The Cottage
Fox Farm Brewery

 

Growler fill, a day after pour:
A pretty clear, light body with a moderate head; a little bit of lacing. Nose is somewhat grassy, and the first couple sips follow that with a firm bitterness that I feel is out of step with the style. That said, the malt comes through nicely, much better than most craft places do - more in line with a German Pilsner.

After a few seconds to settle in, the beer gains a little yeast fruitiness in the nose and palate, mostly up front, as the bitterness still controls the finish a bit more than expected. I hoped that trend would continue, but it seems to level off and sit on the hoppy side of things.

Which brings me to the overall rating.... I really like this beer. But on the other scores, if I had a friend who I knew liked lighter style beers, I would not suggest this Helles where I would others, as it's bitter and that can drag on a palate in a way that "feels" heavy - the antithesis of the style, to me.

Acquired a 16 oz can at a beer festival in Greenville, SC on 11-8-25. Caned on 9-16-25; consumed 12-27-25. Cold stored since acquisition.

Beer poured clear gold with a nice white head.

Nose has notes of bread and herbal hops.

Taste is a white bread malt base with a touch of honey sweetness. Hopping is herbal, primarily black pepper and a touch of lemon. Finishes with a style appropriate touch of sweetness.

Mouthfeel is light bodied, finishing clean and refreshing.

Overall, a very enjoyable beer, a solid representation of the style.

 

Chill hazed burnt gold with a softly lumpy but short head of off-white foam.

Just short of toasted but certainly corny, deliciously so, like cornbread and a little wheat, accented by a hint of floral tang.

A crisp vibrance makes for an absolutely refreshing chugger, as the medium-full body is satisfying af, yet still a step or two shy of Wooly Pig brilliance.

 

2025-04-20
16oz can served in a curvy Monhegan pint glass. Canned on 01/29/25. @Roguer sent it to me.

Pours clear light golden with a medium-sized, short-lived head. Lots of active carbonation after the pour. Smell is light, bright, grassy lemon and grain.

Taste is a nice contrast of grainy sweetness and grassy bitterness, leans more toward bitterness with a little bit of earthy hops tilting it that way. Sweetness also has a honey-ish thing going on for it, too.

Mouthfeel is very light, very clean, maybe a bit on the watery side. Overall, easy drinking and tasty beer.

 

16 oz can

Pours a medium yellow golden color, with foamy white head. Decent head retention . Aroma is bready malt. Similar taste, clean and well balanced, not too sweet. Thinner bodied but has a softer mouthfeel

 

Phenomenal Helles, the first unfiltered one I've ever had I believe. On tap at Three Pennies Taproom in Montpelier, VT just prior to the 2024 Eclipse totality. Such a balanced beer with incredible drinkability and really no flaws I could detect. Had two of them would have loved to keep going!

10/4/23 can from the brewery in Salem, CT. Pours a clear straw gold with a finger of rocky white head, nice lacing; smell and taste is biscuity malts, graham cracker, hints of floral honey, lemon, and spicy mustard; feel is light to medium bodied, soft carbonation. Crushable malty goodness.

 

 

Pours a beautiful golden straw color with a sudsy white head that provides minimal lacing. Floral hops, lemongrass, and white bread notes on the nose elicit an immediate salivary reaction, which is a fancy beer nerd way of saying, “My mouth is watering.”

The floral hop flavors have a bit of spice, accompanied by the lemongrass, then giving way to a slightly sweet bready flavor at the back of the palate. This beer is the picture you see when you look up “summer crusher” in the beer nerd dictionary.

The mouthfeel is crisp and refreshing for this Helles lager, as expected. The Fox Farm lager game is truly world class, IMHO.

Pour at de Garde 10th Anniversary. Golden pour, light cloudy body, small frothy white head. Aroma is grainy, cereal, light hops. Taste is a nice full bready delight, mild sweetness finishing with a crisp bite.

Pours an effervescent gold with one finger of 2 fingers of eggshell colored head. Averagehead retetion & lacing

S: Bready, grassy, lemon notes, some perfumy hops as well

T: Follow the nose, a little lime & dryness as well. Sweet grainyness with lemon/ lime & just a little dryness as this beer warms up. Finishes bready, a little grainy with some floral & citrus notes

MF: Medium body, fairly firm carbonation, nicely balanced

Nice drinkability, makes me think I am back in Germany

 

A tall boy fresh from the brewery was poured into a Fort Hill beer mug at home. A tasty fresh crisp lager. The HELLES it is! Can't add much to the dialog except I could drink this all day. Fox Farm has a deservedly fine reputation for lager brewing.