Arthur - Hill Farmstead Brewery

kidkarma1971

4.74/5  rDev +12.3%
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

mynie

Indiana

4.45/5  rDev +5.5%
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

Vonerichs

Illinois

4.21/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Hazy golden orange body. It's tropical looking, like pineapple juice. Huge and fluffy bone white head.

The aroma is heavy lemon, light grass, and funky funky yeast.

The flavor is equally heavy lemon and funk. Light phenols, pepper, and mint finish.

Mouthfeel is tart and dry. Moderate carbonation.

It's an impressive saison that's deep in flavor and a fun mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 02:42:32 | More by Vonerichs

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.6/5  rDev +9%
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

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-hazy yellow color with a big white head and good lacing

S-lemon, yeasty, slight funk and earthy notes, pepper

T-lemon, grain, yeasty funk, pepper, solid bitter finish

F-medium body with nice carbonation, crisp and tart

O-a solid Saison with nice flavors, easy drinking

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2013 02:01:29 | More by MDDMD

codysjb

Florida

3.98/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a wine glass. Had after Vera Mae and this is good but not like HF's other offerings. Smells slightly farmhousey, tastes like a somewhat watered down version of the style, not a ton of flavor. Good, but more like a lager or witbier than a saison. I prefer HF's other offerings more.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 18:54:53 | More by codysjb

CLCardinal84

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Golden yellow with a nice bubbly head

S: Delicious citrus and funk. Nice oak and white wine scents picked up also

T: Woah, this stuff is really really good. Probably the best saison I've ever had. It's perfectly balanced. Fruity, tart and creamy. Pretty much perfect.

M: Perfect amount of carbonation.

O: Thanks to notjustgc for sending this in a trade. This was my first Hill Farmstead beer and was it ever enjoyable. I will certainly seek this and other HF stuff out again. Might just have to make the trek to Vermont as it might be easier to attain that way :)

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 20:28:49 | More by CLCardinal84

PerHops

California

4.21/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

A- Starts off with a lot of carbonation, the head quickly grows to about 3 inches, but settles within a minute, or two. Incredible looking beer. I would say the perfect color for a saison.

S- Smells like a classic saison. Nice hint of barnyard funk with spices, and minerals.

T- Follows the nose but devlops citrus as it warms up. Nice fruit flavors with moderate spice, but a medium to high level of bitterness on finish.

M- Can't complain here, nearly perfect.

O- Thought it got better and better throughout the bottle. Above average saison without a doubt.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 23:55:30 | More by PerHops

match1112

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
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

ehammond1

California

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2012)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, AdamJackson!

Barely clouded golden and dark straw yellow with a pillowy, persistent, sticky eggshell-colored head. Leaves sticky, irregular splotches of lace down the glass. Very pretty saison.

Incredible, expressive aroma, though very classic and typical for the style--not complaining, as it's perhaps my favorite style. Lots of sharp lemon in the aroma along with a distinctive tangy/funky/earth character, and some very mild black pepper presence.

The flavor follows the aroma, with lots of lemon pushing its way forward, backed by the earthy/stone/brick funk, and a bit of a pepper presence. Mild biscuit. Incredibly drinkable.

Artfully crafted. Medium bodied with moderate-high carbonation. Nice, lingering lemon flavor presence.

Wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 22:43:31 | More by ehammond1

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.53/5  rDev +7.3%
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

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cheers and thanks are owed to BA baconsausage for gifting me with a bottle of this as a generous extra in our last trade. Big thanks man! Poured from a 750 into an oversized wine glass. The brew appears a hazed golden yellow color with bit patchy white head that fades leaving some sticky froth coating on the glass. The cap maintains throughout the duration with an uneven cratered surface atop. A light swirl effortlessly revives a finger of off-white meringue back to the surface.

The aroma is very pleasant with a fresh citrus and zesty component of fruity hop character. Orange, lemon and lime couple with almost a lactic inclusion with yogurt and faint wheat-like grain inclusion. There is an overall mild spicy yeast aspects with an earthen and grassy feel that emerges as the brew warms.

The taste has a bit of wheat inclusion that imparts flavors mildly like straw. Some hop character comes forward with a biter rindy feel that is zesty and bright. Grapefruit comes to mind mixing with a hint of sulfur and carbonic qualities. On the backend there is a touch of yogurt sort of aspect that reminds me of lacto but the hop inclusion sort of drowns all of that out before it draws too much focus in the flavor.

This is a light bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is light and easy drinking with a sort of hybrid saison/ipa feel about it. The nose far and away is the best aspect of this brew with the flavor profile falling a bit short. Overall though, it is without fault and is a beer I would revisit if given the opportunity. Prior to drinking this, I commented on Vera mae being one of the better saisons by Hill Farmstead that I have had. I stand corrected, Arthur is even better. Nicely done.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 20:55:43 | More by stakem

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this on 2012-12-08 at TJ's pub in Paoli, PA at their 9th anniversary celebration.

A - Very hazy, golden-yellow with a 1/2-finger white head and mild lacing.

S - Citrus, funky yeast, pale malt, grass.

T - Nicely sour. Grass, citrus, touch of white grape, mild bready malt.

M - Light-medium body and medium carbonation. Crisp. Not prickly.

O - A very flavorful, well-balanced brew.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2012 19:59:48 | More by Tucquan

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
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

gory4d

New York

4.08/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Mac for this one.

Pours a cloudy yellow with a high, dense head; leaves a good bit of lacing. The smell is a little tangy, with some woody notes and some clean mineral sparkle to it. The taste is tart of front, with a round maltiness in the middle as well as some floral and herbal notes; the finish is clean and sharp. It's highly carbonated though none too fizzy, a tad slick. A nice saison, if on the tart side.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 18:35:39 | More by gory4d

pschul4

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +16.8%
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

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First had: bottle from Hill Farmstead

Poured into a HF stem glass, a hazy white peach color with a fizzy white head that my wife described as "decadent," for it truly was, nice retention and luscious lacing. I expected more of a straight up saison and prepared my olfactory glands for the typical hit of funk, but surprisingly, they were instead greeted with an unexpected hit of citrus and fruit, with a bit of tartness. This translated into the taste, zesty citrus, grass, apple skins, a twinge of tart/sour, spicy yeast, and a dash of pepper. Gah...now I'm kicking myself for not getting a couple extra bottles of this! Light-medium body, prickly, and tremendously drinkable. And now it's gone. :( Loved it while it lasted though. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 05:10:40 | More by Rifugium

jbertsch

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance:
Straw gold in color. Lively bubbles, a little fizzy. Nice lacing,

Aroma:
Farmhouse funk with notes of lemon and apple. A little yeasty.

Taste:
Slightly tart lemon, cider-like sour apple. Horse blanket funk. None of its characteristics overpower the flavor profile, yet all are prominently noticeable.

Mouthfeel:
Lively carbonation. Fizzy.

Overall:
A well made rustic farmhouse ale, bright, sharp, a bit tart... Drinks more like a cider. I would like a bit more depth as its a bit linear, but its still a nice farmhouse ale worth getting if you're into the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 19:05:37 | More by jbertsch

jraras

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +6.2%
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

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

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

A- There appears to be a slightly slimy thin layer of slightly yellowish yeast sedimentation coating the top part of the bottle.

Pours a very hazy/yeasty yellowish golden with a little over a finger of thick fluffy head that has nice retention and leaves behind fairly thick layered lacing that coats the glass. Nice consistently rising carbonation bubbles. Definitely looks very nice for a saison with the exception of the yeast sedimentation on the top of the bottle (not quite sure why thats there?).

S- Mixture of wet hay, grass, hops, yeast, some floral notes, some light peppery spice especially when you get further into the bottle, fairly funky with a nice light tartness.

T- Wet hay, light spicy pepper, some grass notes, light citrus hops, definitely some yeast, finishes with a nice slightly lemony tartness that lingers on the palate and lips for a little bit. Everything is well balanced.

M- On the light side, nice carbonation that complements the tartness (could have maybe been toned down a hint), refreshing, very drinkable.

O- This was a fantastic saison that had a nice rustic funkiness and tartness to it. I would definitely recommend this to a saison lover who likes a little bit of tartness/funk to their saisons. I can definitely see how some people would not care for this beer at all- I gave some to my Dad (who has never had a saison or sour before) and he thought it was the worst beer that he had ever tasted.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 22:37:11 | More by jaasen64

mdfb79

New York

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From 10/13/12 notes. Was very excited to see this at the Top Hops NYC tasting, big thanks to whoever brought it. 750ml bottle.

a - Pours a hazy medium yellow color, with lots of white fluffy head and high carbonation evident. Head lasts for several minutes.

s - Smells of brett, oranges, citrus hops, floral hops, hay, spice, pepper, earthy notes, and some light fruit. Loads of citrus, especially oranges in the nose. Very nice nose.

t - Tastes of oranges, citrus hops, sour fruit, funk, earthy notes, hay, wheat, yeast, pepper, spice, and some brett. Taste has a little sourness and a decent amount of funk that the nose did not have. Really awesome; love the taste.

m - Medium body and moderate to high carbonation. Very easy to drink, and a little less carbonation would make it amazing in my opinion.

o - Overall I thought this was a great saison; another HF winner. I wasn't expecting any sourness or funk, but the taste had it and it was great; reminded a bit of Fantome. Would love to get this one again sometime.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 18:07:21 | More by mdfb79

DaveHack

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
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

brystmar

New York

4.13/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Turquoise bottle, thanks Joey!

In true HF fashion, this beer looks gorgeous. Light straw body, copious white head and stubborn lace. Funky aroma tells the story of a barnyard in the bottle. Strongly yeasty, bitter grass and hay, mild tartness. Quite good, deserves a 4.25/5 on taste.

Great carbonation, nice body. Glad I tried this; Joey says I'd like the blue bottle more than this turquoise one.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 18:18:52 | More by brystmar

cfrances33

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
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

merc7186

New York

3.78/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer poured from a bomber into a tulip glass.

A: Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head, Decent Lacing

S: Yeasty, Peppercorn, Lemons

T: Lemons, Yeasty, White Pepper

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Semi Bitter

Overall, a nice mildly bitter saison, good spicy blend.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 00:51:14 | More by merc7186