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Birth Of Tragedy: Coffee Collective Finca Vista Hermosa Natural and Alaka
Hill Farmstead Brewery
- From:
- Hill Farmstead Brewery
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- Imperial Porter
- ABV:
- 11%
- Score:
- 95
- Avg:
- 4.43 | pDev: 7%
- Reviews:
- 8
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Nov 04, 2022
- Added:
- Oct 12, 2019
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
After aging for more than 28 months in bourbon barrels, we conditioned this rich imperial porter atop organic vanilla beans, as well as a blend of coffee beans including Finca Vista Hermosa Natural from Huehuetenango, Guatemala, and Alaka from the Guji region of Ethiopia. After months of bottle conditioning, and in honor of a certain someone’s 175th birthday, the beer is ready for release.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by SadMachine:
Rated by SadMachine from New Jersey
4.71/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Dec 28, 2019
4.71/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Dec 28, 2019
More User Ratings:
Rated by Huhzubendah from District of Columbia
4.49/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle shared by Brennan. Thank you!
Aug 18, 2021Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
4.5/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Scored two of these bottles at the source when out in Vermont in October 2019. Drank one soon thereafter.
Pours black. 1/4" lighter brown head. Aroma of coffee before bourbon barrel. Light vanilla. Shit is rich man.
Taste, see, this was informative to me. That one Black Gold beer from Central Waters, whose barrel aging I adore, that was like 36 months in bourbon barrels, and it just seemed like too much. 28 months here, and it was much more in tandem with my preferences. The coffee is just damn delicious. The honey dries things so nicely, this isn't heavy sludge territory, it is some of the easiest drinking 11% abv stout I've ever come across. I didn't perceive it to be sweet. Everything worked amazingly, coffee and bourbon were most prominent, but the dryness from the honey fermenting out seemed to amplify the roasted malt, oak and vanilla aspects behind the first two.
I hate when world class beer like this is both expensive and hard to obtain, but I went ahead and threw down the $50 for both bottles and I don't regret it one bit, this is top notch.
May 21, 2021Pours black. 1/4" lighter brown head. Aroma of coffee before bourbon barrel. Light vanilla. Shit is rich man.
Taste, see, this was informative to me. That one Black Gold beer from Central Waters, whose barrel aging I adore, that was like 36 months in bourbon barrels, and it just seemed like too much. 28 months here, and it was much more in tandem with my preferences. The coffee is just damn delicious. The honey dries things so nicely, this isn't heavy sludge territory, it is some of the easiest drinking 11% abv stout I've ever come across. I didn't perceive it to be sweet. Everything worked amazingly, coffee and bourbon were most prominent, but the dryness from the honey fermenting out seemed to amplify the roasted malt, oak and vanilla aspects behind the first two.
I hate when world class beer like this is both expensive and hard to obtain, but I went ahead and threw down the $50 for both bottles and I don't regret it one bit, this is top notch.
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida
3.28/5 rDev -26%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.28/5 rDev -26%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
500 mL bottle. Black. Smells of coffee, sweet honey, bourbon. Tastes quite sweet. Bourbon. Coffee. Honey sweetness. Heavy, sweet. I've never been a fan of Birth of Tragedy. This is a little better, but still way too sweet.
Feb 19, 2021Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland
4.56/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.56/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Black velvety appearance with a dense foamy tan head, good retention, good lacing. Dark roast coffee, vanilla, and bold bourbon and barrel notes beginning to end. Thick creamy mouthfeel.
Apr 27, 2020Reviewed by kevanb from Illinois
4.32/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.32/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
500ml bottle, 2019 release, poured into a Hill Farmstead RONA etched wine glass. Enjoyed on 02.23.2020, reviewed from notes.
The beer pours a thick jet black color, very opaque with a finger of mocha head, good retention that yields a nice layer of film that rests atop the beer with spots of lacing. The aroma is nice, big roast character, coffee, bittersweet chocolate, charred oak, toasted grains with a nice bourbon character, light vanilla and stone fruits. The flavors are good, big chocolate, lots of roast with assertive grains, smooth and rich coffee, charred oak, earthy and woody with vanilla and a lingering fruit forward coffee acidity. The mouthfeel is good, coating and creamy, super smooth with a medium body and a warm and dry finish.
Verdict: An excellent version of Birth of Tragedy. Smooth coffee with a great roast character and a very smooth and welcoming barrel character.
Mar 01, 2020The beer pours a thick jet black color, very opaque with a finger of mocha head, good retention that yields a nice layer of film that rests atop the beer with spots of lacing. The aroma is nice, big roast character, coffee, bittersweet chocolate, charred oak, toasted grains with a nice bourbon character, light vanilla and stone fruits. The flavors are good, big chocolate, lots of roast with assertive grains, smooth and rich coffee, charred oak, earthy and woody with vanilla and a lingering fruit forward coffee acidity. The mouthfeel is good, coating and creamy, super smooth with a medium body and a warm and dry finish.
Verdict: An excellent version of Birth of Tragedy. Smooth coffee with a great roast character and a very smooth and welcoming barrel character.
Reviewed by rudzud from Massachusetts
4.56/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.56/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Split with JLindros. Review #4100.
A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a nice dark brown almost blak hue with a thin mocha head that fades to leave a thin halo and light wisps.
S - Aromas of chocolate chips cookies and big fudge. Tons of cookie dough and light vanilla, really, really fragrant bourbon barrel notes. Flashes of vanilla and really, really rich coffe notes. Slightly floral and fruity.
T - Taste is similar to the nose with excellent creamy chocolate and really, really rich coffee notes. Slightly fruity and nutty. Flashes of honey and subtle sweetness. The barrel notes are both subtle and strong, pleasant oak and vanilla barrel notes. There are really nice almost bourbon butter notes. Really, really rich.
M - Mouthfeel is thick and creamy, lightly carbonated, alcohol hidden nicely though still a bit warming.
O - Overall this was a delicious beer. The coffee and chocolate and honey notes are just lovely with the bourbon barrel providing excellent backbone throughout the beer. Just lovely. Brings back memories of of the original Birth of Tragedy release; standing in line in the middle of a snow storm under a small tart with heaters. Back when only five or so people would show up...and Phil poured full pours of whatever limited bottled beer they were releasing on draft so you could try it first. Standing in line by a heater drinking Birth of Tragedy out of a tulip while watching the snow fall and chatting with locals...that's what this beer takes me back to. Just incredible.
Serving Type: bottle
Jan 04, 2020A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a nice dark brown almost blak hue with a thin mocha head that fades to leave a thin halo and light wisps.
S - Aromas of chocolate chips cookies and big fudge. Tons of cookie dough and light vanilla, really, really fragrant bourbon barrel notes. Flashes of vanilla and really, really rich coffe notes. Slightly floral and fruity.
T - Taste is similar to the nose with excellent creamy chocolate and really, really rich coffee notes. Slightly fruity and nutty. Flashes of honey and subtle sweetness. The barrel notes are both subtle and strong, pleasant oak and vanilla barrel notes. There are really nice almost bourbon butter notes. Really, really rich.
M - Mouthfeel is thick and creamy, lightly carbonated, alcohol hidden nicely though still a bit warming.
O - Overall this was a delicious beer. The coffee and chocolate and honey notes are just lovely with the bourbon barrel providing excellent backbone throughout the beer. Just lovely. Brings back memories of of the original Birth of Tragedy release; standing in line in the middle of a snow storm under a small tart with heaters. Back when only five or so people would show up...and Phil poured full pours of whatever limited bottled beer they were releasing on draft so you could try it first. Standing in line by a heater drinking Birth of Tragedy out of a tulip while watching the snow fall and chatting with locals...that's what this beer takes me back to. Just incredible.
Serving Type: bottle
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
4.56/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.56/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
split with rudzud but thanks to him for picking it up
Pours a mild foamy frothy dark colored head, fair retention, a bit of lacing, jet black thick inky beer with fair legs
Nose is incredible, big bourbon barrel, fresh bourbon juice, juicy bourbon and vanilla buttery oak, loads of dark chocolate, cocoa, and some roasted coffee, fresh nutty earthy coffee with a touch fruity notes, big cookie dough and baking spice, roasted dark malts and barrel bring big baking spice and cookie dough like, so much juicy bourbon
Taste brings loads more bourbon, fresh bourbon barrel and bourbon juice, big vanilla barrel and buttery oak, some honey candy, big dark chocolate and cocoa, a little caramel like, vanilla and bourbon juice, fair alcohol but not a ton, coffee is good but not as great as I expected, fresh roasted coffee with a bit nutty fruity notes, and rich, as it warms brings a lot more honey, juicy honey candy with the roast and malts, fair sweetness, fudgey cocoa roast, fair bitterness with spicy roasted malts and hops, drier finish, some boozy alcohol late, fudge, bourbon, vanilla, and coffee lingering
Mouth is fuller bod, rich chewy with fair warming alcohol, medium carb
Overall this was incredible, the bourbon barrel characters alone were awesome, base stout was great, and the coffee was good although I would have liked it to come through a bit more
Jan 04, 2020Pours a mild foamy frothy dark colored head, fair retention, a bit of lacing, jet black thick inky beer with fair legs
Nose is incredible, big bourbon barrel, fresh bourbon juice, juicy bourbon and vanilla buttery oak, loads of dark chocolate, cocoa, and some roasted coffee, fresh nutty earthy coffee with a touch fruity notes, big cookie dough and baking spice, roasted dark malts and barrel bring big baking spice and cookie dough like, so much juicy bourbon
Taste brings loads more bourbon, fresh bourbon barrel and bourbon juice, big vanilla barrel and buttery oak, some honey candy, big dark chocolate and cocoa, a little caramel like, vanilla and bourbon juice, fair alcohol but not a ton, coffee is good but not as great as I expected, fresh roasted coffee with a bit nutty fruity notes, and rich, as it warms brings a lot more honey, juicy honey candy with the roast and malts, fair sweetness, fudgey cocoa roast, fair bitterness with spicy roasted malts and hops, drier finish, some boozy alcohol late, fudge, bourbon, vanilla, and coffee lingering
Mouth is fuller bod, rich chewy with fair warming alcohol, medium carb
Overall this was incredible, the bourbon barrel characters alone were awesome, base stout was great, and the coffee was good although I would have liked it to come through a bit more
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York
4.66/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.66/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
This beers pours an inky and oily looking black color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.
This one smells like toasted marshmallows, caramel, vanilla beans, fruity coffee, bourbon, oak, and molasses.
There's not a lot of coffee here- I think the coffee itself adds a bunch of marshmallow and fruitiness that just melds with the base beer here. There's a wonderful dark toasted marshmallow flavor here that adds a very intriguing sweetness. There's some caramel and molasses, too, along with melted milk chocolate, and light roast.
This has a silky and velvety body, with a lower and soft level of carbonation, and a great drinkability. There is no booziness at all.
Even though it's not even close to a coffee bomb, this is really quite good, and the coffee really accentuates the high quality of the base beer. The vanilla is extremely well done here.
Nov 04, 2019This one smells like toasted marshmallows, caramel, vanilla beans, fruity coffee, bourbon, oak, and molasses.
There's not a lot of coffee here- I think the coffee itself adds a bunch of marshmallow and fruitiness that just melds with the base beer here. There's a wonderful dark toasted marshmallow flavor here that adds a very intriguing sweetness. There's some caramel and molasses, too, along with melted milk chocolate, and light roast.
This has a silky and velvety body, with a lower and soft level of carbonation, and a great drinkability. There is no booziness at all.
Even though it's not even close to a coffee bomb, this is really quite good, and the coffee really accentuates the high quality of the base beer. The vanilla is extremely well done here.
Birth Of Tragedy: Coffee Collective Finca Vista Hermosa Natural and Alaka from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating:
95 out of
100 with
21 ratings
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