Everett Porter - Hill Farmstead Brewery

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The perfect blend of boldness, robustness, masculinity, and smoothness are the ingredients that work best in this American-style Porter of world class status.

Somewhere in the Porter or Stout register, the beer pours with a creamy and lavish separation of darkest "bark" brown ale and light mocha-tan meringue that forms on top. Firm withstanding and intricate lacing patterns emerge as the foam character easily endures the session. To the eye, the beer is as good as advertised.

Strong roasty-sweet aromas are easily confused with Stout, but the scent shares elements of heavy toast, walnuts, bold-roast coffee, bittersweet chocolate, and an almost milkshake-like malty-sweet undercurrent.

And that milkshake like taste is alive on the early palate as the taste of burnt caramel, heavy whipping cream, vanilla and near-yougurt milky tang all make a mark early. Simultaneous taste of strong fresh coffee, roasted nuts, bitter chocolate, and heavily charred toast balance the sweetness and creaminess and offer an identity of their own. Nearly strong enough to suggest Stout, the beer restrains its deep roasty dryness to win over the Porter argument. A finish of coffee-like bitterness and roasted nuts close the beer malty-dry and decadent in taste.

Full bodied, creamy and velvety- the Porter rivals any Milk or Oatmeal Stout on the market. The beer simply blankets the mouth with a cocoon of creaminess that latches onto the mouth and seduces it with its silk. The beer retains its creamy structure until very late in the session where rummy alcohol warmth, light bitterness, and drying roast malt sharpens the textures to signal a long and roasty aftertaste.

I'm not sure if the ale is more of a Porter or a Stout, but style-police aside, this is a sultry and savory beer of roasted proportions that soothes the sense of taste like few can. Its remarkable drinkability would allow for a greater rate of consumption if its savory creaminess didn't act so dessert-like on the mouth.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 05:50:50 | More by BEERchitect

fdig23

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Railroad Street, Linfield, PA.

Appearance: Standard porter. Deep black, small dark tan head.

Nose: Fragrant fresh coffee beans, rich milky chocolate, and a subtle hint of green apple in the background.

Taste: Very clean and rich. Initial taste is freshly brewed dark coffee, there's some lightly tart green apple in the middle, and it finishes with an incredibly rich chocolate covered espresso bean flavor.

Mouthfeel: Perfectly creamy and carbonated. Very drinkable, as a porter should be.

Overall: Easily my favorite porter to date. It's a fairly straightforward style that's taken to a new level of richness and sophistication by Hill Farmstead.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2013 13:40:20 | More by fdig23

BeerBuckeye

Ohio

4.79/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A - Pours a very dark brown opaque color with nice, 2 finger, mocha colored head. Little bit of lacing along the side.

S - I could smell this when I was pouring it. It's actually just a tinge fruity in the beginning. That dark fruit, with molasses smell. Good amount of burnt coffee, plenty of roasted malts. Excellent blend.

T - Incredibly full, robust blend of dark, roasted malt, again, just a tinge of sweetness, before finishing with bitter, full, roasted coffee. That's an incredible taste. It goes from phase to phase seemlessly. Perfection.

M - Exactly what you want in a porter. Perfect mouthfeel here. It's creamy, a little thinner than a stout, and smooth.

Overall - This is it. World's best porter, and I love porters. Hill Farmstead has it. Absolutely excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 01:05:59 | More by BeerBuckeye

PicoPapa

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Taken from notes from a recent trip to Montreal and Vermont.

On tap at The Prohibition Pig. Pours a pitch black color with an inch of light brown head. Some lacing. The aroma is of roasted malts, dark chocolate and coffee. Maybe some hints of smoke. This beer has a nice roasted malts flavor with some bitter dark chocolate and coffee. Earthy with hints of smoke. Not much of an alcohol presence. Medium bodied with a creamy mouthfeel. Overall, damn good Porter worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2013 01:12:54 | More by PicoPapa

mechamifune

North Carolina

4.39/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

8oz pour from a growler provided to me courtesy of forum member Bluecane.

Pours with a stout-like darkness and a nice healthy looking mocha head. Strong lacing, looks well carbonated.

Smell is roasty malt and chocolate and a bit of a hop presence (strikes me as centennial but i'm probably wrong). The hop presence is far from overwhelming, but stronger than in most porters.

Taste is in line with smell, but just a little more enjoyable. Lots of roasty chocolate goodness without being overwhelming. No real sense of alcohol and no real bitterness in the finish. Just as with the smell, the hops are evident but not jarring.

Mouthfeel is fine for the style. Feels pretty smooth and is easy to drink.

Overall this is probably the best porter i've ever had. Based on its ranking, i don't feel particularly creative in making that assertion. It's super drinkable while having its hop and malt character remain assertive while simultaneously blending together well. Kind of a slightly better, lighter version of fresh Nightstalker. Give it a try if you can, but then again you already knew that.

.

Serving type: growler

04-22-2013 20:00:40 | More by mechamifune

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.56/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Big thank you to TheSevenDuffs for the bottle

Nearly jet black, ring of tan head, some lace as well on the glass. Smell is a wonderful mix of roast and chocolate, coffee notes mix with hops give off a nice bittersweet presence, a little bit of liquorice, but such a rich roast that is truly lovely is right upfront the whole time. Taste Is a mix of rich dark chocolate and roasted malts, coffee and a bit of milk chocolate with a touch of anise/liquorice, moderately bitter hop bill here as well, lovely roasted finish and chocolatey aftertaste. Lightly carbonated, full bodied, good feel throughout. This is no doubt the best porter to have met my glass, an absolutely drinkable beer that I would drink as often as I am lucky to encounter it.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 19:43:16 | More by peensteen

chalsk

New Jersey

4.96/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

On tap at Torst. My maiden beer there. Pours a dark brown cloudy color with a caramel colored head. Aroma of coffee, chocolate, caramel, alcohol and slight slight spice. Sweet creamy chocolate taste with coffee notes and slight spice pinch. Perhaps a slight vanilla to add silkiness. Love it. Best porter I have had. It gets as close to a stout as a porter will get without crossing the line.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2013 02:02:15 | More by chalsk

Skrip

South Carolina

4.55/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottled poured into a Hill Farmstead oversized wine glass.

A~ black! with hardly any head.

S~ sooo much roasty coffee! a little sweetness, kind of like a milk stout followed by dark chocolate and some figs.

T~ Cocoa, roasty malts, and dark figs up front. followed by a crazy sweetness on the finish with a dark coffee aftertaste. wow! way more coffee on the nose though.

M~ oh so smooth! slightly carbonated, has more of a stout feel then a porter.

O~ absolutely delicious! most flavor i've ever experienced in a porter. this is the newest batch, i would love to try a bottle of last years!

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 02:47:16 | More by Skrip

oline73

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the growler into a snifter.

Pours dark brown color with just a small amount of tan head. The nose is full of roast and slightly sweet dark chocolate. Just a touch smokey. The smell follows the nose closely. Roasted malt bitterness with dark fruit and dark chocolate behind. Lots of roast in the finish.

Serving type: growler

03-27-2013 23:49:29 | More by oline73

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.39/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Long story short, this porter is just awesome.

Black in color. Tan head with lace.

Flavors of coffee, roasted malts, cocoa, chocolate, caramel, and vanilla. Rich and creamy. A little bit of hops show. Reminds me of 11 darkness.

Mouthfeel: smooth and creamy. Full bodied with a nice amount of carbonation. Ends a little dry and roasted.

Overall, one of the best porters I have had. Everything you could ask for in a porter.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2013 23:13:21 | More by mothman

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.58/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Bottle shared by Pino, via Marcus. Thanks a whole ton to both y'all. 500ml into a tulip.

Black with a tan/brown head. Great retention and good lacing. Nose has an amazing roast character, milk chocolate and even a hint of licorice. Taste has again a phenomenal roasted malt character, some toasty notes, milk and darker chocolate and the hops are still prominent in the background. Mild acidity. Medium feel, and carbonation could be taken down a half notch. I would worship this on cask.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 15:05:58 | More by liamt07

DevilsCups

New York

4.29/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

750ml growler into a Hill Farmstead stemmed tulip.

A - Black like a stout. Pours and settles not too different than a beer like Old Rasputin. I'm not a huge porter guy, but if I have one I want it to look like this. Darker khaki head with decent lacing.

S - Cocoa, roast, dark fruits and a touch of vanilla.

T - Follows the nose, as I notice that most Hill Farmstead beers do. Chocolate and dark cocoa mixed with a great roasted malt character. Finish has that touch of vanilla.

M - Bright carbonation, not over or under. Not sure how bottles are carbed, but this is great out of the keg and into the growler 4 days ago.

O - Excellent porter. Drinks like a darker, more dark-cocoa forward Founders porter.

Serving type: growler

02-28-2013 03:05:44 | More by DevilsCups

dar482

New York

4.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I had this on tap at Alphabet Beer Co. in NYC. It comes in a beautiful black color with an inviting brownish white head instead of the expected white.

The aroma smells of coffee, malt, and chocolate.

The taste has an smooth bitter chocolate flavor, but then there's a second flavor that hits. It's almost a jump of malt that makes this beer so complex. After a few drinks, it gets a bit boozy, but it's only 7.5%, so it's maybe the bitterness hitting along with the alcohol. It's so lovely and tasty.

The body is creamy, but light. It is very drinkable, though a pint was a bit much for me.

Maybe the best and most balanced porters I have had.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2013 01:00:35 | More by dar482

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.63/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark and thick, nice frothy head, does indeed look "robust" and I would guess a higher abv than 7.5% based on the appearance.

This beer is somewhat disappointing though...rich and sweet as you would expect, maybe some chocolate and vanilla, but it's too malty for me to really love. Needs either some more roast, some more hop character, or some more pronounced chocolate. Mouthfeel is thick and really nice, and overall this is a good and solid porter, but it was the weakest HF beer out of a lineup of ten and I really didn't think this was anything exceptional.

7.0/10

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 13:04:47 | More by AlexFields

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.15/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Sampling a cold bottle split with Stopper.
Pours a cola brown color with minimal tan head moving quickly to a thin surface layer that sticks around throughout sampling.
Aroma is all malt with roasted notes and coffee grinds mixing throughout tasting, I also get some dark molasses notes and a bit of grassy hop that is buried deep in the nose.
First sip reveals an average to thick body with a silky smooth texture and gentle carbonation.
Flavor is all malt with roasted notes and a bit of dark cocoa chocolate. I also get brown sugar on the finish. No hint of booze or hops on the flavor profile.
Quite a nice drinkable beer. Worth the travel to get a bottle. Thanks to Stopper for sharing!

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 03:33:14 | More by sulldaddy

sleuthdog

Illinois

4.69/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

This bottle courtesy of franklinn...thanks man!
500ml bottle poured int GI pint

Pour: I would not call this black but probably as close to black as it can get. It is a very dark brown with an outstanding 3 finger light brown head. Head receded slowly leaving a ton of lacing that is sticking to the entire area where the head once was.

Smell: A wonderful balance of chocolate and roast at first. Neither one is dominant and they complement each other to perfection. Digging a little deeper I get some vanilla, caramel, some dark fruits, a bit of coffee and a touch of earthy hops. Smells like a semi-sweet chocolate cake.

Taste: Chocolate decadence in a beer! Chocolate syrup, chocolate cake, chocolate fudge brownies all come to mind first. There is a mild roast but like the nose is in perfect harmony with the chocolate without one over powering the other. Some coffee, vanilla, and maybe reaching for a dark fruit (raisin) note. The finish is a bit bitter.

Mouthfeel: This is how a porter should feel IMO. Medium bodied to slightly full especially for a porter with an indescribable perfect amount of carbonation making for an absolute wonderful feeling beer. Creamy and fulfilling in the mouth covering the palate to perfection urging yet another sip.

Overall: I love stouts and especially ones that have spent time in a barrel but let me say that I would take this beer any day. One of the best beers I have had to date and cannot say enough good things about how well done this beer is.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 00:53:35 | More by sleuthdog

maximum12

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Long, long after meeting & loving the barrel-aged version, I finally get to sample the base beer, thanks to moose3285, who remembered me on his vacation. What more could a guy ask of a trading partner? 500ML bottle.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, this is a porter with a ton of life; I can't fit head & body into the glass. Let us have a moment of stillness. The smell is what a great porter should smell like: big chocolate & roast, underbite of lactose, gracefully blended. Nice.

Everett, I would like to pen you a love letter, because you are beautiful. Seriously. It's not that there's chocolate & roast - it's that they're Perfectly Balanced & serenading the tongue. I can't tell which one is first, last, or always. Bittersweetness loads up the middle, whether hopping or part of the chocolate, I'm unsure (& don't care), along with a bit of lactose. Then everything recombines like a fine piece of furniture for the flawless finish. I could drink this by the bathtub full.

If every porter tasted like this there would be a worldwide shortage of porters. Without putting it in a barrel or aging it on bamboo shoots or having ferrets poop in it - well, it's just borderline perfect. Certainly the best straight-up porter I've ever had, & a fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 02:35:01 | More by maximum12

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.

A: Pours a very deep, dark brown. Close to black, but not quite there. A moderately aggressive pour yields about 3-4 fingers of creamy brown head. Retention is spectacular, and large sheets of clumpy lacing blanket the glass.

S: Fudge, french roast, German chocolate cake, some nutty and earthy yeast. Black cocoa powder and whiffs of charcoal-like roasted malt. Hints of vanilla and caramel. Very mild alcohol ester and some darkfruits in the background. Fig and plum.

T: Chocolate syrup, double chocolate cake, roasted coffee beans, a bit of a woody impression. Caramel and a slight creamy vanilla impression in the background. More chocolate cake. Very subtle fruity tastes of fig and date. Long, lingering finish of semi sweet dark chocolate, fudge, and roasted coffee beans.

M: Medium bodied. Extraordinarily creamy and velvety smooth. Low carbonation. You rarely come across a mouthfeel like this.

O: This is truly one of the top porters I've ever had. Its shining points are a layered, nuanced, and shifting malt complexity and an uncommonly creamy and smooth body. Its weaknesses are none.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 04:21:27 | More by ryan1788a5

flexabull

California

4.35/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle courtesy of cbeer88, thanks again!

Pours a deep dark brown color with a very nice tan colored head.

Aromas are nutty, with notes of heavily roasted malts, some light dark fruits, cocoa and mineral hops. Nose is nice, but subtle.

Upon first sip I can see why this is highly regarded. Light cocoa, dark bread, coffee and slightly sweet cream flavors up front. Finish is crisp, with a nice earthy hop bite. Nice flavors, and great balance.

Mouthfeel is good, smooth, soft, and full, with nice carbonation.

Overall, a top notch porter, one of the best I've had in a while. The first Hill Farmstead beer I had was good (Holger Danske), this one is very good.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 02:54:51 | More by flexabull

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color porter with a large brown foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma of dark roasted malt with light espresso notes with some light vanilla notes. Taste is a very robust porter with quite strong roasted malt notes with a side sot of espresso and light subtle green hops. Body is super full with strong carbonation, no apparent alcohol and a nice creamy texture. Probably one of the best porter I ever had a chance to drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 02:50:36 | More by Phyl21ca

kcbaby

Texas

4.7/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

2012 Vintage courtesy of Auror. Many thanks!

A: Requisite deep brown, nearly opaque black color. Creamy and deep - surprisingly deep - tan head with dense lacing that breaks like that of the most viscous stouts. Remarkable.

S: Roasted and chocolate malt, dark chocolate, hazelnut. Considerable smoke from some unknown but heavenly source. Some lactose-like sweetness at the end.

T: Everything in the nose, plus: begins to taste like a smokehouse smells (lightly) as it warms, tobacco in the middle, light earthy hop bitterness in the aftertaste.

M: The pour suggested that it may have been a bit too carbonated; fortunately that was not true - it's velvety and smooth.

Overall: The benchmark American porter.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 16:18:46 | More by kcbaby

kscaldef

Oregon

4.18/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown with a large, dark tan head. Moderate retention and good lacing. Aromas of roasted coffee and cacao. Rich roasted flavors, dark chocolate, mild herbaceous notes. Bitter, but balanced. Moderate-high carbonation with good linger.

Overall, a very solid porter. My biggest complain is that it's a little over-carbonated.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 04:35:09 | More by kscaldef

nataku00

California

4.45/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a tulip glass. Beer pours a dark brown, bordering on black with a finger of chocolate brown creamy head mixed with a few bubbles. Nice lacing as the head dissipates to a slick of head.

Big roasted notes, medium roasted coffee, dark roasted malt, a light smokiness, dark chocolate. A hint of citrusy hop bitterness and dark fruit as it warms a little.

Taking a sip, bitterness upfront, roasted malt and coffee with some earthiness, then mellows to fruitier coffee flavors, bittersweet chocolate, sweet almond, graham cracker. Lingering coffee and roasted malt flavors on the tongue after a swallow.

Probably on the lighter side of medium, but the good carbonation helps contribute to a slightly creamy mouthfeel. A very nicely crafted porter.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 02:58:54 | More by nataku00

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

4.5/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle 7,5% Abv.
Served lightly chilled in an over sized wine glass.

Thanks to Futura123 for this bottle.

Appearance: Wow, Everett is one dark porter! It appears pitch black in the glass, with a back light only showing a some faint red-brown streaks along the edges of the glass. A rough pour yields a massive creamy tan coloured head, that lasts really well and leaves some thick lacing.

Smell: Mmmm, this smells delicious and a lot roastier than I expected from a standard porter. The initial nose offers dark chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, dark toasted grains, some char, a hint of smoke and some cocoa. As the beer begins to warm, more toasted notes become apparent, alongside earthy tobacco, brown sugar, milk chocolate, molasses and the faintest hint of vanilla.

Taste: As with the nose, the flavour initially leans towards the roasted side of things, with an underlying sweetness becoming apparent with warming. Notes include: Roasted malt, dark chocolate, some coffee, a touch of smoke, some ash/char, dark toasted grains, a little milk chocolate, a touch of earthy tobacco and an underlying sweetness that is reminiscent of dark fruits and molasses. The finish is fairly bitter and lightly astringent. There is no trace of the 7,5%.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is just about perfect for a standard porter and makes for a fantastically drinkable beer. Medium (or just over) bodied, with a medium level of wonderfully creamy carbonation.

Overall: Everett is an outstanding porter and certainly deserves its place on the top 100 list. I would kill to have this available locally - a few pints would go down wonderfully well over the course of a football game.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 15:12:37 | More by Thehuntmaster

pmarlowe

California

4.5/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to seeswo for this. Tulip glass.

A: Pours a rich, shiny black with a tall two fingers of dense, red-tinted dark brown head. Very good retention and some nice swaths of lacing.

S: Roasted malt, coffee, dark molasses, and some dark chocolate. Dark fruit as it warms (plum, fruitcake).

T: Lots of roasted malt up front, with a little coffee, with some dark molasses imparting some nice sweetness.

M: Ultra smooth, medium-full body, slightly creamy, with light carbonation providing very good mouthfeel.

O: Just a really well balanced porter. Great example of a roasty porter. I wouldn't mind a little more chocolate on the palate but that's splitting hairs.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 06:23:10 | More by pmarlowe