Upslope Brewing Company Pale Ale

**Aroma:** “Piney and citrusy hops notes up front work well with the malt spiciness. A touch of malt sweetness comes through, maybe with a hint of caramel. Medium yeast notes of plum and apple cider. Pine and citrus hops give it a slightly earthy character.” **Flavor:** “A bit more subdued on hops flavor than most APAs, with the hops flavors competing a bit with rye and maybe even caramel malt notes. This pale doesn't make the hops the star of the show; it’s more a bit player behind an intriguing maltiness with bread crust, caramel, and biscuit notes. Earthy and spiced notes of rye add complexity.” **Overall:** “I like the complexity the rye malt adds, but think it would work better with larger amounts of spicy hops, such as Chinook. The citrusy hops don't seem to play as well with the rye. Enjoyable, and a different take on APA. The spice and malt character blend well with the hops that come through more in the finish than on the front. Very drinkable.”

Aroma: “Clean, subtle hop aroma with mainly floral notes and a touch of lemon. Malt plays a strictly supporting role. Retronasal presents a blueberry character.” Flavor: “Clean malt bill with lingering fruity bitterness. Same floral and lemon and blueberry as in the aroma. Bitterness grows in the aftertaste and lingers around. The fruitiness subsides and is left with a bitter, dank hop profile. Light sweetness remains in the background. Nicely balanced.” Overall: “Clean, easy drinking, APA with a nice berry character not frequently encountered in this style. Light and refreshing. Not lot of malt or hop flavor or complexity but would still complement any rich food.”

**Aroma:** “Strong malt sweetness blends with traditional pumpkin-spice blend and a nice earthy hops character. When you really dig in, slight aroma of toasted pumpkin. Slight alcohol on the nose.” **Flavor:** “Smooth caramel malt sweetness up front with a lot of pumpkin-pie spice, mostly cinnamon and nutmeg and a touch of clove. A bit more balanced than most pumpkin beers, with a touch of lingering bitterness (perhaps from spices) in the slightly warm finish. Spice flavors tend to compete rather than complement each other.” **Overall:** “Enjoyable pumpkin flavors. The spice character is a little more dominant with the sweetness coming through in the end with slight warmth. A fairly large pumpkin beer with all of the right components, but the blend of those components is slightly disjointed and keeps them from working together in perfect harmony.”