Hill Farmstead (2019)

As promised, I'm back with a full report. The short version: one of the best beer experiences I've had.

First off thanks again to everyone's fantastic advice on both the brewery and surrounding things to do. I got (way too much) beer, I hiked Mt. Pisgah (though didn't quite make it to the summit), and had some awesome food/beer at Parker Pie.

The lines were reasonably short, and the weather was beautiful. I managed to get M&C12 each day I went, shared beers with strangers who became friends, and had a plethora of on-site bottles including the Tim Clifford from SARS residency 1, two Flora variants, Civil Disobedience and Juicy. All of which legitimately raised the bar for my understanding and appreciation of farmhouse style of beer. As a primarily IPA/stout drinker, this is exactly what I needed.

It wasn't just the brewery either! That area of the country is truly enchanting and I can't wait to go back. Thanks again everyone!

 

I was going to rough you up about this, but just checked and realized the HF FAQ suggests they now have both “special” and “highly-limited” releases, and it’s only the latter that are per person per release (vs per day). Anyone know how long that distinction has been in place? I had thought since they went to CC/ID checking every special bottle was capped per release.

Regardless, glad to hear you had a great time. VT is a special place, indeed!

 

It's been quite a while since they allowed folks to go back multiple days on limited releases. Maybe over a year or, I wanna say. The recent Clover and Damons are the only two I can remember where they enforced a per person for the duration of the release, which I still don't understand how they enforced.

 

Thanks. The top post of this thread still links (broken) to the old policy, and suggests it applies to all limited releases.

As if I needed more reason for multi-day trips to the Green Mountain state.

 

Has changed a few times, but think this is what you're referencing:

 

Anyone going tomorrow wanna split some onsite bottles? Going with family at open and they aren’t super big saison/farmhouse people

 

I just opened a bottle of Damon from the release a few weeks ago and saw it said “our brewers recommend this beer be consumed within 6 months of release” on the side of the bottle. I’ve never noticed that on any of their other beers before and I’m surprised to see it on a waxed bottle (I always thought part of the purpose of waxing was allegedly to minimize oxidation during aging). Beer is fantastic though so I won’t have trouble drinking my other bottle.

 

Yeah tbh most of their stouts have been my least favorite styles of theirs, particularly once they get to a year out or older in the bottle. They truly are at their peak right at release, at least in all my experiences. They age many of them for so damn long to begin with...

 

I’ve seen this on their beers (BG&E definitely did too) and I’m sure there are many others. Actually the M and Cs say it as well, and I’m sure there are others I don’t know of.

 

Yeah, the majority of their stouts/porters say "best within 6 months". I'll agree with the statement above. All that I've tried have been killer fresh, no need to age long term. However, the ones I've kept longer have still been great.

 

Guess I’ve just never noticed before, I’m pretty sure I’ve had their stouts at > 6 months too and not noticed them falling off meaningfully. I’m not really a cellaring person but I would’ve thought a waxed BA stout would be a good candidate for aging but apparently not.

 

Shaun Hill doesn't release his beer until he thinks its perfect. He bottles conditions for months....I think CD23 bottle condition for almost 2 years If I remember correctly. He thinks you should drink it within 6 months. But your palate is your palate and its your beer once you buy it.

I always try to drink one of my bottles fresh to try what the brewer intended you to try. If I have 2 or more bottles, after that point I decide. Can that beer get any better? And honestly, with most Stouts or IPA's I have never experienced any that got better, that I enjoyed fresh. Now the saisons definitely evolve much better in the bottles. I had an Arthur from 5/18 last weekend that had been sitting in box in the cellar, and it was quite possibly the best Arthur i've ever tasted.

I have successfully aged stouts that I thought were much better than fresh, but in every one of those instances the stouts were way to sweet, and I did not like them fresh. I found some age in the bottles took that cloy sweetness down a couple notches.

I have had year old Damon and it tasted great. I think my first BG&E was a '16 and 2 years old when I first tried it and it was awesome. Its not an expiration date, its the brewers recommended best by date. And that I can point out isn't even followed. I had a '17 Damon (coffee variant) on site a couple months back. So Shaun Hill even stashed a couple cases and felt alright selling them at 40 dollars a bottle 2 years later.

If you wanna save that Damon for a special date, or an anniversary or just because. Go ahead and do it. Its not gonna ruin the beer.

 

I've always brought cash to HF because going all the way up there only to find out their credit card machine is down would be a nightmare. Well, it happened yesterday. Only briefly, but still, I was glad to have some cash when they couldn't take cards. It took forever to get a pour but damn was Poetica good.

 

Semper preparatus

 

That message has been on a bunch of their bottles for a year now maybe? Mostly the stouts w/ coffee, chocolate, vanilla, maple syrup, etc. The coffee variants taste best fresh IMO so I definitely follow that advice from Shaun. I think they sometimes keep some cellared at the brewery to see how it developed w/ some time, but not suggested to the public buying them. I'm pretty sure he did this so everyone can taste the beer as intended and deter complaints from certain people.

 

Still looking for a fofa ticket for my sister - can anyone help? Lots of rare HF bottles to trade . Or can do cash + thank you beers.

 

I couldn't imagine this happening, I'd definitely be pretty screwed. Good call on the cash!

 

Looking for 2 Fofa tickets if anyone happens to not be going

 

Hi guys, I'm looking for 1 FoFA ticket for my girlfriend (figured it would be a good event to really introduce her to my parents, when they're good and drunk). Can make an offer for 2 tix if they're a package deal.

Please shoot me a PM or reply if you've got one and we can work something out. Otherwise looking forward to seeing some of you up there