Poetica 3
Hill Farmstead Brewery

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From:
Hill Farmstead Brewery
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Bohemian / Czech Pilsner
Ranked #2
ABV:
4.8%
Score:
94
Ranked #2,273
Avg:
4.32 | pDev: 12.5%
Reviews:
9
Ratings:
38
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 22, 2023
Added:
Dec 17, 2018
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  1
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. That beer became known as Poetica 1 and, shortly thereafter, we released a yet further refined version known as Poetica 2. In each of these attempts, after nearly two months, the lagered beer was moved to tank and krausened (as is all of our lager) with fresh fermenting beer in order to provide natural carbonation. We then provide nearly 3 months of further conditioning and slow carbonation in tank. In Poetica 3, we have utilized the same process but chosen to demonstrate the possibilities of a co-fermentation of Czech and German lager yeast along with a single decoction mash and a hop profile that is entirely Czech Saaz.

I am confident that we can present you with what should become a singular experience—our Pilsner has been softened, refined, and elevated.

We will continue this pursuit through further lager experimentation and you will soon see other iterations in the coming year. This is an immersion into origins, into simplicity, and a gift granted by obsessive singular possession.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 1.4 by cravenmoorehead from California

Nov 22, 2023
 
Rated: 4.31 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Nov 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.7 by chippo33 from Vermont

Dec 29, 2022
 
Rated: 4.44 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Jul 26, 2022
 
Rated: 4.18 by MJSFS from Florida

Jun 08, 2022
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Reviewed by jrc1093 from Connecticut

4.26/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Growler filled on 5/25/22; consumed on 6/4/22

Pours a delicately hazy, lemon/straw-gold body capped with a rich, pillowy, white foam; excellent head retention yields a creamy finger of cap, equally substantial collar, and a buckshot spattering of webby/spotty lacing strewn along the walls of the glass.

Aroma opens to soft lemondrop with accents of wispy bread crusts meeting a grassy bittering over the middle, where quiet florality builds to notes of jasmine as undertones of wet hay and white bread dough linger.

Taste of white bread finds an ultra-clean minerality before a grassy undertone develop a fluffy, herbal intensity; soft lemondrop over the mid-palate guides to bread crusts on the back end and a distant tinge of honeysuckle on the finish.

Mouthfeel offers a light body, a delicately creamy texture supported with a rounded, moderate-full carbonation; herbal grit in the backdrop over the mid-palate as a budding crispness overrides, with a touch of lingering bitterness drying through a fluffy finish.

Grass-forward and spotted with a deliberate, textured herbal overlay, the counterbalancing malty ease creates a plushness epitomized in yeasty distinction for a pillowy flow of classic pilsner texture; purity and rustic precision in harmony.
Jun 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.44 by johnlatona from New Jersey

May 26, 2022
 
Rated: 4.44 by SadMachine from New Jersey

May 26, 2022
 
Rated: 4.42 by heerboth from Pennsylvania

Oct 13, 2021
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Reviewed by Siriusfisherman from New Hampshire

4.51/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
L: Hazy yellow with a pillowy white head and good lacing.

S: Sweet bready malt, spicy herbal/citrus hops, light notes of oak, and a very clean fermentation profile.

T: Very well blended flavors, it is like everything is coming in a once, but still in a distinct way. Flavors of cracker, fresh baked bread, spicy herbal hops, apple, and pear. A touch of woodiness. Very complex.

F: Creamy, Lush body, toungue coating. Modest carbonation. Perfect.

Overall: A very unique and indescribably delicious drinking experience. Hill Farmstead's lagers are as good as anything else they make.
Nov 11, 2020
 
Rated: 3.75 by Nichols33 from Massachusetts

Jul 23, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Jul 16, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by t2grogan from Arizona

Nov 15, 2019
 
Rated: 4.44 by 4ster from Canada (ON)

Nov 09, 2019
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Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Arrives clear and golden colored with a three finger head; clumps of lacing

Smell: Bready aromatics with a grassy element

Taste: Bread forward with a floral, grassy bitterness developing; crisp and clean through the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate to high carbonation

Overall: I knew Hill Farmstead was strong in a number of other beer styles but with this one they can compete in lagers with the world's best
Oct 24, 2019
 
Rated: 4.45 by stevec32 from New York

Aug 30, 2019
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Reviewed by egrandfield from Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a glass mug. Two-three finger creamy head. Body was pure and light with a very subtle hint of hop bitterness to balance the sweetness. Very good pilsener, plain and simple. Definitely felt like I was at the alps with this in my hand.
Aug 12, 2019
 
Rated: 4.29 by Uconnelmo from Connecticut

Aug 09, 2019
Photo of rudzud
Reviewed by rudzud from Massachusetts

4.67/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
​​​Enjoyed on tap at the brewery today.

A - Poured a nice crystal clear golden hue with a very fat and creamy three finger head that fades to leave thick lacing and a dense super creamy head.

S - Big aromas of sweet grains, excellent malts. Really really fragrant and clean yeast. Incredibly aromatic.

T - Taste is similar to the nose with loads of slightly sweet malts and crisp floral grassy hops. Finish is just a touch of bitterness and lingering sweetness. Really crisp lager notes. Quite true to style.

M - Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated, crisp and clean with very nice body.

O - Overall this was a really really good pilsner but I'm not sure I liked it as much as Poetica 2 but it's really splitting hairs. Really good hop and malt presence here but the water makeup really makes this beer shine. Definitely would be a desert island beer though!

Serving Type: on tap
Aug 09, 2019
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Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

4.78/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
On tap at Armsby Abbey in Worcester, MA.

This one pours a clear golden straw yellow, with a small head, and lots of sticky and webby lacing.

This has an awesome floral aroma, with some spice, doughy malt, oak, and light fruitiness, with crackery malt.

This is basically perfect lager. The taste is so creamy and full, with a huge floral hop aroma, lemon zest, spicy hops, and a killer malt character. There’s some light dough, and a crisp crackery malt thing. You get a touch of oak, nothing crazy, but a smidge.

This has such a full, rich, and creamy mouthfeel for the style, with an amazing level of drinkability.

Shaun Hill has achieved peak lager here. This is so pleasant.
Jul 26, 2019
Poetica 3 from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating: 94 out of 100 with 38 ratings