Latest Reviews

Double Dry Hopped pseudoSue
Toppling Goliath
Spaceman
Brewfist
Modus Vivendi
Wild Beer Co.

Recent Articles

Outdoor Winter Tippling Tips
Stay safe from the pandemic and stay warm with these winter patio drinking tactics. Shameless
Craft brewer sellouts become as tone-deaf and underhanded as their new overlords. Great Taste Eve
Check out the burgeoning Madison beer scene the night before the best fest in country. Good Beer Makes Good Conversation
The effects of drinking beer worth talking about. The Beers of Walmart
The largest retailer in the world now has its own line of beers. archives »

Beer Reviews

Infinite Wisdom

Upland Brewing Company
Bloomington, IN
USA
http://www.uplandbeer.com/

Style: Abbey Tripel
ABV: 9.0%

Eddie’s Rating:
   (Recommended)


Comments:
Here I am again, my schnoz hovering over a tulip glass full of another stab at the Belgian strong golden ale style by a Midwest craft brewer. This time it’s Upland Brewing based in Bloomington, Indiana. Although the folks at Upland label this one a tripel—alluding to an inspiration from the abbey beers, like the archetype of the style, Westmalle Tripel—the devils scrawled onto the funky label art might be hinting at a Duvel influence. Let’s see what the smelling and sipping says.

Infinite Wisdom pours a luminous gold underneath a big ol’ pile of white foam. The nose is grassy herbal notes—moreso than the typical Belgian yeast spiciness I was expecting—mixed in with some light pilsner-like malt.

The taste is super fruity for the style, orange-like citrus overtones, and even some banana here and there. More like a Bavarian weiss beer than a Belgian tripel/golden ale, although a big dose of alcohol (9.0 percent ABV) and some nutty maltiness keeps reminding me this ain’t no summer quencher. The carbonation keeps it drinking light and spritzy, though. That is, until the beer starts to warm. Then the malt comes to the fore, and things get a little big and cloying. Toward the end some sips were even a tad harsh, with a bit of the alcohol showing through.

Infinite Wisdom is an interesting take on the style, and while some purists might have problems with the citrusy esters stealing (at least the forefront of) the show, I found the twist to be a pleasant surprise. Although as a whole this entry from Upland doesn’t measure up to the great golden ales—Trappist or otherwise—of Belgium, I could easily see myself buying another bomber (or two) again in the future.

Reviewed by Eddie Glick on June 2, 2010.

Drinkin’ And Thinkin’

Beer Dorks News

Want to know how healthy the craft beer industry is? As always, look to Portland. Craft pioneer Bridgeport announces sudden closure, adding to a growing list of PDX casualties. Did Anheuser-Busch Chicago offer their shit beer to Cody Parkey before his missed field goal? Because that may explain why he "accidentally" biffed it. Chicago now has the most breweries of any city in the country. Other things Chicago has the most of: murders, mobsters, and Ditkas. Trying to spin it positive, BA releases end of year graphic. Only 5% growth in the craft sector when nearly 1000 new breweries opened? That's a collapse waiting to happen. R.I.P. Tallgrass... another casualty as the regional/national craft beer market continues to get squeezed. Wait... Constellation Brands cut all of the Ballast Point and Funky Buddha sales staff? They merged it with their Corona/Modelo staff?? We're SHOCKED!!! Pizza Beer founder crying about failure of company, blames everyone else. Reminder, the beer tasted like vomit. Try having better ideas or making better products so you're not a failure. It's Bud Light so doesn't really matter, but we expect this beer to be sitting around for awhile. Indiana brewery to open with controversial beer names to "get the conversation going". Translation: taking advantage of serious issues for free publicity. Hundreds of amazing beers in Wisconsin and the Cubs took back the one everyone drinks just because it exists and people have heard of it. How fitting...