Hill Farmstead Florence on draft @ BotW in AH! For all you Saison fiends in the Burbs! It's tasting delicious as ever. Couldn't be happier that I didn't have to drive to Vermont or pay for shipping on a beer box just to grab some of this Saison nectar! We are way too spoiled in Chicagoland with this crazy beer distribution foot print.
This makes sense since they also got the 2 new beers from Half Acre spinoff brewery Suncatcher, which were both brewed at Hill Farmstead.
I’m not understanding Suncatcher. Is HA just investing in it to help some long term employees start a business or is HA actively involved which would beg the question of why not do it in house under the HA name? Did they hit their brewing cap in IL?
Seems like project that will emphasize local ingredients and “boring” styles. I don’t know much more than that, but I’m sure Matt Gallagher will do a podcast this summer that explains the reasoning. my guess is this is Matts vision and investment and he’s just receiving support from his half acre family. He’s been friends will hill farm for a while as well, so pretty cool to begin the first chapter there
Cool. People should brew what they enjoy brewing. Personally, I don’t see the effectiveness of a local ingredient angle making any difference to beer drinkers. Be interesting to see how they fit in with places like Dovetail and Goose Island and Off Color already making traditional styles.
There are technically three Suncatcher beers to be had! Pale, Red & Brown. All three were tasty beers that are well made craft beers.
Somewhat hidden on the illustration of the draft list from Hopleaf; did you notice Anderson Valley Brwg. is distributing to Chicago again?
I pretty much agreement with everything you have written. But it’s Matt Gallagher. That guy shouldn’t be doubted when it comes to beer and branding
I’ll bite. Why shouldn’t we doubt him in terms of branding? I love Half Acre and have total respect for them, but I would be hard pressed to see where they stand out better than their peers in branding.
Hopleaf Draft Flash Drop Scene Update: Hill Farmstead's storied saison: Arthur. This fucker is HEAVENLY!!
Mikerphone released a two year BA stout aged in PVW barrels today. This seems like one of those things that would have sold out immediately a couple years ago. I'm surprised that things like this and Sir Blends a Lot last as long as they do because when Mikerphone makes non adjuncted BA stouts, they tend to be very good. The heavily adjuncted stuff like S'More Cowbell tends to be overly sweet and lack barrel, but the straight up BA stouts are very good. I might get crapped on for saying this, but I could probably say the same thing about Phase 3, whose BA stouts sell out in seconds. Whatever, I'm cool with other people sleeping on really good shit.
Most of Mikerphone's non-adjuncted BA beers are good, but there have been some misses. When I saw the ABV of this latest beer I was reminded of how Well, Well, Well turned out. That was also a non-adjuncted BA beer aged in Weller barrels that turned out to be over 19%. I have 2 bottles, opened one a couple months ago and it's ok just really boozy. The high ABV is just too much and overpowers the beer, and I fear this latest beer is going to be the same.
That’s funny- exactly my thinking on it. With them being hit or miss (Ace of Base and the last 2 Sir Blends were just above average), plus the ultra high ABV like Well Well Well, I was concerned this was going to be a bit thin and very boozy. Hype barrels or no, had to pass, especially with my existing volume of stock and the Deep Woods season closing in during July.
"My Momma always said, life was like a Library Box of Rev Stouts. You never know what you're gonna get."
Mikerphone has been releasing a ton of BA beer. That could be a factor too. I perked up at Pappy barrels but we’ve even seen that recently on a local level (Riverlands which was great). I just think the amount of mid to large format BA beers has been relentless in Chicagoland
Daisy Cutter, his baby, is the most iconic pale ale made in the midwest, alongside maybe moon man and psuedo sue. I also think that half acre has a cool way of naming beers. Words like Bodem, Tome, Vallejo, Preen, Burl, Loam, VIM, to me stand out and feel unique. I think their artwork has always been fun. Maybe not consistent in its inspiration, and maybe that’s a flaw. But I’ve always looked forward to new labels from HA.
