Teddy Bear Kisses (Upland)
I haven't had many Upland brews, but learned about them at the Indiana Brew Fest. Some local brew pubs keep Upland on their guest taps. It's no secret that I like dark stouts, so I had to grab this off the shelf of my local liquor shop.
General Thoughts
Look and Smell: It had a creamy chocolate-colored head. You can see how nicely it came out in my blurry picture. It was a good three-finger head. This brew was black, jet black. It smelled like an imperial stout, roasted with an alcohol smell. It poured very thick. It smells bitter too.
Taste: Flavor explosion! Bitter chocolate and roast. You taste the malt for a bit, but then the bitter kills it. It feels as thick in my mouth as I'd expect from the pour. The bitter cuts through the creaminess of it though, giving it a sharper flavor.The bitter aftertaste subsides and leaves you with the taste of a good espresso. It also leaves your mouth watering for more. I really like this one! I'd definitely have it again.
From the Upland site:
A dark and robust beer brewed in the traditional stout method. Teddy Bear Kisses features an abundance of dark malts and high alpha hops for a powerful impact of roast, chocolate, and sweet bitterness. The lucky few who cuddle up to a warming session with Teddy Bear Kisses sense the velvety malt character, balanced bitter intensity, and soothing chocolate notes created by long aging on fair trade cocoa nibs. Teddy Bear Kisses will make you feel warm and happy inside, but it’s definitely not your childhood cuddle toy.
General ThoughtsLook and Smell: It had a creamy chocolate-colored head. You can see how nicely it came out in my blurry picture. It was a good three-finger head. This brew was black, jet black. It smelled like an imperial stout, roasted with an alcohol smell. It poured very thick. It smells bitter too.
Taste: Flavor explosion! Bitter chocolate and roast. You taste the malt for a bit, but then the bitter kills it. It feels as thick in my mouth as I'd expect from the pour. The bitter cuts through the creaminess of it though, giving it a sharper flavor.The bitter aftertaste subsides and leaves you with the taste of a good espresso. It also leaves your mouth watering for more. I really like this one! I'd definitely have it again.
From the Upland site:
A dark and robust beer brewed in the traditional stout method. Teddy Bear Kisses features an abundance of dark malts and high alpha hops for a powerful impact of roast, chocolate, and sweet bitterness. The lucky few who cuddle up to a warming session with Teddy Bear Kisses sense the velvety malt character, balanced bitter intensity, and soothing chocolate notes created by long aging on fair trade cocoa nibs. Teddy Bear Kisses will make you feel warm and happy inside, but it’s definitely not your childhood cuddle toy.
Teddy Bear Kisses won a Gold Medal in the 2010 World Beer Championships.
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