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Barrel Aged What Is Enlightenment?
Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Hill Farmstead Brewery
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
Ranked #12 - ABV:
- Not listed
- Score:
- 97
Ranked #615 - Avg:
- 4.44 | pDev: 5.86%
- Reviews:
- 14
- Ratings:
- 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 Jhfinn:
Rated by Jhfinn from New York
4.41/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Nov 14, 2017
4.41/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Nov 14, 2017
More User Ratings:
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
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, 2023Big 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
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
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, 2021Reviewed 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
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, 2020Classic 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.
Reviewed by kevanb from Illinois
4.12/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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, 2019The 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.
Barrel Aged What Is Enlightenment? from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating:
97 out of
100 with
72 ratings
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