Hill Farmstead (2020)

Is HF found at Smith's Grocery and Willy's True Value Hardware (both places)? Not that it matters, its such a small town/no traffic, but was just wondering. I might have to wait for Otis to get out of the road riding a bull while drunk (Andy Griffith reference...old fart's get it).

 

Blackback was my favorite pub last time I was up. Top 5 pub ever on my list for sure. Thanks for the tips.

Just wondering, does Caspian Lake do kayak rentals?

 

Unsure, I've only stayed at Highland Lodge and used their kayaks for guests. I'm sure there's something around the lake.

 

Aside from Willys no hill-farmstead Bottles or cans (last I know willys does not get cans ) have be distributed to the wild in a couple months

 

Ah, to be able to walk into a store and just pick up Arthur or Anna or Florence or Dorothy or ....

Does anyone just go on the site sometimes and think, "Man ... if I were heading up this weekend, I'd get..."? It's been almost six years for me, ironically I have a six year old. Funny how that happens.

 

I think every single Friday/Saturday announcement of the coming week's new beers has gotten me to go 'oooooooooooooo' despite knowing there's almost no chance of me taking a day off work and making the drive. 6 years of that would be painful, you just might owe it to yourself

 

Yeah I have a seven and 10-year-old and I think I’ve made it to Hill Farmstead once in the last 10 years. Luckily for me my sister does not have any kids and her and her husband love beer and Vermont. They bring me back some treats.

 

With Armsby Abbey closing, my supply line to Hill Farmstead has been severed. I have never been up there and I don't see it happening anytime soon. Next summer at the earliest. Ugh, their stuff is so good. I guess I could get into trading but it has never been my thing.

 

I haven't been since my wedding up in Vermont 2 years ago, still end up half talking myself into going every couple of weeks.

Now when the itch gets really bad I just go to Fox Farm here in CT, which is good enough to ward off most of my HF regrets.

 

I apologise for another one of these posts, but I thought it was interesting.

I'm drinking a month old can of Edward and it's honestly better than it was fresh. Tastes just like it does out of the growler.

Again, I know nobody cares but I just figured I'd share. I hope they can it regularly going forward. Doubtful, but one can hope.

 

Yeah I do that with a lot of breweries, to be honest. I have been doing that for the last several weeks with Fox Farm in anticipation of my trip next month. Finally was able to put in an order today.

 

Edward is the best @ScaryEd I’m happy for you’re joy. Cheers.

 

Yeah, I still have some and they are drinking great. Do you have the first can batch or the second "original recipe" batch? I loved the original recipe batch!

 

I don't know about Caspian Lake. The White Caps campground at Lake Willoughby rents Kayaks, paddleboards, etc ($30.00 for three hours/ 3 hour minimum). It is 45 mins from HF. Might be a lot of extra driving, but very, very worth it. White Sand Beach, crystal clear water, incredible views.

 

I’m planning on going up to Vermont later this month, don’t know if I will have time to stop by the brewery (I know their only doing curbside sales). Is there any retail stores that sell their cans or bottles in VT?

 

There was a few can drops prior to when they opened up for curbside but none since. There are only a couple places that get the common bottles, but other than Willey's in Greensboro they are pretty random. If you were going to Willey's you could go to HF.

 

Guys. I did it. I actually did it.



The similarities are present, yes. Edward is a little more bitter and a little more maltier than most of Hill's hoppy brews, or many other NEPAs/IPAs, which is in line with elements of SNPA, itself further diverging by being toastier and adding very mild notes of caramel and pine resinous aftershave.

However, coming as no surprise to me, and supporting my previous position, the differences are stark. Drastically stark.

Edward is creamier, fuller, and juicier. It almost has a vanilla cream quality by comparison, with that Hill yeast and shortbread-like malt combination. It even has a hint of that bubblegum character to it that I always get in Tree House, and rarely get elsewhere, which is the biggest surprise to me here.

Either way, none of that takes away from SNPA, which is a high quality beer that's immensely crushable for a relatively bitter ale with a respectable complexity and insane shelf life.

My old lady even surprised me by saying she actually liked SNPA more for it's drinkability, and with that in mind, Edward does feel heavier, but it's so delicious. I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Not that anyone actually cares, or was waiting with bated breath for me to actually follow through with my previous commentary, so carry on!

 

maybe it’s just this picture but visually they’re practically indistinguishable

 

Two incredibly well-made consistent beers. They taste exactly the way the Brewer intended. They are perfectly designed to taste the way they do. However they taste completely different, but both are incredible. I would say both are the The kings of the mountain. Both of these beers are a great example how two beers in the same category taste completely differently but both be miraculously delicious. Not sure any beer is better than either of these and not sure one is better than the other. Sometimes you prefer the SNPA and sometimes you prefer the Hills farmstead Edward. Both are magically delicious.

 

Abner in cans. First Edward, now Abner. Very cool.