Shirley Mae
Hill Farmstead Brewery
- From:
- Hill Farmstead Brewery
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- American Porter
Ranked #30 - ABV:
- 4%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #5,965 - Avg:
- 4.14 | pDev: 7.97%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 41
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 27, 2026
- Added:
- Feb 07, 2016
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 25
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding
An American session Porter... "Baby Everett"
Shirley Mae (1936 - 2015) was our cousin, daughter of Everett, and a beloved supporter of her family and Hill Farmstead. In her honor, this American session version of our Everett porter is crafted from American malted barley, English and German roasted malts, American hops, our ale yeast, and water from our well. Chocolate, coffee, and light malty sweetness, this ale embodies her ebullient and generous spirit—a fitting tribute.
Shirley Mae (1936 - 2015) was our cousin, daughter of Everett, and a beloved supporter of her family and Hill Farmstead. In her honor, this American session version of our Everett porter is crafted from American malted barley, English and German roasted malts, American hops, our ale yeast, and water from our well. Chocolate, coffee, and light malty sweetness, this ale embodies her ebullient and generous spirit—a fitting tribute.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
4.16/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Nitro pour at rail trail
Creamy thick typical nitro head with reverse waterfall, basically black color
Nose brings some nitro, then mild roasted malt and coffee notes, biscuity bread crust, some semi sweet chocolate
Taste creamy frothy milk chocolate cocoa, a bit of roast and coffee and cream, little cookie dough and spices, wafer cookie candy bar like kit Kat but only mildly sweet, fair bitterness from mild earthy hops and roasted bitterness, drier soft creamy finish
Mouth is med to a bit fuller bod, very creamy nitro
Overall pretty good, I would really like to try it without the nitro as I'm sure the beer itself shines nicely without nitro muting the base beer
May 09, 2025Creamy thick typical nitro head with reverse waterfall, basically black color
Nose brings some nitro, then mild roasted malt and coffee notes, biscuity bread crust, some semi sweet chocolate
Taste creamy frothy milk chocolate cocoa, a bit of roast and coffee and cream, little cookie dough and spices, wafer cookie candy bar like kit Kat but only mildly sweet, fair bitterness from mild earthy hops and roasted bitterness, drier soft creamy finish
Mouth is med to a bit fuller bod, very creamy nitro
Overall pretty good, I would really like to try it without the nitro as I'm sure the beer itself shines nicely without nitro muting the base beer
Reviewed by Sinfull from New York
3.87/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.87/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Black with thin , beige head. Roasted malt and chocolate in aroma. Same notes in taste. Moderate sweetness. Strong, long-lasting bitterness at the end.
Mar 13, 2025
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania
4.43/5 rDev +7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
10oz pour at Sabatinis in Exeter pa this evening. On nitro.
Superb looking porter. Black as black body with a persistent coffee with cream head. This persists throughout leaving a solid sheet of "lacing".
Coffee and chocolate notes on the nose.
On tasting, smooth of course. Coffee stronger than the chocolate, but both present. There is a significant roast for balance
Mouth between medium and full, finish a lasting roast which is not drying.
Overall, superbly crafted beer. And at only 3.8 abv, very sessionable. Shows that you can produce a low alcohol flavorable porter with bags of character.
Sep 17, 2022Superb looking porter. Black as black body with a persistent coffee with cream head. This persists throughout leaving a solid sheet of "lacing".
Coffee and chocolate notes on the nose.
On tasting, smooth of course. Coffee stronger than the chocolate, but both present. There is a significant roast for balance
Mouth between medium and full, finish a lasting roast which is not drying.
Overall, superbly crafted beer. And at only 3.8 abv, very sessionable. Shows that you can produce a low alcohol flavorable porter with bags of character.
Reviewed by brewme from Massachusetts
4.25/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Had a single draft at Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, Vermont for about eight dollars. My eleventh brew from these guys. Very good, flavorful LAB.
Aug 31, 2022
Rated by Holderness from Massachusetts
4.27/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap at the brewery
The coffee character is really fresh but not syrupy. Probably the most flavorful low ABV porter I've had
86/100
Mar 06, 2022The coffee character is really fresh but not syrupy. Probably the most flavorful low ABV porter I've had
86/100
Rated by Paul9656
4.75/5 rDev +14.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.75/5 rDev +14.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Very smooth nice low carbonation. Creamy and easy on the palate. Guinness like in it's drink ability.
Jan 09, 2022
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts
3.91/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.91/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
Excellent, lasting head. Blanketing lace. Deep dark brown color where only the brightest of lights can pass through.
Nice blend of darker chocolate malt and light bittering hop.
The beer is a touch watery on the mouth. Neutral carbonation. Notable coffee flavors. Much dryer than the smell. The finish is darker mocha with no milk or sugar. Longer Aftertaste.
Nov 26, 2021Nice blend of darker chocolate malt and light bittering hop.
The beer is a touch watery on the mouth. Neutral carbonation. Notable coffee flavors. Much dryer than the smell. The finish is darker mocha with no milk or sugar. Longer Aftertaste.
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio
4.67/5 rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.67/5 rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Like a classic draft pour of Guinness, the nitro takes forever to cascade upwards out of solution, building a gigantically tall and dense creamy tan head over a dark polished mahogany body.
Mild roast meets deliciously toasty coffee bean with an almost brown sugar and maple quality, while exhibiting absolutely no sweetness. The thick head makes for a pillowy start to the otherwise silky smooth medium body, which finishes paper dry and exhales a hint of cigar smoke.
As with Poetica, I'm finding myself a little perplexed by Hill's menu and their choice of wording on these beer names. I'm not really sure if this should be a different beer entry, but Hill branded it as regular Shirley Mae, and I still have a picture of the menu. The menu describes this as having additions of coffee, cacao nibs and lactose sugar, via nitro. The Sunrise Addition listed here and on Untappd is supposedly only coffee and vanilla with lactose. I wonder, has regular Shirley Mae always had adjuncts?
Whatever the case, it's an excellent porter, and I was surprised to have thoroughly enjoyed it far more than the Poetica I was much more hyped for. I even made sure to dig into half my pour of the pilsner before even touching this darker brew.
Oct 20, 2021Mild roast meets deliciously toasty coffee bean with an almost brown sugar and maple quality, while exhibiting absolutely no sweetness. The thick head makes for a pillowy start to the otherwise silky smooth medium body, which finishes paper dry and exhales a hint of cigar smoke.
As with Poetica, I'm finding myself a little perplexed by Hill's menu and their choice of wording on these beer names. I'm not really sure if this should be a different beer entry, but Hill branded it as regular Shirley Mae, and I still have a picture of the menu. The menu describes this as having additions of coffee, cacao nibs and lactose sugar, via nitro. The Sunrise Addition listed here and on Untappd is supposedly only coffee and vanilla with lactose. I wonder, has regular Shirley Mae always had adjuncts?
Whatever the case, it's an excellent porter, and I was surprised to have thoroughly enjoyed it far more than the Poetica I was much more hyped for. I even made sure to dig into half my pour of the pilsner before even touching this darker brew.
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!