Category Archives: Farmhouse Saison

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, Hill Farmstead Brewery, USA

Hill Farmstead Nonconformist 03

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Brewery: Hill Farmstead Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 6%
Style: Farmhouse Saison
Other Notes: A farmstead ale aged in oak barrels. Hops – Cascade. Adjunct – Buckwheat and Vermont Buckwheat Honey. Time in oak – 1 year

Brewer Description: (from website) This is the third entry in our novel exploration of blended beers, aging techniques, and often unexplored ingredient combinations. In the summer of 2018, we brewed a beer with a base composition of 20% Vermont buckwheat honey, 48% organic buckwheat, 32% malted barley, and cascade hops. After a year of respite in wine barrels, the beer rested in the bottle, moving through its own hopeful arc towards achievement over the course of nearly three years. The result is a delicate, floral expression, displaying differing facets of this ancient grain within the context of our Farmstead® ale framework. Once again, the label features the imaginative artwork of our creative collaborator, a close friend, who has inspired and supported the Hill Farmstead journey since the very beginning, Alex Peltz of Peltz Creative.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.28
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 375ml bottle, bottled on August 16, 2019. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark orange colour with a one finger white head that had pretty good retention, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Zesty, mandarin, funky, wine barrel, oak, vanilla-ish.
Taste: Tart, sweet, apricot, grapefruit, oak, pineapple, and a touch vinous.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Easy drinking and balanced. Needed some time, but I think it got better after a while.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, Hill Farmstead Brewery, USA

Hill Farmstead Anna

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Brewery: Hill Farmstead Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 6.2%
Style: Farmhouse Saison
Other Notes: Farmstead ale brewed with honey

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Anna (1902-1993) was Edward’s sister; Hill Farmstead Brewery rest upon the land that was once home to her and her 13 siblings. In her honor, this honey Farmstead® ale is crafted from organic American malted barley, European and American hops, Vermont wildflower honey, our distinctive farmhouse yeast and water from our well. Unfiltered and naturally carbonated, this is the ale that I dream to have shared with Anna.

My rating: 4+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.5
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 750ml bottle, bottled on 8th December 2021. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy straw golden yellow colour with a one finger white head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, fruity, funky, apricot, lemon, tea, honey, and a touch floral.
Taste: Lightly sour and a touch tart, lemon, lime zest, apple peel, tea, honey, floral, damp hay, funk.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied, with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Well balanced, good aroma and flavours, just makes this really easy to drink, and super refreshing.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, Hudson Valley Brewery, USA

Hudson Valley Valley Beer Winter 2020

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Brewery: Hudson Valley Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 5%
Style: Farmhouse – Saison

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Blended and bottled in the Winter of 2020. Valley Beer is our Hudson Valley Sour Farmhouse Ale brewed with 100% New York ingredients. It is fermented in our foudres with wild yeast and souring bacteria and aged for up to a year in oak barrels. This beer is bottle conditioned with local wildflower honey, so please open cold, pour carefully, and expect some sediment.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.06
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml baby blue waxed bottle, bottled in the winter of 2020, poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A nice very slightly hazy golden colour with a one finger white head that had decent retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, funk, damp wood, hay, yellow stone fruit, with light notes of honey and orange peel.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, funky, damp wood, apple cider vinegar, green apple, yellow stone fruit, honey, and a touch of citrus peel.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I’ll accept that they call it a Farmhouse Ale, but it does trend more towards a Wild Ale in my opinion. The funky notes in both the aroma and taste keep it interesting along with the fruitiness and honey.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, Hill Farmstead Brewery, USA

Hill Farmstead Charlie

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Brewery: Hill Farmstead Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 2%
Style: Farmhouse Saison
Other Notes: A low-alcohol Farmstead ale. Hops – Mosaic and Simcoe. Yeast – Farmstead ale yeast

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Charlie: Our faithful, loving, and steadfast companion. A golden retriever of renown, he effortlessly adopted everyone on Hill Road and beyond. Tail wagging and tongue lolling, Charlie never failed to charm. He was a cheerful rogue who approached without prejudice or judgment – a furry four-legged foreman who monitored all construction, managed events, and kept dutiful watch over his roads and wayward tacos. In his honor, we have created a beer to suit his spirit: a lively, cheerful, low-alcohol Farmstead ale with a touch of playfulness. Share. Consider. Enjoy…

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.35
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 750ml bottle, bottle conditioned since 2nd March 2022. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden straw yellow colour, with an almost two finger white head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tropical, mango, citrusy, lemon zest, with light floral, funky, and grainy notes.
Taste: Tart, citrusy, grapefruit, lemon zest, tropical, mango, with a touch of grains and funk.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable, refreshing and easy to drink.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, Oxbow Brewing Company, USA

Oxbow Barrel Aged Farmhouse Pale Ale

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Brewery: Oxbow Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Farmhouse Saison
Other Notes: Barrel-aged farmhouse ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Barrel Aged Farmhouse Pale Ale is an American-hopped mixed-fermentation saison aged in American and French oak barrels.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.27
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 500ml bottle, bottled on 7th June 2021, and poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A nice hazy golden straw yellow colour with a two finger white head that had good retention while leaving nice lacing.
Aroma: Citrusy, lemon, lemon zest, lime, oak, dusty, vanilla, brett, light funk.
Taste: Light sour, lemon, lemon zest, lime, peach, with light oak and funk.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable, refreshing, and really easy to drink.