Barrel Aged What Is Enlightenment?
Hill Farmstead Brewery

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From:
Hill Farmstead Brewery
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
American Pale Ale
Ranked #12
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
97
Ranked #616
Avg:
4.44 | pDev: 5.86%
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
72
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 17, 2023
Added:
Oct 14, 2017
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  4
Originally brewed to celebrate our second anniversary, What is Enlightenment? is an American pale ale crafted with Simcoe and Amarillo hops. We aged a small portion of freshly brewed beer in a variety of French oak barrels for over 8 months, dry-hopped with Simcoe and Amarillo and then bottle conditioned. The result: a bright, enlivening and aromatic beer that dares one to be wise and seek reason.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by CharlesK:
Photo of CharlesK
Rated by CharlesK from Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

May 31, 2018
More User Ratings:
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

4.63/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Draft at teh brewery

Big pillowy fluffy head, great retention, tons of lacing, semi hazy pale blonde color

Nose nice Brett funk, some barnyard, little tart lemony funk, floral flowery like, herbal tea, grassy hop notes, very light buttery oak, as it warms a bit of funky cheese, 

Taste starts with a semi sour kick, more tart, juicy tart lemony, citrus rind, little grapefruit pith, more floral tea, flowery dandelion like, faint buttery oak, white wine, grape skin, little grassy hop, mild musty barnyard Brett funk but light, semi sticky flemmy finish

Mouth is med bod, light acidity, high effervescent carb
Nov 17, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by Nichols33 from Massachusetts

Mar 13, 2023
 
Rated: 4.53 by Eman17 from Illinois

Nov 06, 2022
 
Rated: 3.53 by vfgccp from New York

Nov 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by paulish from New York

Nov 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.68 by Bhubbard34 from Pennsylvania

Jul 12, 2022
Photo of npolachek
Reviewed by npolachek from New York

4.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This is an American pale Ale with simcoe and Amarillo hops. It is each in a variety of French oak barrels for eight months and then dry hopped with Simcoe and Amarillo. Very good beer!
Jun 27, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by Dizzy242 from Massachusetts

May 21, 2021
 
Rated: 4.5 by Yungcoolship from Wisconsin

Feb 05, 2021
Photo of BillRoth
Reviewed by BillRoth from Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
750 ml bottle from HFB picked up Spring 2019.
Classic HF styling of pale ale that is enhanced by lagering in French oak, dry hopping and further conditioning. Marvelously refreshing while subtle and complex.
Beautiful honey yellow with plumy whipped cream head. Soft dank and funk highlighted by oak. Nice touches of lemon, biscuit, hay, pepper. While still characteristic HF soft carbonation this brew is a bit more bright carbonation forward that enhanced refreshing quality.
Overall a stellar saison from a PA base.
Aug 25, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by pepesylvia from Pennsylvania

May 14, 2020
 
Rated: 4.75 by aasher from Indiana

May 11, 2020
 
Rated: 5 by pavpav12 from Pennsylvania

May 01, 2020
 
Rated: 4.81 by csmrx7 from Canada (AB)

Feb 09, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by SkiBum22 from New York

Feb 02, 2020
 
Rated: 4.5 by Montanabeerz from Montana

Jan 31, 2020
 
Rated: 3.92 by Rub_This_BBQ from Massachusetts

Dec 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by von_kaiser from Connecticut

Dec 25, 2019
Photo of kevanb
Reviewed by kevanb from Illinois

4.12/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750ml bottle, Batch 2, poured into an oversized Hill Farmstead wine glass. Enjoyed on 06.09.19, reviewed from Tasting Journal.

The beer pours a bright golden color, slightly hazy and cloudy with a foamy white head that rises nicely with strong retention and lots of lacing clinging to the glass. The aroma is nice, very oaky and earthy with green and dank hops, quite piney and grassy with soft dough, mineral water and a lingering citrus peel profile along with modest funkiness. The flavors are good, dry, dank and bitter, reminiscent of the base pale ale, very oaky as it warms with a nice backbone of pale grains and soft dough, a more vinous wine character builds out of the oakiness with some fruit and funk and a more bitter citrus rind flavor washes the palate at the finish. The mouthfeel is good, coating and crisp with a medium body that offers lively carbonation and a lightly tart and dry bitter finish.

Verdict: A very nice take on What is Enlightenment?. The barrel aging brings some new dimensions to the beer without losing the spirit of the base beer and it becomes transformed into something new and unique.
Oct 23, 2019
Barrel Aged What Is Enlightenment? from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating: 97 out of 100 with 72 ratings