Flora (Eden Ice Cider)
Hill Farmstead Brewery

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Hill Farmstead Brewery
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Belgian Saison
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
+3 ratings needed
Avg:
4.56 | pDev: 4.61%
Ratings:
7 | reviews: 2
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 25, 2024
Added:
May 26, 2023
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
Flora is the barrel-aged version of Florence (1915-1967), Edward’s sister, as well as the name of our Farmstead® wheat ale. After eighteen months of rest in the presence of our resident microflora, a single wine barrel of her namesake beer was transferred to a barrel previously utilized by Eden Specialty Ciders in Newport, Vt., for one of its world-renowned ice ciders. The resultant unique instance of Flora offers a novel expression of roundness, nuanced acidity, and complex balance.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by SadMachine:
Photo of SadMachine
Rated by SadMachine from New Jersey

4.89/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Jun 02, 2023
More User Ratings:
Photo of jrc1093
Reviewed by jrc1093 from Connecticut

4.64/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
2019 vintage (cellared and opened at the brewery); consumed on 5/25/2024

Pours crystal-clear lemon-gold, short-lived half-finger of fluffy, eggshell-white foam, decent head retention, slight layer of cap, frothy collar, even array of webby, soapy lacing spread around the walls of the glass.

Aromas waft Grannie Smith peel and wet wheat upfront among an evocatively pastoral backdrop as milky funk builds to sweet white grape peaks and an oaky interplay texturing the bouquet throughout.

Taste opens to soft kiwi and semi-sweet white grape, with green apple peel accents finding a lactic peak through the mid-palate and toasted oak over the back end encourages a crisp apple turnover fade and wavering wheat interplay lingering past the swallow.

Mouthfeel presents a light body and moderate-full fluff of carbonation, phasing to an expansive twang and level acidity through the mid-palate as a glossy brightness meets a soft, oaky prickle prickle settling on the finish.

A clean presentation of unbridled, natural funk espousing blitzes of vinous white wine and prickly oak, deftly threaded across a gentle cider backdrop; masterfully layered, quietly ambitious, persistently thoughtful; Hill Farmstead at its peak.
May 25, 2024
 
Rated: 4.71 by johnlatona from New Jersey

May 24, 2024
 
Rated: 4.65 by chippo33 from Vermont

Feb 09, 2024
Photo of GreesyFizeek
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

4.25/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Onsite bottle purchased at Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro, VT.

This one pours a golden orange-ish color, with a small head, and a lot of lacing.

This smells like lemon candy, pear, sweet and slightly funky apple cider, citrusy funk, and a light hay-like grassiness.

The beer being finished in ice cider barrels definitely transformed this one. It’s got a more pronounced sweetness than Flora typically has – not in a bad way by any means, but I think I prefer regular old unadulterated Flora. There’s some apple skin and soft, lightly tart apple notes, honey, and vanilla, along with the typical citrusy and hay-like funk that you expect out of this one.

This is light bodied, sweet and light on the palate, with a wonderful drinkability.

I really like the idea behind this one, and it was executed well. It doesn’t improve the Flora base overall, but it’s absolutely worth a look if you ever see it onsite at Hill Farmstead. It hasn’t been released to the public yet, and I have no idea what the ultimate plans are for it, but I hope they release it someday.
May 31, 2023
 
Rated: 4.3 by acurtis from New Jersey

May 28, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

May 27, 2023