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Joseph Formanek's picture

Easy Chair

January, 2016
Judges Rating: 
85
Aroma: 
21 / 24
Appearance: 
4 / 6
Flavor: 
35 / 40
Mouthfeel: 
8 / 10
Overall Impression: 
17 / 20

Upland’s Easy Chair Amber Ale is an example of a subtle, well-balanced brew. However, by having that subtleness and balance, it lacks aroma or flavor characteristics that jump out to allow this brew to stand out amongst its peers. Aroma-wise, this clear, amber-brown brew with a rather fleeting cream-colored stand of head and somewhat low carbonation has a toasted malt aroma with a background of roastiness. There's not a lot of hop expression here, nor much ester character. The flavor has an evident toasty base malt backbone with a medium-low level of hop bitterness and flavor. It’s pretty much a 50:50 balance between the malt and hop expression throughout the entire sample. The body is in the medium range.  

Overall this is a smooth, easy-drinking, rather inoffensive Amber Ale. I would consider this to be an entry-level Amber Ale for those traditional lager beer drinkers starting to investigate craft brews. It is a quite sessionable brew.