Damon: Finca Buena Vista
Hill Farmstead Brewery
- From:
- Hill Farmstead Brewery
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 10.5%
- Score:
- 95
- Avg:
- 4.58 | pDev: 4.8%
- Reviews:
- 7
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Oct 06, 2024
- Added:
- Sep 22, 2018
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 2
SCORE
95
World-Class
95
World-Class
Damon (1993 - 2004) was our brother—devout and patient in an age of busyness and distraction. In his honor, we offer this version of his namesake imperial stout. We chose two unique barrels that had aged for more than two years and conditioned them atop Finca Buena Vista beans from Bolivia, sourced and roasted by our friends at The Coffee Collective in Copenhagen, Denmark. Following months of bottle conditioning, this special beer is ready for release.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York
4.77/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.77/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Bottle pour purchased at Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro, VT.
This one pours a very dark black color, with a very small head, and not much lacing.
This smells like roasted malt, caramel, dark chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, and milk chocolate fudge.
I had heard some conflicting opinions on this one, but it’s honestly wonderful. The coffee flavor is still so bright and delicious here – nothing seems to be falling off yet or going peppery and vegetal. There’s a glut of chocolatey goodness, with roast, dark fruit, and some vanilla and caramel from the barrel. This is honestly one of the strongest coffee beers that I’ve had yet from Hill Farmstead.
This is medium bodied, and very silky, with a subtle, low, but still present level of carbonation.
This is a perfect marriage of stout and coffee and barrel – nothing overwhelming, nothing underwhelming, just very well balanced and a treat to drink.
May 31, 2023This one pours a very dark black color, with a very small head, and not much lacing.
This smells like roasted malt, caramel, dark chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, and milk chocolate fudge.
I had heard some conflicting opinions on this one, but it’s honestly wonderful. The coffee flavor is still so bright and delicious here – nothing seems to be falling off yet or going peppery and vegetal. There’s a glut of chocolatey goodness, with roast, dark fruit, and some vanilla and caramel from the barrel. This is honestly one of the strongest coffee beers that I’ve had yet from Hill Farmstead.
This is medium bodied, and very silky, with a subtle, low, but still present level of carbonation.
This is a perfect marriage of stout and coffee and barrel – nothing overwhelming, nothing underwhelming, just very well balanced and a treat to drink.
Reviewed by Huhzubendah from District of Columbia
4.41/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.41/5 rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle shared by Brennan. Thank you!
Served alongside the Genealogy of Morals w/ the same coffee.
Delicious! Great mouthfeel. Medium-full body. I prefer this to the GoM. A terrific side by side experience!
Aug 18, 2021Served alongside the Genealogy of Morals w/ the same coffee.
Delicious! Great mouthfeel. Medium-full body. I prefer this to the GoM. A terrific side by side experience!
Reviewed by kevanb from Illinois
4.67/5 rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.67/5 rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
375ml bottle, bottled on May 30, 2018, poured into a black Hill Farmstead oversized wine glass. Enjoyed on 3.10.19, reviewed from Tasting Journal.
The beer pours a jet black color, thick and viscous with a khaki head that rises about a finger but offers no retention nor lacing. The aroma is incredible, super chocolatey, fudge, bakers chocolate, cake batter, light bourbon barrel, soft coffee that brings out some tannins and fruity acidity with some darker pitted stone fruits and a licorice heavy finish. The flavors are excellent, just an incredible amount of chocolate, rich rudge, bitter dark chocolate, sweet chocolate cake, the entire spectrum of chocolate sensations but a really excellent layering of coffee, robust and rich but also offering acidity and a fruit character that really brings out the stone fruits and licorice of the base Damon with a light vanilla sweetness and a hearty oak barrel with a light bourbon sweetness and a lingering charred character. The mouthfeel is great, coating, thick, creamy medium body that is easy yet filling with a lightly warm finish.
Verdict: A great barrel aged coffee stout from Hill Farmstead. The coffee character is nuanced and plays so well with the barrel character and the chocolate base beer is just amazing. An exceptional take on coffee and a legitimate improvement on the base Damon, just a killer beer.
Mar 24, 2019The beer pours a jet black color, thick and viscous with a khaki head that rises about a finger but offers no retention nor lacing. The aroma is incredible, super chocolatey, fudge, bakers chocolate, cake batter, light bourbon barrel, soft coffee that brings out some tannins and fruity acidity with some darker pitted stone fruits and a licorice heavy finish. The flavors are excellent, just an incredible amount of chocolate, rich rudge, bitter dark chocolate, sweet chocolate cake, the entire spectrum of chocolate sensations but a really excellent layering of coffee, robust and rich but also offering acidity and a fruit character that really brings out the stone fruits and licorice of the base Damon with a light vanilla sweetness and a hearty oak barrel with a light bourbon sweetness and a lingering charred character. The mouthfeel is great, coating, thick, creamy medium body that is easy yet filling with a lightly warm finish.
Verdict: A great barrel aged coffee stout from Hill Farmstead. The coffee character is nuanced and plays so well with the barrel character and the chocolate base beer is just amazing. An exceptional take on coffee and a legitimate improvement on the base Damon, just a killer beer.
Reviewed by Phineasco from Massachusetts
4.82/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.82/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
The pours jet black with a tiny khaki head that recedes immediately. It has low carbonation. The beer smells of strong bourbon, oak, fudge, tobacco, and coffee. It tastes of fudge, tootsie roll, oak, roasty coffee, and strong bourbon. The feel is thick, and very drinkable. Great barrel aged stout here.
Mar 23, 2019
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
4.3/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Enjoyed at GAB bottle share
No head, pitch black thick syrupy, stains the glass
Nose bright coffee, peppery and little nutty coffee, green pepper, earthy coffee little fudge,
Taste thick syrupy heavy roasted malt, sweet candy, syrup, cocoa, hint pepper, big roast and coffee syrup, little earthy coffee, nice toasted oak barrel, little sweet sticky finish
Mouth is med to heavier bod syrupy, light carb, little booze
Nov 24, 2018No head, pitch black thick syrupy, stains the glass
Nose bright coffee, peppery and little nutty coffee, green pepper, earthy coffee little fudge,
Taste thick syrupy heavy roasted malt, sweet candy, syrup, cocoa, hint pepper, big roast and coffee syrup, little earthy coffee, nice toasted oak barrel, little sweet sticky finish
Mouth is med to heavier bod syrupy, light carb, little booze
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