Ephraim - Hill Farmstead Brewery

CliffBrake

New Hampshire

5/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at the brewery for their harvest festival, served in a Hill Farmstead stem.

Hop-hazed orange with a creamy head that leaves plenty of lacing. A bright inviting color on a dreary, cold rainy day.

Nose of all sorts of luscious ripe fruits - peach, pineapple, tangerine, papaya, mixed with sweet bread.

The flavor follows on the nose - with a little concentration, it seems like just about any sort of ripe fruit can be conjured up on the tongue, along with a bit of pine for balance. Plenty of bready sweetness provides a foundation for the hops, but does not detract one bit.

Mouth coating sweetness is punctured by layers upon layers of sticky hoppiness. Dry finish and although it seems like a cliche for such beers, very drinkable for the adv.

In a word, sublime. I usually think of myself preferring Abner to Ephraim. But this batch of Ephraim sets the standard for imperial IPA for me. Shaun served a lot of amazing beers at the harvest fest and yet Ephraim stands out as an amazing experience.

Serving type: on-tap

10-10-2011 23:28:49 | More by CliffBrake

Kpowers

Rhode Island

5/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I poured this beer from a growler and it it had a nice head with a color of straw with some sticky lacing going on in the tulip glass.

The appearance is stellar with the hue of an orange blossom special
The smell is overwhelming of citrus encompassing a cloud of orange, mango, and grapefruit rinds that overcomes you.
The taste reminds me of a fresh morning citrus compote of grapefruit, orange, and mango.
Mouth feel is slightly thick and a bit syrupy with a nice dry finish to it.
Overall a fantastic complement to the DIPA line up at the Farm!

Serving type: growler

10-22-2011 02:38:50 | More by Kpowers

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.98/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a vibrant orange glow, slightly over one inch of head on it. Nose just erupts with the juiciest aromas of tropical and citrus fruits this side of Pliny, maybe even moreso. Its magnificent and owes nothing to nobody. Sliding in with the varied fruits are plenty of pine and soft lemon. Pineapple, pine, apricot, mango, you name it, its there. Yum.

Everything that shows up in the aroma takes on a respectful assault on the palate, again, waves of tropical fruit, citrus fruit and pine envelope the tongue. There's tons of bitterness, but it comes off so smooth, and for being ten and a half percent abv, there sure is no sign on of it, this beer really tastes phenomenal and drinks effortlessly, you don't have to feel like you're getting your big boy drinking jeans on, this one just rocks so easily. The malt is so much a distant memory, but somehow manages to carry the gigantic double dry hopped triple ipa. Really one of the natural wonders of the world I says. Finishes very dry, while keeping the fruitiness and green vegetal hop mouthfeel persistently dominating the mouth. The hops are just so herbal, so tasty per bitterness unit. The best hops in massive quantity, making some great teamwork and love.

What more could a guy want? An ipa that is just bursting with hop flavors reeking of tangerine, orange, pine, lemon, melon, mint, apricot, pineapple, green apple, mango, papaya, you could go on forever.

This is what triple ipas are all about. There's really only one other in its class.

Serving type: growler

12-24-2012 06:23:29 | More by Beerandraiderfan

mymrnngjckt

Pennsylvania

4.97/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Shared a growler with two friend recently. Appearance is a golden dark yellow. The smell is simply outstanding. Great pine/citrus (grapefruit) smell. The best smelling east coast IPA I have ever had. The taste did not dissapoint. More hoppy than malty (which I like.) Mouthfeel was also excellent. Perfectly carbonated.

All things being equal, I would pick this over any other DIPA I have ever consumed. This one is nothing short of perfection.

Serving type: growler

10-27-2010 15:08:35 | More by mymrnngjckt

oakbluff

Manitoba (Canada)

4.95/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Growler- pours a light tangerine with slight haze with a light head and soapy lacing. Nose- huge blast of tropical fruit (mango, pineapple, passion fruit). Taste- WOW- intense, wave after wave of hops attack the senses. Citrus, pine resin. Thick chewy hops interplay with cookie dough pale malts. Medium bodied. Carbonation spot (esp for a growler I've been sitting on for a few weeks). Booze is not apparent other then a warming heat as this hop delivery vehicle slides down the throat. Its a man among boys in the world of dipas. Drinkability is insance for the power of this brew. World class

Serving type: growler

11-06-2010 20:20:04 | More by oakbluff

TheDudeRules

Minnesota

4.95/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Hooked up with this from Sonicwaveofbees.

Growler to an imperial pint glass.

Nice looking copper color. Big giant 3 finger head. Lacing is prevalent. It's like a big beautiful bouquet busting out of the top of my glass. The smell is like a tropical rainforest. Pineapple, mango, melon, and cotton candy. This is seriously intense. I'm waiting for a monkey to come crawling out of my glass. My olfactory nerves are making love to my brain right now. Jeebus I hope this smell translates to taste. And...it does in a big way. Just awesome. You get the sweet citrus almost honey loveliness and then it's cut with dry bitterness. Brilliant. This was waltzing on my tongue. I didn't think it was too sticky but essentially almost perfect. A nice carbonation like you want your dipa to have.

I strive to try beers like this. The trading price was well warranted for this beer. In fact I would do it again over and over. Was it the best I've ever had? I think yes. This unknown is king of the hill in my opinion. Seek it out, you won't be disappointed.

Serving type: growler

03-17-2011 14:16:24 | More by TheDudeRules

jegross2

Illinois

4.95/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Reviewing Ephraim from the Hill Farmstead Brewery out of Greensboro Bend, Vermont. This imperial pale ale is one of Hill Farmstead's most sought after non-bottled release. Major thanks to Fitz for helping me acquire this gem!

Score: 99

Exactly one week old 750 ml growler served in a Perennial snifter and enjoyed on 05/21/13.

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden straw color with two-plus fingers of white head that settle to a thin layer atop the glass. A layer of lacing coats the side of the glass and lingers forever. Excellent appearance for the style. My second glass (not pictured) was laden with floaties, however, which is why the appearance only gets a four out of five. 4/5

Smell: Dank, resinously piney hops and grapefruit smack you upfront. Pine sap, peach, mango, lemon, pineapple, caramel and a little bit of what can only be described as "fresh potting soil" (in a good way). Some spice and "dirty hops" too. This beer smells like a raw and hoppy tropical citrus bomb that is aggressively rough around the edges -- I could smell this beer all day. 5/5

Taste: Super bitter and juicy tropical citrus and piney hops. The bitter pine flavor really lingers on the palate. A lovely medley of grapefruit, pineapple juice, lemon zest, bitter orange rind and tangerine soak the palate. A little spicy caramel malt kick of flavor towards the finish that blends nicely with the piney bitterness. I absolutely love the aggressive hoppiness of this brew! 5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied with spot on carbonation to both give the hops life and let the bitterness linger on the tongue. Super oily, juicy and mouthwatering. If you let this elixir sit on the tongue for a few seconds, the bitter factor really kicks in. 5/5

Overall: A near perfect hoppy beer, which perfectly hit the spot after a long day of work on a perfect spring afternoon. This is much better than I recall it being back when I first had it at Darkness Day this year. Ephraim has all the juiciness and aggressively bitter hoppiness one desires in an IPA (er, imperial pale ale). Easily one of my top 10, possibly even top 5, pale ale/IPA consumed to date. If you have not had a chance to try this yet, I highly recommend you seek out a growler pour while it is still in season and available at the brewery!

Cost: $10 for a 750 ml growler (no 2L fills available this time around).

Serving type: growler

02-08-2013 04:25:14 | More by jegross2

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.95/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Hill Farmstead Brewery - Ephraim - 750ml growler

Spend the weekend up in Greensboro at a friend's camp and naturally we had to brave a Saturday trip to Hill since it is only five minutes away. We walked up at Noon on a Saturday and were able to walk directly up to the counter with no wait and no line! The guy said it was luck at first try haha!

Look - Pours a slightly hazy honey golden with a luxurious soapy head that dissipates quickly. Fresh, sticky lacing. Minimal carbonation.

Smell - Yeasty and bready sweet honey malts with a rich hop overlay. Pine and resiny hops. Also some spices in the nose. Unique smell and very inviting!

Taste - Rich and thick, a full flavored citrus and pine hops wave of complicated flavor that is one of those ones that transforms as the brew warms. Nice bitter finish.

Mouthfeel - Sticky and hop bitter. Drinkable but formidable. Somewhat boozy but at 9% it is not a surprise at all. Warming to the face and neck but quite pleasant.

Overall - Hill Farmstead continues to delight. This deceptive "golden delicious" kicks some serious ass. This one is my favorite of their offerings.

Serving type: growler

05-19-2013 20:41:28 | More by JMScowcroft

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

4.93/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Consumed numerous glasses of this at the Hill Farmstead Autumn Fest on Oct. 2nd.

Beautiful burnished gold with slight orange tinge. Moderate carbonation. Sticky lace is left on my tulip glass after each sip.

An explosion of citrus and pine on first nosing - tangerine, ruby red grapefruit, mango and orange zest.

Taste followed the nose with just enough malt to backup the hop assault on the palate. Certainly more of a West Coast IPA hop forward brew showcasing various hop varieties in all their glory.

Mouthfeel is near perfect and this beer finishes dry begging you to take another sip making the drinkability through the roof.

Get this if you can!!

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2010 23:08:27 | More by Rochefort10nh

jammalamma

California

4.93/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Was able to make it up to the Hill Farmstead release on sat last week and couldn't be more pleased with this find! Triple IPA...yes please!
Clouded orange-amber color with a decent white lacy head.
this thing smells like it going to be a bomb, piney hops and juiced citrusy fruits forward-
First taste is smooth upfront, then mid to back tongue the hops kick in. Hops leave your mouth with dry herbal piney stink- fairly bitter and resinous citric hop notes really lingering around with this one.
Finish is still lingering bitter hop resin... delicious!
Seems is was produced in Vermont-afornia by its style. MY favorite style IPA- american and intense! Hope this wont be the last time I get to have this great IIIPA

Serving type: growler

10-07-2010 01:19:25 | More by jammalamma

HopHead84

California

4.93/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks! A much anticipated first review from a much anticipated brewery. I'm new to Hill Farmstead brewery, but not to the beers of this brewer.

A: Appears tangerine orange and clear with a billowing white head, great retention, and thick sheets of lacing.

S: Aroma is of grapefruit, peach, tangerine, mango, orange, passion fruit, and a little papaya, a veritable cornucopia of fruit characteristics that coexist harmoniously. Holy shit this smells fantastic. There's a whisper of pine in there as well, but the hop character is mostly fruit. Alcohol is very well hidden for the monstrous ABV, I can't even detect it. Malt is light and reminiscent of caramel. One of the best smelling Double/Triple IPAs I've encountered.

T: Big hop flavor, manifesting itself in the form of a myriad of fruits: peach, mango, orange, grapefruit, papaya, and tangerine. Bitterness is at an upper moderate level with ephemeral sweetness midpalate. Malt is caramel in character but takes a backseat to the bold and unabashed hop profile. This is _outstanding_ stuff. Finish is a hop explosion with a lingering pithy bitterness. Alcohol is deftly masked.

M: Medium bodied with a dry, sticky mouthfeel and good carbonation. The growler held up very well.

Overall: Top notch stuff. This is one of the best Double/Triple IPAs I've had, up there with Younger. If future batches are as good as this first batch this beer will become very well known. Seek this out!

Serving type: growler

10-20-2010 04:45:37 | More by HopHead84

DosBeerigos

Florida

4.93/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

C: Clear
H: Liquid GOLD
N: Pine and Citrus Overpower the Nose

Big thanks to HopScotch for sharing this super popular new IIPA from Vermont. I was really looking forward to this beer. Will it live up to the hype?

BIG TIME! Jesus, this is what a double IPA should be. Tons of citrus and piney hop flavor, with a solid body, and a nice hint of malt/caramel on the back-end.

OK, so it lives up to the hype, but does it compare to Pliney, Hopslam, Dreadnaught, and other awesome IIPA’s? Well pretty good but its not a Fresh Pliney. I’d say 2nd best IIPA I have ever had. I will be on the look out for more beers from this brewery, and will work on making a trip to Vermont.

Serving type: growler

04-26-2011 18:10:44 | More by DosBeerigos

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I am so happy to have a second chance to enjoy this great beer -this time on tap at Capone's in Norristown 4/23/11 served chilled in a snifter and allowed to gradually raise in temperature.

From the very beginning I am anticipating good things -the color is sunflower golden light amber with resplendent appearance when held to the light. Only a mild amount of haze from hop resins with a thick band of cream and lace stickage is great as the bead is tiny. The fragrant smell of hops emanates from the glass immediately as I bring Ephraim to my nose dank odors of herbs and citrus with lots of floral esters fill my nostrils. The grapefruit accents and there is certainly an element of tropical aroma with some grassy bitter notes. I really enjoy the mild sweet ester that backs giving a huge tangerine element to the IPA, so juicy and a slight catty accent is there making me think of Simcoe w/ mild pineapple and light candied fruit aroma.

The feel is juicy and mildly resinous right away, but a high bitter quality backs up the intense hop jolt to the palate with a spiced edge and smooth bitterness is the key to the feel in that there is not much in the way of astringency, just some really nicely layered hop textures giving way to a mild alcohol intensity and mild malt with tons of hoppy body throughout into the semi-dry finish. I taste sweet glorious hops right off - a slight resinous effect carries a subtle acidic flavor and mild pineapple bitter and sweet taste with some herbal elements and tangerine is following closely with a really intense citric bite. The mild golden grapefruit and mild kumquat with tanginess makes you want to rub your tongue against the roof of your mouth. It has a puckering lingering bitter and fruity edge w/ light malt just offsetting the taste in the middle giving brief respite while the second thrust of hop bitterness comes forward in a wave to carry through to the dry mild tea like astringent and herbal lasting dry edge in the finish.

Overall I can't say it enough, just a phenomenal example of an Imperial IPA, I think this just delivers exactly what it promises and more. It has the bitterness, flavor and aroma without the assault on the palate, it has subtlety which gives you the feeling of an exciting ride without being beaten into submission -Dank American Hops, just can't find many Imperial IPA's that do it better, period.

Serving type: on-tap

04-27-2011 13:50:23 | More by Slatetank

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

thrilled to be able to drink this growler with calton last night. certainly the highlight of the night, this was no doubt a crazy beer. poured into a white birch glass and enjoyed on 5.14.11

the pour was insane as a crystal clear amber color came gurgling out of the glass. a three inch high head of white comes up and tops the glass and leaves tons of sticky and web like lacing down the glass.

such a fresh herbal smell, wreaks of cannabis with lots of sticky pine and semi sweet orange notes that percolate through. the flavor is as intense as the aroma if it was possible. so clean and fresh i was literally blown away by this beer. the alcohol is non existent but the hops are soo strong but soo clean without any bite. the smoothest it could possibly be.

overall this one is up there with pliny and citra. it is certainly worthy of it reputation!

Serving type: growler

05-15-2011 18:17:03 | More by mikesgroove

aerozeppl

New York

4.9/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Fairly clear golden copper color. A little lighter than the usual DIPA. A finger of fluffy white head with great lacing. Definitely not filtered as there was some yeast floating in suspension.

S: Amazing nose. In your face grapefruit and citrus. Piney as well. Never came across in the nose as bitterness. Super crisp and fresh smelling. Just hop cones shoved in your nostrils. One of the best noses ever in a DIPA for me.

T: While not as good as the nose this is damn solid. Super fresh hop taste with a big grapefruit component. I wouldn't call it balanced but there was a ton of malt to even things out. Never was it really bitter except for a touch in the finish. Piney. Touch of orange peel. Tons of complexity out of the hops.

M: Medium body. Good carbonation for a growler. Nice and dry.

D: Right up there with the younger. Insanely drinkable. Would have thought around 8%. The best DIPA that I have had in a long time.

Serving type: growler

03-18-2011 00:02:01 | More by aerozeppl

claaark13

Indiana

4.9/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

jedwards = Awesome. 75cl growler, served in a non-broken Hill Farmstead tulip at around 45 degrees.

A - Pours a murky orange with a 1" white head. Turns into full lacing.

S - Floral, grassy oranges dominate. Slight pineapple note. Really refreshing.

T - Follows the aroma quite a bit. Tons of floral oranges, smooth throughout, hardly any bitterness on the finish. Notes of other faint fruits, such as pineapple and mango, are evident. Smooth and easy to drink. The lingering flavor is of faint oranges.

M - Medium body. Appropriate for style.

O - One of the best DIPAs out there, with less than a handful I can think of that compare. Everything about it really comes together perfectly. The balance between the floral flavors and the orange-like citrus seem perfect. The low bitterness gives just enough bite on the tongue to be pleasant without going overboard. Thank you HF, thank you so much.

Serving type: growler

09-30-2012 01:25:27 | More by claaark13

Brad007

Vermont

4.88/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Sampled this at the Autumn Harvest Festival. Now, it's time to review it.

Pours a mild blonde color with a one-finger head into my pint glass. It meets the colors.

Grapefruit encircles the olfactory nerves, followed by a slight hint of mint. Malt is sweet and toned down.

The taste? Grapefruit and apricot flavors from the hops mingle with sweet malt. As this elixir unfolds on the tongue, a slight hint of pineapple greets the taste buds.

Mouthfeel can only be described as full of lingering bitterness, especially pineapple.There's some malt underneath.

Obviously, this is all about the hops. It's beautiful, well-crafted and somewhat too drinkable for the amount of alcohol contained within. Top 10? For sure. Top 5 for Vermont? Heady Topper has some competition!

Serving type: growler

10-06-2010 03:25:00 | More by Brad007

sisuspeed

New Hampshire

4.88/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at the Farmhouse Tap and Grill. Served in a small tasting glass. A thin white head sits on top of a beautiful glowing orange body. Lots of sticky lacing left behind.

Wedges of orange citrus mixed with pine-laden hop hit the nose. Some sweet malt makes its way in as well. Definitely more balanced this time around than at the release. More citrus notes, but the grassy-pine hop aroma is still nice and strong.

Hoppy, bitter, crushed orange and sweet malts wash across the tongue. Sticky pine, slightly grassy and full of citrus. A great IBU punch to the mouth, but still maintaining great balance. This is how a DIPA should taste.

Mouthfeel is sticky, resiny, smooth and bitter. Good carbonation and a body that is substantial, yet light enough to be refreshing.

As always, this is ridiculously easy to drink. A delicious Double/Triple IPA that has a huge helping of hops, but plenty of citrus and body that make it a pleasure to drink. The ABV is unnoticeable, so this brew is dangerous in more ways than one. I highly recommend seeking this one out. It is simply one of the best hop-infused beers out there.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2010 00:38:41 | More by sisuspeed

dragonWhale

New York

4.88/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This was just flat-out ridiculous. It reminded me only of one other beer, an old DIPA I made 5 years ago with 294.6 theoretical IBUs that was 9.5%. So this one was 280 theoretical IBUs and 10.5%. No heat, all face-fucking hops. Big nasty bitterness, and to all those who "can't taste" above 100 IBUs or don't know the difference, I'm sorry. Some can, if you can't, then oh well. But this was a big beautiful bitter. I've never had a commercial beer approach this level. The next closest would be Bitter Bitch from Astoria.
I stood turgid in Blind Tiger, trying not to poke people standing next to me, for fear of being kicked out and not allowed to have any more. Pine, grapefruit, mangoes, sticky icky. Jesus, this was beautiful. Truly substantiated hype about this brewery and the beers being made here. Praise be to the Blind Tiger for hosting this event today. I cannot wait to put this down my throat again.

Serving type: on-tap

04-11-2011 04:41:57 | More by dragonWhale

wino47

North Carolina

4.88/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Slightly cloudy appearance with two fingers of lacing on the glass. Aromas of citrus and lemon peel mingle nicely with a slight herbaceous character. Flavors of grapefruit rind and piney hops dominate this very hoppy brew. Sticky hop presence with nice body and a creamy mouthfeel lead to a finish showing some of the herbal components and the perfect amount of malt. With the abv on this it didn't come across hot at all and was a bit too easy to drink This one lived up to the hype and I can't wait to get my hands on this again as it blew me away from the first sip.

Serving type: growler

05-07-2011 15:22:53 | More by wino47

tzieser

Arizona

4.88/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

enjoyed on-tap @ blackback pub in waterbury vt on 11/12/11. served in a hill farmstead tulip.

a: pale orange in color with a pretty thick haze. fluffy wheat head settles into a pretty thin lacing.

s: big citrus and fruity hop aromas with some pine in there as well.

t: strong hop profile from start to finish. citrus hop flavors with a noticible pine biterness as well. well balanced and the abv is well hidden to boot.

m: velvety smooth mouthfeel.

an excellent DIPA. i cannot wait to try this again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2011 02:39:06 | More by tzieser

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.88/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Finally caught this one on tap. 12oz. pour served out of a tulip at Bridge View Tavern. Reviewed from notes.

1 finger white frothy head with great retention. Beer is a cloudy grapefruit with patchy and stringy lace with good stick. Amazing save for the clarity.

Nose is citrus, papaya, grapefruit, cane sugar, and a creamy, sappy, hop presence. Aromatic and very enticing.

Opens papaya, citrus, grapefruit, and hop resin. More tropical fruit in the middle and end. Finish is cane sugar with a light citrus hop presence. Sappy hop aftertaste. Like an alcoholic tropical fruit smoothie with an added hop kick. Simply amazing.

Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth and quenching in the mouth and smooth going down with a messy finish and a lingering aftertaste. How this could be 10.5% and this drinkable is unexplainable.

If you're a fan of IIPAs with a big malt and citrus presence, it doesn't get any better than Ephraim. A beer that's almost perfect in every way, this offering embodies the Hill Farmstead lineup. Hands down, the best in the style in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2012 22:16:53 | More by SpeedwayJim

abuliarose

New Hampshire

4.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at the Farmhouse. Poured into a goblet tasting glass, hazy deep amber-gold body under a lacy white head. The hop smell wafts across the table: sweet, sappy, grassy and with a heavy dose of floral honey. Fresh and mouthwatering IPA smells.

Tastes just less potent than I remember, but with a huge grapefruit presence that dominates the bitter profile and an appealing slight sweetness under the hop backbone. Mouthfeel is slightly syrupy but drying and smooth, medium-bodied. For how bitter this beer is, it's extremely well-balanced and very, very drinkable. Delicious!!

I hope to have this on tap fresh if it comes out again. Definitely an experience to look forward to.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2010 01:26:59 | More by abuliarose

mavbrew

Massachusetts

4.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Picked up a growler yesterday when we made the 3.5 hour drive up.

A: Pours a pale golden color with a nice frothy head that slowly, slowly dissipates and leaves some solid lacing down the side of my Hill Farmstead glass.

S: The scent is a massive explosion of citrus hops right up front with some sweet malts. Fruity undertones (mangos).

T: The upfront flavor is a huge burst of floral/citrus hops that completely coat the palate. The bitters stick around throughout the drink, well after the beer is gone. The sweet/caramel malts come through in the middle to balance out the bitters nicely. The finish is bitter, very bitter and exceptional.

M: Medium bodied with nice tingly carbonation on the tongue. There is a very bitter feel throughout.

D: Got my first sip of Ephraim at EBF, decided to make the trek up north to get a little more. This beer is everything you need from a IIPA and more. It's incredibly hoppy, yet very well balanced with bits of sweetness from the malts poking through the bitters nicely. This is without a doubt the best East Coast "IIIPA" I've ever had (sorry Heady Topper) and dare I say...better than PtE? I think it might be, but that is up for debate. A must try for any beer connoisseur.

Serving type: growler

03-27-2011 21:08:33 | More by mavbrew

DearthVader

California

4.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Brendan, I owe you a hug if I ever make it out to New York.

750ml swingtop growler provided by afksports.

It pours an amazing bronze with one of the most impressive heads I've ever seen on a 10.5% DIPA. This thing stayed around forever. I poured it in the HF stemmed Belgian tulip. Ephraim left me some sort of hieroglyphic etchings all over the sides of my glass. Such detailed lacing, it was incredible.

Gobs and Gobs of tropical fruits. Tangerines, oranges, apricots, slight lemon, and some unripe pineapple. Slight drying from the hops, but the caramel malt stands side by side with it to make subtle the hops.

Taste is full of citrus, beautiful ripe tangerine notes and an ever so slight lemon bite. Again, there is a big blanket of caramel malt that gets drowned out fairly quickly by the hop bite. Neither are over done, and they work wonderfully together.

Mouthfeel is uber creamy. You can tell this is a BIG beer from the mouthfeel. Creamy and chewy, especially for a DIPA.

Hill Farmstead is amazing. They have created the most balanced DIPA on the planet and easily sit in front of Pliny, Citra, Heady Topper, etc. Ephraim deserves all the respect it gets. This is an outstanding beer that I will forever donate my cellar towards to get just one more taste. I felt bad at first. My brother was suppose to make it over tonight to split this with me, but he got caught up in some stuff. Now, after having my second pour, I'm just sorry this wasn't a 2L growler so I could have a few more pours all to myself. Thanks again Brendan!

Serving type: growler

10-10-2011 04:58:08 | More by DearthVader