Beyond Good And Evil
Hill Farmstead Brewery

Smells like hot buttered rum and coffee liquor. Tastes divine. Bourbon barrels impart a very strong flavor. Rich. Dense. Smooth. Delicious. Incredible head, looks like espresso.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing stout - not too sweet.

A perfect BA maple stout. Had on site at HF, was a 2018 vintage. Perfect.

2018 vintage on tap. Tan head. Black color (dark brown).

Smooth, silky, light roast, light heat. Awesome bourbon and fudge notes. The maple adds a nice light sweetness that goes well with the heat and roast from the barrels. Toasted marshmallow. Chocolate. Full bodied, great feel. Very surprised with how much I liked this as I haven’t enjoyed hill stouts in the past.

 

 

L -- Jet black in the glass with a surprisingly robust two finger head produced with aerated pour. Hard to believe this has been bottle conditioning for a year and a half
S -- Waves of rich milk chocolate, wet bourbon barrel, prune, fig, chocolate covered cherries, vanilla, maple, and light smoke. Smells like a pastry stout without being a pastry stout
T -- Incredible how much of a difference 18 months of barrel aging makes over the usual 10-12. The bourbon barrel presence is heavy here -- both in the notes of oak from the barrel itself but also the boozy bourbon heat. Very rich, mapley base stout that has both an espresso/dark chocolate character and a sweet fudginess. The bourbon is just a hair on the hot side
F -- Big mouthfeel, medium- carb. Lasting, sweet finish. Oily and slick, less velvety than expected
O -- One of the best barrel aged stouts I've had. Patience is the name of game when it comes to barrel aging, and Hill Farmstead has it in spades. Very pricey @$25/17 oz, but it's worth it

91/100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018 version poured from the bottle into a snifter. I find this tremendously tasty. The viscosity coats the glass nicely. Wonderful maple flavor without being over the top/too sweet.

Finally trying this one, march 28 2021, bottled 10-3-18. For me the feel is just outstanding, full and creamy and smooth, approaching syrupy, but still with enough carbonation to keep it drinkable. It’s Hill Farmstead, of course the feel is going to be exceptional. The aroma is strangely mild but the flavor explodes with maple syrup and whiskey notes and has to be the sweetest of any HF beer I can recall. Just lean enough to stay in balance. Very nice drinking.

 

 

2018 Vintage

 

 

 

 

 

Had high expectations for this beer but ultimately found it average, especially when compared to top tier stouts.

 

 

18 November 2020 - Beer #207 - BA Top 250 Alert!

Acquired via trade
Current Rank: #105 on Beer Advocate

Appearance: 5 - blacky black but a bit thin at the edges. The head remains as a thin halo.

Nose: 4 - not very intense, but what is there is divine. Pure maple and barrel.

Taste: 4 - nothing mind-blowing here, just a straight up barrel aged maple stout. Maple is tough to do well, and this is done well.

Mouth: 5 - this is where the beer really shines. It's thick and sticky, and I don't want to swallow it; I just want to chew it for a while.

Overall: 4 - very excited to have tried this one. Not obsessed but satisfied.

Cheers!

 

 

 

Pours jet black with minimal head. Smell of chocolate, barrel and slight vanilla. Taste of chocolate, maple and coffee. Neither the coffee or maple overwhelm the base stout. Feels thick and decadent but cohesive. Another great HF brew.