Monday, May 20, 2013

Hill Farmstead Brewer - Society and Solitude #6

About Society and Solitude #6, the most recent of their D/IPA "philosophical" series, Hill Farmstead simply says: "Imperial Pale Ale brewed almost exclusively with Mosaic hops from the Pacific Northwest. 8% abv"

This was also received and tasted back in March, so sorry for not getting the official review up until now! I'm so lucky to have friends near Vermont that send me beer from this brewery, so I want to make it clear that I drink HF growlers immediately after I receive them to ensure that the beer is as fresh as possible.



Appearance: The beer pours a cloudy orange-amber, with a dense soapy head that pours to about 3-4 fingers in height and sticks around for awhile, eventually leaving webbed lacing and rings along the side of the glass.

Smell: I've been loving the recent explosion of Mosaic hop use, and they lend a ton of character to the nose here. It's dank, resinous, and herbal, but there is also a ton of juicy fruitiness -- especially tropical.

Taste: On the palate, the fruit is much more upfront. Grapefruit, orange, and mango dominate here, but there is a bit of pepper on the finish and a bit of breadiness that counteracts the acid and sweetness from the hop notes. The hops are punchy, which I like, but there is some weight behind the beer that balances it and keeps it from being too hot or astringent.

Mouthfeel: This beer is smooth on the palate and is medium bodied. The finish is moderately dry, fairly average for the style.

Overall: Another delicious DIPA from Hill Farmstead. There really isn't much left to say: I'm continually impressed by the high quality output of their beers, and how there are distinct differences in character across the IPAs in the series that make them uniquely enjoyable.

5/5

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