Upland Bad Elmers Porter

Brewed by Upland Brewing Company
Style: Porter
Bloomington, Indiana USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker

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On tap at brewpub
While in town I figured I would try a style that I have enough experience with to know if Upland is just a one trick pony (sours) or able to make other beers too. Based on this I would say that while sours are their calling card the others aren’t too bad either. A pedestrian porter is still solid enough to merit consideration as a semi-daily drinker.

Aroma / Appearance - The standard ebony hue sits in the glass idly with little traces of carbonation. The dirty white head looks like a mop just run underneath a faucet. Coffee, dark malts, and traces of anise tickle the nose. The combination is well done but not complex.

Flavor / Palate - Smooth from start to finish, the taste transitions from coffee and anise to malt. Dark fruity aspects pop up from time to time as well. Overall this is an average porter but still drinkable.

On tap from a growler. Pours deep brown with a small creamy light tan head. Aroma is sweet with some cocoa and a light roast, very strong caramel and vanilla notes. Flavor much the same, very sweet and not a lot of roast or hoppiness, a bit cloying sweet candy sugar note. Medium body and a soft carbonation. Ok beer

Chocolatey and roasty. It has a unique dryness. It isn’t too bad of a beer I am surprised by the ratings.

Bottle from Rachael’s Cafe, Bloomington. Been a while since I’d had this one, and I wasn’t particularly crazy about it. Poured a fairly light color and consistency, more like a brown ale, with plenty of carbonation. Nose was nutty and mildly tart, with far fewer dry hops than desired. Medium body and thinnish mouthfeel. Flavors were also a bit disappoint, with that moderate tartness in there annoyingly. I’m not saying it was infected, but there was little in the way of a robust malt character and hops barely an afterthought. Alas.

Bottle from Woodlands in the Falls. Pours dark, dark brown with a foamy chocolate milk head. Aroma is smooth sweet chocolate, soy sauce, coffee. Taste is chocolate, coffee, some roastiness. Body is a bit thin and finishes short.

draft... medium coca cola, very light on the edges, does have an awesome laced head, totally coating...nose is coffee with burnt caramel, trying to be roasty but not a success... the taste is lighter, not a ton going on, coffee brownies, a little better on the roast... averageish

Served on draft at the Indianapolis tasting room. Pours a dark chestnut color with a large creamy tan head. Good head retention and lacing. Aroma of sweet malts and roasted malts with a hoppy finish. Similar taste but this time with nutty notes in the finish as well. Medium bodied. Nice beer.

pours cola with a modest off-white head. Taste begins with an edge-y, biting taste of hopped malt and grain, but is overcome with a semi-sweet chocolate that makes the finish oily and bland. Okay, but not a keeper.

bottle 1/9/11. orange-y porter color with a trim tan head. the aroma is of some ash, roast, herbaceous hops, lactose and a touch of chocolate. the flavor is the same only with some usual tartness and ash in the finish. it feels a bit watery and thin but otherwise dece. 6.5/3/6/3/14

12 ounce bottle, bottled in January 2011. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours dark brown with some ruby red tints when held up to a light, along with about a half inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. Aroma is roasted malt, coffee, chocolate and a bit of nuts. Also, the aroma is on the weak side, but it’s still nice. Taste is pretty much the same as the aroma, but the flavors are much stronger than you would think compared to the aroma. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it’s a bit coating and has good carbonation. It’s also smooth and easy to drink. I think it’s a decent enough brew, I’d try it again in the future.