Hill Farmstead (2021)

Butter and nutritional yeast on the corn or no thank you.


beer something something beer something

 

Any ideas when sales will start online for pickup?

I tried to get the wife to take off work, but she has already taken a few days off for more important dates. We’re busy enough, I’m not trying to get away for a Friday-Sunday without her. Looks like I’ll be taking a solo / dog trip the Wednesday they open.

 

I’m sure there will be an announcement soon, but didn’t we go over this already. Planned return to curbside is 4/7-4/9, Wednesday-Friday. In the past, sales went live Friday/Saturday the weekend before. So that would be 4/2-4/3 this restart.

 

Sort of, not really looking for speculation at this point.

 

Not really speculation. Plenty of evidence to support this time frame since that’s how it ran the bulk of last year. Hill staff chimed in that 4/7-4/9 is the planned return to curbside. Likely will be something posted to the Hill Instagram in the next couple of weeks. Guess you’re waiting for a hand delivered letter.

 

My god man, you even liked this post:

I hope you booked your room in Stowe already

 

Is this really the Hill you want to die on?

 

Well, quick trigger finger, resurrect this 6 day old post, since further elaborated upon and responded to, why don't ya. Do you have some kind of relevant information ? Either way, at this point, I don't think anyone in the thread would like to hear it.

 

Sorry, I just try to apply the same level of patience and thoughtfulness to my posting as Shaun Hill does his beer, clearly.

 

In that case, please start naming your posts after ancestors and pets.

 

Right!? That was the vibe I got too - mid life crisis. However, most people who have their mid life crisis can't really act on it. Shaun can.

To state in early 2021 that you won't open your taproom at all that year is major. And I'm not buying his BS about it being more local friendly. It's always easier for locals to buy cans from a hyped brewery...and harder to get pours when it blows up.

And if someone enjoys an oreo poblano stout, why shit on them? Hill deserves their reputation but Shaun has always been a bit annoying, even when hes right!

But. overall, I wouldn't shrug this off. Shaun doesn't want to run a brewery in these times. And financially, he probably doesn't have to

 

People talk about him like he’s The Clairvoyant from Agents of Shield. Shaun Hill puts his pants on one leg at a time. But once his pants are on, he makes the greatest fucking beer in the world.

 

Because it's only natural.

...unless the Oreos are sustainably foraged.

 

I admire the guy's ability as much as anyone, and he's certainly entitled to run his show however he wants. I did, however, find his comment about the the entire growth of the brewery & taproom being a "compromise" to be odd. As the brewer/philosopher he is, he knows that almost everything a person does in this world involves a compromise of one kind or another, especially in business. If his beer wasn't every bit as great as he knows it is, he wouldn't have any of these compromises to make. His revered status and the financial remuneration his work has produced are the kinds of "problems" almost nobody in any line of work will never have to deal with. How many of us ever truly reach such a level of success that they struggle with "the divided self"? I certainly wouldn't mind giving it a try. But yes, in truth, everyone has to figure out some kind of work/life balance. But few have to worry about being too successful and too beloved.



And more practically, he could cut down on he festival-like atmosphere at the taproom by not having special on-site-only beer releases like $65 375 ml bottles of Ann that MUST be shared. He doesn't need to have FoFA. He could enforce the two drink minimum. Hell, he could send bottles and cans to a few trusted VT vendors. I'm not saying I want any of these things to happen. But there are moves he can make.

I love visiting Hill. I like having a pour or two on the grounds, and I like seeing him quietly and humbly picking up empty glasses off of tables like he's just a busboy. He sees what needs to be done and does it, that's admirable. If you didn't know who he was, you wouldn't even notice him. But I do think he very much enjoys his reputation and success. If not, how do we account for the weekly IG posts throughout 2020 reflecting upon/celebrating the brewery's history? I think he's proud of his status, and he is entitled to be.

But anyway, to end this post, I'm not too worried about anything to do with Hill. He's been making these kinds of comments pretty much since he started the brewery. I don't think he's going through a mid-life crisis. I don't think we need to panic. Maybe he'll makes some changes. We'll see. (And as far as changes go, I don't think it would show too much vanity on his part to throw a fresh coat of paint on the house. Hell, I'll do it myself if he buys the paint. I'll even bring my own brushes and the ladder).

 

I may regret pointing this out, but my impression (which of course could be mistaken) is that the philosophical “compromises” he’s alluding to are less about his personal work/life balance and more in regard to the larger sense of being a participant in / contributor to an industry he doesn’t feel wholly comfortable with (ie capitalism, if we keep zooming out).

( ...not that it couldn’t be a combination of both, I guess!)

 

Sure - and circle back to my point about running a business. People have make comprises in any business. I think you and I are both “right”, as far as that goes.

 

And for those seeking a bit less speculation, curbside hours have just been posted for next week: Weds. - Fri., 11am - 5pm. Watch for offerings...

 

Ordering opens up tomorrow afternoon.

 

PSA: I have @Negt round at my place wearing a bib while I spoon him the above info. In between mouthfuls he says thank you.

Edit - re-reading the post it could be misconstrued...

 

Website splash thing says April 5. Did you see this somewhere else?