Under The Hill
Sundial Brewing and Blending

 

Cloudy orange body with a full white head and thick lacing. Fruity funk, mostly peach and orange, marks the smell, rustic oak, floral spice and a kiss of smoke. Taste is much the same but with more citrus and floral tea now defined, black pepper with earth and wheat on very end of finish. Really creative and pleasant! Feel is bright, arsty in a delicate way, playfully funky and oaky, more sour fruit texture emerging than anything overall.

My first from Sundial; so it gets my micro-review: yet another interesting nano. Sundial is a friend and family effort that brews at someone else's facility (Flesk Brewing, who I also need to have a first ale from.) Sundial produces flavorful, unique ales; largely innovating in the Belgian tradition. And of course, they just started this year this labor of love and to match it with a market. While Sundial has a very basic website, let's see how they evolve. For their niche and their future, I give them pretty good Overall Hugs... for a one year old.

As for Under The Hill... This wit does its job; refreshing and soft, yet spiced interestingly and finishes nicely tart. It has an active enough yeast, yielding a respectable foam and shows surprising protein swirls for being barreled. Smells are subtle, mostly about the fruit and the funk of the barrel. Tastes are a balanced tart, but the pepper and dryness dominates the after-taste... making this OK with appetizers, but less of a complement to summer fare. Soft, but active in my mouth. Would have again, except for maybe the price.

Burnished gold, a finger of foam and spotty lace, lasting surface coverage.

Aroma is subtle, mostly moldy wet barrel, wheat and vague citrus.

Taste is lightly tart and citrusy, sour orange or lemon, moldy wood again, cheese rind maybe. Light funk and effervescence. Overall it’s good though somewhat less expressive than their other beers. Maybe some numbing phenolic qualities from the peppercorn, but I’m not picking up the smoked oranges or tea.

Released 6/25/22; drank 7/18/22 @ the Yarchives.

Cloudy pale orange/yellow appearance; champagne bubbles throughout.

An even pour yielded a nice white head; frothy lace.

Orange peel & mild black pepper notes in the nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Orange citrus & faint tea flavors up front; mild black pepper bite on the finish.

Refreshing, VERY mildly tart and real pleasant. Another fine brew from Sundial.