Twilight Of The Idols | Hill Farmstead Brewery
Brewed by:
Hill Farmstead Brewery
Vermont, United States
hillfarmstead.com
Style: American Porter
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.50%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
Twilight of the Idols is our winter porter. We brew Twilight each autumn, with a touch of locally roasted coffee and cinnamon, and age it on a blend of select vanilla beans. Originally conceived with a friend in 2009 while brewing in Denmark, the name of this annual release is inspired by the title of one of the last texts written by one of our philosophical idols, Friedrich Nietzsche.
Added by kingcrowing on 10-28-2010
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 1,118 | Reviews: 193
Reviews by Lone_Freighter:
4.36/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Hill Farmstead becher pint glass. The appearance was a dark brown mostly close to black color with a great two finger foamy off white to tan head. Mild lacing roaming all around the glass. The aroma took on a great amount of roasty to smooth sweet cocoa to coffee great bitterness. Subtle cinnamon, but super low key, really, it is. Some vanilla bean. The flavor rides on the smoothness of the sweet to roasty cocoa to coffee bean. Subtle riding bitter to a smooth roasty coffee aftertaste sliding on into the finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium like a good American styled porter should sit. Carbonation felt exactly right for what it should be. Overall, a very well done porter that I would have again.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Hill Farmstead becher pint glass. The appearance was a dark brown mostly close to black color with a great two finger foamy off white to tan head. Mild lacing roaming all around the glass. The aroma took on a great amount of roasty to smooth sweet cocoa to coffee great bitterness. Subtle cinnamon, but super low key, really, it is. Some vanilla bean. The flavor rides on the smoothness of the sweet to roasty cocoa to coffee bean. Subtle riding bitter to a smooth roasty coffee aftertaste sliding on into the finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium like a good American styled porter should sit. Carbonation felt exactly right for what it should be. Overall, a very well done porter that I would have again.
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More User Reviews:
4.48/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle: Poured a black color porter with a nice large brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of roasted malt with nice floral coffee notes with some vanilla undertones. Taste is a great mix of vanilla undertones with some floral coffee notes with some light roasted malt and subtle residual sugar notes are also discernable. Body is about average but has a nice creamy texture with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Very flavorful with great attenuation. Probably one of the best example of the style I’ve had the chance to drink.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle: Poured a black color porter with a nice large brown foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of roasted malt with nice floral coffee notes with some vanilla undertones. Taste is a great mix of vanilla undertones with some floral coffee notes with some light roasted malt and subtle residual sugar notes are also discernable. Body is about average but has a nice creamy texture with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Very flavorful with great attenuation. Probably one of the best example of the style I’ve had the chance to drink.
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4.28/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a tulip glass. Acquired as an extra in a trade!
A- The pour is translucent and brown, once in the glass it has an opaque black body with a thick, creamy 3" mocha colored head that reduces slowly.
S- Coffee, dark fruits, roasted malt, cinnamon, vanilla.
T- Starts off with some very heavy roasted malt flavors, transcends into notes of dark fruits, apples?, the finish is roasty coffee and fresh mocha-coffee-chocolate aftertaste.
M- Medium carbonation, medium body, slightly thin.
This is a beautifully crafted porter. Not thick enough that I'd consider it a stout, but hugely flavorful and complex.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a tulip glass. Acquired as an extra in a trade!
A- The pour is translucent and brown, once in the glass it has an opaque black body with a thick, creamy 3" mocha colored head that reduces slowly.
S- Coffee, dark fruits, roasted malt, cinnamon, vanilla.
T- Starts off with some very heavy roasted malt flavors, transcends into notes of dark fruits, apples?, the finish is roasty coffee and fresh mocha-coffee-chocolate aftertaste.
M- Medium carbonation, medium body, slightly thin.
This is a beautifully crafted porter. Not thick enough that I'd consider it a stout, but hugely flavorful and complex.
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3.57/5 rDev -17.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
500ml into snifter. About 3 months old
Pours black with huge foamy mocha head
lots of coffee and roast on the nose, but no sign of vanilla or cinnamon
more of the same on the palate - vanilla is completely AWOL. Ashy on the finish - too much black patent malt for my tastes
medium to lighter bodied given the ABV
Overall disappointing. When you tell me to expect vanilla, well... I expect some vanilla. nothing happening; not so much as a whiff.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
500ml into snifter. About 3 months old
Pours black with huge foamy mocha head
lots of coffee and roast on the nose, but no sign of vanilla or cinnamon
more of the same on the palate - vanilla is completely AWOL. Ashy on the finish - too much black patent malt for my tastes
medium to lighter bodied given the ABV
Overall disappointing. When you tell me to expect vanilla, well... I expect some vanilla. nothing happening; not so much as a whiff.
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4.25/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.41/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
500ml bottle poured into taster glass. No freshness date, but is marked "Fall/Winter 2012". This beer is marked as 7.5% ABV on BeerAdvocate, however is labeled 7.2%ABV for this vintage.
Appearance: Pours an abyss black color. This beer absorbs the light! 2-finger creamy mocha-colored head.
Smell: The first smell that hits my nose is a sweet chocolate fudge cake followed by freshly brewed espresso. Wonderful backdrops of supporting vanilla. Slightly bready yeast that brings me to a chocolate-covered donut.
Taste: Freshly brewed espresso is dominant on the palate. Faint notes of woodiness. Stronger vanilla comes out than was apparent in the aroma.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth. Lightly carbonated. Medium-full bodied.
Overall: Very delicious. World class. However, Vanilla Bean Framinghammer porter has ruined me for life and this beer pales in comparison to it.
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look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
500ml bottle poured into taster glass. No freshness date, but is marked "Fall/Winter 2012". This beer is marked as 7.5% ABV on BeerAdvocate, however is labeled 7.2%ABV for this vintage.
Appearance: Pours an abyss black color. This beer absorbs the light! 2-finger creamy mocha-colored head.
Smell: The first smell that hits my nose is a sweet chocolate fudge cake followed by freshly brewed espresso. Wonderful backdrops of supporting vanilla. Slightly bready yeast that brings me to a chocolate-covered donut.
Taste: Freshly brewed espresso is dominant on the palate. Faint notes of woodiness. Stronger vanilla comes out than was apparent in the aroma.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth. Lightly carbonated. Medium-full bodied.
Overall: Very delicious. World class. However, Vanilla Bean Framinghammer porter has ruined me for life and this beer pales in comparison to it.
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4.5/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Warpigs, pre-CBC. Pitch black with an espresso head. Tons of chocolate in the nose and taste, soft chocolate and a bit of spice. Really nice.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Warpigs, pre-CBC. Pitch black with an espresso head. Tons of chocolate in the nose and taste, soft chocolate and a bit of spice. Really nice.
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4.05/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
2L growler poured into a Tumbler.
Pours a very dark brown that's near black, slowly a small deep dark brown head arises and slowly fades into some very fine lacing. Nose is all coffee, quite impressive. There are some light sweet spicy & vanilla notes as well.
Taste is again strongly coffee. It's a bit dry and bitter with a lot of coffee characteristics as well. The cinnamon comes in on the finish very faintly and subtly that's super well done. A great holiday beer that's flavorful and drinkable.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
2L growler poured into a Tumbler.
Pours a very dark brown that's near black, slowly a small deep dark brown head arises and slowly fades into some very fine lacing. Nose is all coffee, quite impressive. There are some light sweet spicy & vanilla notes as well.
Taste is again strongly coffee. It's a bit dry and bitter with a lot of coffee characteristics as well. The cinnamon comes in on the finish very faintly and subtly that's super well done. A great holiday beer that's flavorful and drinkable.
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Twilight Of The Idols from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating:
4.33 out of
5 with
1,118 ratings
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