one and the aroma frightens me bringing back memories of the last time, this time im alone....FML

T - HOLY SHIT!!!big sweet caramel and chocolate malt, hops sprinkiled in that provide a subtle bitterness that just cannot compete with the big malt flavors, alcohol laughs in your face.

M - full creamy, moderate carbonation, coats the palate and doesn't leave, leaves the lips sticky icky.

O - just overdone, huge beer, that is as refreshing as utopias. now i have to decide how im actually going to slay this cloying beast

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 03:01:53 | More by JayAre46

oberon

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a four pack today at Bestway here in Greensboro.Poured into an oversized wine glass a darker color than expected,deep amber with a tight fomed 1/2 slight off white head.Somewhat muted aromas,I picked up some resiny and leather-like notes.Wow this is more American barley wine in nature on the palate,deep fruit esters with some brown sugar, the hops come in late with a big pine resin finish.There is a lingering licorice-like flavor that lingers wich is different for the style as well.A bit hot but its nice,maybe I should have waited till after the Wings beat the Pens to drink this because it could bring on some spleepiness.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2009 22:18:15 | More by oberon

rootbeerman

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: id have to agree with another comment on color, it pours dark reddish amber, with finger of light brown head. which fell to a thin layer.
S: very sweet roasted/caramel malt. more piny than citrus hops.
T/M: oddly smooth and very little alcohol bite for 12.5%. this is very malty, obvious east-coaster, hops are piny and bitter. the carbo is low to medium and is lightly syrupy and smooth.
D: high ABV aside this is very drinkable, and price wise its affordable as well.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2010 08:02:48 | More by rootbeerman

AgentZero

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Dark brownish-red beer with a small, late-rising head that faded to a tight ring that lasted a really long time.

S - Lots of sweet caramel and dark fruits. Hops are present, but this is quite malt and sugar forward. Hops are mosty citrus and grapefruit, with a little bit of pineapple.

T - Dark fruits, caramel, brown sugar, some hops. It is a little hot, but at 12.5% the alcohol is very well hidden. Not particularly bitter or hoppy, but this is pretty flavorful.

M - Almost full bodied with soft carbonation. Creamy and smooth.

O - Not what I was expecting from a 'big' IPA, but this one hides the alcohol very well. Not a great beer, but not a bad one.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2011 05:30:43 | More by AgentZero

GregSVT

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a very dark brown with a huge tan head that slowly fades to a ring leaving a ton of sticky lacing. The color is not consistent with a DIPA but the head and lacing are nice.

S: The nose is mainly caramel, toffee, and roasty malts with hints of earthy hops. This is shaping up to be more like a barleywine than a DIPA.

T: Yeah this is definitely an American Barleywine. Huge notes of caramel, toffee, piney/earthy hops, and bready malt. It tastes great but not exactly what I was expecting.

M: The feel is sticky and a bit chewy with a big amount of carbonation. Alcohol is definitely present on the finish.

O: If this was labeled differently I would have scores it higher. It's got huge flavors and would rival Bigfoot as one of the biggest barleywines I've had.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 03:43:19 | More by GregSVT

SLeffler27

New York

3.63/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Builds a half-inch, dark beige head that is almost creamy over a dark ruby beer. The head is short-lived, leaving thin rings on a tulip glass. The viscosity of the beer is evident with each sip.

The aroma is a sharp mix of orange peel and pine tips.

As expected, this is a highly bitter beer with sweet grapefruit, caramel malt and a long, bitter, peppery finish.

Has a sticky texture and medium body with strong astringency.

The bitterness overwhelms the flavors, though this is still a good match for spicy Italian foods.

I nice gift.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 20:01:53 | More by SLeffler27

Urbancaver

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

General notes...
A beautiful beer... This one is definitely one of the prettiest beers I've had. Small bit of head with great lacing sticking around
Smells strongly of hops and a great malt profile. Hints of booze on the smell as well which is not surprising at 12.5%
the taste is actually more strongly of malt then hops but fairly well balanced. Strong with alcohol but really quite tasty! Too strong to be easily drinkable but overall a pretty solid beer

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2010 03:29:42 | More by Urbancaver

salvo

Indiana

3.65/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Pours dark mahogany; head is a half inch if that (other report a huge head). Microbubbles float up in streamers from the bottom keeping the foamy head afloat. Laced glass more than etching.

Nose is caramel and honey with some darker burned sugar and blackstrap molasses; earthy. The hop pine is in the background and more like walking on fallen dry pine needles than fresh evergreen: resin.

Taste is sweeter and bigger that I expected, even at 12.5%. More barley wine character than DIPA, there's a deep fruit presence: raisins? dried fig? Boozy overtones with bread underneath; big, chewy, thick mouthfeel and a warming finish. The astringent warmth at the end is a nice ending to such a big, sweet beer. Hops assert themselves late as bitterness.

Not a really quaffable beer: it's extreme, and yet a really tasty occasional treat. A change of pace.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 01:46:33 | More by salvo

dcloeren

Texas

3.65/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a dark, yet transparent, mahogany brown with two fingers of frothy tan head

I could smell this beer as soon as I poured it but it mellowed slightly shortly after. Toffee notes dominate with possibly some molasses and brown sugar. Some pine hops make their presence known, but are over shadowed by the malt characteristics and the booze.

taste follows the nose. Not alot of hops presence at all... Great brown sugar, roasted malt and molasses notes. Definitely gives off some heat. Probably one of the least hoppy IPA's i've ever had....

Medium to full body. Thick and slightly syrupy. Drying aftertaste with some boozy heat.

Over all, this was not a bad beer by any means but I just dont think that this needs to be classified as an IPA based on what I tasted... more like a strong ale. Would have liked to have seen more hops. Pretty disappointed and having a hard time letting the hops problem go...

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 19:42:35 | More by dcloeren

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to MikeinCharleston for this one!

A-pours a dark brownish ruby red, transparent, with a dark tan colored head that is thick and bubbly.

S-lots of caramel, toasty malts, notes of raisins, hints of brandi, citrus hops add some balance in the back but lightly.

T-even more caramel than in the nose, some toasty chocolate malts as well. there are notes of brandi soaked raisins come in behind shifting into a light citrusy hop finish with faint bitterness.

M-full chewy body, very thick, sticky and syrupy, assertive carbonation in the back with a good crisp finish.

D-this beer is rather big, loads of malts and lightly balanced hop presence and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2010 00:24:00 | More by cpetrone84

shand

Florida

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a snifter!

Alas, I have been hoodwinked! My typical "pick up anything new that says IPA on it" strategy has fooled me! Actually, there's nothing pale at all about the muddy brown color that this pours, with little head to speak of. The aroma is sweet and alcoholic, denying any of the hops I might have expected. The taste does do a bit better on this front, delivering a hop presence akin to a hoppier American barleywine along with some sweet fruits and malts. The finish is sweet, but a drying sensation stops it from being too cloying. A sipper. The mouthfeel is full and lightly carbonated, and the drinkability is about what you'd expect from such a 12.5% alcohol brew. It's a pretty good beer, but don't be fooled by the "Extreme IPA" moniker plastered on the bottle. This one's a barleywine through and through.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 05:21:45 | More by shand

khiasmus

South Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This ale was brewed by Thomas Creek to celebrate South Carolina's popping the cap. Served on draft at CW's Taproom in Columbia, SC.

A- Clear dark amber, with three fingers of tight, cream-colored head that settles to a single layer and leaves a small amount of lacing on the glass.

S- Strong, with equal portions of maltiness and nugget hops. Smells like a DIPA should, with a balanced but strong nose of pine and syrup.

T- Malty-sweet up front bordering on cloying, until the balancing hops come in, followed by a nutty and alcoholic finish. The taste is not the strength I expected, judging by the aroma, but still a good, fairly balanced DIPA.

M- Chewy and smooth, with medium carbonation and a slightly warming alcohol finish. A bit too thick of a mouthfeel for the style, but still good.

D- Very good for the 12.5% ABV. (I actually struggle to believe it...) But, it's not the most drinkable IPA- too full-bodied and too sweet for the style... and too heavy and alcoholic for several, especially when they're served in pint glasses :-)

Serving type: on-tap

06-03-2007 15:00:29 | More by khiasmus

PDXHops

South Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle of "Extreme IPA", poured into a Duvel tulip.

Pours a very dark amber with a finger of tan foam that threatens to disappear, but can be revived with a gentle swirl now and then. Even with the minimal head, nice lacing is left behind.

I've had UTC a handful of times. It's a challenging and interesting brew that sort of defies style restrictions, beginning with the powerfully sweet aromas of massive maltiness, dark brown sugar, a bit of sorghum, candied fruits, just loads of sweet stuff. Some charred wood and a pine character that becomes quite pronounced as it warms up.

A substantial pine punch to the tongue from the first sip. Stinging bitterness from start to finish, but also a powerful sweetness that almost tastes like a lot of dark brown sugar tossed in on top of the malts. Lots of woodiness, almost like there's a barrel aged portion added in. Cocoa, caramel, orange zest- man, there's a lot going on here. Medium-thick bodied with moderate carbonation and a long finish that alternates between sweet, citrusy, piney and woody. The sugary sweetness distracts from things a bit, but the overall flavor profile is quite complex and enjoyable.

Overall impression: A beer that doesn't fit neatly into style guidelines. Not a great DIPA, but really nice as a barleywine or strong ale, and an easy recommendation as such.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2009 03:12:17 | More by PDXHops

daliandragon

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Zoicks! Twelve point five percent. From Thomas Creek? The quiet little brewery across the border where they just popped the cap? Craziness... A lot of reviewers have disparaged the color and yeah, it's a bit darker and redder than the style but it's more the two solid fingers of tight bubbled head that I'm interested in. Nose is a threeway between piney hops, bready deep malts, and boozy alcohol.

Yeah, this isn't really an DIPA. Hops are present but the caramel malt and alcohol are the big players in this town. Plenty of dark fruit under the hood. Figs or prunes or something. Finish is oily and sticky and satisfying.

This is interesting and well made but nowhere near DIPA. As an American strong ale it's probably an A- or better. Could use a bit more hopping at any rate.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 03:48:40 | More by daliandragon

thain709

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A big thanks to Deuane for supplying this bottle.

A - From the bottle, the beer poured a semi-clear, chestnut colored body...it had a few ruby highlights...two fingers worth of tan head held very well and left great lacing...slow carbonation bubbles were visible

S - The nose indicates this is a very big beer...it was bold in both the hop additions (juicy, resiny) and the malt bill (sweet caramel)...both came across in a nice balance

T - First sip shows the beer is actually a little more tame than the nose suggests...a heavy malt bill comes across first...deep flavors bring forward very sweet caramel and toffee...the hops come in towards the middle and finish the beer...they are oily and really show some piney bitter notes...the combination of hops and malts in this beer actually bring out some coffee and chocolate notes towards the finish

M - Medium/thick bodied...chewy and oily...sweet yet the bitterness lingers

O - This was an interesting beer to say the least...it's very big in ABV and flavor...just when you think it's becoming too sweet/malty for an IPA, the hops come in full force and leave your palate wiped

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 16:01:29 | More by thain709

Gyle41386

South Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Let me begin by saying this beer is perplexing, to say the least. This is not an American Double/Imperial IPA by any stretch of the imagination. Were I to review it as such, it would probably be in the low C or D range. However, it's an enjoyable beer, no matter what classification, so I won't rate this to style.

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tulip.

Pours a dark brown color, with burgundy highlights. The tannish head grows to about 2 fingers, and retains pretty well before dropping and leaving behind some decent lacing. At this point, I had to look this beer up and read other reviews to make sure this was the beer I was supposed to have, and it hadn't gone horribly wrong to the point of being undrinkable. Well, it looks like I have the right one.

As I smell the beer, I can kind of see where this could be a DIPA, but it would be a serious stretch. There a certainly a lot of dark, sweet smells...Caramel, brown sugar, dark fruits, maybe even some bittersweet chocolate. But, there is a hint of some resinous hops, it just happens to be hiding behind what smells like an English Barleywine.

The taste pretty much follows what I'm smelling, but I want to use this space to say how ridiculously drinkable this beer is if it's 12.5% like advertised. There's no real boozy harshness or heat. It's a delight to drink.

Thick body, almost syrupy, but the carbonation cuts it nicely. It's actually pretty smooth, and, like I said earlier, a much easier drinker than anything I've had before with this ABV.

This was a pretty pleasant drinking experience, and it's exciting to know that a brewery like Thomas Creek, who I haven't heard many good things about, can brew a beer as, well, thought-provoking as this one. Good stuff, and I hope to see more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2009 02:45:35 | More by Gyle41386

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle courtesy of 67couple, poured into a tulip. Bottled on date printed in Julian on the neck, day 111 (April 21st).

Pours a deep red/mahoghany with a few fingers of beige head. Filtered, but I've never seen a DIPA this dark before. Interesting. Thick walls of lace too. Nose is still huge on the hops, lots of pine, grapefruit and citrus attack the nostrils but I sense a bit of alcohol in there too. Lots of toffee coming off from the malt. Taste is heavily weighted on the malt and alcohol, both which strike simultaneously, with the hops taking a backseat only to leave a bitter finish of medium length when its all said and done. A ton of toffee and sweetness here, this has developed into more of an American Barleywine here over the time its been left in my fridge, and its not bad. Alcohol is not at all disguised and it hits you in the face after only a few sips. A mandatory sipper, but wouldn't have expected otherwise given the ABV. Full bodied, moderate carbonation. Really improves as it warms

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2010 03:15:57 | More by liamt07

BeerAndBourbon

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Shared by Urbancaver as part of my 50 states mission. Thanks Cam!

Reviewed from notes.

A. Pours amber with a tan creamy head that seems to last forever. This is one hell of a pretty beer.

S. Malty with caramel and citrus/grapefruit hops.

T. Bit of alcohol on the tongue with lots of caramelized malt. Good, but still quite hot, which is understandable for a 12.5%.

M. Thick and creamy.

D. Good mouthfeel but the alcohol inhibits the drinkability somewhat.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2010 03:26:00 | More by BeerAndBourbon

DesMoinesMike

Iowa

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Wow, this is a complex brew, lots of flavors and smells. The dark ruby color denotes some depth, The aroma almost knocks your socks off. The hops are present but are overshadowed by plum and what seems like aging in wine barrels. A bit woody with notes of grape and cherry. The body is hella thick, a bit hard to swallow, this beer lets you know who's in charge. After about 1/4 of the bottle I was feeling the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2011 00:06:17 | More by DesMoinesMike

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

$3.25 single from Abe's.

Ruby colored body, good clarity when backlit. This is definitely more Imperial red/amber than IIPA. Two fingers of off white foam decays quickly but laces well.

Aroma is huge malty sweet, with some candy sugar, and very sweet cherry. A bit boozy.

Big sweet slathering malt incapacitates the tongue. Big hops manage to balance it by the swallow. Some warming alcohol.

Full mouthfeel.

It's a good beer. It's exactly like an IIPA except for the color, aroma, and taste. Call it a barleywine, or a strong ale, but it is not what is advertised.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 03:52:48 | More by RonfromJersey

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Billed as an Extreme IPA, at 12.5% abv. I would agree. However because of how the beer tastes, I would group it in with the American Strong Ale catagory.

The beer starts out with a strong amber/copper hue with good clarity. A dense white head forms on the beer and slowly fades to a sheet across the beer, while lacing very well.

Aromas are strong with piney, resiny hops but are equalled by strong toasted malts, molassas, maple syrup and stone fruits.

Flavors of malts hit first and reluctantly allow the hops to rival them. The syrups, molassas, and nuttiness is woven into an estery mix of grapes, dates, figs, raisons, and grapes. Hop flavor of pine, grasses, and grapefruit has a strong impact in bitterness but lesser so in flavor. Alcohols give an ethynol flavor of paint thinner in the finish.

The alcohol warmth is evident, but the beer doesn't feel like a 12.5%-er, partly because of the heavy residual malt sweetness and weight that makes the beer seem more like an American Barleywine.

I want to make comparisons to Arrogant Bastard, only with less toast, more sweetness, more alcohol roughness, and more malt-focused. Thanks Ding, this was a wild ride!

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2010 05:13:09 | More by BEERchitect

ThreeWiseMen

California

3.78/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this as an extra in a recent shipment from hopsleeroy. Thanks Lee!

Poured into an 8oz. snifter.

Appearance: Most definitely dark and syrupy-looking. A small, sticky, tan head immediately forms on top, and then decays to a creamy halo. Body is a dark cedar color that shows brilliant shades of crimson when held to light. Lots of web-like lacing.

Smell: Caramel, maple syrup, moist pine, sweet red berries, and candied orange. Lots of residual sugars in here. I can certainly pick out the hop presence, but this smells like the making of a malt bomb. Oh yeah, alcohol is completely masked.

Taste: Sweet wood and toasted malt start things off, caramel and piney hops follow. Finishes prickly, dry, and bitter; however none of those aspects are overly pronounced. Caramel throughout.

Mouthfeel: Syrupy, prickly, very lightly carbonated, and dry. Not too heavy though, and the alcohol is hidden well. For what it is (a 12.5% Imperial IPA), it's quite smooth.

Drinkability: I expected this one to be a very slow sipper. However, it was actually a pretty easy drink. Not that hot, not that dry, and not very bitter. While I would have preferred a citrusy hop-bomb, this definitely got the job done.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2009 00:43:37 | More by ThreeWiseMen

YouSkeete

Massachusetts

3.79/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Very dark brown/red appearance. Short yellow head with beautiful lacing. Thick roasted malts and rebellious hop aroma with espresso, nuts and wood notes. Bitter/sour blast of roasted nuts, wet wood and rich hops on the first taste. Complex overall flavor with apple, bittersweet chocolate, craisins and coffee bean notes following the initial sip. For 12.5%, the alcohol seems rather well masked. Sour, nutty, bitter, complex mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 16:46:57 | More by YouSkeete

womencantsail

California

3.8/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

An extra from Brandon. Thanks a bunch!

A: The pour is a dark, dark amber color with a finger's worth of khaki colored foam.

S: There are some slight pine hop notes to the nose along with a dominant toffee, caramel, and molasses malt base.

T: A slightly burnt sugar flavor along with lots of toffee, caramel, and brown sugar. The hop character is present here too and is somewhat bitter with a resinous pine flavor.

M: The body is on the full side with a lively and moderate level of carbonation.

D: More like a barleywine than anything, but pretty good. The alcohol was not really all that noticeable on the flavor or aroma, but this one could be a chore to drink too much of.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2010 21:28:58 | More by womencantsail

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.81/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours as if raspberry syrup were added. Borderline dark ruby and brown. Little head. Leaves plenty of ring lace. In between rings is plenty of spots.

First thought on the smell is that this is a perfumed laden brew. Sweet and floral but without the hop notes I would expect.

Strong brandy-like presence. Sweet, syrupy and port flavored. Low bitterness--the finish is quite malty. The hop which shows up is only there as a counterbalance. If I were to guess the style blindly, I'd think Doppelbock or Barley Wine. Alcohol is is strong but not dominating. Thick body and lowly carbonated.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 18:06:27 | More by smcolw