Fear And Trembling (French Oak Cabernet)
Hill Farmstead Brewery

Fear And Trembling (French Oak Cabernet)Fear And Trembling (French Oak Cabernet)
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From:
Hill Farmstead Brewery
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Baltic Porter
ABV:
9.3%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.16 | pDev: 8.17%
Reviews:
47
Ratings:
88
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 21, 2018
Added:
Oct 09, 2010
Wants:
  135
Gots:
  6
Fear and Trembling is Hill Farmstead’s first collaboration – a Baltic Porter brewed with malt that was hand smoked over maple wood by our Danish friend, and former colleague, Anders Kissmeyer. This bottled version was aged in French Oak Cabernet barrels. As a student of philosophy and former resident of Copenhagen, it is fitting that our brewer named our first collaboration after Denmark’s great thinker: Søren Kierkegaard. All three contemplated absurdity, faith, and salvation while wandering the shores of the Baltic Sea…

“…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling…”
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by corby112:
Photo of corby112
Reviewed by corby112 from Pennsylvania

3.84/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dark chestnut brown color with dark plum edges and a half finger beige head that quickly settles into a thin, lasting ring. Some spotty lacing left behind. Nice color with decent retention but could use more lace.

Slightly smokey aroma with very strong phenols and prominent roasted dark malt notes countered by vinous fruit. Lots of phenol/band aid along with acrid smoke, charcoal and ashtray. Smoke flavor isn't pleasant but the oak and vinous wine notes are still holding up. Nice red wine character with dark grape, currant and other berries but the smokiness and phenols are overpowering.

Medium body and much more interesting than expected. Lots of interesting barrel character nicely integrated into the smoked porter notes. Sweet and vinous with dark grapes, cherry, fig and dark berries followed by dark roast and great smoke flavors. Charcoal and smoked meat along with a slight phenol presence but it's nowhere near as strong as in the aroma. Not harsh or tough or drink with a nice balance of complex flavors. Aside from the nose, this is a very enjoyable beer.
Aug 08, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by CTJman from Connecticut

Aug 21, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

Dec 03, 2017
 
Rated: 4.1 by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

Dec 03, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Dec 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.94 by Kelp from New Hampshire

Jun 21, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by duceswild from Heard & McDonald Islands

Jan 18, 2015
Photo of deebo
Rated by deebo from Michigan

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
5 years later still quite smoky nice brew.
Jan 17, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by mendvicdog from Maryland

Jan 13, 2015
Photo of BarrytheBear
Reviewed by BarrytheBear from Wisconsin

3.46/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Hard to tell if a potential loose cap was to blame, or time, or both..but this was oxidized and had seen better days. Still an awesome opportunity...thanks again Mike!
Jan 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.87 by oline73 from Maryland

Jan 11, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Nov 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by goldspire from California

Aug 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by zestar from California

Jul 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by POTABLE83 from New York

Mar 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by drewone from California

Jan 24, 2014
Photo of UCLABrewN84
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California

3.73/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Thanks to GRG1313 for sharing this one at his tasting.

Pours an almost opaque super dark brown with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, smoke, and wood aromas. Taste is much the same with cocoa and smoke flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of roast and smoke bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that doesn't really have any wine barrel aged characteristics at this point other than wood qualities.
Jan 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by GRG1313 from California

Jan 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by BARFLYB from Pennsylvania

Oct 20, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by Lunch from Maryland

Oct 06, 2013
Fear And Trembling (French Oak Cabernet) from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 88 ratings