Hill Farmstead thread

[Frank1]

This looks like one of the new 500mL bottles they have started using like with the most recent batch of Wheat is the New Hops. Look at the size of the foot of the glass vs the bottom of the bottle.

In the twitter comments it says it's a 750. I think it's just a big glass

 

[Adam Jackson]

Just thought it would be fun to reference the blends so far. I see Shaun moving away from listing components in blended beers and ABV. It could be for the same reasons he doesn't list bottle count any more. I honestly don't know or care. As long as the beer tastes great, I don't think debates about what an ABV is or bottle count is important.

Either way, here's what is on the site:
http://www.hillfarmstead.com/philosophical-series

CD1

A blend of two different batches of Arthur and a bit of a beer called ’mimosa’, a saison brewed with orange zest and Brett Claussenii. All stainless. Not barrel aged.​

CD2

95%+ Clara plus a hair of Edward - not barrel aged. Dosed with a touch of lemon juice and bacteria.​

CD3

A blend of wine barrel aged Arthur and Vera Mae.​

CD4

A blended black saison. A blend of 5 beers from four select oak barrels.​

CD5

A single barrel blend of Ann, Art, and Flora, our favorite saisons. Wine Barrel Aged.​

CD6

A blend of wine barrels that held 1+ year old Juicy, Flora, Sankt Hans, and Clara from the spring 2012 brewing season. 375ml bottles only.​

CD7

A blend of Art (2 years in wine barrels) and 2 year old unblended Belgian lambic. 375ml.​

CD8

Single oak barrel of blended black farmstead ale. Edith et al. 1 year in oak. 375ml​

CD9

A single wine barrel blend of farmstead ales aged for nearly a year. Pale, citrusy and pleasantly tart.​

======
The HFS site has so much info about brews. Great to reference sometimes.

I'll note almost everyone I talk to lately universally says CD5 is their favorite followed by CD7. I still love CD4 especially what it became after a year in the bottle. That keg at FOFA last year of CD4 was heavenly.

So Frank, looks like CD5 is our 'super-barrel'

 

[tehzachatak]

CD4 was awesome in December when I had it. CD6 was great fresh but I hear is not holding up quite as expected?

Does anyone have any info on what went into CD9?

 

[JBP]

CD7

A blend of Art (2 years in wine barrels) and 2 year old unblended Belgian lambic. 375ml.​

Was it ever confirmed anywhere exactly what the lambic was? I saw some people claiming Cantillon and some claiming Drie.

 

[justforrazors]

I've always heard Cantillon. I don't have any solid evidence but it seems the most logical considering HF hosted Zwanze day this year, and as of late it seems that Cantillon has been sharing a lot of their beer with American breweries (Friendship blends).

 

[Frank1]

Was it ever confirmed anywhere exactly what the lambic was? I saw some people claiming Cantillon and some claiming Drie.

Definitely cantillon. There was lambic from 3 seperate 2 year barrels that arrived unblended and were blended with Art at the brewery.

 

[Frank1]

CD4 was awesome in December when I had it. CD6 was great fresh but I hear is not holding up quite as expected?

Does anyone have any info on what went into CD9?

Cd9 iirc had some components of E. and a couple other things as was at some point topped off with Susan.

 

[vonnegut21]

CD6 was great fresh but I hear is not holding up quite as expected?

I've had CD6 four or five times now and when I had it a few weeks ago it was by far the best it's ever been, IMO. I thought it was a bit underwhelming fresh, but I think it's excellent now.

 

[tehzachatak]

I've had CD6 four or five times now and when I had it a few weeks ago it was by far the best it's ever been, IMO. I thought it was a bit underwhelming fresh, but I think it's excellent now.

Interesting! I haven't had it recently, had a bunch fresh and thought it was fantastic.

 

[Adam Jackson]

Definitely cantillon. There was lambic from 3 seperate 2 year barrels that arrived unblended and were blended with Art at the brewery.

Frank, you might be the most knowledgable non-employee at Hill Farmstead. We are in awe.

 

[Frank1]

Frank, you might be the most knowledgable non-employee at Hill Farmstead. We are in awe.

All I do is remember the things Kerrie and Phil tell me

 

[Adam Jackson]

I just emailed Shaun. He said Civil 9 is predominantly Susan and has absolutely no E. in it so there's that.

 

[Number45]

I just emailed Shaun. He said Civil 9 is predominantly Susan and has absolutely no E. in it so there's that.

Amazing. I tasted it for the first time and assumed it was about 75% E. Next, we must know what CD10 is!

 

[Frank1]

I just emailed Shaun. He said Civil 9 is predominantly Susan and has absolutely no E. in it so there's that.

D'oh. I wonder what the "wild" aspect was? Maybe PoS but now I'm not so confident.

 

[cfrances33]

Whatever the deal is with CD9, it's freaking awesome. Was drinking so well on Saturday

 

[tehzachatak]

D'oh. I wonder what the "wild" aspect was? Maybe PoS but now I'm not so confident.

I mean, if it's aged in oak for a year (it was, yes?), it's got the house microflora in it, and if it started primarily with Susan, it kind of makes sense that it might taste a bit like E., right? I mean, E. is a hoppy pale aged in oak w/ microflora, then dryhopped. This sounds like a hoppy pale aged in oak with microflora with some other stuff blended in.

 

[facesnorth1]

is CD7 drinking good again or is it still in an awkward phase? 1 bottle left and want it to be great....

 

[Frank1]

is CD7 drinking good again or is it still in an awkward phase? 1 bottle left and want it to be great....

cfrances33 said he opened one up last week that was doing much better. That's the most recent update I've heard. I've got one left and will be sitting on it for a while longer, I think. Variation in bottle storage is going to play a large role at this point, I'd imagine.

 

[Thorpe]

cfrances33 said he opened one up last week that was doing much better. That's the most recent update I've heard. I've got one left and will be sitting on it for a while longer, I think. Variation in bottle storage is going to play a large role at this point, I'd imagine.

Absolutely agree on variation, as that's the same thing that happened with the Crooked Stave Persica, and it seems like it's probably the same issue of pedio kicking up diacetyl and waiting for Brett to then clear that up. My concern with CD7 has always been that Shaun seemingly tries to remove a lot of the fermentation/barrel yeast and then condition with wine yeast, so there may not be too much Brett in there to do that dirty work. However, I assume there's still some Pedio and Brett in all the bottles, so how long it takes each bottle to clear up (or whether it ever had noticeable diacetyl) is probably dependent on the ratio and absolute numbers of those two in each bottle.

 

[Number45]

cfrances33 said he opened one up last week that was doing much better. That's the most recent update I've heard. I've got one left and will be sitting on it for a while longer, I think. Variation in bottle storage is going to play a large role at this point, I'd imagine.

Absolutely agree on the bottle variation. We opened two side by side about a month ago and you wouldn't even know they were the same beer. One seemed to have definite diacetyl issues and the other was amazing, just as you'd imagine a blend of Art and lambic to taste. At this point I'd give these a year or so more and see what happens. There's a chance it turns into something really special with more time.

On this same note, open your remaining bottles of Art. We had the most recent batch the same weekend and it was still very good, but not what it was about a year ago. Luckily, more Art is on the way!

 

[bahnfire]

I just noticed a very small, but exciting change to the retail page this morning. Tasting glasses are now available for $4 each.

 

[tehzachatak]

I just noticed a very small, but exciting change to the retail page this morning. Tasting glasses are now available for $4 each.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gregkoko]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yes this


Also, S&S 4 is on for 2L fills, not just 750mL. And Susan is officially on deck so now I will sit and wait and hope that everything kicks so Susan is on for next Thursday morning

 

[parkingphi]

Are you going up for the weekend? Or just 1 day?

 

[Auror]

yes this


Also, S&S 4 is on for 2L fills, not just 750mL. And Susan is officially on deck so now I will sit and wait and hope that everything kicks so Susan is on for next Thursday morning

SS4!!!!!!!! That hasn't been on for a while right?

 

[Frank1]

SS4!!!!!!!! That hasn't been on for a while right?

Not in a while. It also happens to be my favorite of the S&S series

 

[ApocalypseZombie]

Not in a while. It also happens to be my favorite of the S&S series

It's better than S&S5?!

 

[gregkoko]

Are you going up for the weekend? Or just 1 day?

Driving up the night of 7/2, crashing in Waterbury, hitting up Hill first thing the morning of 7/3 and driving to Saratoga for the Phish shows 7/3-5

 

[tehzachatak]

It's better than S&S5?!

It's pretty awesome. I like S&S 5 better, but S&S 4 is like half double citra half double galaxy, so...

 

[gregkoko]

Not in a while. It also happens to be my favorite of the S&S series

Agreed