October 3, 2008

The Central Indiana Alliance of Beer Judges (CIA), a subset group of the Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI) that is dedicated to judging and beer education, sat down last Wednesday to see how the 2008 Upland Lambics stack up. Here are the reactions from Brian Steuerwald, Ryan Hurd, Andrew Korty, Ryan Clarke, Tom Wallbank, and Ron Smith.

The Blackberry, Strawberry, Raspberry, and Peach all used fruits from the Huber Orchards in Southern Indiana. There were 50 cases of each except for Peach (30) and Kiwi (4). You'll be able to find all but the Kiwi in select liquor stores and are also available for purchase at the Upland tap room until supplies run out (which has already happened to the Peach).

We need to thank Caleb and Dave for being perfect hosts.

Blackberry - Drink now.

• Brian - Light blackberry aroma, slightly musty character (pleasant), light sourness for lambic, delicate, fruity but dry, slight residual sweetness, highly effervescent, very refreshing, pleasant. A very well made beer. Nice balance between fruit, sourness, body (light).
• RyanH - Reddish orange color, off-white head. Musty blackberry aroma. Medium acidity, very little puckering. Acidity and sweetness well balanced. Medium high carbonation.
• Andrew - A light-bodied, bright orange, sour ale. Hint of fruit backed by a drying sourness that is not overpowering. Berry character is very slight. Overall well balanced and drinkable.
• RyanC - Lactic sourness up front with a generous dose of fresh beer/blackberry in nose. Low to moderate level of horse brett character. Moderate level of lacti sourness that is well paired with the fresh black berry fruit flavors. Very refreshing and easy drinking. Light body with moderate to high level of CO2. Bottle was sitting open for 3-5 minutes which could have caused lower carbonation.
• Tom - Interesting orange-ish pink colored sour beer. Fruity, tart berry aroma. Characteristic 'barnyard' notes are mild yet complex. Finish is somewhat acetic (vinegar-like).
• Bob - Fruit tartness and lambic characters meld well here.
• Ron- Dark.  Slight brett / barnyard aroma and a wonderful blackberry aroma.  Very pleasant sourness, balanced nicely with some residual sweetness with a light brett / barnyard character.  A very, very nice Lambic!

Blueberry - This one will age through the winter.

• Brian - Slightly buttery aroma. As it warms it has a red wine vinous character, very dry finish, low carbonation. Very wine-like, slight tannin quality. Slight oakey quality. Perhaps a hint of vanilla
• RyanH - Red with little or no head. Barnyard and fruit in the aroma. Lower acidity than the Blackberry. Astringency at finish. Seems to lack balance.
• Andrew - A light-bodied magenta ale with a buttery character accompanying the blueberry. Sourness is restrained but still drying. Balances the sweetness which is very slight. Pronounced oak in the finish.
• RyanC - Slight diacetyl butter level which slightly detracts. The Blueberry aroma is at a moderate level that smells slightly sweet and tart. Behind the fruit is a low level of oak and brettanomyces character. Aromas described above continue through into the flavor with less blueberry intensity. I was expecting a little more blueberry flavor and it is not as sour as expected. Very flat for a lambic, needs more carbonation. Get a slight slickness in the palate. Slightly astringent probably from oak or blueberry skins.
• Tom - Bright red mildly sour ale with a pleasant blueberry aroma. Buttery notes in the aroma of this young sample detract but may fade as this product contains live Brettanomyces yeast. When sampled it was nearly still but this will likely also change.
• Bob - Not distinctly blueberry in the aroma but comes through more later. This bottle was uncharacteristically flat - a bottling problem.
• Ron- Dark.  Soft buttery and sweet aroma with a little blueberry also.  Rich, wine-like quality.  Only a mild brett / barnyard flavor along with only a mild sourness.  Very nice oak / vanilla notes.  Low carbonation makes it drink like a wine.  A good beer, especially for someone new to the Lambic style.

Cherry - Drink now or let settle and strengthen through the winter.

• Brian - Light fruit aroma. Slightly musty, barnyard character is more prominent, flavor shows more oak and vanilla character. Sourness is of moderate intensity. Light cherry character. Very effervescent, refreshing. A nice lambic.
• RyanH - Light orange color, small tan head, opaque. Cherry aroma. Brett gives typical lambic must. Medium acidity, less sweet, earthy.
• Andrew - Strong barnyard "horse blanket" character in the nose leads into a pronounced sourness in this hazy orange sour ale. Sweetness is only slight but vanilla/oak hints are evident. Well-balanced and drinkable with a little extra for brettanomyces fans.
• RyanC - Nose: Sour and FUN-KAY! Fruit is moderate, very low levels of enteric barnyard. The cherry is pronounced and stands on its own in the palate. Not as tart or sour as what I expected. More lactic sourness would be a nice addition to complexity. Carbonation is moderate-high levels. Head retention was low.
• Tom - Prominent cherry aroma melds with an enteric barnyard-like complexity. The tart cherry flavor blends well with the oak and vanilla notes.
• Bob - Restrained from 2007. Well-carbonated.
• Ron - Amber.  Brett / barnyard aroma with a subdued cherry note.  Oak / vanilla flavor and a nice soft cherry flavor along with a mild sourness and mild brett / barnyard character.  Only a little residual sweetness.  A very nice Kriek (cherry Lambic)!

Raspberry - Ready to drink but can wait out the winter.

• Brian - Fruity, sweaty, barnyard. Very strong raspberry flavor. Very sour, tart, puckering. Carbonation is moderate and could be higher. Very sour finish.
• RyanH - Reddish-orange color. Semi-clear. Musty aroma with faint raspberry notes. Prominent sour raspberry taste with barnyard brett. Coating mouthfeel.
• Andrew - Strong raspberry character is a complex blend of sweet, tart, and barnyard flavors in this rosy-amber sour ale. Tartness is drying but sweet raspberry notes linger through the finish. Just a hint of oak.
• RyanC - Moderate levels of sourness with pronounced and assertive level of fresh picked raspberries. Brett character takes a back seat to fruit but balances very well. Fresh raspberry aroma character continues through to the palate and finishes crisp and tart. Very easing drinking and refreshing. Carbonation is also lower than expected for style but I find that it works and makes it more drinkable.
• Tom - Rich raspberry aroma melds with barnyard and oak notes. Golden-pink tones. The raspberry aroma carries prominently into the flavor and mixes well with the acidic flavors.
• Bob - Tart and fresh. Very fresh. Compares to Boon Framboise. Will get raves.
• Ron - A big raspberry aroma with a subtle brett / barnyard note.  Sweet, with a lot of raspberry flavor, but balances nicely with a moderate brett / barnyard flavor.  Finishes dry with a quenching sourness.  A very nice Lambic that will get even better with age.

Strawberry - Drink now or wait till spring.

• Brian - Very light fruity aroma. Barnyard character appropriate for style. Very sour. Slight fruity character. Slightly spicy in finish. Strawberry is present but light. Finish is dry, very effervescent, well balanced, complex. Very nice.
• RyanH - Opaque from sediment being shaken. Yellow-orange color. Medium carbonation. Strawberry is prevalent. Well-balanced tartness.
• Andrew - Moderate barnyard character introduces a sweet strawberry character in this hazy amber-colored sour ale. Sourness is pronounced and drying but not overpowering. Well-balanced, complex, and drinkable.
• RyanC - Very tart in the nose, strawberry is not recognizable but more of a pleasant citrus with slight floral character. Not as aggressive with brett character as other of Upland’s examples. Flavor of strawberry definitely comes through in the flavor. The fruit tartness and lactic sourness combine and complement well. Very drinkable and refreshing. Carbonation is a little too low for style. Low head retention.
• Tom - Beautiful gold color. You have to look for the strawberry character, but it is indeed there and has great complexity in this young sample. The sourness is backed by well rounded earthy notes -- this sample presents as being more mature than the others.
• Bob - Again, not distinctly strawberry but quite intense. My favorite.
• Ron - Golden.  A mild brett / barnyard aroma with a subtle strawberry note.  Very nice strawberry flavor, balanced with an appropriate brett / barnyard character.  A pleasant sourness and nice quenching, dry finish.  A very nice Lambic with an excellent balance!

Peach - All of the peach is pre-sold.

• Brian - Peach and barnyard aroma of equal balance. Decidedly sour. Moderate carbonation. Peach is dominant in taste and aftertaste. Very dry, sour finish. Very pleasantly unique blend of peach and fermenting processes (eg. brett).
• RyanH - Moderately clear pale yellow-orange. Aroma is musty, barnyard, noticeable fruit but cannot pinpoint peach. Medium tartness. Low carbonation. Noticeable peach flavor.
• Andrew - This dark amber sour ale has a complex peach profile with both sweet and tart components. Tartness is subdued but still lend a a dryness. Barnyard character is very slight. This sample was still.
• RyanC - Moderate high levels of peach with moderate levels of sourness. Very pleasant peach nectar like perfume. Low brett character, but maybe I am perceiving it as a slight sulfur aroma. I get a slight buttery flavor initially but very low. Peach flavor is very assertive and works nicely with the lactic sourness. Quite pleasant and drinkable. Another judge suggested I am perceiving a peach characteristic as a butter-like flavor. Since I don’t get diacetyl it in the nose or mouthfeel, I would tend to agree. Carbonation way too low for a lambic. More co2 would improve the beer. Overall a very nice summer beer that would be perfect on a hot day.
• Tom - Orange-gold sour ale with just a hint of sulfury fruit in the aroma and a somewhat creamy mouthfeel. The tart flavor seems to come both from the lactic fermentation as well as from the peaches.
• Bob - Darker color than expected for a Peche. Peaches were hand-picked by the Upland Brew Crew to get just the biggest and firmest. Comes through nicely.
• Ron - Golden.  A nice soft peach aroma, balanced with a soft brett / barnyard character.  A wonderful peach flavor that balances well with a soft brett / barnyard flavor.  Some slight residual sweetness, but finishes dry and with a pleasant sourness.  A very, very nice Lambic!

Kiwi - Sadly not available for sale in bottles after only 4 cases were salvaged from the barrel explosion. Allowing us to try some is why Caleb is a perfect host.

• Brian - Moderately strong barnyard, brett character - very appropriate for style. Oakey quality, decidedly sour, vinegar flavor, low fruit quality. Really don't get much fruit. Finish is dry and sour.
• RyanH - Pale yellow cloudy appearance. Tart, sour, low carbonation. Delicate kiwi flavor. Dry.
• Andrew - This light bodied sour ale is orange-gold in color. Barnyard notes are prominent. Just a hint of fruity sweetness balances the pronounced drying sourness. Brett character, slight fruit, and sourness all come together for a complex drink.
• RyanC - Very funky bretty character. Also get low levels of citric – (maybe kiwi) aroma. Not getting a lot of what smells like kiwi maybe more of honey mead like aromas. Lactic sourness is moderate to high levels. I still don’t get much kiwi in the flavor but I do get citrus and a very light but pleasant floral well-attenuated honey-like flavor. I need to eat a kiwi to get a better idea of what is coming through here. Very interesting! CO2 is moderate and should be more effervescent.
• Tom - This limited production Kiwi lambic is yellow in color (with perhaps a green tinge -- our is it just my imagination?). Oakey aromas blends with leather/barnyard notes. The fruity flavor comes with a characteristic sourness and prominent oak.
• Bob - Served colder that the rest. Sourest of them all. Green and fresh notes like walking through a ripe orchard.
• Ron - Golden.  Brett / barnyard aroma with a very light kiwi note.  Some oak noted in the aroma as well.  Brett / barnyard flavor is very evident and is accompanied by a subtle kiwi character.  Very dry with a pleasant sour finish.  A very nice beer, especially for more advanced Lambic drinkers.

The Upland Brew Crew
(Picture by Bonus Beer Bob Dalton)

The CIA judges
(Picture by Bonus Beer Bob Dalton)

Next year's barrels are ready for filling.