Poetica 1
Hill Farmstead Brewery
- From:
- Hill Farmstead Brewery
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- German Pilsner
Ranked #2 - ABV:
- 4.8%
- Score:
- 97
Ranked #768 - Avg:
- 4.44 | pDev: 5.86%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 21, 2026
- Added:
- May 15, 2018
- Wants:
- 12
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
97
World-Class
97
World-Class
After a trip to Pilsen (Czech Republic) last November with Bob, I returned with a creative drive to elevate Mary, our German-style Pilsner, to a higher state of elegance and refinement. In what will likely become an exhausting pursuit of reformation and refinement, we began lagering a portion of Mary in a single French oak puncheon in our cooler. After nearly two months, the beer was moved to tank and krausened (as is all of our lager) with fresh fermenting beer in order to provide natural carbonation. After nearly 3 months of further conditioning and slow carbonation, I am confident that we can present you with what should become a singular experience—Mary has been softened, refined, and elevated.
We will continue this pursuit through further lager experimentation. This is an immersion into origins, into simplicity, and a gift granted by obsessive singular possession.
This lyrical revision of Mary—and this ongoing pursuit—will now be known as "Poetica" and will only be available on draft.
We will continue this pursuit through further lager experimentation. This is an immersion into origins, into simplicity, and a gift granted by obsessive singular possession.
This lyrical revision of Mary—and this ongoing pursuit—will now be known as "Poetica" and will only be available on draft.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
4.42/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.42/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had on tap. Clear bright golden body with a full white head, rungs of lacing. Aromas of grassy hops atop fresh baked bread, minor grains, crisp pilsner malts, and big cracker. Taste follows suit, the hops and cracker really stand out for me, maybe even a slight black pepper specks on the finish, not as bready as it smells. Feel is clean, crisp, fuller and decently dry. Really nice pilsner
May 21, 2026
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio
4.27/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Look - for a pilsner, outstanding. Golden clear with a nice white head
Smell and taste - coplex earthy grainy and slight bitterness
Feel - light body and a dry crisp carbanation
Overall - outstanding pils
Mar 31, 2026Smell and taste - coplex earthy grainy and slight bitterness
Feel - light body and a dry crisp carbanation
Overall - outstanding pils
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York
4.44/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Growler purchased from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT.
This one pours a very clear and brilliant golden yellow color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.
There’s a really nice spicy noble hops on the nose, white pepper and floral notes, with some nice bready maltiness.
I think I liked #2 and #3 better, but this is still pretty exceptional. It’s got a really nice floral and clean hop character, with a spicy and refreshing bitterness, and some nice soft oakiness on the finish.
This is light bodied, clean, crisp, and really drinkable.
All of these oak fermented lagers from Hill Farmstead have been exactly what I needed.
Mar 27, 2026This one pours a very clear and brilliant golden yellow color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.
There’s a really nice spicy noble hops on the nose, white pepper and floral notes, with some nice bready maltiness.
I think I liked #2 and #3 better, but this is still pretty exceptional. It’s got a really nice floral and clean hop character, with a spicy and refreshing bitterness, and some nice soft oakiness on the finish.
This is light bodied, clean, crisp, and really drinkable.
All of these oak fermented lagers from Hill Farmstead have been exactly what I needed.
Rated by eppie82 from Illinois
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
Clean. Bit of grain and wood. Drying and super easy to drink.
Jan 16, 2023
Reviewed by Sheppard from Massachusetts
3.95/5 rDev -11%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.95/5 rDev -11%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I was glad to finally have this. It poured a pale golden with a thick frothy head. It’s fine. Some grape skins. Notable hop presence, spicy peppercorn character. I am glad lagers are getting attention because of beers like this. Hill does a great job presenting the moment, the story, the craftsmanship of his beers, but this doesn’t do it for me. At the end of the day, this is just good, not great for me.
May 28, 2019
Reviewed by Stevedore from Oregon
4.76/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.76/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
On draft at Hill Farmstead (and Armsby Abbey). Served in a Bamberg mug.
Lighter golden yellow body, one and half finger frothy, thick yet effervescent white head. One of the more beautiful heads I've seen on a beer, period. Good retention. Lots of lacing.
Smell is massive pilsner malt, cracker, noble up and big grain overload. Wow. This is Pilsner Urquell on steroids. It really pops on the nose and the hops are more or less done so incredibly well. Crisp bread and biscuit, perfect floral and herbal notes.
Flavour follows- fantastic blend of biscuit, grains and hops. It's so perfectly balanced, deliciously grainy with a nice noble hop bite to it.
Mouthfeel is incredible. I think this is what elevates the beer above every other lager I've had. Medium full bodied, smooth with a huge creaminess. Tons of flavour and complexity on the backend, incredible. Just perfect as far as mouthfeel goes.
Love this series. I wish I could drink beers out of this series more regularly. Damn. Almost the perfect pilsner.
May 24, 2019Lighter golden yellow body, one and half finger frothy, thick yet effervescent white head. One of the more beautiful heads I've seen on a beer, period. Good retention. Lots of lacing.
Smell is massive pilsner malt, cracker, noble up and big grain overload. Wow. This is Pilsner Urquell on steroids. It really pops on the nose and the hops are more or less done so incredibly well. Crisp bread and biscuit, perfect floral and herbal notes.
Flavour follows- fantastic blend of biscuit, grains and hops. It's so perfectly balanced, deliciously grainy with a nice noble hop bite to it.
Mouthfeel is incredible. I think this is what elevates the beer above every other lager I've had. Medium full bodied, smooth with a huge creaminess. Tons of flavour and complexity on the backend, incredible. Just perfect as far as mouthfeel goes.
Love this series. I wish I could drink beers out of this series more regularly. Damn. Almost the perfect pilsner.
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