E.
Hill Farmstead Brewery

E.E.
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From:
Hill Farmstead Brewery
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Saison
Ranked #78
ABV:
7%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,432
Avg:
4.29 | pDev: 7.46%
Reviews:
95
Ratings:
614
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 11, 2022
Added:
Apr 24, 2011
Wants:
  316
Gots:
  76
E is definitely not a Belgian IPA - it's a funky version of Edward (american pale ale) - fermented with brettanomyces, dry hopped with galaxy, and aged on stainless for four months. Basically, we refer to it as a farmhouse pale ale - a cross between a saison and an american pale.

2012 Release: Aged in Mimosa barrels.
2014 Release: Aged in wine barrels with resident yeast and microfloa for 1.5 years.
2018 Release: Aged in oak barrels, fermented with Farmstead yeast, dry-hopped with Galaxy hops.
2019 Release: Fermented with our Farmstead yeast; aged in oak barrels; dry-hopped with Amarillo, Simcoe and Galaxy hops; and botttle conditioned.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by tectactoe:
Photo of tectactoe
Reviewed by tectactoe from Michigan

3.88/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours out a compilation of golden and yellow tones with some lighters straw hints around the edges. Super volatile pour, even being somewhat conservative creates a head that grows thicker than the amount of beer that's been poured already; eggshell-white, cloudy, and foamy, leaving huge chunks of lacing as it slowly recedes.

I bring E. up to my face and I'm met with a huge bouquet of roses; the aroma is largely floral, comprised of fresh, wet roses and bitter grassy notes. The hops are clearly the key component in this one. Successive whiffs reveal a more refined hop character, rounded out with tones of earth, dirt, and musk. Light hints of funk and wet wood (as well as some of the musk) is probably from the brett yeast used. There isn't much to be said in terms of malt, at least as far as the aroma is concerned. The hop profile here is certainly different - one of the most purely, raw, floral things I've smelled in quite some time. Very, very light tropical fruit and citrus peek in more and more with each sniff - maybe apple skins and/or pears?

I take my first swig of E. and I'm not sure if I just drank a beer or if I ate a flower and a handful of grass. There should be no surprise, however, as the aroma was largely floral and grassy. The vegetal notes are pretty huge on this one; grass, roses, and perfume. The hops are raw and dirty, giving off a very weedy, grassy, and bitter tone. They must have used a ton of bittering hops on this one - the bitterness charges in, rides the wave hard, and doesn't come close to being settled by the end. I would have like more aromatics to accompany this dry, leafy bitterness. A mild citrus zest sits quiet in the background, but never jumps out and strong as I was hoping for. There's a heavy bit of funk and wet oak in the aftertaste - hard to pick it up throughout the sip, as the hop notes are so profound. Medium bodied, heavily carbonated.

Hm... I don't love E. like the scores and reviews said I would. Listening to others describe it, it definitely sounds like something right up my alley. Don't get me wrong - it was a good beer, but I guess from the way people talk about HF, I was possibly expecting a bit too much. I like the funk and oak in the end, but the bittering hops just don't make my palate dance like they should. Either way, still a solid brew, but likely nothing I'll seek out again.
Feb 26, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.49 by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

Dec 11, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by paulish from New York

Nov 03, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by bigred89 from Maryland

Jul 03, 2022
Photo of Beers-es
Reviewed by Beers-es from Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle pour at Hill Farmstead. This is the 2014 release. Pours a deep straw gold. It tastes like the description: a cross between a pale ale and a farmhouse ale—done to perfection, of course.
Apr 07, 2022
 
Rated: 4.6 by Bhubbard34 from Pennsylvania

Jan 13, 2022
 
Rated: 4.6 by mattmarka1 from Minnesota

Dec 27, 2021
Photo of SiepJones
Reviewed by SiepJones from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2020 Release which was the same as the 2019 release: Fermented with our Farmstead yeast; aged in oak barrels; dry-hopped with Amarillo, Simcoe and Galaxy hops; and bottle conditioned.
Dec 20, 2021
 
Rated: 4.19 by psweet70 from New Hampshire

Oct 22, 2021
Photo of SpeedwayJim
Reviewed by SpeedwayJim from New York

4.22/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
750ml capped bottle into a Founder's snifter. Bottling date says March 2017.

Nose is rose petal, lychee, citrus, oak, and just the slightest bit of vinegar tartness. Beer opens slightly hoppy. I get citrus rind, flower petals, and fresh cut grass. Middle is more citrus, lemon zest, and oak. Floral, zesty tartness, and a foamy funk towards the end. Hay and oak on the finish. Body is light with ample carbonation. Lively on the palate and aggressive going down. Crisp, clean, accented finish that somehow still persists on the palate. The drinkability here is perfect.

Very impressive beer overall. Subtle but impactful with a mouthfeel that makes drinking a whole magnum to yourself easy.
Oct 16, 2021
 
Rated: 4.5 by Ajlvt from Washington

Aug 18, 2021
 
Rated: 4.51 by GregSemenza from Connecticut

Jul 24, 2021
 
Rated: 4.81 by jcoleMA66 from Massachusetts

Apr 10, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by Yungcoolship from Wisconsin

Feb 05, 2021
Photo of Holderness
Reviewed by Holderness from Massachusetts

4.49/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Another exceptional Farmhouse Ale here. Lovely complexity from the mixed fermentation that lends an almost pineapple character in both the aromas and flavors. The lightly bitter hop base shines through the brightly funky brettanomyces character without tasting oxidized or anything. Nice astringency imparted by the oak. Quite amazing considering how long ago it was hopped.

90/100
Nov 13, 2020
Photo of eppie82
Reviewed by eppie82 from Illinois

4.44/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Beautiful golden yellow color with minimal foam. Incredibly clean and well executed. Oaky, mineral flavors and bright. Absolutely beautiful beer that’s easy to drink. Incredible how 2 years barrel aging in oak can still yield a balanced and clean brew.
Sep 06, 2020
 
Rated: 4.49 by wip998001 from Massachusetts

Aug 07, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by pepesylvia from Pennsylvania

May 14, 2020
 
Rated: 4.31 by Bum4ever from California

Nov 15, 2019
Photo of StJamesGate
Reviewed by StJamesGate from New York

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Hill Farmstead E.
Spun gold; flowers, granola + kumquat nose; wheat cracker, tangerine, mango, mild farm, orchard fruit, thread of wood, more kumquat + gentle funk; smooth + mild.

4 4.25 4.5 4 4.5

Galaxy

Almost like a blend of half Belgian strong golden ale, half IPA with a thread of funk. Like all HF, incredibly layered and nuanced. A little wonder.
Oct 25, 2019
E. from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 614 ratings