Regarding Abner, Hill Farmstead says: "Abner (1867-1953) is our great grandfather; Hill Farmstead Brewery rests
upon the land that was once home to him and his fourteen children. In
his honor, this Double IPA is dutifully crafted from American malted
barley, a plethora of American hops, our ale yeast and water from
Abner’s well. It is unfiltered, naturally carbonated, and double dry
hopped. Aromatic and flowery, bursting with notes of citrus and pine,
this is the ale that I dream to have shared with Abner. 8.2%, 18.5º P,
170 Theoretical ibus. Ingredients: Pale and Caramel Malt; Dextrose;
Centennial, Chinook, Columbus, Simcoe, and Warrior hops; Ale Yeast, and
our Well Water."
This is a rotating release from Hill Farmstead which, as with any other HF I discuss here, was kindly sent to me by a friend who is able to take trips to the brewery.
Appearance: Most of the HF beers I've tried look very similar -- a kind of dull, muted goldenrod/straw color that is fairly opaque, with a smallish head that's a maximum of 1 finger in height. They aren't always the most inviting beers, visually, but once you taste them the appearance matters very little.
Smell: Ripe tropical aromas -- mango and pineapple -- bolstered by pine and woody resin. A hint of alcohol as the beer warms.
Taste: On the palate, this reminds me a lot of Heady Topper. There is an abundance of different flavors, ranging from the tropical and citrus fruits to spiciness and earthy wood and pine. Not a lot of sweetness from the malt, which I love, but it doesn't come across as harsh due to the perceived sweetness from some of the fruity notes.
Mouthfeel: This almost feels medium to full bodied, and a bit slick, but the finish is moderately dry, which keeps it from feeling too cloying and heavy. Overall, nice.
Overall: This is another knockout from Hill Farmstead. All of their beers are so high quality, that I feel like a broken record talking about how great they are. This one instantly become one of my favorites I've tried from them, due to the balance and complexity of flavors. As someone who loves IPAs and hoppy beers, I try a lot, and truthfully, there isn't a huge difference among a lot of them: hops tend to produce similar flavor profiles and categories of aromas and tastes. What makes the difference is sometimes a preference for certain notes and aromas, or else it's seemingly differences in craftsmanship: is the beer balanced? What varieties of hops were used, and when were they added to the boil? What kind of dry hopping? etc. Things like the order of hops added, or length of dry hopping, will make a huge difference in the flavor and aroma, and at Hill Farmstead it's plain that care is taken to maximize the potential of the hop varietals, since they're frequently using similar varietals as other brewers but producing much better beer.
5/5
This is a rotating release from Hill Farmstead which, as with any other HF I discuss here, was kindly sent to me by a friend who is able to take trips to the brewery.
Appearance: Most of the HF beers I've tried look very similar -- a kind of dull, muted goldenrod/straw color that is fairly opaque, with a smallish head that's a maximum of 1 finger in height. They aren't always the most inviting beers, visually, but once you taste them the appearance matters very little.
Smell: Ripe tropical aromas -- mango and pineapple -- bolstered by pine and woody resin. A hint of alcohol as the beer warms.
Taste: On the palate, this reminds me a lot of Heady Topper. There is an abundance of different flavors, ranging from the tropical and citrus fruits to spiciness and earthy wood and pine. Not a lot of sweetness from the malt, which I love, but it doesn't come across as harsh due to the perceived sweetness from some of the fruity notes.
Mouthfeel: This almost feels medium to full bodied, and a bit slick, but the finish is moderately dry, which keeps it from feeling too cloying and heavy. Overall, nice.
Overall: This is another knockout from Hill Farmstead. All of their beers are so high quality, that I feel like a broken record talking about how great they are. This one instantly become one of my favorites I've tried from them, due to the balance and complexity of flavors. As someone who loves IPAs and hoppy beers, I try a lot, and truthfully, there isn't a huge difference among a lot of them: hops tend to produce similar flavor profiles and categories of aromas and tastes. What makes the difference is sometimes a preference for certain notes and aromas, or else it's seemingly differences in craftsmanship: is the beer balanced? What varieties of hops were used, and when were they added to the boil? What kind of dry hopping? etc. Things like the order of hops added, or length of dry hopping, will make a huge difference in the flavor and aroma, and at Hill Farmstead it's plain that care is taken to maximize the potential of the hop varietals, since they're frequently using similar varietals as other brewers but producing much better beer.
5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment