Upslope Citra Pale Ale

__Aroma:__ “Black currant and dark cherry. Very inviting. Cherry pie richness with a sweet overtone from the malty base beer.” __Flavor:__ “Fresh cherry juice with some tartness that could be from the fruit itself. Fruity complexity from the cherry and elderberry is well complemented by the malty backbone of the base beer. Hints of raspberry and blackberry and a touch of lemon to make things pop a bit. Finishes relatively dry given the sweet body throughout with some tannins to make you want another sip.” __Overall:__ “Very juicy with a nice blend of berry flavors and very drinkable. If I wasn’t told I was drinking a beer, I could assume this was just the fresh cherry juice. This is a great dessert beer to pair with lemon chiffon or just have on its own. The richness fades quickly, thus avoiding being too rich.”

Aroma: “Intense, luscious, juicy ripe tropical-fruit hops character—pineapple, mango, pine. Underlying sweetness leans toward Fanta Orange. Light, refreshing, bordering on NE IPA character. The big hops blast hides most of the malt aroma although some bready notes peek out.” Flavor: “Moderately fruity up front with melon, lemon, strawberry, and light white grape toward the end. A medium bitterness comes right after the fruit and grows throughout the sip. A light orange Creamsicle sweetness mixes with bitterness toward the end. Finish is soft, with a delicate mineral/chewy mouthfeel. It’s not particularly bitter, just enough to balance and accentuate the fruit on the swallow.” Overall: “This fits in with any of the lighter-bodied hazy IPAs that the cool kids like these days. It’s on the lighter side, so it’s easy drinking and refreshing yet very well-made and interesting, with delicate fruit notes throughout.”

**Aroma:** “Strong lemon on the nose with sweet citrus and light biscuit malt. Slight, yet interesting mineral character and a nice Smarties candy aroma. Hops are a bit subdued but come through as pine and resin. A touch of malt sweetness follows the hops notes.” **Flavor:** “Sweet and lemony with hints of orange and tropical fruit. A very unique grape-juice-like flavor with some intense gooseberry and tart cherry notes. The malt is just enough to showcase the hops character. Similar mineral profile in the aroma. A mix of citrusy hops and a touch of malt sweetness and perhaps even a perception of sweetness from the hops (maybe tropical fruit) work to balance this one out, both in flavor and finish.” **Overall:** “A unique beer with some very interesting and new hops flavors, though restrained, that work well. The hops character is complex and unique with just enough malt backbone to keep things balanced and a distinct character in the hops selection.”