Upland Bad Penny Double IPA

Brewed by Upland Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Bloomington, Indiana USA

Big snifter at brewery (I wrote down Bad Penny as the name?): Clean deep coppery hue with a mostly lasting head and spotty lace. The aroma has notes of resiny leafy and piney hops, grapefruit and salty esters, bready and grainy malts, and some metallic notes as well. The taste is nicely balanced between the hops and malt, twangy and citric as well. The finish displays some clove and pepper, rounded palate. The mouth feel is lively and refreshing, dangerously drinkable for the ABV. A really nice brew all around, not a enamel scrapper but not boring either.

On draught at the brewpub in Bloomington, Indiana as Imperial IPA on the menu board. Pours a clear copper amber brew with a thick off-white head that slowly dissipates yet leaves excellent lacing. Aroma of heavy grapefruit and grapefruit zest, a touch of caramel malts, and some light tropical fruit. Taste is full bodied, a little thick in texture with more distinct heavy grapefruit flavors that overpowers any other caramel flavors. Finish is an in-yer-face heavy bitterness that really sticks around. The high alcohol presence really comes out when this beer comes to room temperature.

This is Ken Smith’s winning entry in this year’s UpCup homebrew competition. It features, as I have been told, six hops, and the result is simply marvelous. Poured copper with a beige head. Aroma is hop-drenched, no sign of resin, just caramel, bread, and lovely fruity aroma hops. Can’t really taste the alcohol, but damn does it ever kick like a mule. Otherwise tastes of caramel and thick, deep breadiness, is strongly bitter but actually rather inviting. Quenching and dry with flittering citrus accents, grapefruit and peach mingling with orange peel and a stunning burst of tangerine. Medium body edging toward full. Eyes wide open, eyebrows high! Crazy, crazy, crazy good - somewhere, sometime, someone needs to mass-produce this.[4.4]

Ok, one year later, got another pint of this at this year’s (2009) UpCup gathering. Disappointingly duller than last year’s take; hop tones are muted all around, gone is that wondrous sparkling tangerine, and the bitterness and alcohol weight are more soporific than exciting. Downgrading this from "world-class" to "solid". [3.6]

On tap at the pub. Deep golden color in the snifter. Sticky, off white head that was initially big and foamy but shrank to a lasting slick and left sheets of lace. Big candied grapefruit rind nose. This is a thick, syrupy beer. Pink grapefruit juice, apple sauce, and apricots all with a big alcohol sensation. Not an obrusive alcohol burn, but you can tell this is a big beer. Very nice for a big hop head beer.

Draft@ Upland 10.02.2008. Clear copper with a tan head. Big pine sap, floral hop aromas. Medium body. Strong grapefruit citrusy and piney hop flavors ride a solid malty sweet base brew. A very good DIPA here.

Draft at the brewpub. Pours clean copper orange with a sticky off white head. Nice Juicy Fruit bubble gum aroma. Really one of my favorite aromas that can be found in beer. Strong pine flavor with a lingering bitter grapefruit finish. Medium/light body with mild carbonation. Really well made and dangerously easy to drink. If you leave Upland with out trying this, you are dumb.

On tap at brewpub. Pours a very lightly hazed orangy copper with a healthy creamy white head. The nose is full of hops, floral to slightly piney. Malt forward, a bit richer. Alcohol pokes out, especially as it warms. The mouthfeel is full and creamy, suggesting the residual sugars that show up in the flavor. Creamier and maltier than hoppier in the spectrum of IIPAs. The hops aren’t super biting, though they are fresh and floral. A bit fruity. Alcohol pops out and balances the malt well. An enjoyable beer, glad to have caught this on tap.

On tap at Upland, big batch of Upland homebrew contest winner. Pours a beautiful copper color with a thick cream colored head. Aroma is huge pine, light citrus, light malts. Flavor is pine, cedar, grapefruit, caramel, alcohol. Palate is medium bodied, sticky, resinous mouthfeel, medium carbonation, finished extremely bitter. I was told 7 different hop varities were used. Great stuff, hopefully will be more than just a one timer!