Works Of Love: Earl Grey Tea
Hill Farmstead Brewery

 

 

poured into stemmed glassware. pours a hazy blonde with white head. smell is hoppy with slight tea and a little grass. taste is similar; light & refreshing yet plenty of flavor for a low ABV beer. very subtle on the tea with a slight lactose sweetness. mouthfeel is spectacular, quite possibly from the lactose addition. very good blonde ale. was worried the tea aroma and flavor was going to dominate but this is incredibly well balanced.

 

 

 

 

 

impossibly delicate yet flavorful beer, the world needs more beer like this. i love the texture as much as anything else, which is becoming a redundancy for me with hill beers, but its true. i wish it didnt take me 25 minutes to get noticed at the bar, but i was rewarded for my aggravated patience with a nice hazy cloudy glass of something frothy headed and lively, looks like a wit to me. the nose is awesome, really relaxed dry hop profile is amazingly fresh but reserved enough to be in the background behind this herbal tea. notes of clementine and lemongrass and even watermelon for a second but without the sweetness, truly astounding, and its all there in the flavor too, fresh lemon zest, wet grass, bitter green tea, bergamot, so fresh! the low alcohol is a treat, i could drink this forever, carbonated like dropping a mento in a coke, insane. bitter but more from tea than hops, and full of flavor and body too for how low the alcohol is. its summery to me, absolutely unique and delicious, one of the best beers from these guys i have had in a long time, and we all know they are always great! wonderful stuff, glad i waited around for it! i am lusting for more!

edit: just a bit less striking the second time around, there must be some batch variability here or else its not as stable as i thought it might be over time. either way, this is till elite level, unique, and infinitely drinkable!

 

 

 

 

Super light and refreshing. Could absolutely drink these all day long on a hot day. It’s basically unsweetened, slightly alcoholic tea. Very enjoyable for what it is

 

 

 

 

 

Light, crisp and tilting herbal, brewers at Hill Farmstead take their foot a little lighter on the hop pedal in favor of the light earthiness of earl grey tea and creamy lactose for another way to look at American blonde ale.

However, Works of Love captivates the nose with a bright and hoppy bouquet that circulates around citrus, herbal and a light tropical medley to start the session. Its bright and golden color casts a faint haze across steaming and sparkling effervescences. Its creamy and arid froth precedes a taste of cracker, honeysuckle and a mild cereal softness.

As the ale quickly dries on the middle palate, its malt influence is tame. Hop flavors roll onto the tongue with pink grapefruit, under ripened orange, light lemon and a kiss of lime. Under ripened tropical fruits of pineapple and papaya continue a faint impression while the earthen, ashy, herbal and soilish taste of earl grey tea bring a dark berry, lemongrass, sassafras and verbena spice to the finish.

Medium light on the palate, the beer's fast dissolving malt and militant carbonation ensures a dry palate early and often. Crisp, clean and highly refreshing, the beer's lactose adds a gentle sweetness that gives the tea a creamy roundness while supporting the hops in the absence of malt.

 

 

 

12 oz can.

A fizzy, yellow and white hued gold color. A light white and short foam cap spreads out fast.

Zesty lemmongrass, citrus and dry-earthy hop tones in the nose. Very light and jazzy malt that comes across as sweet and light.

The zesty lemmongrass thing is found in The flavor as well, light and sweet citrus, light malt, sweet with a touch of grains, smooth in the middle with a fresh, lively feel all around. The Earl Grey tea and lactose additions really make it something special.lightly sweet, with a round, feel and flavor...a bit like black tea and milk. The dry hop combo gives some decent depth, mostly a light effect but layered well.

Overall, a very interesting brew. Super light and very easy to drink. Uniqie with a certain charm that will make you want more.

 

 

Can received in trade

 

 

 

Can: Poured a clear golden color ale with a large pure white foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of cereal notes with light residual notes with dry floral hops notes. Taste is a mix of clean cereal notes with light residual sugar notes with light dry notes. Body is about average for style with good carbonation. Nice clean drinking golden ale with limited complexity.

 

On tap at Albany Ale and Oyster in Albany, NY.

This one pours a very hazy light yellow, with a small head and lots of lacing.

This smells very floral, with lots of tea, orange rind, tangerine and grapefruit.

This has a really unique and great flavor to it- the tea gives a nice fruity and very floral flavor, and the hops meld incredibly well and complement these flavors.

This is crisp and clean, with a light body, and a good level of carbonation.

This is a nice light banger. The tea infusion was genius.

 

 

 

On tap at Armsby Abbey

Poured into a snifter, hazy pale yellow liquid. Creamy one finger white foam cap

Aroma is floral, herbal , earl grey tea

Tastes like a blonde ale...with earl grey tea

Good beer