Upright Brewing #5
Posted: May 27th, 2009 | Author: Stacy | Filed under: Beer Reviews | 3 Comments »I keep hearing about this new craft brewery in town, Upright Brewing. A pal was just talking about them this morning, and they have a beer on tap at the Green Dragon. I don’t know much about them yet, but tasting this beer tells me that all signs point to tasty.
The #5 is a “Belgian Farmhouse Bitter”, according to the bartender. Of course, he also tried to give me change for a $20 when I only gave him a $5, so his judgement may be questionable 
The #5 is slightly hazy, but fairly clear, with a golden/reddish color. A small head remains on the beer after pouring, and the foam is lacy on the glass. It has a medium to creamy mouthfeel. The aroma is definitely tart and tangy, which made me expect a really spicy farmhouse style ale. But on tasting the flavor is more of malt with a slightly bitter finish, not of spices and citrus. The bitterness isn’t one of strong hops so much as it reminds me of tonic water. More crisp and refreshing, which is good because this beer could be too sweet or heavy without some bittering.
I have high hope for Upright Brewing after this! It’s a very interesting first taste for a new brewery, and I’m glad they were brave enough not to release yet another NW-style IPA into the world just to win popular tastes.
Yeah, I just heard about them as well. My friend Mark from BGHS (Kathy knows him) is totally into homebrewing (with a very nice three burner set-up) and talked about them “doing things the right way”. I helped him and his brew buddy start a nice porter/stout type thing on Saturday. A thouroughly enjoyable experience and most educational. And… dare I say it… inspiring?!
Sorry, if this is a bit offf topic, but it is for Bill K. at his request: Most homebrewed beers undergo a fermentation in the bottle, giving natural carbonation. This may be a second or third fermentation. They are bottled with a viable yeast population in suspension. If there is no residual fermentable sugar left, sugar may be added. The resulting fermentation generates CO2 which is trapped in the bottle, remaining in solution and providing natural carbonation. I hope that helps Bill. —————you’re welcome. Jim, Hydrometer Guy.
Thanks for the review. I’m gonna try a #5 right now.