Hill Farmstead (2019)

I never even mentioned the lottery to my wife. I enjoy being married and intend to stay married. She was already questioning my sanity for buying a $30 bottle of Sue.

 

Oh she’s well aware of my shenanigans. This one was my toughest sell for sure.

 

It was definitely a delicate conversation for me, especially coming from Chicago. I worked the angle that I'll use my flight miles and rental points to keep the travel expense to $0. Seems to have worked (at the moment).

 

New version of Genealogy for 750ml growler fill only.

I was lucky enough to try this version at Armsby Abbey stout fest and it was the best thing on tap that day, Definitely going to try and fill a couple growlers if it lasts till Saturday.

Double Citra cans off the menu (someone must have jumped the gun listing that) Its in growlers still. Still a steller list of can options.

 

Do you go up every week? I’m not shitting on you. I’m just jealous and impressed if that’s the case.

 

Really depends on the release and limits. If I see holdover rares from past weeks make it to Saturday and I can get two releases, i'll go up, and if i'm on the fence Wunderkammer having a beer on the shelf usually tips the scale. But I would say on average I go every three weeks. But I have been up every other week the past month+ (T.Dorothy+CD23, Soignee, Anne(os)+E., and now BG&E if everthing goes to plan) I like to drive so the trip up for me is enjoyable.

The amount of IPA's on the shelf right now impress me for HFS, Wunderkammer is on the shelf, BG&E x 4, Dorothy shelfies back in stock, and Genealogy in growler fills. That has the markings for a good day at HFS to me. I also won't get a chance to go next week because its the Swish season closer on 4/20 at Bissell. Then the Ann crowds start rolling in 25/26 to pick that place clean. I also don't anticipate any major releases those Ann weeks, but thats just speculation by me.

 

Can you tell us more about Wunderkammer?

 

You can read about it/him here. His beers are interesting and always well made from my experience.

https://www.hopculture.com/foraged-beer-wunderkammer-bier-greensboro-hill-farmstead-review/

 

Oh n/m I see it now, will watch later ty...

lol funny I actually just finished reading that!

It's weird how many years I've been following these HF threads and how little I seemed to know about Wunderkammer until today...very few mentions it seems.

 

Totally overlooked and underappreciated IMO. I always hope to try all of his bottle releases.

 

Well someone might be able to elaborate a little more than me. I have been following his beer for a few volumes now tho. I saw that video that was posted above and I was very interested to try that beer. He was foraging for gathered 1 that day, that was the first beer of his I tried at the time, but I have since been able to trade for some of his older offerings.

Vasilios Gletsos is the head brewer at Hill Farmstead, and Wunderkammer is his side project. He makes amazing beer old world style and alot of times he uses stuff he forages in the woods from the Northeast Kingdom landscape brewed with mixed cultures. He is meticulous in his work, right down to the hand drawn labels. Makes wonderful, unique, small batch, one off beers. I always try to grab a handful of them when I go up.

 

His beers are reminiscent of the soft, delicate profile you get from the main HF saison lineup, but they are also distinctly different. I get lots of funkiness and unique flavors from the foraged ingredients. The Bufo series (vol. 2, 9, and 17) is probably the best of the lineup.

 

I haven't had a ton of Wunderkammer, but from what I have tried, it's about as good as you'd expect from the head brewer at Hill Farmstead, ie very.

 

I had some mushroom version a couple weeks ago and wow, not my cup o tea

 

I loved this beer. It had the feeling of hiking right after it rains.

 

All I've tried have been on par with what Ryan was doing with Casita. Really well-made mixed ferm saison's. I definitely factor in what's available from Wunderkammer with my visits up to HF.

 

That didn't take long.

Genealogy growler fills are sold out.

 

Must have not been a large batch offered for growlers. I was there yesterday and it was really mellow after a pretty small initial retail line. I had one on tap and it was great.

 

My buddy said it was a lot more crowded yesterday (Thursday). Sounded like a lot of people went up for those growler fills.