Hill Farmstead/ Alchemist Collaboration: Walden

I was delighted to see this on tap at the Farmhouse last week. It was originally released for the Vermont Brewer's Festival while a second batch was brewed to be released elsewhere, according to the Farmhouse staff. It is described as an extra pale ale, lower in alcohol content with all the characteristics of an American pale ale.

Alcohol Content: 3.8%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: Motueka, Amarillo, Simcoe

Price: $3.50/ Half; $6/ Full
Medium: Full pour (12 oz) into a tulip/ snifter

Aroma: Light malt sweetness, generally clean. Hops are accurately representative of a pale ale with a distinct presence but overall balanced with the malts. Hints of grapefruit, tangerine citrus, and floral notes. Lightly toasted bread in the background supports the pleasant hop aromas. Some earthy or dry vegetal matter follows the citrus tones - can be described as lemongrass.
Appearance: First glass poured was super hazy with a milky consistency. The bar manager noticed and came over with another beer poured before I could have a chance to comment on the first glass. Clear indication of an unfiltered beer that was knocked around in the beer cooler before tapping. Still, the second glass was naturally hazy but with a much better color and orange/ gold glow. Carbonation was steady with a near-white head formed to the rim. Lacing leaves behind rings of foam indicated by each gulp of beer - a beautiful sight for an empty beer glass.
Flavor: Malt sweetness is moderately low but manages to stay on the palate with the hop flavors. Amarillo provides tangerine-like citrus qualities and the overall bitterness is soft and pleasant. Maltiness remains low and is otherwise bready or a similar cereal grain. Aftertaste remains bitter while the hops and carbonation result in cleaning up malt sweetness in the finish.
Mouthfeel: I was told calcium chloride and gypsum were added to the brewing water, which helps play up a nice clean bitterness. Moderate body with a prickly sensation from carbonation. Cold, smooth start with a soft, dry finish. Slightly chalky.
Overall Impression: True chemistry from the collaborative efforts of Sean Hill and Jon Kimmich to create a sessionable beer with all the hop flavors and character American's are thirsty for. The beer is well balanced and showcases a new hop variety that I have never heard of before (Motueka).

The Hill Farmstead Harlan

After two sips into this beer and I was thinking about another Hill Farmstead beer, the Columbus, a single hop beer which has a very similar profile to the Harlan. I was wondering if the recipe was slightly tweaked resulting in the Harlan. The Brewery describes, "Harlan is Edward's slightly more aggressive alter-ego. Dry hopped exclusively with Columbus" (I have also reviewed the Edward on this blog). I sampled it just the other day at The Farmhouse in Burlington.

Alcohol Content: 7%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: Columbus + ?

Price: $3.50/ Half; $6.50/ Full
Medium: Small Wine Glass

Aroma: Pungent hop aroma but not overly citrus. Also some earthy undertones to the hop profile. The hops really dominate the nose making it difficult to determine the malt character. Some residing sweetness emerges as pale malt. Somewhat grapefruity and resiny with an overall smooth or pleasant nose - not the harshness or vegetal matter you may find in highly dry-hopped ales. No sign of alcohol. No diacetyl.
Appearance: Mirky haze with a deep tangerine gold color. No visible carbonation in the body of the glass although a strong lacing develops from its white head. Sporadic bubbles linger on the surface. Head retention is low. All of Hill Farmstead's dry-hopped ales seem to have a distinct thick cloudiness with almost a milkiness (they have a large selection of dry-hopped ales and IPA's).
Flavor: Cold, mouthwatering malty sweetness and alcohols move across the palate together and are met with an assertive hop bitterness. Hop flavors come into the picture even more so with subsequent sips and can be described as grapefruit, pineapple, and resin. Bitterness aids in rounding out the malt sweetness before swallowing the beer. Alcohol lingers on in the aftertaste as semi-sweet and spicy.
Mouthfeel: Carbonation is moderate, supported by chalkiness. Dry but not unpleasant or harsh. Hop resins coat the mouth and are hardly washed away with water - cleansing the palate becomes more difficult. Alcohol warmth is noticeably sweet and spicy. Served a bit cold at first and changes slightly as it warms. The body is not too heavy but a perceived fullness comes from hop flavors.
Overall Impression: Their selection of beers and qualities are starting to get a little repetitive. Although they have completely different profiles, I have found similar mouthfeel and certain characteristics to their dry-hopped series. This is probably due to the water and control over the brewing processes. I would love to see a clear, hoppy beer from the brewery instead of the mirky ones consistently on tap (aside from their darker or maltier styles). This one was so similar to the Columbus I sampled at Three Penny Taproom with Kristine, no doubt due to the columbus hops but its overall character was too similar.

Hill Farmstead Mimosa

My second selection and wine glass full of Hill Farmstead beer during the Brewery's anniversary celebration - The Mimosa is a wild Saison brewed with citrus and aged in wine barrels, so its not much a Mimosa at all. I assumed the wine barrels to be previously used for white wine due to the color and flavors from the finished beer. I was already feeling the booze after only two drinks so I decided to call it quits for the day.

Alcohol Content: 10%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: ?

Price: $5
Medium: Hill Farmstead Wine Glass

Aroma: Vinous from both the high alcohol content and partaking aromas picked up from the barrel aging. Alcohol aroma is slightly spicy, or warm to the nose. Very sour along with some fruity esters from fermentation. This intense, tart fruitiness or saison-like character aids in masking some of the alcohol. Other aromas are very delicate and suggest a light body. Hops are hard to distinguish from citrus used in the brewing process.

Appearance: Clear but not brilliant. Carbonation appears strong as shown by its effervescent bubbling, champagne-like in nature. Bubbles also stay suspended in the beer for a couple seconds when lightly agitated. Very minimal head retention except for a thin layer forming with agitation. Thin lacing. All of these characteristics could be due to a dirty glass, which was merely rinsed with water to remove the flavors and aromas from the previous beer. Color is orange to golden and lighter than a pale ale.

Flavor: The beer opens up super light with a sour or lactic acid quality and some backing sweet malts. It remains mostly tart and fruity from start to finish - sour notes dominate. A vinous flavor develops about mid palate and increases in intensity with subsequent sips, taking on a similar white wine alcohol flavor. About half way through my attention turned to a light orange-like citrus. I did perceive some bitterness but this is overwhelmed by the sour character. Finish is citric and winy (or “boozy”).

Mouthfeel: Super light bodied while maintaining lots of character and delicate flavors. Moderately high carbonation (and I assume a low finishing gravity) aids in this refreshing and lightly bodied ale. Carbonation is somewhat lost during the session. Minimal drying in the aftertaste. Alcohol slowly fades out while the persistent sourness coats the mouth and prevails in the end.

Overall Impression: I was impressed with its delicate body but intricate flavors and high alcohol content. Its white wine character makes it an awesome beer for the wine enthusiast. It would be great with a lemon-marinated chicken. The rotating specialty beer tent at the brewery anniversary is definitely going to be on my list for next year. I highly suggest waiting in line as beers rotated every half hour – it took that long just to get the Mimosa.

Hill Farmstead What Is Enlightenment

You may ask, "What Is Enlightenment?" Well, its one of the brewery's well known pale ale brewed in honor of their second anniversary and sticking around since. I went to their most recent anniversary a couple weeks ago to sample a couple different beers and hang out in the sun. I can't quite remember but the price was something like $10 to enter (included one sample) and $5 for a sampling glass (which must be a Hill Farmstead glass in order to get served). Tickets were also $5, which gave you a wine glass full of beer.

Alcohol Content: 5.4%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: Simcoe, Amarillo

Price: $5
Medium: Hill Farmstead Wine Glass

Aroma: Floral hop notes with a moderate citrus quality – not quite as much as their Citra beer but still heavy for a pale ale. Supporting malt sweetness is very mild and reminiscent of caramel or crystal malt. Fermentation character is super clean - only the slightest bit of dried fruity ester. Small hints of sulfur/ chalkiness with occasional whiffs.

Appearance: Large white head with persisting bubbles on the surface. Steady streams of small bubbles continue up the rounded edges of the wine glass. Like many offerings from the brewery, this one possesses a super hazy or chalky/ cloudiness - possibly from dry hopping rates and water content. Color is orange to deep golden. The head dissipates after a few sips, which I assumed to be from oils on my lips. Leaves behind a thick, beautiful lace.

Flavor: Floral and citrus notes strike the palate immediately along with moderately sweet and clean malts. Hops lend moderately strong grapefruit and tangerine flavors. A clean bitterness is slightly favored and takes precedence in the aftertaste. The malty sweetness rounds off as the beer finishes super crisp, which is important in perceiving a favored bitterness. Aftertaste is also mildly chalky.

Mouthfeel: Moderately high carbonation with a cold, refreshingly clean finish. Body is moderate and malts round off. Some drying in the aftertaste. This is simply a great starting beer for a day of heavy sampling.

Overall Impression: I was determined to find out more about the quality of brewing water that leads to a similar profile for almost all of the pale ales and single hop ales I have sampled from the brewery. First of all, the water is simply taken from the remote wells where the brewery is located. Adjusting the mineral content is also probably an important role in these ales. I also found that Sean Hill is very particular about hitting his mash pH (which all brewers should be). This suggests that the water is moderately alkaline and that he acidifies the mash (via lactic acid). Malts naturally acidify in the mash but sometimes its not enough to hit a particular target, especially in these ales.

Hill Farmstead Abner

The Abner is an Imperial/ Double IPA. This one come's from the brewery's ancestral series of ales in homage to the family's ancestors. Abner is Sean Hill's great grandfather - the brewery sits on the same land that was his. The water for this beer was even taken from Abner's well, which will have a large impact on the brewing process and will influence hop character.

Alcohol Content: 8.2%
Theoretical IBU: 170
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Caramel, Dextrose (Corn Sugar)
Hops: Centennial, Chinook, Columbus, Simcoe, Warrior

Price: $4.50/ Half; $8.50/ Full
Medium: Stemmed glass

Aroma: Another super fruity/ tropical citrus aroma from the Hill Farmstead but this one focusing on a more complex fruitiness as opposed to the single hop series of ales. Hops are semi-grassy from the high-hopping rates. Malts remain in the background as I catch occasional faint whiffs of clean malt sweetness. No distinct/ forward caramel malt in aroma despite its usage. Alcohol of 8.2% is well hidden.
Appearance: Slightly darker than the Hill Farmstead Citra while emulating its gold & tangerine colors. Head retention was low with minimal lace. Extremely hazy, masking any sight of bubbles. I ordered the half which was served in a unique stemmed glass.
Flavor: Malt sweetness is only slightly present but nonetheless clean and pleasant. However, it manages to hold up against the hops to provide a palatable beer. The main focus is on its assertive bitterness and complex hop character, which offers various citrus aromas and flavors with typical of these American hops. No caramel flavors but perhaps a small amount of dried fruit character shines through  (that does not come from hops). Fermentation is also hard for me to pick out in a highly hopped IPA - I presume no diacetyl. Long lingering bitterness in the aftertaste is very characterful and is far from harsh or upsetting, although it did wear down my palate as the session progressed.
Mouthfeel: A moderately dry finish is the first thing I noted. Clean, warm alcohol notes are perceived in the mouthfeel but not so much in any flavor characteristic. A moderately light body combines with a medium-high level of carbonation to accent its bitterness but not leave a harsh finish or aftertaste. Malty sweetness hides underneath from start to finish. There's something about the water profile of the Brewery's beers that I'm determined to find out because it surely plays a major role in all of the beers I have sampled thus far.
Overall Impression: My impression of the initial sweetness and body follows very closely with what one may expect after learning the malt bill. Dextrose provides alcohol while lightening the body, or in other words not contributing much to complexity like you would see from a combination of other malts. I figured it to be more palatable than some other imperial IPAs in this respect. It maintains a more refreshing or light-bodied ale while still packing a lot of flavor from its complex hoppy character.

Hill Farmstead Citra

The Hill Farmstead Citra is part of their single hop series of ales. This American pale ale closely resembles that of an IPA and is highly hopped with a characterfully fruity citrus hop, Citra. I went to the Farmhouse again to see what was on rotation and they continue to amaze me with a variety of Vermont craft beer on draught.

Alcohol Content: 5.5%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: Citra

Price: $3.50/ Half; $6.50/ Full
Medium: Small wine glass/ stemmed sample glass

Aroma: Very hoppy for a pale ale, resembling more of an IPA. Citra hops give a unique citrus aroma closely resembling a tropical fruit or burst of mango juice. The malt profile is very well hidden by the hops and resembles a very pale sweetness. This can be described as a very clean maltiness and is commonly found in American IPA's. Another reason why defining it as a pale ale is a bit misleading. Even as the beer sits for a while malts remain in the background.
Appearance: Super hazy/ cloudy representing a dry-hopped and unfiltered ale. Long lasting white head remains in the short wine glass and leaves a heavy lace residue. Color is a mix of oranges and golden. Carbonation appears moderate/ appropriate. My impression is that this is fairly common with the Hill Farmstead's lineup of pale ales and IPAs in that they have been fairly hazy with a unique color.
Flavor: Semi-sweet pale malts with no distinct caramel or other specialty grains to separate this beer from other pale ale. A light graininess is quickly overrun by the beers focus - Citra hops. I describe the hoppyness as being funky, dank, and very fruity. As minutes go by with the beer in direct sunlight I noticed the hops become more potent, just barely changing the character of the beer (perhaps in warming it or direct chemical changes). Malty sweetness is low and barely supports the hops into the finish. Hops ultimately prevail in the end with a lingering dry fruitiness.
Mouthfeel: Moderately thin or lightly bodied with a forward dryness combines with a hoppy, resinous feel that coats the mouth. This remains mostly pleasant but perhaps not for a hop head. Alcohol is well hidden by the hops.
Overall Impression: I felt this was perhaps too hop-focused for a pale ale. I would have liked to see more from specialty grains that contribute to a more complex body and malty sweetness. Instead, the color, aroma, and flavor were all heavily favored towards the Citra hops - great for the name but perhaps misleading as a pale ale. I still tasted the clean hop bitterness for several minutes after finishing and cleansing with water, giving it that character some hop heads really enjoy.

Hill Farmstead Double Galaxy

After doing a little research on the company's website, I was surprised to find the Double Galaxy as part of their single hop series of ales (I find it rare to see single-hopped IPAs and Imperials). As the name suggests, this one however is loaded exclusively with galaxy hops for bittering, flavoring, and aroma purposes. Sampled at The Farmhouse.

Alcohol Content: 8%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: Galaxy (Australia)

Price: $4.50/ half (~6oz); $8.50/ full
Medium: 8oz small, stemmed goblet or snifter appearance

Aroma: Pungent, citrus with some fruitiness to the hop character. Galaxy tends to lend a passionfruit character but I perceived it as more of an orange/ grapefruit citrus. Similar aroma to Fiddlehead IPA. Restrained but balance of sweet malt aromas. After picking away at the layers of hops I was able to find some caramel notes, which became stronger towards the end of the session. Very hop forward.
Appearance: Practically opaque with a milky/cloudy haziness. Gold with sort of a deep orange/ more of a cool color. Persistent, frothy white head billowing up with large bubbles lingering on the surface and lots of lacing around the rim of the glass.
Flavor: A sense of soft malt sweetness starts out, turning into a very grassy hop middle with some tropical citrus flavors. Also a bit of tartness or sourness to the hop character at this point - grapefruits, orange zest. Surprisingly very minimal hop-derived astringency and a light drying effect. The malts bounce back in the finish (helps reduce the drying effect). Appropriately balanced more towards hops.
Mouthfeel: Moderate to light body contradicts what I perceived as fullness from the complex hop aromas and flavors. In other words, its easy to drink but the hops give it a reason to savor. High carbonation may help drive off some of the unwanted hop astringency (low). Generally a neutral yeast character.
Overall Impression: This was one of the haziest IPAs I've ever encountered - looks like a hefeweizen but with the colors of pale ales and IPAs. It's best quality as a strongly hopped ale is that it lacks any harshness. Its hop bitterness and high carbonation will balance most sweet or fatty meals. I would love to compare this side by side to Fiddlehead IPA, which also uses galaxy hops as part of its profile.

Hill Farmstead Everett

The Everett is a representation of a Robust Porter. This was the last beer I sampled at Three Penny in Montepelier after the Hill Farmstead Columbus & Lawson's Finest Double Sunshine. This one had a particularly barrel-aged aroma and flavor but their website leaves out any indication of this procedure. I must say the alcohol was starting to catch up at this point. Thanks to Kristine for driving home after a great experience at the Taproom.

Alcohol Content: 7.5%
IBU: ?
Malts: Pale, Caramel, Chocolate, Roasted Barley
Hops: Columbus

Price: 7$ - less than a pint
Medium: Served in a large Hill Farmstead wine glass

Aroma: A strong complex malt character overwhelms what I believe to be a light earthy hop aroma. The sweet malt backbone consists mostly of chocolate and roasted aromas with some coffee and smoke. Bittersweet malts complement the smokey and roasted aromas well.
Appearance: Very dark/ opaque. Server poured for a creamy mocha head with bubbles lingering on the surface. Good head retention and lots of creamy mocha lacing around the glass. Some dark garnet tints appear when looking at the last few drops (or tilting the glass up towards the light).
Flavor: At first a rich bittersweet chocolate character with supporting smokey flavors. Hop bitterness is very low and does not fully support the malts. I also sense a hint of vanilla & oak, possibly from barrel aging but I'm not sure of this. Definitely malt dominated from start to finish in that it feels very thick/ sweet - low attenuation. Finish is medium-sweet.
Mouthfeel: A full-bodied ale with lots of residual sweetness - somewhat cloying. Carbonation feels moderately low. A pleasant alcohol warmth finishes with the sweet malts.
Overall Impression: The strong roast of chocolate and coffee is too rich for my liking. A Robust Porter is open to interpretation by brewers so its hard to say how appropriate it is for the style. However, I would have liked to see more of a hops presence. There's no such thing as a bad beer but there are many better ones than the Everett.

Hill Farmstead Columbus

The Hill Farmstead Columbus is a single-hopped pale ale, deriving its name from the single use of Columbus hops. It was most likely dry-hopped with a load of these hops as well. Kristine and I drove down to Montpelier to Three Penny Taproom to get our hands on some delicious locally crafted beers. The Hill Farmstead is located in Greensboro and I have yet to see it on tap in Burlington, but I'm sure there's a few places serving beers from this brewery.

Alcohol Content: 5.2%
IBU: ?
Malts: ?
Hops: Columbus (aka Tomahawk)

Price: 6$/ pint
Medium: Served in a Hill Farmstead glass resembling a small English Tulip

Aroma: Presented a very floral and citrus dominated nose with a lack thereof supporting malts. Some residual sweetness but very subtle. The strong floral quality was slightly harsh and dried the nose to a large degree. Strong sense of dry-hopping with some grassy notes. Somewhat spicy as well.
Appearance: Very hazy bronze-gold with a distinctly orange glaze. Carbonation looks very strong as shown by a continuous rapid flow of large bubbles. Bartender presented it with a thick, frothy white head. Great head retention. Haze suggests high hopping rates/ dry-hopping.
Flavor: Aggressively hopped for an American Pale Ale. Starts out only mildly sweet but then overlooked by a strong, clean bitterness. Much of the flavors and aroma come from after swallowing the beer, in which all of the citrus and floral notes really shine through (surprisingly overlooked mid-pallet). Slight hop astringency probably due to dry-hopping. An overall sour finish with some lingering dryness. High level of acidity.
Mouthfeel: Moderate body with some creaminess, making it feel a little lighter on the palate compared to other Pale Ales. Moderately strong carbonation. Slight degree of bitter harshness in the aftertaste along with a sort of resiny coating.
Overall Impression: The distinctly strong hop aromas were a bit much for my young nose. Towards the end I sensed a hint of crystal malt or comparative sweetness. I'll say that the aromas and hop dominance were difficult to sit through - I wouldn't recommend ordering one but it would make for a great taste sample.