09 Sep Upland Goes West, Launching Wood-Aged Sours in California
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA—Upland Brewing Company is traveling west this September as they launch sour ales in California, with more western launches planned before the end of 2017. Partnering with Wine Warehouse Distributors in California, Upland will be sending their Hopsynth, Cherry, and Darken Sour Ales to key markets across the state, with launch events planned for the week of September 11.
“We’ve are very encouraged by the positive response of our sour program in select markets across the midwest and east coast, so to be able to bring these wood-aged beers to the vast California market is huge for Upland. We have a lot of fans out west who get their hands on our sours through trading, so we’re excited to offer them here,” said Dusty Howe, Upland’s Sours Brand Manager.
Upland’s sour ale program began in 2006 after trading some cases of beer for a few oak barrels from a local winery. After a decade, this passion project of honoring traditional Belgian brewing styles evolved and Upland opened The Wood Shop Sour Ale Brewery, allowing them to expand production, innovate with small batch trials of beer, and create a memorable experience with new American sours. Within seven months, Upland entered their sours into large east coast markets, such as Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C., and have plans to expand further into the West and Midwest.
Hopsynth is a blend of blonde sour ale, Basis, with the freshest experimental hops available at the time—Citra and El Dorado—for this latest batch. This is a lighter, hoppier sour ale with huge wafts of piney and citrusy hop aromas. Cherry is the base beer aged in oak foeders eight to 12 months before individual batches are blended to create the perfect balance of flavor and acidity, followed by three months of aging on Montmorency cherries from King Orchards in northern Michigan. The final result is a sour ale with hints of wine and cider and notes of cherry pie, lactic tartness, and mild barnyard that envelop the palate.
A take on an “old ale” or Flanders Brown Ale, Darken is aged in oak over long periods of time creating a harmonious brown sour ale. At the end of the kettle boil, star anise, ginger, grains of paradise, black pepper, and coriander spices are added. A small amount of candi sugar and rye malt are also included to balance the spice.
Fans can find Upland’s sour ales and members of Upland’s team beginning September 12 at launch events taking place across the state. For a full list of venues and locations, visit their website.
About Upland Brewing Co.
Located in Bloomington, Indiana, Upland Brewing Co. has an intriguing brewing story that dates back to 1998. Our mission is to brew remarkable beers in remarkable ways, staying true to the artisan, progressive spirit found in our part of the Midwest. Upland is currently the third largest brewery in Indiana and brews more than 50 different styles of beer annually.
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