Shirley Mae: Sunrise Edition
Hill Farmstead Brewery

 

Nitro pour at Hill. The air was a little crisp this day and the beer paired perfectly. Light and creamy although i feel Nitrofying a beer mutes it’s flavors a bit.

On nitro tap at Big Fatty's BBQ in White River Junction, VT.

This one pours a inky and glossy looking black color, with a small white foamy head, and lots of sticky lacing.

This smells like lactose, milk chocolate, vanilla, roasted malt, and smoke.

This is really solid stuff, and better than most nitro beers I've had, which I tend to not like. The coffee flavor is integrated beautifully, with a bright and fruity roast character, alongside creamy vanilla and lactose, with some ashy roast and milk chocolate.

This is wonderfully creamy, and deceptively full-bodied, with a great drinkability to it.

This is a wonderful update to an already really nice little beer.

 

On tap at the Archives

 

On tap-nitro-at The Astorian, Queens, NY.

Pours a murky dark mahogany color. Moderate, nitro foamy and creamy tan head, stately and elegant. Excellent head retention along with creamy lacing.

The inviting aroma opens with sweet notes of chocolate, along with dark fruit and a hint of cherry. Additional aromas of coffee, vanilla, nutty and biscuity malts; very pleasant overall.

Full bodied, smooth and mouth coating. The low carbonation greatly supports the soft and velvety mouthfeel. The taste opens sweetly, but not cloying, with flavors of milk and dark chocolate, vanilla, creamy and biscuity malt, and a hint of dark fruit. Additions of coffee add a light roast, while the lactose adds creamy sweetness. The hops flavors add a gentle spice. A long chocolate flavored finish ends with a slight lingering bitterness.

Fantastic! Very sessionable due to the low ABV, yet deliciously full flavored. Another masterpiece from Hill Farmstead; these guys seem to excel at all beer styles.

Phenomenal for a beer with such an approachable ABV.

On Nitro Tap at Farm House in Burlington.

Pitch Black with Fluffy Cream Colored Head.

Roasted Coffee nose with some nut and vanilla support.

Taste follows nose very well.

Luscious and creamy although a touch thin but to be expected with low ABV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

on nitro poured into a Willi at Hill Farmstead.

A~ dark as night with a nice nitro tan head and a lot of lacing.

S~ tons of roasty coffee up front, followed by dark malt, a lot of vanilla and a little coconut.

T~ even more coffee here... some how!! roasted malt with a little smoke and vanilla and coconut come out nicely!

M~ silky smooth just the perfect feel for this brew!

O~ i was extremely surprised by this! i liked Shirley Mae but this is on another level! amazing coffee, vanilla and coconut which is also extremely drinkable even on a hot day! would love to see this in cans!

On nitro at the brewery. Almost black with a creamy disc of foam. Smells of coffee, roasted malt, a touch of cream. Tastes of roasted malt, coffee, and cream. Back end is a roasty reminder that it is not an iced latte. Slight hint of vanilla lingers in the finish. Creamy and easy drinking. Very good, though I think the adjuncts cover up what is best about Shirley Mae.

 

 

 

 

 

On tap at Three Penny Taproom, Montpelier, VT.
The appearance was a dark brown close to black color with a bar pour's kind of slim white cap of a head. Seemed to dissolve exceptionally quick.
The aroma had a very nice blend of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, creamy/lactose sweetness, coffee bean - somewhat roasty.
The flavor combined all of the previously mentioned aromas nicely - the sweet to the roast to an ever so light bitterness of the coffee coming in extremely awesome. Smooth sweet to roasty aftertaste.
The mouthfeel was between light and medium bodied like a porter should be. Carbonation felt fairly low but wasn't bothersome. ABV felt appropriate. Really smooth along my tongue.
Overall, I liked it a ton for me, but wouldn't mind going back to my notes on the regular Shirley Mae just to see if there's much difference as off the top of my head, I really don't see much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

great looking beer, had this on nitro. taste is very smooth, but thought it would be a little creamier. coffee is there on the nose, and a hint of vanilla. hint of roasted malt as well but overall found this one to be pretty watery. still enjoyable for a sessionable brew!