Everett Porter - Hill Farmstead Brewery

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

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

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

hagbergl

Massachusetts

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

Picked up a 750mL growler of Hill Farmstead's big Porter, Everett, from the brewery during an early August beer pilgrimage. Served from the growler into a pint glass. Review is from notes.

Appearance (4.5/5): Everett pours a nearly-black with brown highlights and is topped by a nice milk chocolate brown head of foam. This is a black beauty if there ever was one. Good things to come, I'm sure.

Smell (5/5): Everett's aroma is quite pungent and VERY nice: notes of fresh brewed coffee, dark chocolate, roasted nuts spring to the fore. Roasty–one for the cooler months, for sure. Mellow, not very aggressive, and despite being a quite robust 7.5% ABV Porter, not a hint of booze in the nose. Top marks! The nose on this American Porter blows the doors even off of the venerable Founders Porter.

Taste (4.5/5): The first thing one notices when drinking Everett is the roastiness, its dominant character. It stays in the driver's seat for the whole ride and lingers on into the long finish. Flavors of dark chocolate and fresh brewed coffee are there beautifully balancing against the roast fest and provide some sweetness and bitterness, respectively. There is some subtle, herbal hoppiness to the beer, too. Not a sweet beer, and it's also a little dry. The overall effect is wonderful: Everett ends up tasting like a flourless chocolate cake with a side of toasted almonds or walnuts. Excellent.

Mouthfeel (4.5/5): Everett is smooth as silk, not very viscous, full-bodied and semi-dry. Its medium-light carbonation does not leave one wanting–you don't want a roasty dark beer like this to be bubbly! No, Everett is a silky palate massage if there ever was one. It has a looong finish that is a bit bitter and dry. Again, premium stuff.

Overall (4.5/5): With all the insanely good hoppy stuff that Hill Farmstead puts out it can be easy to overlook their "house porter," Everett. Don't! Here is an American Porter with serious body, incredibly well balanced, deep flavors, a long finish, and a smooth finish (for when you get tired Abner's big, tropical fruit bitterness, maybe). Enjoy it with friends.

Serving type: growler

08-28-2012 02:26:44 | More by hagbergl

Kinsman

New Hampshire

4.53/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Fills the glass with a absolute pitch black body and a dark tan head makes a short but attractive appearance.

A strong coffee note upfront with a nice bit of chocolate and sweet brown sugar to back it up. A smokey charred note gives you a preview of the robustness to come.

An explosion of flavor takes place with the first sip and it takes a while to really understand everything that is going on here. Certainly the coffee notes play a major role but the sweetness of the carmel malts adds a nice touch. Roasted notes come through in a wave of smokey flavors and leaves you with a lingering bitterness that allows the hops to come into play as well.

Mouthfeel is creamy and rich. Certainly makes this a nice sipper for a damp and dark night. Overall, I had pretty high expectations coming into this beer as I consider the standard robust porter (i.e. non-imperialized or flavored) to be one of my favorite styles. Everett met all those expectation and exceeded them in some parts and is only going to make the 100 mile drive to the brewery all the more tempting.

Serving type: growler

07-29-2012 01:56:25 | More by Kinsman

jlindros

Massachusetts

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

Wow, somehow missed reviewing this one, not sure how. Love this and get it every time I visit.

It pours an almost pitch black rich liquid that bubbles out a nice 1 finger darker colored head, creamy head that fades semi slowly with a decent lacing on the glass.

NOse explodes with chocolate and caramel, some baker's and a slight dark chocolate, plenty of caramel, a hint of roast and coffee, a chewy malt base with a hint of oats, a nice big meaty dark malt profile that really pumps up the beer. And somewhere in the middle of all that comes very light earthy hops.

Taste comes on with waves of smooth rich malts, lots of chocolate, a bit of dark chocolate, baker's, and plenty of creamy milk chocolate. A light roasted malt profile, bringing a hint of coffee with it, and I think a touch of black patent malt. Plenty of caramel comes through with the waves, and brings just a touch of bready like malts that, with the chocolate, give a malted milk ball taste. Some creamy flavors with a lactose like feel and maybe hint of oats. There is an earthy slightly bitter hop taste in the background that let's the malts speak. The finish is fairly dry with a long lingering chocolate flavor, fair amount of earthy bitterness, light lingering roast and caramel.

Mouth is fuller bodied, rich and creamy, decent carb.

Overall very nice, quite drinkable with lots of great malts that taste great and make me want more with each sip. The booze is mostly hidden, and the earthy hops give just enough bitterness to prop up the malts so they can shine. Almost a perfect porter, delicious.

Serving type: growler

07-22-2012 22:55:44 | More by jlindros

jegross2

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewing the Everett from the Hill Farmstead Brewery.
Score: 94

Opening a 750 ml growler that I received about a week ago from the overly generous Jason Richard. Served in a Darkness snifter and enjoyed on 03/28/12. Review is from notes.

Appearance: Pours a black coffee color with just over a finger of creamy mocha colored head that quickly settles into a bubbly ring around the glass and foggy thin layer that caps off just over 50 percent of the beer. Superior lacing, above average retention. 4.5/5

Smell: Smokey roasted chocolate, dark chocolate and bittersweet baking chocolate morsels. Roasted oat, a little caramel and modest espresso/dark roast coffee. A light dose of piney hops too. 4/5

Taste: Just as much smokey roasted chocolate on the palate as the aroma led on. Toffee, light caramel and plenty of dry dark/raw chocolate with a smooth chocolatey finish. The beer is not very complex, but it's a luscious medley of creamy chocolate flavors throughout. Truly delightful. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Full-medium bodied, low carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel. Dry and modestly bitter finish. 4.5/5

Overall: Quite possibly the best everyday porter that I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Very roasty/smokey and chocolate-forward.

Recommendation: Everyone should seek out a bottle of this stuff.

Pairings: Ice cream sundae.

Cost: $8 for a 500 ml bottle, $8 for a 750 ml growler or $16 for a 2 liter growler (plus the deposit).

Serving type: growler

05-28-2012 21:05:45 | More by jegross2

Hophead717

Pennsylvania

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

750ml growler

A: Black, with a thin head that dissipates instantly. Looks pretty.

S: Lightly sweet cocoa, with mild roasted malt. Subtle coffee notes as well. This smells incredible.

T: That's robust! Semisweet cocoa, light hops, and a bit roasty.

M: Luscious. Lighter bodied, but great for a porter.

O: The best porter that I've ever had. They are generally not my style, but the great mouthfeel and complex flavor profile knocks it out of the park. Definitely one I'd like to have again.

Serving type: growler

05-25-2012 02:10:03 | More by Hophead717

libbey

Washington

4.53/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

750ml swing top growler poured into a NB globe. Big thanks to celticfutblclub for the chance to try this.

A: The beer pours a pitch black with a large fluffy coco head that left a nice trail of spotty lacing throughout the session. For having traveled from one side of the country to the other this beer has held up magnificently.

S: Big blast of chocolate roasted malt with a slight hint of espresso and bittering hop.

T: Again there is a huge velvety chocolate malt front end that is balanced nicely with a fairly bitter bite from the hop profile. Excellent.

M: The beer is a touch under carbonated but the overall mouthfeel is still super velvety and decadent. Each sip lingers on the pallet. I can only imagine the amazingness that this must be fresh off the tap.

O: Overall this is an amazing porter and one of the finest (and I've drank many) porters I've ever tasted. World class. Pursue with a passion.

Serving type: growler

05-22-2012 03:07:20 | More by libbey

CuriousMonk

Virginia

4.08/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from super growler (less than 5 days old) into a tulip glass. Huge thanks to fellow BeerAdvocate for going to the HF release party to pick up a growler for me. Pours dark brown with a nice one and a half finger khaki head with beautiful lacing that lasted throughout. Aromas of grain, oatmeal, coffee, and some vanilla. Flavors of grain, wood, some alcohol and chocolate. Gosh, this beer sure reminded me of Founders Porter, but only better! There are some light bitterness throughout the session. Thick bodied with good carbonation. Nice sticky mouthfeel. Though good, wasn’t world class as many beer raters gave it.

Serving type: growler

05-16-2012 16:55:05 | More by CuriousMonk

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.23/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml growler (swing top). Filled by caquair on Friday 5/4/12. Big thanks there! Poured into my Boulevard tulip.

A: Pours pitch black. Actually still some carbonation. About a quarter finger of light tab head. Leaves some lacing bits.

S: Lots of roastiness. I definitely smell some coffee and rich chocolate goodness.

T: Wow. It's a fuller bodied porter. It's creamy. Lots of roast and bitter dark chocolate. Also a touch of roast coffee is there too. I also get a touch of hop bite, piney.

M: Medium bodied, but leading to full.

O: Worldclass for sure. Different than other porters out there. Drinks much bigger than 7.5% ABV, but not because of booze.

Serving type: growler

05-11-2012 13:41:28 | More by inlimbo77

Etan

Illinois

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

750ml growler sent to me by valdieu, poured into a Spiegelau tulip.

A: Pours a rich black with a small but robust cardboard-colored head. Decent retention with some nice lacing.

S: Big coffee roast dominates the nose. Some chocolate and dark malt, a hint of sweet hops, with a metallic note on the end.

T: Milk and dark chocolate, earthy coffee beans, big lactic sweetness, a bit of piney hop, caramel, slightly bitter roasted barley. Great balance between sweetness and bitterness/roastiness. Sweet coffee lingers.

M: Amazing mouthfeel: rich, thick, creamy, just enough carbonation. Perfect.

O: Certainly one of the best porters I've ever had. Fantastic flavor profile, complimented immensely by the rich mouthfeel.

Serving type: growler

05-07-2012 20:21:03 | More by Etan

aasher

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is Adam Jackson beer, growler filled on 4/22. Hey oh!

Everett pours a medium bodied black chocolate darkest of browns with a one finger dark beige head. It certainly looks the part. The nose is robust. There are loads of bitter chocolate, lightlly roasted coffee, and more bitter chocolate. It's vibrant for a porter. The flavors lead with bitter chocolate and tobacco with plenty of coffee roast. There's a whole lot of roast, and a whole lot of chocolate. The flavors are strong in this one. I hate using this descriptor, but the aftertaste is robust. I really enjoy this one. It's definitely a full flavor porter. Yet another nice beer from HF.

Serving type: growler

05-07-2012 03:25:53 | More by aasher

ehammond1

California

4.38/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler

Acquired via trade
Thanks, AdamJackson!

Black throughout with a small dark brown head. Surprisingly, this leaves the glass relatively clean on the way down.

A very rich, roasty aroma. There's a bit of chocolate and a hint of coffee, but this is a showcase of powerful, roasted malt character.

The flavor follows similarly. This is a complete, delicious, incredibly drinkable robust porter. The flavors consist of roasted malt, a bit of cocoa, slight coffee, and moderate bitterness. No alcohol presence.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

A delicious, classic, to-style porter.

Serving type: growler

05-03-2012 21:20:53 | More by ehammond1

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.4/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From 750mL growler to Portsmouth glass on 3/10/12
*From notes

-- Thanks & cheers, Eric --

A: A rich, robust chocolate brown. A good pour yields a one finger head. As it fades, decent lacing and a fair collar follow.

S: Quite green, with a good bit of coffee injecting life into the nose.

T: Thin. Watery. Cardboard. These aren't qualities that I look for in a beer, let alone a Porter from Hill Farmstead. This isn't infected or off, it's just not up to snuff with a lot of the better Porters on the market. Extremely underwhelming.

M: It feels alright, I guess. The carbonation isn't where I feel it should be, as it's (yet again) a bit thin and not overly complex or rich in the mouth.

O: How anti-climactic. HF's Everett is one of the biggest letdowns I've come across in some time. The rest of the tasting group bought into the hype with this and rather enjoyed it. But me....nah. It's simply a Porter.

Serving type: growler

03-19-2012 22:49:10 | More by Rhettroactive

DefenCorps

Oregon

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

Matt, you rule. Thanks for the growler!

Pouring black with a dense, crema-colored head with excellent retention and some lacing, this is a beautiful porter.The nose is just as good. Big, robust, roasted malt character with dashes of chocolate and caramel, this is pretty much what I'd expect from a robust porter.The chocolate character on the nose is particularly alluring, with a blend of milk chocolate and cream. The roasted barley adds an aggressive roast note, with mild smoky, burnt grain characteristic that's at the perfect level. And of course, there's plenty of medium-dark roast coffee aromas, fresh and complex. There's a mild, earthy hop character as well. Excellent.

The palate is perfect. With an excellent blend of aggressive roasted malt (barley in this case) bitterness, dark chocolate and a touch of caramel sweetness, this is really tasty. The dark chocolate character is pretty phenomenal, and it also has some coffee flavors. Drying and roasty on the finish with a some caramel sweetness, there's some vanilla that's also present here. As it warms up, the chocolate and coffee come to the forefront, and the alcohol begins to peek. Just a touch of licorice as well, on the finish, and I could swear I taste a little anise. Medium in body with medium-low carbonation, this is soft and luscious on the palate. Perfectly carbonated, this is near-perfect on the palate but for a fleeting moment of wateriness on the mid-palate. The caramel sweetness on the finish grows increasingly noticeable over the course of a growler, making the 750ml quite easily the perfect serving size. That said, it is nowhere near as sweet as some of the new-age porters and stouts out there (RRBC Porter, Eclipse, etc)

An outstanding porter, quite easily the best I've had. While not as robust (read: bitter) as the Smuttynose Robust Porter, and better conditioned than Ed Fitz, both of which make this insanely enjoyable.

Serving type: growler

02-27-2012 01:30:44 | More by DefenCorps

FosterJM

California

4.4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1085th Review on BA
Growler to stemmed tulip
750 ml growler

Thanks to CliffBrake for this one

Shared with GuruDel..."Thats a good porter"

App- If this wasnt one of the most dark and lush porters I have seen than I dont know what it. Super dark brown, like a good coffee with some rich crimson edges. Nice 1-1/2" head with a nice khaki head that fell with great cling lines.

Smell- A bit of a stout/porter mix. A bit grainular with some coffee, toast, roast, earthy and chocolatey notes.

Taste- Opens very smooth with a good amount of grain, oatmeal, roast, bitter and chocolate. The beer is very well layered with each flavors coming with the next. Roasty flows into the chocolate magically to create a velvet smoothness.

Mouth- Almost thick bodied and bordering on oatmeal stout territory and a almost full carbonation level, just leaves this creamy chocolatey flavor.

Drink- "Thats a good porter" says GuruDel. He is the porter man and this did not dissapoint in the slightest. Very layered. Very smooth and rich. I would love this closer to CA.

Serving type: growler

02-03-2012 00:09:07 | More by FosterJM

seanwhite

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The best porter I have ever had and it still blows my mind. Had it on tap at HF and brought a 750ml bottle growler home.

A: Pours a Dark Black/Brown with a tan head.

S: Aroma is Dark Chocolate, Roast, rich coffee. Thick and creamy in the mouth,

T: Taste is dry roasted and chocolaty with just the right amount of clean spicy/citrusy hop profile as to not take away from the important elements of this porter. Flavor is a dark swirl of chocolate, burnt wood, light twinge of smoke, coffee. The list could go on and on, a very deep beer

I couldnt believe a porter could be this amazing.

Serving type: growler

01-04-2012 02:40:24 | More by seanwhite

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

4.43/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL growler purchased in early October and shared with GarrettMD a week later.

A - Black with brown edges. Half a finger of mocha head. Retention is average. Good lacing.

S - Licorice aroma with an English characteristic that I sometimes describe as being like copper or blood. Some cocoa makes an appearance as well. Nicely balanced.

T - Licorice, coffee, chocolate, and a huge roast character that later turns into a charred or smoky flavor. All the flavor of a nice big stout, but lighter and better balanced in the way a porter often can be. Cocoa beans and smoked malts.

M - Medium body with average carbonation. Beer remains wet throughout. Dull around the edges but there is a sort of sharpness to the feel.

O - Perhaps my favorite porter. At my tasting at the brewery we were each given the opportunity to double up on one of the tastings. Given the options including both James and Ephraim, I still went with Everett. It really goes to show that this beer is truly great in my mind. A huge hit from a wonderful brewery.

Serving type: growler

10-30-2011 18:46:11 | More by greenmonstah

GarrettMD

New York

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

A - Perfectly black, no light gets through this beer anywhere. 1 finger of slightly darker than normal tan head. Fades to a ring around the outer rim quickly.

S - Licorice, anise, hints (and I mean very faint hints) of cherry, with a background of slight roasted malts that barely peek through the licorice. This beer really does smell almost exactly like a black licorice stick, so much so I almost want to say it has some sort of brett in it.

T - Licorice still dominates, but lesser so than in the aroma. Smoke is also present right along with it. Sweet sugars come through a lot more pairing well with the chocolate and toffee from the roasted malts.

M - Medium body, lightly carbonated, thicker than a normal porter and quite sticky. Finish is slightly sticky, slightly drying, and very sweet with a licorice/chocolate lingering aftertaste.

O - One of the most interesting porters I have ever had. A lot of flavors and aromas not normally found in a porter as well as a body more likely to be found in a stout.

Serving type: growler

10-22-2011 05:12:16 | More by GarrettMD

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.68/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Another 750ml growler thanks to Gushue3
Poured into a pint glass.

A - Pours a very dark brown with a 3/4 dark tan head. The head fades quickly to a thin layer and leaves good lacing on the glass.

S - Roasted malts, nuts, some coffee.

T - Hard for me to place, but in a good way. Light coffee, chocolate, nuts, mild all-around. Improves as it warms.

D - Average body and carbonation.

O - Very smooth and good. enjoyable.

Serving type: growler

10-19-2011 01:20:40 | More by HuskyinPDX

rfgetz

New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a deep, dark and chunky brown color with thin but dense cap of brown head, little rings of lacing towards the top. Scent leads with dark and milk chocolate before settling into a long note of roast with some char, the end has notes of fresh ground coffee and dark fruit. Taste follows suit without being too thin or venturing into stout territory. Full flavored on the palate, equal parts chocolate and roast with background notes of coffee and fruit, little hints of spice... very well layered as each presents themselves. Medium to full bodied, good carbonation levels, a little lingering char on the palate. One of the top American Porters that strikes the right balance without encroaching too far on stout territory like many full flavored porters do.

Serving type: growler

10-11-2011 13:38:45 | More by rfgetz

s1ckboy

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Black with a small amount of mocha head

S - Very sweet and chocolatey. Brown sugar,

T - Chocolate, coffee notes, honey, brown sugar, anise, molasses. Tons of brown sugar in the aftertaste.

M - Pretty full, low in carbonation,

O - Good beer. Would like to try this from a bottle so see how that effected carbonation.

Serving type: growler

10-11-2011 11:09:46 | More by s1ckboy

Gushue3

Massachusetts

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

from big 2L growler into snifter baby

A- pours very dark brown and has a little less than one finger light chocolate colored head. Body is very deep brown/black. nice head.

S- big dark malt with roasty coffee with a hint of chocolate.

T- Big roast throughout with some chocolate behind it. Sweeter light malt comes through toward the end giving a choco milk kind of taste.

M- Pretty much almost flat, thanks to a long ride home. other than that theres a medum to heavier feel on the tongue.

O- really nice tasting porter. All the ingredients that I want in a robust porter.

2/28/12 from 1.5week old growler

A Pours very dark brown/black and is flat black in the glass. Nice 1+ finger head forms and and goes down at a decent rate and leaves a 1/4 inch froth above the body. Some lacing is left and theres nice carbonation.
4.5

S Milk chocolate and roasty nose. Smells pretty good.
4

T Lots of roasty malts, coffee and milk chocolate. Coffee taste comes out more in the middle and the finish is slightly bitter with some chocolate.
4.5

M Thicker mouthfeel thats almost chewy, just how I like my porters and stouts. Little carbonation makes for a smooth and easy to sip brew.
4

O Really good porter. Taste is pretty close to perfect porter. Taste is great and feels good as well. If I could get this regularly I would drink this all the time.
4.5

Serving type: growler

10-03-2011 23:43:55 | More by Gushue3

Damian

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drank from a 750 ml swing top growler purchased at the Hill Farmstead Brewery, Greensboro, VT
Served in a Hill Farmstead Brewery stemmed glass

Near obsidian in appearance with dark mahogany edges. A bubbly, one-finger head of mocha-colored froth topped the liquid. The head faded to a thick lasting ring. Spotty drops of lacing stuck along the glass.

The nose was flawless. Totally spot-on for the style. Rich roasted malts came through strong. Lots of semi-sweet chocolate and a decent amount of smoke. Some brown sugar as well. There was a nice balance between the sweetness and the dryness. The chocolate notes came out more as the beer warmed, and they turned sweeter and more cocoa powder-like. A good dosage of vanilla was noticeable as well.

The flavor profile was quite similar to the nose. Robust and moderately roasty up front. Bakers chocolate and French press coffee notes appeared in the center. Some cola as well. Charred malts came through on the finish. A touch ashy and quite dry. A bit of warmth from the alcohol was noticeable in the back of my throat. Crisp, piney hops lingered into the aftertaste.

The mouthfeel was respectable. Medium bodied for the style with a fine, moderate effervescence. Slick and smooth.

I was aware that Shaun is a master of brewing hoppy beers but I did not realize he could also do other styles so well. This is truly a fantastic rendition of an American porter.

Serving type: growler

07-25-2011 03:43:00 | More by Damian