Hill Farmstead (2022)

Do you get to skip the line or something if you have a reservation? They are pretty clear that reservations are not needed for Saturday so just wondering if there is any advantage to making one?

 

Yeah that is what puzzles me. They have reservations for Saturday, but you don't need them and they have the same beer as someone without reservations. What is the point of bothering to get one on Saturday then? Regardless, I have one and will be there with my nut job labradore. I'll be up to put an order in for stuff too take home as well. Between that and stopping in Waterbury on the way back, this will be an expensive trip.

 

Nothing of substance to add, just noting that I hope you and your lab enjoy it! One of my favorite pics of my Aussie is of a fall scene enjoying the Hill outdoor area which is truly beautiful.

 

Does it know that's what you call it online?

 

She knows. If you happen to be be there, feel free to say hello and witness for yourself the unbridled excitement and love she has for any and all people, dogs, food, lager, toys, and body's of water.

 

Careful, I may be in competition for top nut job.

 

No reservations needed for Saturday. If you make one it doesn’t get you any additional “privileges” per se. I was confused myself a month ago and emailed them to confirm.
Saturday reservation is simply a planning tool for them but has no impact on your experience.
Confusing and odd but it’s their system

 

FYI, no point in reservations. Just helps them guage numbers on Saturday

 

Can anyone give a more detailed description the different seating options both indoors and out. I’ll be There on a reservation only weekday with my wife and 2 kids. I don’t even recall if I had to pick a specific “type” of reservation or location to be seated.

Would there be any reason we couldn’t start out indoors and then meander on outside once the kiddos get restless? Any recommendations?

 

Also I was hoping for Edward cans. I’ll be there 9/14 so I have to imagine the chances of them still being around in 12 days is pretty slim. But in the bright side Edward is always available for growlers. The fact that their 750 growlers are only $3 for the glass and priced very fairly for the beer itself ($8 for Edward) is a win.

 

The reservation has nothing to do with where you may sit. You can sit wherever you want. Inside there are couple tables.

If it's even remotely nice weather, you will want to sit outdoors. The brewery is on one the most picturesque looking bucolic green grounds that you will ever see. It's seriously something out of a painting.

Outdoors there are plenty of picnic tables under a tent where they also serve some draft pours. There are also Adirondack chairs that overlook one of the best views that you will ever see.

 

I don’t know how I just realized river roost is the half way point between hill and treehouse Deerfield. How essential is this place? I’ve heard amazing things.

 

They make really good beers. Mostly known for their IPAs, etc., but their bottled stouts, if any are available, have been really good as well.

I haven’t been there in awhile and it was/is a very small space. Was only samples last time I went.

So, if you’re looking for some new IPAs and cans to go then you should stop. Also may/likely will find their IPAs on draft in the area.

If you do stop, across the small parking lot is Big Fatty’s BBQ if you need food and it has a sneaky good tap list. In the same building is the Crowler Pit and it usually has a good variety of bottles and cans. Worth checking out imo.

 

The Craft Beer Cellar in Waterbury had River Roost cans.

 

They now have outdoor seating and offer full pours, had 5 or 6 things on tap this past weekend (as well as bottle pours of the dark stuff). I would definitely make the stop. You can grab food at Fatty's and eat at RR or eat in at Fatty's as their tap list is excellent as well. You can't go wrong either way.

 

Release Dates:

• Monks: Sept. 10th, 2022
• Hill: Sometime thereafter

 

Went to HF last week for the first time in years, and got cans. The Susan and Riwaka both have riwaka in them that tastes, to me, like dirt. Nelson can sometimes taste like that to me; this is the same but worse. I'm sure it's a cilatro effect thing and it's not the same for everyone. Society and Solitutde has a little of the dirt flavor in it too - not sure if it also has this crop of riwaka?

Also dissapointing, a large number of cans from mulitple varieties were half filled; some I guess from not enough carb but one actually squishes down like it only has half the beer in it. Not cool when these are not cheap beers.

The space is as pretty as ever, but so rearranged that I sorta didn't recongize it! Double Mouteka was the WINNER by a mile, never had a mouteka DIPA before and it's just so unique and cool-tasting that I'll be thinking about it for years. So some good, but some bad. Breweries!

 

Interesting - I had a visit a year or two ago where I ran into something similar with the cans. Not half filled, but borderline squishy with lower carb than expected. Ironically, if I’m not confusing my trips I got some 12 oz Riwaka pale cans that were far and away the best of the bunch, but the Everett and maybe Mary I got were pretty rough in that regard.

Not sure about the riwaka itself - I had absolutely incredible cans of Susan in both May and July, but very possible it’s a fresh batch of hops now.

 

FWIW, more often than not I am not a fan of New Zealand hops and especially so Nelson Sauvin which is described as having an aroma/flavor of gooseberries. I have never smelled/tasted gooseberries and after my less than pleasant experiences with beer that feature Nelson Sauvin hops I likely will avoid it.

Cheers!

 

Applaud the bottles for charity