Earl
Hill Farmstead Brewery

EarlEarl
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Hill Farmstead Brewery
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Oatmeal Stout
Ranked #19
ABV:
7.2%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,543
Avg:
4.29 | pDev: 6.76%
Ratings:
805 | reviews: 137
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 10, 2025
Added:
Sep 09, 2010
Wants:
  200
Gots:
  87
Earl (1911-1985) was our grandfather’s brother; Hill Farmstead Brewery rests upon the land that was once home to him and his 13 siblings. In his honor, this Stout is crafted from American malted barley, Flaked Oats, English roasted malts, American hops, Organic Guatemalan Coffee, our ale yeast, and water from our well. It is unfiltered and naturally carbonated. A silhouette of coffee and malt - an embodiment of complexity and drinkability, this is the ale that I dream to have shared with Earl.

Pale, Caramel, and Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley, Columbus hops; Ale Yeast, and our Well Water.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Blogjackets:
Photo of Blogjackets
Reviewed by Blogjackets from Ohio

4.44/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a pint can, the body is starless and Bible black with a tan head. Fantabulous lacing.

Aroma is roast coffee and rich malt. Taste follows nose as the beer is a text book oatmeal stout with a full, deep malty character. Coffee is prominent but does not overshadow the malt. As the stout warmed a bit of the edge came off the char, but it allowed the coffee to blend well. Great tasting beer throughout.

Mouthfeel is excellent, smooth and luxurious as one would hope from an oatmeal beer. Good carbonation.
Feb 22, 2025
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.24 by not2quick from Missouri

Sep 10, 2025
 
Rated: 4.29 by alexsergio from New York

Jun 21, 2025
Photo of Bluerabbitbell
Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania

4.69/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
On tap at Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia.

Aroma is off fine coffee and deep rich cocoa powder and milk sugars, possibly a hint of brown sugar!

Taste for aroma perfectly with a slight bitter bite on the tail end.
Jun 01, 2025
 
Rated: 5 by doctorgary from New York

May 12, 2025
Photo of kw_pip
Rated by kw_pip from Vermont

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Draught. Black color. Golden foam. Not much nose. Golden Crisp flavor. Not syrupy, good mouth feel. Overall great beer.
May 10, 2025
 
Rated: 4.35 by Jdells09 from New Jersey

Mar 08, 2025
 
Rated: 4.25 by EatonHops from Massachusetts

Feb 21, 2025
 
Rated: 4 by emptyglassagain from Massachusetts

Feb 17, 2024
Photo of drdiesel9483
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Look - back with a big frothy tan head with sticky lacing
Smell and taste - roasted malts, milk chocolate and coffee
Feel - medium body with a light creamy carb
Overall - delicious
Jan 24, 2024
 
Rated: 4.49 by The_Kriek_Freak from Greenland

Jan 24, 2024
Photo of jzeilinger
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

4.41/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap.

A - Pitch black pour light toffee lacing.

S - Deep chocolate char rules the nose.

T - Lots of dark chocolate roast, coffee, along with some charcoal and lingers with light bitterness.

M - Big medium body.

O - Recommended.
Jan 24, 2024
Photo of Jaybeam
Reviewed by Jaybeam from New York

4.61/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
A buddy brought over an Earl bottled in 2016 tonight that he's been cellar aging. It was incredible!

Poured out black with a great brown head. Looked like the top of an espresso.
Smelled of malty chocolate.
Taste of creamy smooth coffee with malty notes at the end.
Overall fantastic beer that aged extremely well and I would recommend to all!
Nov 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by Ultra-Plinian from Connecticut

Nov 08, 2023
 
Rated: 4.38 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Feb 01, 2023
Photo of JohnniEMc
Reviewed by JohnniEMc from Pennsylvania

4.39/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Within a clear tulip glass, unfortunately, it comes from the tap, black coffee brown with a modest and sustaining beige head. The somewhat pronounced aroma is roasted malt first, then black coffee and oatmeal with hops even less so. The taste is rather even throughout, with roasted being emphasized as part of the roasted malt, leading the way. But to taste, the gap between roasted malt and roasted coffee narrows. Bittering hops begin to include themselves, but they never dominate, even during the finish. Overall, it's full flavored and well balanced. As the thin, yet stratified glass lacing witnesses, this is rather lightly bodied, especially for having oats in the wort. The presence of black coffee becomes more pronounced as the beer is consumed and there is a hint of malty sweetness. Bottom line, it's a very good oatmeal coffee stout. It's on the thin and bitter side, but neither to a fault. Certainly not a one and done drinking experience, but there's probably enough caffeine within to affect the susceptible.
Nov 18, 2022
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

4.29/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Sampling a 16 oz can at cellar temp. Date stamp is very difficult to read, but was purchased at the brewery sometime in October. Pouring into my .5L dimple mug. The beer pours a rich deep black coffee color with a dense creamy tan head of 1.0 cm. This foam sticks around as a thin surface cover and solid edging. Also get dense lattice when I swirl or take a sip of beer.
Aroma is some roasted malt and a dry, bitter black coffee note. Sort of astringent on the nose due to the coffee. No hint of the 7% and not any hint of hops either. Nose is appealing, yet not very complex as the coffee dominates by far.
First sip reveals a medium body and fine tingly carbonation. Texture is smooth and the physical traits make this an easy drinker.
Flavor is roasted malt, some rich coffee grounds and almost a charred wood note. A little bit of chocolate shows up at the end, but coffee dominates here too. No hop notes and ABV is hidden pretty well.
I enjoyed this beer quite a bit and would definitely drink this one again if given the chance.
Nov 18, 2022
 
Rated: 4.44 by Eman17 from Illinois

Nov 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by Hallertau from Wisconsin

Jun 12, 2022
 
Rated: 4.28 by shelby415 from Oregon

Apr 17, 2022