Upright Brewing Five

As part of my March shipment from the Michael Jackson Rare Beer of the Month Club, I received a bottle of Upright Brewing Five. This was my first beer from this brewery, so I was excited to try it. The beer pours a an orange-tinted golden color with a lofty and frothy white head that leaves a nice patterned lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of grass, lemon, funk, pine, orange, and tangerine. The taste is hoppy and bitter with a strong injection of citrus flavors including tangerine, orange, and lemon. A light body sits behind the hops and has a bit of caramel flavors. On the finish, plenty of pepper and grass complement the beer, and some toffee is left behind on the tongue. The alcohol content is 5.5% ABV. I enjoyed this beer as a hopped up version of a farmhouse ale, as it brought along some funk and grassy flavors, but really drove home the citrus flavors.

Surly Five

I ordered a bottle of Surly Five from France 44 after so many people encouraged me to do so, including Lee from Hoptopia. The beer pours a black color with a bubbly tan head that dissipates rapidly a la champagne. The aroma consists of cherry, vinegar, barnyard funk, yeast, and sweet malts. The taste is sour and slightly puckering with plenty of vinegar and sour cherry tartness on the front end. A nice barnyard funk comes in to play before some red wine and grape flavor makes it through, really drying out the mouth. The after taste leaves some vinegar and plenty of oak flavoring in the mouth. The alcohol content is 8.2% ABV. This was a wonderfully crafted beer and the wine and oak really help dry out the mouth. I was left completely satisfied with this beer, as it is a top notch sour beer from Surly.