Upland Brewing built one of the Midwest’s most respected sour beer programmes around Basis, its base blonde ale aged in oak barrels for years at a time. Sour Reserve is the flagship blend, combining one, two and three year old batches of Basis into a tart, dry, wine-like sour that has become the brewery’s calling card well beyond Indiana.
Upland Sour Reserve at a glance
| Style | American sour ale (barrel-aged blonde) |
| ABV | Around 5.5%, varies by blend |
| Calories | Around 165 per 12 fl oz |
| Origin | Upland Brewing Co., Bloomington, Indiana, USA |
| Ingredients | Blonde ale base (Basis), aged in oak barrels 1 to 3 years, wild yeast and bacteria |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Gluten free | No, contains barley |
| Typical price | Around $12 to $18 for a 750ml bottle |
How it tastes, by the numbers
Sour Reserve is dry and complex rather than fruity or sweet, closer to traditional gueuze than a fruited American sour.
The full review
It pours a light golden colour with a white head that vanishes quickly, typical for a high-acid sour. The nose shows plenty of earthy Brettanomyces character alongside rosy floral accents, apricot and a touch of citrus.
The palate is assertively tart, dry and refreshing, with multiple layers of flavour drawn from the different barrel ages that make up the blend. Expect peach, cherry, wine and cider notes, with rich aromas of lactic sourness and fruity complexity throughout.
For the price, Sour Reserve consistently overdelivers relative to more expensive coastal barrel-aged sours, which is a big part of why Upland has built such a loyal following in the Midwest and beyond.
Multiple barrel ages blended into one beer, delivering complexity that punches well above its price point.
- Excellent value relative to similarly complex barrel-aged sours
- Genuine multi-year barrel blending, not a quick kettle sour
- Consistently well-regarded flagship from an established sour programme
- Regional distribution centred on Indiana and the Midwest
- Blend composition varies release to release
- Dry, assertive tartness may surprise drinkers new to barrel-aged sours
Who it is for
Sour beer fans looking for genuine barrel-aged complexity at a more accessible price point, and Midwest craft beer drinkers building out their sour beer knowledge.
Upland Sour Reserve FAQs
What does Upland Sour Reserve taste like?
Earthy Brettanomyces character with rosy floral and apricot notes, an assertively tart and dry palate with peach, cherry, wine and cider flavours.
How strong is Upland Sour Reserve?
Around 5.5% ABV, though it can vary slightly by blend.
What is Basis?
Upland’s base blonde ale, aged in oak barrels for one to three years before being blended into Sour Reserve and other releases in the sour series.
Is Upland Sour Reserve gluten free?
No, it is brewed from a barley-based blonde ale.
Is Sour Reserve a fruited beer?
No, it is unfruited, relying entirely on barrel-aged wild fermentation for its flavour, unlike some of Upland’s other sour series releases such as Pawpaw or Peach.
Where is Upland Sour Reserve brewed?
In Bloomington, Indiana, at Upland Brewing Co.
Where to find it
Available at Upland’s Indiana taprooms and craft beer retailers throughout the Midwest; increasingly found through specialty retailers in other regions.
The verdict
Upland Sour Reserve delivers genuine multi-year barrel-aged complexity at a price that undercuts most of its coastal competitors. A great-value four point one out of five.
