HandFarm
Tired Hands Brewing Company

4.34/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Absolute rock stars at making farmhouse beer, the talented brewers at Tired Hands allow their dry, spicy and tart beer in used wine barrels for a extra tangy, extra fruity and musty taste that bridges the gap between sour ale and classic Belgian taste.

HandFarm pous a hazy canary yellow color that looks like lemon drop candies in color. A cottony white froth builds into an appetizing lather. A musty wood and wine scent applies an overlay of fragrance over the fruity, spicy and earthy ale underneath. Its taste is lightly sweetened with sourdough and honey before the spice and tartness steals the show.

With sweetness quickly dissolving, the beer's lemon, kiwi, melon and grape influence provides a bright fruity taste without much of its associated sweetness. the barrel complexity brings a nutty and musty aura that's of weathered attic wood, cellar-like funk and a lightness of balsa. Spicy with white pepper and delicate coriander and sage, the finish is pleasantly hoppy with nuances of straw and hay.

Light, crisp and clean, the beer's light creaminess soon transcends to a malty dry finish that's brisk and saline. As notions of the sea waft about the senses, its driftwood textures dry the finish and allow for an arid cloud of citrus, berry and wine to roll gently through a quick and spicy aftertaste.

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3.87/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

* Not consumed on this date just finally posting my review

A- A bright straw color, minimal cap of head that clears out to a few bubbles very quickly
S-Chardonnay,Pear,white pepper, lactic tartness. All very restrained
T- Pear, minimal earthiness, a bit of spice, oak, lemon tartness
M- Light bodied, almost thin, soft
O- Saison hands is a top 5 beer for me but this bottle of Handfarm was anything but spectacular. Very soft but next to no brett development. I'd love some carbonation on this beer as well. This was so lightly carbed that it was almost still. Could be bottle variance but most of the bottles I've had from them have been the same.

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4.43/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The appearance of this saison/farmhouse ale is much like others. What stood out the most about this beer was the body and finish. The finish had just the right amount of tartness. Muy Bueno!

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4.21/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours a vibrant, bright lemon gold color with a solid but thin white lacing ring.

S - White grapes, oak, vanilla, lemon.

T - Some earthiness, lemon, oak tannin, tart sourness, white grapes.

M - Light medium body with delicate carbonation.

O - The tartness factor faded somewhat since when this was released but overall, still very enjoyable.

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4.4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Arrives with a nice head of foam that caps the cloudy goldenstraw colored liquid; admirable lacing

Smell: Bready, with white wine, lemon, vanilla, oak and funk elements

Taste: Bready, up front, with the yeast adding an interesting tone; lemon, oak, vanilla and fruit tones add layers of flavor, with a touch of funk building

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: A really interesting beer; I have tasted several good beers now from this brewery and this may well be my favorite so far

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4.15/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

My introduction to Tired Hands via HandFarm was somewhat underwhelming. This is the kind of beer you get as an extra and think nothing of, not the kind of beer you would wait in line to acquire. Barrel presence is clear but everything else is a bit weak for my palate.

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4.26/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Thanks for sharing this tonight, Jack. Blend 4.

This one pours a light pretty hazy yellow, with a quarter inch head, and basically no lacing.

This one smells like white wine, oak, sweet and sour grain, and a bit of citrus.

This has a really interesting malt bill to it that sets it apart from other saisons. Rustic, and a little spicy from the rye, with big barrel character, lots of white wine. Mildly lactic, this is definitely retains its saison character and doesn't become completely wild.

This is light bodied, with a moderate level of carbonation, and a slightly creamy mouthfeel.

A really nice BA saison, this style is slowly becoming one of my favorites.

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4.02/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Wine upfront in the smell and taste. A touch of funk and tartness. Slightly under carbed which directly attributes to the lack of refreshing character. Still pretty good.

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3/5  rDev -30.2%

Pour is pale golden yellow, light haze, white head that dissipates quickly. Nose has some tart grape skin, light notes of sulfur, grassy hop, pepper and lemon. Taste has a bit less sulfer, a bit thin, light tart grape skin, faint grassy hop, moderate bitterness in the finish. Carb is very low, a bit buttery in the finish.

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4.36/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle into Tired Hands Teku. Batch 4.

Pours out with a clear filtered appearance and bright light yellow color. Little to non-existent head. Apple juice concentrate appearance .

The nose is very pleasant with oak, white wine, a faint whiff of musky sock, golden delicious apple, pear cider, and a yogurt lactic presence. Reminds me of the CD6 I had earlier with lots of wine and cider characteristics.

The palate is delicate and sports a nice bright fruitiness much in American Wild style category. Plenty of oak and vanilla from the barrels add a counter touch to the white wine notes. The fruits are along the line of apple, pear, lime zest, and white nectarine. So balanced and approachable. Vinous and tannic. A touch of cereal just to add to the complexity.

Mouthfeel is light with low carbonation again very similar to CD6. It's dry, tannic, and sports a nice lactic pucker that is not aggressive in any way. Missing some carbonation but it's not a terrible blow.

Overall a very tasty beer with big barrel presence, lovely balance, and high drinkability. Like a few other saisons that have seen barrel aging, this has morphed into a wild ale/saison hybrid. Not the best saison (or wild ale for that matter) that I've had but certainly among the better ones. Seek this out.

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4.24/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A-hazy golden color wit a small white head and little lacing

S-lemon, white wine, funk, oak, nice aroma

T-lemon, tart grapes, oak, white wine, grains, nice funky Brett, hint of spice

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, crisp and tart

O-enjoyable sour with nice range of flavors, wish it were more easily available

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4.25/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to Crentankey for this delicious brew.

A- Slight translucent light lager honey. Medium cloud-white color with no legs.

S- Tart lemon, lemon zest. Some funk in the background. Mild orange peel.

T- Funk and lemon hit first. A bit watery after that, but not as bad as some of the other "great" saisons that I have had lately.

M- Medium thick build for a saison. Nice carb snap in your mouth.

O- A well done saison. First Tired Hands that I have had.

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4.07/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25

500ml, 5.2% anv bottle split with JLindros and Rudzud.

A: Bottle pours into a Treehouse tulip a very strange, very chardonnay type appearance. No head. Still, lifeless. Nothing going on here. This is a fairly clear brew with only a hint of haze.

S: Chardonnay! Very vinous, fruity, hints of barrel like vanilla. This smells so much like a glass of chardonnay that I had to reread the bottle and make sure I wasn't drinking a glass of wine.

T: Very tasty. Pleasantly surprised that this doesn't drink like a wine after the appearance and aroma because I was fooled. Tart upfront taste followed by mellow wine like undertones in the background. Very vinous, vanilla oakiness. Light funk. Right on the bottle it is flaunted that this is a four malt brew with Rye, Oats, Wheat, etc. Where are they? No noticeable spiciness from the rye, no creaminess from the oats, no straw or bready cereal flavor from the wheat. Just tastes like fermented grapes in a barrel with a little bit of infection causing some pleasant tart acidity.

M: Still. No carbonation at all. Mouth is very thin, very light.

O: I wasn't exactly sure what to expect with this one and I'm glad that I didn't have any preconceived notions because no matter what I was expecting this would have been different. Very unique brew. This was solid, very tasty. It was all wine, slightly tart, vinous and pleasant. Would definitely drink again and would buy again to share with a white wine lover trying to get into beer.

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4.56/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

500 ml bottle, batch 4, poured into a teku

A- A hazy right golden color with a small with head.

S- White wine/tart grapes, oak, barnyard funk, some leather.

T- Sour, lemons, grapes, light fruits, touch of oak, hint of leather, nice barnyard funk, some earth spices, very nice balance of flavors

M- Light, crisp, refreshing.

O- This is more sour than other barrel ages Saisons I have, and it is very enjoyable.

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4.14/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to HanksBeard (reddit) for this rare-ish beer.

Pours no head, nooo head, hazy murky pear water colored.

Nose is amazing, mild tartness, big vinous wine barrel, tart mild lemon like, big white wine, effervescent floral fruity aromas, little grainy toasty saison coming through as the wine fades out. Touch of vanilla barrel and oak.

Taste brings more lemony tartness as first, fair vinous notes and more light white wine, nice tartness, little lemon, vanilla and buttery oak too, touch of grainy toasty malt, maybe creamy wheat. Creamy lactose like feel and funk. Finish is creamy sticky, not really dry, lingering tart lemony saison, little dry saison spices, little flemmy.

Mouth is lighter bod, very light carb.

Overall very mixed, great nose and pretty nice flavor beer, but almost no carb and a bit thin, hard to rate big despite the great characters.

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4.1/5  rDev -4.7%

Batch 4. 500 ml bottle poured into a teku glass

Appearance: Pours a pale yellow color. Pour yields less than a finger of a white head with nice retention and great lacing. Body is lightly hazy with quite a bit of visible carbonation. Looks really good.

Smell: White grape, lemon, funk, apple, solid grain backbone, very slight buttery character and a mild underlying peppery saison yeast.

Taste: Oaky white wine, wheat and other grains, decently strong lacto character, mild citrusy hops, green apple, funk, hay, saison yeast. Tart, but actual sourness is relatively low.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a slightly creamy mouthfeel and medium/high carbonation. Finishes mostly dry with just a the slightest twinge of bitterness.

Overall: Tired hands knows how to do saisons and this one is no different. Well worth seeking out. Hopefully they keep cranking out more batches of this.

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3.76/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Skuter for sharing this one at Retsinis' tasting.

Pours a hazy light yellow with a foamy bone head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is slightly sour with malt, grain, fruit, and wine aromas. Taste is much the same with sour malt, fruit, and wine flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of wood bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with a nice wine barrel aged presence all around.

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4.16/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500 mL bottle courtesy of axeman pours a slightly hazed gold color with not much head or lace.

Nose is amazing, grape/wine tartness with a snappy wheat and funk.

Lots of brett on the flavor, not overly tart though. Dry and grainy. Mouthfeel is lacking a bit of carbo. Overall a damn solid saison that Id love to have again.

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4.28/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

500ml bottle, batch 2. Thanks Dustin. Poured into a Hill Farmstead stemmed glass today, 3/3/2014.

App- hazy straw yellow body, nice one finger whine head, decent retention, solid lacing.

Smell- this is the one American made beer that comes even close to the Cantillon/3F funkiness. It's closer to 3F really, but has that strong barnyard leather funk that Cantillon has, with a nice lemony zesty funk typical of 3F. Fantastic. Even has white wine notes to it.

Flavor- a bit disappointing considering how good this beer smells. Tart, dang funky but not much else besides faint white wine barrel and oak.

Mouthfeel- a bit thin, good carbonation. But still a bit thin compared to CD6 that we drank tonight. Nice dry Chardonnay-like aftertaste.

Overall- smell is a winner, everything else about this beer says very good saison.

Re-reviewed: Doug opened up a Batch 3, poured into a Hill Farmstead stemmed glass today, 3/11/2014. Basically, it doesn't smell as good as Batch 2 did- more chardonnay flavours rather than funk and acid. But it does taste better- maybe in this case, less is more. More tart and chardonnay-forward, less funk and acid. I think I'd prefer Handfarm somewhere in between what batch 2 and batch 3 are right now at this particular time.

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4.15/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Batch #3, released Jan. 19th, 2014.

Appearance: Poured from beautifully waxed 500ml bottle into Tired Hands wilibecher glass. Pours a very cloudy pale straw, with a finger-width head of fine foam.

Aroma: Funky yeast character and tart wine-y twinge, followed by notes of hay and citrus.

Taste: Sweet, grainy malt notes lead into yeasty funk, followed by lemon-y citrus hop notes and a pleasantly tart wine character. Slight woodiness in finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, light carbonation. Very smooth.

Overall: One of the best funky saisons I've had. Tired Hands continues to knock it out of the park with me.

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4.49/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Bottle shared at tasting with huge thanks to MrKennedy.

Pale golden pear, lightly clouded with a fine white head that recedes with a lovely raised lace curtain.

Nose shows tart and tropical fruits on a lightly sweaty, oaky and chalky canvas, predominantly lemon and pineapple. Later on a complex herbal edge creeps in, with sage, marjoram and mint.

Follows the nose with a gorgeously rounded mild sweetness that you don't get from a gueuze or wild ale - which this otherwise resembles quite closely.

Very light body with tingly carbonation. Finishes with an earthy and mildly bitter dryness.

Overall stunningly impressive. Hugely drinkable, complex and honed.

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4.21/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4.25

Received in a trade. This is Batch 2 and was poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a nice crystal clear very light gold hue, moreso straw than anything. Nice one finger white head that fades to leave light wisps and a thin halo.

S - Aromas of coriander, white wine, nice lemons, oak, subtle funk. Quite nice.

T - Taste is pleasant tart with some nice sweetness from the white wine. Fun. The peppercorns are almost overpowered (which is nice), faint cloves and coriander. Actually, almost a little banana in here. Funky horse blankets are restrained some by the vinous white wine notes. The wood/barrel is faint. The white wine kind of drifts across the pallet at different points. Quite fun and tasty the flavours here are very, very nicely balanced.

M - Mouthfeel is the weakest point here carbonation is super, super light resulting in a rather thin feel.

O - Overall this beer was delicious and smelled incredible. Carbonation really is lacking though. With a spot on carbonation this would be an very, very good saison. Delicious.

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4.01/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottle opened on 11.25.13

A - Pours a hazy, very light orange-yellow with a few white bubbles that move to the edge.

S - Pretty mild, wheat, rye, white wine, oak.

T - Subtle grains, then a tart citrus and saison mix.

D - Low carbonaitno with a light body.

O - Light, subtle, lacking a bit of an impact, but still good.

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4.38/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from tom10101

Hazy pale bright yellow colour, ring of white head with some lace. Smell is a mix of wine, oak and funk, lemony, citrusy, fruity with more white wine notes and funk on the back end. Taste is lemony and fruity, oak, dry white wine flavours, more citrus fruit, mild tartness mid palate, slight sweetness before finishing quite dry. Medium carbonation, spritzy and medium bodied. Really excellent stuff here, incredibly drinkable.

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4.14/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Batch 2. Waxed and capped 500ml bottle into Tired Hands stemware. Shared with schen9303.

Gentle pour yields a .5 finger fine white head with low retention. Beer is a clear yellow. Lacing is minimal with low stick. Average.

Nose is yeasty with hints of cove, coriander and lemon spritz. Sweet, light and refreshing. Moderately aromatic. Solid.

Opens yeast, peppercorn and clove. Light lemon tartness in the middle with coriander and other floral notes. Funk at the end with some spiciness and lemon at the finish. Aftertaste of yeast and a slight hop bitterness. Pretty enjoyable.

Light bodied with ample carbonation. Prickly and lively in the mouth and goes down spritzy and sparkling. Goes down foamy with a clean finish and a soft, yeasty aftertaste. Really nice.

This beer's not quite there yet but I see a lot of potential. The body is great and the flavor just needs the slightest bit more tartness which could potentially develop with time. I'll certainly revisit this one in the future.

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