Clara Grisette
Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer Geek Stats
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- Style:
- Farmhouse Ale - Saison
Ranked #146 - ABV:
- 4%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #2,729 - Avg:
- 4.15 | pDev: 7.95%
- Reviews:
- 140
- Ratings:
- From:
- Hill Farmstead Brewery
- Vermont, United States
- Avail:
- Rotating/Seasonal
- Wants
- 108
- Gots
- 108
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding
Notes:
Clara (1906-1969) was our grandfather’s sister; Hill Farmstead Brewery rests upon the land that was once home to her and her 13 siblings. In her honor, this Grisette is crafted from American malted barley, Vermont Organic Wheat, European and American hops, our distinctive farmhouse yeast and water from our well. Unfiltered and naturally carbonated, this is the ale that I dream to have shared with Clara.
Pale Malt, Organic Vermont Wheat, American and European Hops, Ale Yeast, and our Well Water
Pale Malt, Organic Vermont Wheat, American and European Hops, Ale Yeast, and our Well Water
Reviews: 140
| Ratings: 817
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Reviews by JackRWatkins:
JackRWatkins from Alabama
4.54/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
A: pours with a shining, clean, golden (leaning toward yellow) body, well attenuated and mostly clear, with a frothy, one-finger head that dissipates in fairly short order.
S: has a very zesty, aroma, most prominently a clean lemon, and some lactic sourness with hints of funk supporting it, with some grainy, husky notes as well, wish the nose was a tad stronger, but it's a small issue
T: immediately tart (with some apple character), but not painfully so, with a dry and grainy note bringing up the rear with some additional but subtle, notes of flaked oats
M: that distinctive Hill Farmstead mouthfeel, even when it is effervescent (this beer is decently effervescent, but not overly so) it is soft
O: Honestly, I prefer La Griseta from Oxbow when it comes to this admittedly vague style, but this beer is phenomenal, it's got presence, it feels real, right and natural, that's the best way to describe it which unfortunately doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Sep 14, 2017
4.54/5 rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25
A: pours with a shining, clean, golden (leaning toward yellow) body, well attenuated and mostly clear, with a frothy, one-finger head that dissipates in fairly short order.
S: has a very zesty, aroma, most prominently a clean lemon, and some lactic sourness with hints of funk supporting it, with some grainy, husky notes as well, wish the nose was a tad stronger, but it's a small issue
T: immediately tart (with some apple character), but not painfully so, with a dry and grainy note bringing up the rear with some additional but subtle, notes of flaked oats
M: that distinctive Hill Farmstead mouthfeel, even when it is effervescent (this beer is decently effervescent, but not overly so) it is soft
O: Honestly, I prefer La Griseta from Oxbow when it comes to this admittedly vague style, but this beer is phenomenal, it's got presence, it feels real, right and natural, that's the best way to describe it which unfortunately doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Sep 14, 2017
More User Reviews:
joe1510 from Illinois
4.32/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
750ml
Big thanks to Ryan for sending me this packed into yet another stellar box o' beer! Clara is a bright golden libation with orange hues when the light is right. A good deal of haze makes the body tough to see through but does amplify the glow. The head is easy to produce, even on a soft pour I get a thick cap of silky white foam that leaves patchwork lacing on its way down.
Wow, musty wheat leaps from the glass as I pour. Wheat steals the show but there's a good amount of lesser components. An earthy, hard water element makes itself known shortly after the wheat. The yeast and hop blend add perfume driven depth, floral and modest. A solid squeeze of lemon brightens it all up. There's a little must, a little wildflower, a touch of the wild as a whole, but it's perfectly balanced. Impressive, very impressive!
The flavor profile is bright and quenching. Wheat melds perfectly with barley for a seamless concoction. It's fresh and straight from the farm. Floral qualities flash through at the back of the throat while lemon runs throughout, a touch of acidity livens it up. Phil Harmstead's yeast add, again, some of that wild; hard water, wildflowers, fresh cut hay. This is a damn good beer.
You're met with, appropriately, a lively, bubbly mouthfeel to keep the light body moving at a respectable pace. It's light and airy, thirst quenching and dry. The finish even leaves a soft bitterness in its wake accentuated by that dryness. They nailed the mouthfeel on this beer, near perfect for the style.
Of all the good to great Hill Farmstead farmhouse beers out there floating around this is up at or near the top of my favorites. It's rustic and bright, complex yet easy drinking, and a joy to partake on every level. This is a beer worth buying as much as possible. Thanks again, Ryan!
Apr 04, 2015
4.32/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
750ml
Big thanks to Ryan for sending me this packed into yet another stellar box o' beer! Clara is a bright golden libation with orange hues when the light is right. A good deal of haze makes the body tough to see through but does amplify the glow. The head is easy to produce, even on a soft pour I get a thick cap of silky white foam that leaves patchwork lacing on its way down.
Wow, musty wheat leaps from the glass as I pour. Wheat steals the show but there's a good amount of lesser components. An earthy, hard water element makes itself known shortly after the wheat. The yeast and hop blend add perfume driven depth, floral and modest. A solid squeeze of lemon brightens it all up. There's a little must, a little wildflower, a touch of the wild as a whole, but it's perfectly balanced. Impressive, very impressive!
The flavor profile is bright and quenching. Wheat melds perfectly with barley for a seamless concoction. It's fresh and straight from the farm. Floral qualities flash through at the back of the throat while lemon runs throughout, a touch of acidity livens it up. Phil Harmstead's yeast add, again, some of that wild; hard water, wildflowers, fresh cut hay. This is a damn good beer.
You're met with, appropriately, a lively, bubbly mouthfeel to keep the light body moving at a respectable pace. It's light and airy, thirst quenching and dry. The finish even leaves a soft bitterness in its wake accentuated by that dryness. They nailed the mouthfeel on this beer, near perfect for the style.
Of all the good to great Hill Farmstead farmhouse beers out there floating around this is up at or near the top of my favorites. It's rustic and bright, complex yet easy drinking, and a joy to partake on every level. This is a beer worth buying as much as possible. Thanks again, Ryan!
Apr 04, 2015
mobius387 from Wisconsin
4.75/5 rDev +14.5%
Was at HF this week. Of all the beers there, Clara was the clear winner from our group. Beat out double citra, double galaxy, Susan, citra, among the regulars. Also drinking better out of the bottle than Anna or Dorothy.
Not sure if they changed the recipe from previous years, but 2014s vintage is way better than reviews.
Oct 10, 2014
4.75/5 rDev +14.5%
Was at HF this week. Of all the beers there, Clara was the clear winner from our group. Beat out double citra, double galaxy, Susan, citra, among the regulars. Also drinking better out of the bottle than Anna or Dorothy.
Not sure if they changed the recipe from previous years, but 2014s vintage is way better than reviews.
Oct 10, 2014
JoEBoBpr from Missouri
4.05/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a large win glass from a 750ml bottle and split with my wife.
Pours a nice slightly hazy pale golden color with some darker orange/light amber hues. There is a nice half inch white head that forms and recedes down to a nice thin mat.
Aroma is yummy. Nice notes of funk and musty barnyard with a nice dosage of citrusy American hops. There is also a nice floral aroma of the European hops. The nice malty and bready grain notes really shine in the aroma of this brew. I detect some slight sweet yeast phenols as well as some mil lemony tartness in the nose, quite faint. The best part of the nose is the slight citrusy and resinous notes of American hops.
Flavor starts off with pretty clean and bready grain. Nice and fresh notes of oats. This is followed by some funky yeast notes with some slight phenolic esters and some nice fresh mildly citrusy hop notes. Very clean and delicious saison. There is a sharp but mild and faint lemony tartness that shoots up near the end of the brew. The finish of the brew is nice and dry as expected and the grassy and herbal hop notes linger throughout with some nice bitterness to boost. Very yummy brew. Nice vivid and clean carbonation and a light body.
This is a delicious and drinkable light saison. Nice low ABV make for easy sipping. Great clean carbonation gives the brew a playful mouthfeel. The grain and yeast notes are delicious with some amazing funky notes some mild tartness and a nice lingering grassy and citrus hop notes.
Oct 28, 2013
4.05/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a large win glass from a 750ml bottle and split with my wife.
Pours a nice slightly hazy pale golden color with some darker orange/light amber hues. There is a nice half inch white head that forms and recedes down to a nice thin mat.
Aroma is yummy. Nice notes of funk and musty barnyard with a nice dosage of citrusy American hops. There is also a nice floral aroma of the European hops. The nice malty and bready grain notes really shine in the aroma of this brew. I detect some slight sweet yeast phenols as well as some mil lemony tartness in the nose, quite faint. The best part of the nose is the slight citrusy and resinous notes of American hops.
Flavor starts off with pretty clean and bready grain. Nice and fresh notes of oats. This is followed by some funky yeast notes with some slight phenolic esters and some nice fresh mildly citrusy hop notes. Very clean and delicious saison. There is a sharp but mild and faint lemony tartness that shoots up near the end of the brew. The finish of the brew is nice and dry as expected and the grassy and herbal hop notes linger throughout with some nice bitterness to boost. Very yummy brew. Nice vivid and clean carbonation and a light body.
This is a delicious and drinkable light saison. Nice low ABV make for easy sipping. Great clean carbonation gives the brew a playful mouthfeel. The grain and yeast notes are delicious with some amazing funky notes some mild tartness and a nice lingering grassy and citrus hop notes.
Oct 28, 2013
dirtylou from New York
4.29/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
750ml bottle, split
Nice low ABV offering to start off a session on a very hot Seattle afternoon - lovely peach color and strongly carbonated. Nice notes of grassy, hay, lemon, light yeasty tartness, a touch of rye, oak. This was good and receives considerably less fanfare than many other HF beers - don't believe the anti-hype.
Jul 08, 2013
4.29/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
750ml bottle, split
Nice low ABV offering to start off a session on a very hot Seattle afternoon - lovely peach color and strongly carbonated. Nice notes of grassy, hay, lemon, light yeasty tartness, a touch of rye, oak. This was good and receives considerably less fanfare than many other HF beers - don't believe the anti-hype.
Jul 08, 2013
djgustafson from North Carolina
4.3/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Aug 01, 2016
4.3/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Aug 01, 2016
Karibourgeois from Texas
4.06/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Cloudy golden orange pour with a nice dense one-finger white head. Aroma of grain and lemon. Taste is tart with flavors of citrus (lemon and mango stand out) fruit and spice upfront backed by a nice grain flavor and a hint of funkiness.
Aug 15, 2016
4.06/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Cloudy golden orange pour with a nice dense one-finger white head. Aroma of grain and lemon. Taste is tart with flavors of citrus (lemon and mango stand out) fruit and spice upfront backed by a nice grain flavor and a hint of funkiness.
Aug 15, 2016
Bilco from Pennsylvania
4.46/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Feb 20, 2016
4.46/5 rDev +7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Feb 20, 2016
SDRedDevil from California
4.43/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Sep 25, 2017
4.43/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Sep 25, 2017
arusso13 from Connecticut
4.28/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Oct 03, 2016
4.28/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Oct 03, 2016
RobertColianni from Pennsylvania
3.58/5 rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Aug 17, 2016
3.58/5 rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Aug 17, 2016
tvghost from Pennsylvania
4.21/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Apr 06, 2015
4.21/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Apr 06, 2015
jaydoc from Kansas
4.24/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Jul 30, 2016
4.24/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Jul 30, 2016
SierraJosh from California
4.59/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Nov 22, 2014
4.59/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Nov 22, 2014
cj8311 from Maryland
4.61/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Jul 27, 2016
4.61/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Jul 27, 2016
Clara Grisette from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating:
92 out of
100 with
817 ratings
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