Let's Remember Some Beers (In Memoriam: Old Whales)

[trickytunadicky]

I'm curious when Upland's stuff really kicked into that enamel-ripping gear that they are so infamous for now. One of the first Upland sours I ever tried was a 2013 Strawberry lambic that dimensionx brought to a share we had at De Garde in the summer of 2014. I was big into those super-sour AWAs at the time so I gave it a good review per Untappd, but I recall a lot of people had micro-pours and didn't go back, and my description of it was that it reminded me of one of those starter salads you'd get at a mid-tier restaurant with blue cheese and a strawberry-balsamic dressing.

2013. We not too long ago finished the last of our pre-2013 Uplands that still tasted like fruit. RIP.

 

[danbanana]

Those first few years of Upland bottles definitely justified the hype at the time. At a tasting in late 2012 or so, tinypyramids brought a Lente and another friend brought a B2 Sour Reserve. Drank them back-to-back and I swear at the time I preferred the Upland. So much so that I traded for another and had it while I ate my wedding meal. The Blackberry around that time is also one of the best fruited wild ales I've ever had.

I've said this before and am dead serious: anyone who had too-sour era Uplands that they don't want anymore, I will gladly take them off your hands. They're almost impossible to drink by themselves but I have other uses for them...

It is kind of an interesting reaction to some of these original whale beers. Some of the original whales were a product of a newly connected nationwide fanbase, thanks to the internet, and weren't actually special beers, others were pretty groundbreaking and sometimes even good.

I think this is a matter of perspective. Remember that as recently as 10 years ago, doing an RIS was a big damn deal. Two Brothers is kind of a joke in Chicago now, but in 2003, they were purposely brewing styles that no one else was, including an imperial stout (the first I ever had) and a ******* biere de garde (still one of their flagships and still something VERY few breweries regularly do). That was crazy back then, and was even until recently. And hell, only 5 years ago, I was literally buying any AWA that popped up on the shelf because they were so few and far between. Before the current glut of new breweries, you could still be surprised by seeing something new.

In retrospect, a lot of those beers may not have been the best- overall, brewing skill is WAY better than it was 10 years ago- but there's no denying that they were "special" at the time.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

I think this is a matter of perspective. Remember that as recently as 10 years ago, doing an RIS was a big damn deal. Two Brothers is kind of a joke in Chicago now, but in 2003, they were purposely brewing styles that no one else was, including an imperial stout (the first I ever had) and a ******* biere de garde (still one of their flagships and still something VERY few breweries regularly do). That was crazy back then, and was even until recently. And hell, only 5 years ago, I was literally buying any AWA that popped up on the shelf because they were so few and far between. Before the current glut of new breweries, you could still be surprised by seeing something new.

In retrospect, a lot of those beers may not have been the best- overall, brewing skill is WAY better than it was 10 years ago- but there's no denying that they were "special" at the time.

Very good points. It's not really fair to compare the whales of 10-15 years ago to beers being brewed now. What starts off as novel, or event avant garde, becomes commonplace very quickly.

A part of the reason why I started this thread was being reminded of Troegs Splinter Blue, which if you don't recall was their regular Pale Wheat Ale in an oak barrel with some lambic dregs. in 2018 that's just an ordinary post in the Milk the Funk fb group, but in 2010 that was really adventurous.

It's not so much that these beers weren't good as much as the baseline has risen up to their level or, in some cases, has surpassed them.

 

[KevSal]

I have an all caps Upright location diatribe in a bif post somewhere.

in several actually, always brings a chuckle

 

[yeahnatenelson]

And FWIW, I'm not saying that Upright/Block15/etc. aren't making good beer anymore. Just that the trade boards aren't lighting up for Figgy Puddz and Sole Comps like they were in, I dunno, 2013?

 

[abawol01]

All I know of upright is that I'm not supposed to go there. I think it's best if you all follow the same rules. Nothing to see there apparently.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Nobody asks for it anymore, homers still defending their treasures. I love it.

 

[JulianB1]

And FWIW, I'm not saying that Upright/Block15/etc. aren't making good beer anymore. Just that the trade boards aren't lighting up for Figgy Puddz and Sole Comps like they were in, I dunno, 2013?

Along the same lines, we always used to see Freetail beers being traded/BIFed back around 2011-13 and I haven't heard a word about that brewery in what feels like years.

 

[yeahnatenelson]

Along the same lines, we always used to see Freetail beers being traded/BIFed back around 2011-13 and I haven't heard a word about that brewery in what feels like years.

Oh man. La Muerta, Witicus, Woodicus, Fortuna Roja, Ananke... They had a thing going on. Probably still do!

 

[FoudreGuy]

I'm gonna take a moment to remember a few breweries who went from white hot to "yeah, you know...they're good".

Upright
Block15
The Livery
White Birch (lel)
Crooked Stave
Midnight Sun
Upland
Jackie O's
The Bruery
Kern River


[waits patiently to get lit up]

Man, Block 15 was the **** when Sticky Hands was in 750s and juice hadn't taken hold. I still think it's a great beer (as is Block 15) but people don't lose their **** over it anymore.

And people can't forget about Upright, they seem to be doing fine. And more for me.

 

[DenverBeerDrinker]

Oh man. La Muerta, Witicus, Woodicus, Fortuna Roja, Ananke... They had a thing going on. Probably still do!

I still have a few of those. I should open them. That Woodicus was great

 

[TripleSixHoppia]

There is just too much good beer available locally for me to be trading for stouts and saisons that are marginally different from one another. Well I mean in distro because Kentucky breweries still put out 90% trash.

 

[FoudreGuy]

I've heard from a bunch of friends (lurchingbeast among others) that it is hard enough to find that you actually probably wouldn't find it unless you know what you are looking for.

True?

Getting lost trying to find Upright is a rite of passage. I went there for the first time on a Sunday while my wife was at some craft thing a block over. And yes, everything else in the building was closed and there was no sign out. I was confused as ****. I gave up, wandered back over to the craft fair and then some old lady was like "oh you're looking for the brewery in the basement aren't you? Go down the elevator and take a right, it really is down there."

There is just too much good beer available locally for me to be trading for stouts and saisons that are marginally different from one another.

 

[wuntrikpony]

Getting lost trying to find Upright is a rite of passage. I went there for the first time on a Sunday while my wife was at some craft thing a block over. And yes, everything else in the building was closed and there was no sign out. I was confused as ****. I gave up, wandered back over to the craft fair and then some old lady was like "oh you're looking for the brewery in the basement aren't you? Go down the elevator and take a right, it really is down there."

lol...same

 

[JulianB1]

I too got lost looking for Upright the first time I went there.

 

[RyanG1]

Here are directions for you dotards.

THE SECRET TO UPRIGHT IS THAT THEIR BREWERY TASTING ROOM IS LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT OF A NONDESCRIPT OFFICE BUILDING. YOU GO THROUGH THE LOBBY AND ENTER THE ELEVATOR. THEN YOU HIT THE B BUTTON IN THE ELEVATOR TO GO DOWN TO THE BASEMENT. WHO THE HELL EVER USES THAT BUTTON TO GO DOWN TO THE BASEMENT. YOU USUALLY JUST HIT A BUTTON FOR A HIGHER FLOOR OR GO TO THE STAR LABELED BUTTON TO GET BACK TO YOUR CAR. BUT AS DRAKE SAID WE STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM NOW WE'RE HERE. AND BY HERE YOU ARE AT UPRIGHT WHICH HAS AMAZING SAISONS. ALSO IF YOU NEED SOME UPRIGHT HOLLA.

FOLLOWING IS A PHOTOGRAPHIC STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO ACCESSING TOP SECRET UPRIGHT BREWING.

LOOK FOR SIGN ON STREET

ASK NICE MAN TO LOWER YOU DOWN HOLE IF ELEVATOR IS OUT OF ORDER

PHOTO OF ACTUAL UPRIGHT BREWERY IN BASEMENT OF NONDESCRIPT OFFICE BUILDING.

SUCCESS? OR JUST GO TO KKKASCADE FOR AWESOME HAPPY HOUR PRICES.

 

[litheum94]

You lazy ***** use the elevator?

 

[FoudreGuy]

You lazy ***** use the elevator?

There are stairs?!?

Wait, is it a firepole? And then you have to crawl out the windows?

 

[litheum94]

There are stairs?!?

I've never actually taken the elevator.

 

[litheum94]

There are stairs?!?

Wait, is it a firepole? And then you have to crawl out the windows?

It's actually a garbage chute.

 

[GetchaPull]

Oh man. La Muerta, Witicus, Woodicus, Fortuna Roja, Ananke... They had a thing going on. Probably still do!

Woodicus and Ananke were great, and I remember Raspberry Ananke being off the charts good.

 

[FoudreGuy]

It's actually a garbage chute.

 

[MikeG1]

There are stairs?!?

Wait, is it a firepole? And then you have to crawl out the windows?

Reminds me of my first visit to the original Night Shift Brewery, which was located in basically an abandoned building, right next door to another brewery.

 

[ggfunk]

I've never actually taken the elevator.

I literally only take the creepy elevator.

 

[JCastle1]

Reminds me of my first visit to the original Night Shift Brewery, which was located in basically an abandoned building, right next door to another brewery.

That place was the worst. Idle Hands is the other brewery that used to be next door.

 

[Rowingbrewer1]

Reminds me of my first visit to the original Night Shift Brewery, which was located in basically an abandoned building, right next door to another brewery.

Now that was a location that made me think of the movie Accepted “I hope you have hobo stab insurance”

 

[bramsdell]

Reminds me of my first visit to the original Night Shift Brewery, which was located in basically an abandoned building, right next door to another brewery.

Man, that place was so sketchy. I remember going to Mystic in ******* Chelsea back when it opened and being far more sketched out at the og Night Shift/Idle Hands.

 

[MikeG1]

Man, that place was so sketchy. I remember going to Mystic in ******* Chelsea back when it opened and being far more sketched out at the og Night Shift/Idle Hands.

The bathroom at Night Shift. That is all.

 

[trickytunadicky]

The bathroom at Night Shift. That is all.

The bathroom at B. Nektar 2.0. (I bet they compare, but I don't know because I never went to Night Shift).

 

[fogindex]

Oh man. La Muerta, Witicus, Woodicus, Fortuna Roja, Ananke... They had a thing going on. Probably still do!

That 2015 La Muerta EC12 w/ Coconut was insane fresh.