Fear And Trembling (Cabernet/Bourbon Blend)
Hill Farmstead Brewery

Fear And Trembling (Cabernet/Bourbon Blend)Fear And Trembling (Cabernet/Bourbon Blend)
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From:
Hill Farmstead Brewery
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Baltic Porter
ABV:
9.3%
Score:
94
Avg:
4.25 | pDev: 9.41%
Reviews:
64
Ratings:
167
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 13, 2021
Added:
Oct 12, 2010
Wants:
  156
Gots:
  12
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 blended from beer aged in both American Oak Cabernet barrels and Bourbon 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 Slatetank:
Photo of Slatetank
Reviewed by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Thanks to weeare138 for sharing this w/ froggyfrog and me.

Deep brown color w/scarlet hues at the base, thick cap of medium brown w/ good retention, the bead is fine. The smell is a cornucopia of malt, wood and smoke notes, lots of caramel and toaste w/ a slight fruit scent and mild cocoa aroma w/ light graham cracker spice.

I enjoyed the feel equally well and the blend of smoke and smooth malt texture is practically perfect. There is light roastiness but it doesn't stand out and the body is augmented by mild sweetness w/ a gentle yeast effect. I think this tastes incredible, world class combination of smoked porter w/ lots of creamy cocoa and lager like maltiness w/ gentle bitterness and lots of woody accents which add the the overall complexity without becoming too obtrusive.

This is far and above any smoked beer I have had in recent memory. It is a great baltic porter and the wood only adds the cream to the wonderful brewed beverage fermented with care by Shaun and Hill Farmstead -a Deluxe offering I have very little to compare it to it exceeded my expectations!
Oct 12, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.54 by vfgccp from New York

Jun 13, 2021
 
Rated: 4.59 by Scottsbeer from Florida

Oct 22, 2020
 
Rated: 4.33 by warrendietrich2001 from Nevada

Feb 20, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by Uconnelmo from Connecticut

Aug 08, 2019
 
Rated: 3.52 by heerboth from Pennsylvania

Apr 18, 2019
 
Rated: 4.27 by ScottP from New Hampshire

Jan 26, 2019
 
Rated: 4.52 by NHhomebrewguy from New Hampshire

Jan 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by pisano from Massachusetts

Dec 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4.43 by stevec32 from New York

Sep 12, 2018
 
Rated: 4.38 by Kurmaraja from California

Sep 05, 2018
 
Rated: 4.1 by MakeBeerGreatAgain from North Carolina

Aug 25, 2018
 
Rated: 4.33 by Samact from Vermont

Aug 25, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by CTJman from Connecticut

Aug 21, 2018
Photo of Stevedore
Reviewed by Stevedore from Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
500ml bottle from December 2016. Served in a Hill Farmstead stemmed glass. Pours a dark black body, cola coloured head which brings out about one finger, with a nice medium collar that has a lot of staying power, good retention and minimal lacing as expected. Smell is rich milk chocolate, touch of smoked wood, mild whiskey sweetness, a bit of cocoa and a nice dark chocolate. A bit of nougat also. Flavour is milk chocolate, caramel-like nougat sweetness, slight smoky oak, light bourbon smoke that certainly complements the intrinsic smoked malt, red tannic character lingering on the backend with a touch of vanillin sweetness. Really rich, complex and fascinating admixture of smoke and barrel. Mouthfeel is full bodied, creamy and soft, one of the more substantial Hill Farmstead stouts/porters I've had. Wonderful silky body with a lot going on the finish, with oak, tannins and vanillins playing around on a background of milk chocolate. This isn't a super smoky beer, similar to the base, and the barrels have a nice interplay amongst each other without overshadowing the base porter which has a lot of chocolate character in its own right.
Jun 15, 2018
Photo of spinrsx
Rated by spinrsx from Canada (ON)

4.02/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle thanks to Eric
Jun 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by MTKATL from Georgia

May 20, 2018
 
Rated: 3.96 by Sammy from Canada (ON)

Apr 19, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Mar 20, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by aasher from Indiana

Mar 12, 2018
Fear And Trembling (Cabernet/Bourbon Blend) from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 167 ratings