Arthur - Hill Farmstead Brewery

pschul4

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks Celticfutblclub!

A- Pours a cloudy orange with a big white fluffy head

S- Tiny bit of belgian yeast in there but the big thing is how sour this smells! Never would have expected that out of a saison. Smells amazing

T- What is a delicious gueze doing in this saison bottle? Nice and sour with a touch of sweetness. If someone told me this was a gueze I'd tell them it was damn near perfect. As a saison, it's beyond perfect

M- Very carbonated but it mathes the sourness nicely

O- Best saison I've ever had. Period

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 03:06:05 | More by pschul4

kidkarma1971

4.74/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Another gem from the Hill, this saison brings great yeasty and grainy taste that is essential to good saisons. I found the carbonation a bit lighter than expected, but still possessed some mysterious quality that gave it some smooth wavy tartness that just stuck on my tongue.

A-hazy yellow color with good lacing

S-lemon, yeasty, a touch of pepper perhaps?

T- great grainy, yeasty, solid bitter finish, pepper

F-medium body with light carbonation, awesome edges/crispness

O-a winner Saison with light but yummy flavors,

growler at Buddha Beer Bar in NYC.

Serving type: growler

02-02-2013 01:25:16 | More by kidkarma1971

suspect

New York

4.71/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 750ml into a Founders snifter.

A: Murky yellow-golden beer. Aggressive pour leads to a pure white fizzy two-finger head that fades relatively quickly leaving spotty but pure lacing.

S: Lemon zest, bready yeast, funk and black pepper. Spicy and complex. Brings the nose of a gueuze.

T: Not at all like the nose except for the citrus zest. Brings more of a trappist yeast note with a mellow ending to the flavor.

M: Big crisp finish, perfectly carbonated.

O: A fantastic beer. I might have liked this better than Abner and this is coming from a big time hop head. The complexity in this beer is top notch.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 05:07:21 | More by suspect

lovindahops

New York

4.69/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Can't believe after the amount of Arthur's I have had I have never reviewed one! I love Hill Farmstead and what they push out

A- a bursting darkened fluorescent yellow with a wicked foamy white head. Off the charts retention and vicious slashing of lacing on the edges of my HF stemware. Hazy and brilliant with the colors and amazing foamy head

S- a lemony and peppery blast of bready yeast and lively flavors. This is a hardcore example of barnyard funk being collected in a bottle. A little citrus and Brett scent carries over at the end

T- same lemon and pepper scent flows into a delicious yeasty treat. Full of citric flavor bready flavor that is equivalent to some sweetly enrobed Belgian candy. Absolutely flavorful with a dry finish that keeps me wanting more of the funk and tart flavor

M- carbonated just right and flavor that coates your mouth

O- what a saison. Barnhouse Funk! Arthur delivers as a delicious mouth watering saison. I will say this again... Hill farmstead is the best brewery in the world!

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 20:48:57 | More by lovindahops

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.63/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Served from a 750ml bottle into an Allagash chalice.

Appearance- Beautiful clear golden color with outstanding two finger head that shows no sign of dissipating.

Smell- Sweet lemon, bready yeast, yeasty funkiness, farms, hard work, oakiness.

Taste- Yeasty lemony flavor, light funky tartness, smooth crisp hops. Finishes light and crisp with mild tartness.

Mouthfeel- Super light and generously carbonated, mild tartness on the tongue. I could drink this all day.

Overall- Hands down the best saison I've had period.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 03:04:57 | More by Seanniek91

GonzoHomebrewer

Massachusetts

4.61/5  rDev +9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Rough day at work and this was calling my name from the back of the fridge

A- Holy hell this is beautiful. Great golden hue with no haze at all and signs of life bubbling from the bottom of the glass to the top, which is covered by a frothy white head that lingers, just a great looking beer; I'd say Arthur looks inviting

S- Some light bready malt character with rustic yeasty notes with some slight green apple notes, smells good but not mindblowing

T-Now we are back to mindblowing. You notice the yeasty/green apple/funk notes right away while the bready malt notes spontaneously help keep the funk in check. Its not very often that when I'm half way done a review of a 750ml bottle that I'm also more than half way done the bottle.

M- The carbonation is just enough to keep the funk from linger too long, yet remains soft and pleasant, a wondrous balancing act

O-This is insanely drinkable, the flavors come together so well, giving you a little funk with your malt. This is a fantastic brew and i cannot wait to get more. I'm adamant about Saison DuPont being the standard bearer for the style, but Arthur blows that out of the water (with all due respect, DuPont did have the Saison standard bearer title for a very long time for me). Another great beer from Shaun Hill

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 23:18:41 | More by GonzoHomebrewer

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.6/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks for this, and all of the other great brews, hoppypocket!

Appearance. Pours a hazy straw-yellow with almost 3 fingers of thick white head that leaves some nice bands of lace.

Smell. Lemon rinds and some peppery saison yeast and light grains along with a little bit of fresh cut grass and even some fresh herbs. Nice stuff here.

Taste. Nice sour lemons and that spicy, slightly herby and floral saison yeast. It's a simple description, but there's a delicate complexity here that I don't have the palate to describe in a worthy way. I will say it's fuckign fantastic and I can't stop sipping on this.

Mouthfeel. Medium-light body with medium+, fine and lively carbonation that's still surprisingly smooth.

Overall. This is some amazing stuff and exactly what I enjoy in a saison. The sour citrus is there with a perfect balance of delicate spice and yeast flavours. Really great stuff.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 02:45:36 | More by Rutager

GatheringBrews

Vermont

4.58/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Tart, citrusy aroma with trademark saison yeast and spice. Pours a light golden color with a nice, fluffy head that laces well and sticks around for a while. Light, refreshing flavor with citrus and hops in excellent balance. Nice dry finish and just a touch of hops.

Serving type: growler

01-06-2011 02:10:59 | More by GatheringBrews

tigg924

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.

Appearance: 1 inch head, straw yellow in color, clear, high carbonation

Smell: light apples, straw, and florals—really appealing smell—very spring like

Taste: light apples, straw, grape, and florals

Mouthfeel: high carbonation, super light bodied, sweet

Overall: Very light, faint, and super flavorful. A delicate beer that is a masterpiece. I have yet to be disappointed by a Hill beer and this is right with the best of them. I could drink this every day. A friend of mine who I gave some to said this tasted like a fine Champaign and I tend to agree.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 14:07:45 | More by tigg924

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.53/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into a Hill Farmstead flute. Shared with schen9303. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a 1.5 finger frothy white head with amazing retention. Beer is a clear, pale goldenrod that reveals huge carbonation. Lacing is frothy and thick with excellent stick. Perfect.

Nose is lemon zest, cane sugar, coriander, clove, and some band-aid. Very fresh and aromatic.

Opens lemon zest and peel. Floral notes. Coriander and other spices. Barnyard funk with a nice yeastiness. Tart lemon on the finish and aftertaste. Real clean. Nice tartness balanced with ample hints of spice.

Light bodied with ample carbonation. Spritzy and lively in the mouth and smooth and yeasty going down. Slightly messy but brief finish with little to no aftertaste. Reall good.

Pretty par for the coarse for Hill Farmstead... that is to say, amazing and one of the best in the style. There's great balance and complexity in this beer and it'll only get better with time. Clearly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 03:37:29 | More by SpeedwayJim

brentk56

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Looks like the best of the Belgians, with the liquid being a cloudy honey color and the head billows with marshmallow meringue; incredible stickage and copious lacing qualities

Smell: Delicate toffee malt aromatics merge with some barnyard yeasty funk and a hint of grassy hops

Taste: The toffee malt flavor establishes itself first and then underpins the other flavors through the finish; fruit flavors that are cantaloup and pear forward emerge next with peppery yeast arriving in the middle; everything merges, after the swallow, with some grassiness in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body, somewhat creamy, with moderate carbonation

Overall: A really clean, well crafted Saison

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 23:48:54 | More by brentk56

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle: Poured a hazy bright golden color ale with a nice large pure white foamy head with good retention and some excellent lacing. Aroma of rustic ester and floral malt is very nice and enticing. Taste is also a nice mix between some floral malt with good attenuation and limited sweetness with some rustic notes and a lightly spicy yeast strain. Body is full with excellent carbonation. Hops are present though not overly so and provide nice zesty flavour. Another great combination between some complex flavour while retaining some great complexity.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 20:44:01 | More by Phyl21ca

cfrances33

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle acquired thanks to juliusseizure. Poured into a Hill Farmstead tulip. Batch 3.

Pour: Hazy pale orange with two fingers of white fluffy head. Head diminishes to a film, and leaves really nice lacing. Nice effervescence. Classic saison.

Smell: Comes out first with a nice biscuit, followed by some grassy undertones. A slight funk sneaks in, but only slighty, and follows with and distinguished citrus tartness.

Taste: Wow. Comes up first with a great lemon zest tartness, followed by a honey sweetness. Some doughy malts flirt around with grass and hay. Finishes with a slightly peppery linger.

Mouthfeel: Great carbonation that prickles the tongue, and a clean tartness. This beer is ultra refreshing.

Overall: Another amazing offering from Hill Farmstead. Not quite as good as Vera in my opinion, but pretty darn close.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 01:45:23 | More by cfrances33

DaveHack

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Blue label poured into a HF stem

Pours a nice, golden wheat. Huge white, fluffy head.

Smell is straight up funk. Slight citrus and hay. Holy shit is this awesome!!!!

Taste follows the nose...citrus and oak notes. A little tart fruit trails behind...this stuff is amazing.

Mouthfeel is almost perfect!! There is an awesome sensation of prickly carbonation. It feels almost 'alive' in my mouth. As soon as you swallow, it is the perfect amount of dryness to leave you wanting more.

This, to me, IS the definition of an awesome saison. This reminds me of how I felt when drinking McKenzie's Saison Vatour Du Bois. Really, I know thee aren't too many of thee floating around, but if you like funky saisons...get this!

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 00:34:52 | More by DaveHack

match1112

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

received in a trade from theduderules, thanks!

a: slightly hazy straw yellow body. big white rocky, clumpy thick and sticky head. retention and lacing are outstanding.

s: lemons, earthy, slight funk.

t: huge lemon bomb. some funk with a slight sourness and tartness to it.

m: medium body, maybe a little too much on the carbonation. mouth puckering with a dry as a bone finish.

o: outstanding! this is my first offering from them and i have to say that their beers are worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 02:36:21 | More by match1112

jraras

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle served into HF stemmed glass. Late Summer/Fall 2012 batch (newest batch).

Appearance: "There appears to be a slightly slimy thin layer of slightly yellowish yeast sedimentation coating the top part of the bottle." (This was noted in other reviews as well) When poured the beer beings to show its beauty in typical HF fashion. Lovely golden straw hues, some haziness and bubbles rising with vigor from the bottom of the glass form a two finger head that lasts for a couple minutes. Composition of the head is densely packed medium/smallish (but not tiny) bubbles typical of bottle conditioning. Really cool to look at the geometry of them. Chunky lacing as it settles.

Smell: Yeasty (brett?), funky, spiciness (that increases as it warms and opens), tart/citrus fruit, grassy. Citrus and grassy notes mellow as the glass sits, but are still apparent with and agressive sniff.

Taste: Tart fruit quickly gives way to thick layers of FUNK, yeastie farmhouse ("horseblanket") type. A small dose of doughiness from the malts--really just enough to balance. Finish is intensely dry and tart for a brief moment and fades at a comfortable pace to a slightly dry and perhaps spicy/white peppery encore. Leaves you refreshed, but wanting that next sip!

Mouthfeel: A lot of carbonation, but not over carbonated (which I felt the Sankt Hans was). Puckery and zesty, but transitions to refreshing just before it gets to be too much. Complex, yet clean and refreshing.

Overall: I can't think of many Saison's I would choose to drink over this one. For me it's a fantastic combination of complexity and drinkability. It holds my interest in the same way a good sour does (RR Temptation), but is so refreshing and the ABV is so reasonable it could be an everyday drinker. That is if you live within driving distance of HF and have a bunch of $ to spend $10/750ml. It's worth it, IMO, but I do not drink it everyday. We'll save that for when I take Kramerica public ;-)

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 00:20:00 | More by jraras

mahak213

New York

4.48/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from the most recent batch, into HF stemware. Started to foam over a bit when I cracked it open, and then continued to foam over very slowly for the next 2 minutes. *At the end of writing this review, the foam was still trying to creep up out of the bottle, it was pretty funny!*

Appearance- Hazy, bright yellow body with a huge, soapy, pillowy white head. Tremendous lacing.

Smell- Bright, lemony and a little funky with a big grassy, herbal hop note, and some biscuity malt rounds to round things off

Taste- Light herbal bitterness up front that fades into a crisp breadiness and some peppery notes. Finish has more black pepper, and a really mild lemon tartness

Mouthfeel- Crisp, very dry, super refreshing. This is the highlight for me, if I could drink this beer and only this beer all summer long, I'd be a happy man.

Overall- Nothing fancy here, just an incredibly well crafted, refreshing, easy to drink saison.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 18:27:26 | More by mahak213

oline73

Maryland

4.47/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this at the bottle share during Jackie O's bottle release this weekend. Poured into a sample glass.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy golden color with a layer of fluffy white head. This one had some good retention.

Smell: A bit sweet with an herbal quality to it. Mild citrus notes with some hop bitterness showing up as well.

Taste: Quite crisp with some sweet malt and an herbal note from the yeast. Mild citrus tartness combines with the sweetness and is quite refreshing. Really nice.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with very smooth carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This is a very well crafted beer. Great balance. Lots of flavor but still light and easy to drink. I'd love to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 03:57:54 | More by oline73

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.46/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Gorgeous, hazy, golden-yellow. Slightly more golden-hued than Anna. As expected, a huuuuge, bright white, fluffy, lumpy head that settles into pillows of foam. Great lace and nice retention.

S: Maybe it's because HF used the term, but..."rustic" describes this beer well. Noticeably more earthy than Anna. Less fruit. Barn, hay, funk, that fresh, morning farm smell...Vermont Farmhouse.

T: Just f'n amazing. Light fruit, plenty of barn, and a bit of sour funk! A tad chalky as I find HF Farmhouse Ales to be. Superbly refreshing! Massive flavor. Wow. Special stuff.

M: Body is incredible. Perfectly yeasty. Carbonation is other-worldly. Just a joy to drink.

O: A crazy delicious example of what I hope every Saison/Farmhouse Ale tastes like when I put my lips to it. Perfectly executed. As with all their beers...the hype is real.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 00:48:16 | More by Gatch

mynie

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

You know how Bottle Caps are named “bottle caps” because they kinda taste like soda? Or how Runts are called “runts” because they they resemble the fruit-like paste that midgets were forced to eat during the war? Shock Tarts were so named because they taste like when you kiss a girl while she licks an outlet.

This is like that only pleasant. And lemony. Less pleasantly weedy than the other beers I’ve had from them (and I can’t tell any of those other beers apart because they all have the names of old people. Note to HF: if you want for us millenials to have affective attachments to your beers, you’re going to have to start giving them names like “Ashlee” or “Jayden.”)

That’s all I got to say. I’m nearing the end of this crate of Hill Farmstead I traded for and I’m yet to come up with a single worthwhile thing to say about any of them. Fuck you.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 15:09:47 | More by mynie

mdaschaf

Washington

4.44/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a hazy golden/straw color with a nice white head on top. Great retention and lacing.

S: Very nice aroma, some light wheat with lemon and a bit of spice. Slightly tart.

T: More lemony flavor mixed with a surprising amount of tartness. There was a little bit of barnyard funk and some spice on the finish.

M: Light to medium bodied, very easy drinking.

O: Fantastic beer, loved the level of tartness mixed with the lemon/zest flavors going on in this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 22:39:32 | More by mdaschaf

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

4.39/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Hopshopenstein for sending me a bottle of this in a trade, shared with my friend Tony (ahalloin) who's a big saison guy.

The look is amazing, a bright golden body, huge frothy head and great lacing. Very hazy and opaque, really the look is perfect for a saison.

The smell has all the earthy and barnyard notes that make a saison a saison. Great taffy like sweetness, some citrus rind hops, slight funk and yeast, nice table spice like coriander and has a nice must to it too. An excellent saison aroma it's both sweet and savory.

The beer is nicely carbonated and has a nice lemony straw malt and slight sweetness, but it's mostly dry and clean in the taste; it has a good malt backbone and is nice medium to light in body. More of an easy drinker than a real palate stretcher, it just has a nice bitterness and slight barnyard funk but not much. Some peppery notes too.

A very nice beer, super solid!

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 22:47:10 | More by Dreadnaught33

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.39/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Pours cloudy light straw with a big fluffy white head interspersed with chunks of air. Amazing retention and lacing.

Light lemon aromas. Wheat, a bit of yeast and some must. Maybe some coriander, but nice and light on the spices.

Lots of lemon flavor up front. Good tartness through the middle mixed with a little funk and tangy wheat. Finishes with lemon zest and an almost white wine like component. Light pepper and coriander although thankfully the spice component is toned down.

Light bodied. Carbonation is high accentuating the tartness. Wonderful creamy mouthfeel that is typical of HF beer.

Very easy drinking beer. Just the right amount of tartness to keep me wanting more, but not to overwhelm the palate. I hate most saisons, but whatever HF does with them is gold because this is another winner.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 15:14:48 | More by jmarsh123

kingcrowing

Vermont

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2 liter pop-top growler poured into a Hill Farmstead wine glass. The growler is really nice, as is the glass.

Pours a hazy amber color that's like a pale apricot. It's got a fairly small white head with some light lacing. Nose is funky fresh fruit. Apricots are here, and some nice Belgian yeast.

Taste is very fresh and fruity, also get that apricot taste here (seeing a theme?). Mouthfeel is nice and full, creamy and rich. Light carbonation is perfect for the style. This is one of the best saisons I've ever had, no idea how Shaun does it but keep it up!

Serving type: growler

10-03-2010 00:28:19 | More by kingcrowing

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Split a 750ml purchased @ the brewery poured into a duvel glass

A: pours a slightly hazy yellow with a touch of golden. Tiny carbonation bubbles can be see rising through this brew... About a finger of white head that dissapates nicley To a film... Nice lacing.

S: smells tart and refreshing... Deffiantly on the sour side... Surprising nose for a saison. Light Belgian yeast barnyard funk with notes if sour apple and lemon.

T: tart right up with a touch of Belgian barnyard funk in the middle and then a slight pucker of tartness again on the finish.... This is delicious. Everything is so well balanced between the tartness and the funk and the citrus flavors. Great brew!

M: light medium body with crisp carbonation that really works nicley here, this beer is incredibly refreshing and drinkable... Dry on the finish with a slightly lingering sour lemon aftertaste... Excellent body.

O: I love this beer, tart and refreshing, incredibly drinkable and delicious... If you have an opportunity to try this, even if your not a fan of the style, deffiantly take advantage.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 01:37:12 | More by PeterIngemi