Madness & Civilization #15
Hill Farmstead Brewery
- From:
- Hill Farmstead Brewery
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #439 - ABV:
- Not listed
- Score:
- 93
Ranked #4,521 - Avg:
- 4.32 | pDev: 10.19%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 7
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 30, 2025
- Added:
- Apr 30, 2022
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
93
Outstanding
93
Outstanding
In 2013, we introduced the first entry for Madness & Civilization, beginning our ongoing sequence of experimental stouts. That first foray was a blend of buckwheat rye porter; Everett; and a predecessor to Beyond Good & Evil brewed with maple syrup and wheat—all aged in bourbon barrels and conditioned atop cocoa nibs and vanilla beans.
In a way, we arrive nearly full circle after nine years… some sympathetic kismet of sorts.
For this, the fifteenth entry, we selected specific barrels of an imperial stout brewed in honor of batch #1,000—a 33º American-style sweet imperial stout that spent more than 28 months in bourbon barrels from our favorite distillery. In order to achieve heightened nuance and balance, the blend was then conditioned atop a small proportion of Ecuadorian Costa Esmeraldas cocoa nibs sourced by Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco and organic vanilla beans from Agrofloresta de Mesoamerica in Teapa, Tabasco, Mexico.
In a way, we arrive nearly full circle after nine years… some sympathetic kismet of sorts.
For this, the fifteenth entry, we selected specific barrels of an imperial stout brewed in honor of batch #1,000—a 33º American-style sweet imperial stout that spent more than 28 months in bourbon barrels from our favorite distillery. In order to achieve heightened nuance and balance, the blend was then conditioned atop a small proportion of Ecuadorian Costa Esmeraldas cocoa nibs sourced by Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco and organic vanilla beans from Agrofloresta de Mesoamerica in Teapa, Tabasco, Mexico.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by zotzot from Vermont
4.46/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.46/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Drinking out of a small snifter at Blackback pub.
Pours a clear black-mahogany with a thin tan head.
Smells of chocolate with hints of bourbon.
Smooth, luscious mouth feels.
Sweet taste, includes chocolate, traces of vanilla, underlaid by notes of bourbon.
Maybe too sweet, but very yummy.
Nov 30, 2025Pours a clear black-mahogany with a thin tan head.
Smells of chocolate with hints of bourbon.
Smooth, luscious mouth feels.
Sweet taste, includes chocolate, traces of vanilla, underlaid by notes of bourbon.
Maybe too sweet, but very yummy.
Reviewed by Bostonchap from Massachusetts
5/5 rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
It pours with the thinnest of head; fruit forward with bourbon notes in the middle and the vanilla sweetness present in the finish. Just feeling blessed during these holidays!
Dec 25, 2022
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
4.49/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
500ml bottle from HF. Black pour, ring of beige head. Light chocolaty, roasty aroma, woody. Taste is smooth, mildly boozy, sweet cocoa, coffee. Smooth.
Dec 01, 2022
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida
2.78/5 rDev -35.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
2.78/5 rDev -35.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
500 mL bottle. Inky black. Smells of sweet roasted malt, honey, and chocolate. Tastes quite sweet, also. Chocolate, sweet roasted malt, and hints of bitter roasted malt. There's a little tang to it. Medium heavy. Something might be wrong here.
Sep 10, 2022
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York
4.66/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.66/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
This one pours a very dark black color, with a small head, and not much lacing.
This smells like creamy, caramel-like vanilla, dark fruit, rich milk chocolate, roast, and oak.
This is easily one of the best entries in this series in a while now, at least since Madness and Civilization #12, maybe even going back further than that. It’s using the Dandelion chocolate much more successfully than Damon Dandelion, with a sweet malted milk chocolate note that’s not too sweet, but also decadent in its own way. There’s creamy, rich caramel-like vanilla notes, but again, not too sweet, which is excellent. There’s not a ton of bourbon, maybe some more caramel notes, but there’s definitely soft oak character, and a nice roastiness.
This is medium bodied, super silky and velvety, with a very, very good drinkability.
I really wish I had more of this one. It was absolutely excellent.
Jul 05, 2022This smells like creamy, caramel-like vanilla, dark fruit, rich milk chocolate, roast, and oak.
This is easily one of the best entries in this series in a while now, at least since Madness and Civilization #12, maybe even going back further than that. It’s using the Dandelion chocolate much more successfully than Damon Dandelion, with a sweet malted milk chocolate note that’s not too sweet, but also decadent in its own way. There’s creamy, rich caramel-like vanilla notes, but again, not too sweet, which is excellent. There’s not a ton of bourbon, maybe some more caramel notes, but there’s definitely soft oak character, and a nice roastiness.
This is medium bodied, super silky and velvety, with a very, very good drinkability.
I really wish I had more of this one. It was absolutely excellent.
Reviewed by Benish from Utah
4.03/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.03/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A dessert beer. Poured a viscous deep black color. At the nose is sweet chocolate, brown sugar, and dark fruits but no bourbon barrels. Tasted lots of chocolate with more dark fruits. Again, intensely sweet, with almost no barrel presence. It’s full bodied and surprisingly thick for a 10%. Overall, I found it lacked depth and again overly sweet. Still pretty tasty.
Jun 12, 2022
Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland
4.5/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Dark brown viscous appearance with a moist brown foamy head and surface film. Bourbon, dark chocolate, and sweet vanilla notes on the nose and palate, with molasses and anise notes in the background. Thick mouthfeel, moderate carbonation. Bold and flavorful.
Jun 11, 2022
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