Style: Saison & Farmhouse Ales

ABV: 5.5 IBU: 37.0

87/100

Aroma:	11
Appearance:	3
Flavor:	17
Mouthfeel:	3

Upright Brewing Five

What the brewers say

“Five is a well hopped saison with an herbaceous nose, underscored by firm bitterness lasting through a dry finish.”

What our panel thought

Aroma: “Heavy prototypical saison esters, with dominant lemon, tangerine, clove phenols, pepper, and pear. Subtle earthy peppercorn spice, with a slight floral, herbal note. Peach and apple character are present in the nose.”

Flavor: “Surprisingly bitter for style, almost astringent. Yeast esters still present, but fitting for a place at the table with the heavy-handed use of hops. Spicy pepper and herb, grassy lemongrass, grapefruit, and orange. Slight floral iris comes through retronasal. Very light malt sweetness develops into a moderate firm hop bitterness that slowly fades into a dry finish. Carb is medium- to-low for the style.”

Overall: “A wonderful aroma that promised a tasty saison but was lost in the bitter hops, and a bit of astringency. Fairly classic saison with peppery phenols and lemon citrus esters. This beer was enjoyable, with a mix of fruity and floral, and a nice, dry finish.”

What our editors thought

Print Shelf Talker

How We Review

REVIEWS FOR YOU >

Hacienda Beer Co. Insatiable Dreams Strawberry

Distinct strawberry in nose, hints of barnyard and armpit. Fruit character shifts to sour red wine on first sip; aggressive tartness, followed by Brett, wood, earth. Bracing finish, missing brighter fruit to balance wilder fermentation character.

Roaring Table Brewing Beth

“Light floral hops in the aroma punctuated by a peppery phenolic note and a hint of barnyard. Pineapple and stewed fruit. Balanced bitterness and effervescence, but the mineral character strips nuance.”

Stillwater Artisinal Ales Cellar Door

**Aroma:** “Big sage, pine, camphor, lemon, and mint with some fruity esters. Medium citrus aroma of grapefruit and orange with some light pear.” **Flavor:** “Sage comes through strong with a slight medicinal lemon spice behind it. Moderately sweet then slowly fades into a sweet and bitter finish. Herbal notes really shine in this beer. Carbonation is low and balances the herbal and malt sweetness well. Dry and crisp. Finishes clean yet hoppy.” **Overall:** “Sage comes through nicely with some lemon and spicy components. The sweetness and low carb keep it from being quite as refreshing as it could be, but that sweetness also helped balance the herbal sage character. A bit heavy in the finish and has a fair amount of bitterness. A great juxtaposition between herbal notes and fruity hops characteristics.”

FRESH BEERS >

The best new craft beers available in a beer store near you. Sponsored content.

New Belgium Dominga Grapefruit

New Belgium wood cellar blender Lauren Limbach was gifted a new foeder that she aptly named Dominga—a play on the Spanish word for Sunday. She first created a mimosa-inspired golden sour called “Dominga: Goddess of Brunch.” Now we are excited to introduce the cocktail-inspired version, Dominga Grapefruit Paloma. Inspired by the classic cocktail of Mexico, Dominga packs a refreshing combo of bright grapefruit and lime flavors, along with agave and a pinch of salt.

Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest

Oaktoberfest is our oak-inspired homage to the great German tradition of Oktoberfest. We go the extra mile of maturing this beer in French oak barrels to create an amazingly smooth mouthfeel. The result is a classic German festbier with a hint of West Coast hoppiness. Grab your stein, don your lederhosen, and enjoy!

Firestone Walker Parabola ’24

Parabola is always a beast of a beer, with intense flavors of black cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla, and roast coffee—yet each annual release also bears its own subtle imprint. For this latest edition, we aged the beer for a year in 12-year Elijah Craig barrels. These coveted bourbon barrels imparted signature notes of charred oak, caramel, and cinnamon, taking the Parabola experience to new heights. Pour some out in your favorite snifter; behold the impossibly opaque color as you allow it to warm up a bit; and then let the dark magic of Parabola stun your palate with its unrivaled flavor and complexity.

Sierra Nevada Cosmic Little Thing Hazy Double IPA

For the latest in the Hazy IPA series, ride Sierra Nevada’s interstellar wave of tropical flavor in this Cosmic Little Thing, a hazy nebula glowing with Comet, Strata, and Helios hops for notes of citrus, berries, and lychee. Head into orbit with this 8 percent ABV hazy double IPA before the next Hazy IPA rotator hits. Look for Cosmic Little Thing in six-packs and 19.2 oz singles.

Firestone Walker Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA

Out-of-this-world flavor that packs a punch—take a journey with Cosmic Crusher. “Cosmic Crusher is our crazy adventure into the realm of imperial juicy IPAs,” says brewmaster Matt Brynildson. Cosmic Crusher is built around two ultra-tropical hops—Galaxy and Strata. The result is a level of flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel that can only materialize at high strength, crossing the line into a whole new cosmos of punchy mango and pineapple character. SKUs available: 12 oz six-pack cans, 19.2 oz single serve, and Mind Haze Variety Pack.

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion

Luponic Distortion is the Firestone Walker trailblazer that continues to break the rules, back for the first time since 2021. The classic Luponic Distortion base recipe returns with an all-new hop blend to deliver a fresh blast from the past. Brewed with a secret blend of new-age hops, the 2024 edition of Luponic Distortion turns up the volume with mind-bending flavors of lychee, peach, nectarine, and strawberry. Available exclusively in the Beer Before Glory IPA Mixed Pack.