Upright #5 - Spicy Summer Saison Treat

A hot Sunday in June and some hard work under the sun screams for a fresh beer on the porch. Yoga, 6 mile run, mow the lawn, rip out two trees, repair the gutters. Honey-do list = complete. After a hard Sunday of sweat and grime, I believe I've earned myself an Upright Five from my personal stash of brews in the cellar that are only accessed under special circumstances or after amazing personal feats. A fresh and spicy saison, perfect to beat the heat and enter relaxation mode. I only wish I brought more back from my last trip to Portland. 

We can't get upright here, as the brewery is very young and extremely small. I've been able to secure a few bottles through various northwest ventures and have been floored each time. Upright is quickly becoming one of my top 5 breweries. If you are ever in Portland it's a must visit brewery. I'll be back in December to bring home some more...taking limited orders now.

Serving Type: 750ml Bottle
Glassware: Tulip
Appearance: Translucent copper with huge and foamy white head
Aroma: Hops, fresh cut grass, herbs, pepper and a touch of wood
Taste: Robust bitter herb notes up front, a hint of sweetness in the middle (melon?), with a good hop bite at the end. 
Grade: 95/100 (A)
Surroundings: Relaxing on Sunday evening with Chipotle and a great beer
Musical Pairing: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Heart in your Heartbreak

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Brew Review - Upright Seven

1) “Whoa, what was that? Not what I expected”
2) “Not bad, I’ll have a few more tastes”
3) “Put some music on, I’m ready to get down on this beer”

If you’ve had Upright Brewing Company’s “Seven” brew, you might have experienced the same three steps of drinking Seven that I did. With an increasingly sparkling reputation on the West Coast, the tiny, yet brilliant Upright Brewing has been making unique, farmhouse-inspired beers that blur the lines between beer styles and challenge a drinker’s taste buds – and Seven is no different. I was drawn to this beer by three things: my buddy Chip actually bringing it to my house, the beautiful 750 ml bottle and simple label, and the mystery shrouding a beer simply named with a number (and a lucky one at that).

Seven pours a strong golden color and leaves a massive, dense white head that lingers in the glass. The smell is nice and flowery with citrus and a hint of hops. The taste, however, is where the shock is experienced – that first taste is surprisingly bitter/sour with some spiciness which had me believing that this was a traditional sour ale, and leaving me second guessing what I was expecting to drink. However, I noticed that after that initial shock, the sip mellowed and left a nice aftertaste and good mouth feel. The taste was sweet, hoppy, and citrusy with a strong initial hit followed by a mellow lingering aftertaste. The beer, like Upright’s other beers, uses saison yeast and four kinds of hops to get its unique taste and characteristics, and results in a farmhouse ale definitely worth trying. After a few more sips of this 8%’er, it was time to “do work”, listen to some Elliott Smith, and toss it back.

For those interested in expanding their farmhouse horizons, Upright is traditionally hard to get East of the Rockies, but can be purchased via various specialty shops on the Inter Web - take a look at www.northwestliquidgold.com

Serving Type: 750 ml bottle
Glassware: Goose Island chalice
Color (hue and head): rich, golden color; thick, white head that lingers
Aroma: flowery, citrusy, hoppy, sweetness
Taste: Initial bitterness, spiciness, sweet, hoppy, citrus
Grade: 92/100 (A-)
Musical Pairing: Elliott Smith – Waltz #2