Twilight Of The Idols - Hill Farmstead Brewery

macrosmatic

Florida

4.4/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to dujayhawk for this one. Reviewed from notes. Poured from 500 mL bottle into a CCB pint glass.

A: This one pours essentially black, opaque, with a one finger tan head, and a low level of visible carbonation.

S: Dark mocha, mild roasted coffee, dark leather that's almost dank, with hints of dark fruit sweetness.

T: Follows the nose, though with more dark fruit than I get from the aroma. Bittersweet roasty cacao, maybe a touch of smoke, leather, and tobacco.

M: Amazing. Velvety smooth. This is what a porter should be like on the tongue. Medium carbonation sensation, but the alcohol presence is a smidge hotter than it should be.

O: A solid, quite enjoyable porter, and another good beer from HF. However, I did not find it to be quite as good as Everett.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 00:14:49 | More by macrosmatic

illidurit

California

4/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared at the Santa Cruz tasting in January. Chocolate and fresh coffee aromas, some vanilla and honey as well. Big coffee notes in the flavor, firm roastiness balanced by sweet dark malts. Smooth vanilla bean finish. A really nice rich mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 23:49:25 | More by illidurit

AlexFields

Tennessee

4/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a rich dark brown, not much of a head, just islands of creamy foam on top of the beer.

Smells of lots of sweet vanilla, espresso/latte style coffee, chocolate and other rich malt.

Basically the same--delicious vanilla, creamy coffee without much bitterness, sweet milk chocolate. HF definitely lean toward the sweet and malty end of the spectrum with their porters/stouts.

Very good porter, but again am slightly disappointed in that I expected something really special and got something merely very good. I like Victory at Sea a lot better than this.

8.1/10

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 13:18:03 | More by AlexFields

dirtylou

Washington

4.11/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle, split

Note: Despite the description on this page and the claims of some reviewers, there does not appear to be cinnamon in this beer. It's not listed in the description or ingredients list, nor is it detected anywhere in the beer.

A good porter, but not really stand-out. Dark and roasty with a big dry roast finish. The vanilla beans are subtle, cocoa and cocoa dust seem to permeate. Heavy on the dark chocolate, chocolate malt, and a secondary blast of coffee. I liked, but not really an upper class porter to me.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 00:12:23 | More by dirtylou

harrymel

Washington

4.44/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 2012-13 winter. It's relatively fresh is what I'm saying.

It's black with a nice solid sheet of tan foam. Smells nice, coffee, cocoa, rich toasted graham crackers, bits of burnt toffee and a good dose of vanilla - but not overbearing. Flavor is rich with the tone of the nose and a little hint of pepper and almost a waxy crayon note. The bitterness is well matched with rich dark gooey chocolates and a little bit of dust. Full and smooth body with low carb and an off dry, but mucous producing finish. Nearly perfect mouthfeel for my money. nice beer as usual.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 07:14:11 | More by harrymel

rlee1390

Indiana

4.39/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Black in the glass, one finger head that doesn't last, deep amber around the edges, some lacing.

S-Mainly coffee and roasted malt. Almost some burnt notes in there as well.

T-Starts with coffee, balanced with roasted malt, some burnt malt, vanilla creeps in. Chocolate as well. Great balance.

M-Medium bodied, very smooth with slight carbonation.

O-An amazing porter. HF can do no wrong.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 22:04:14 | More by rlee1390

jvillefan

California

4.53/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Almost no head was present over the jet black body after a vigorous pour.

S: The aroma was mainly coffee with a subtle smoked aroma throughout.

T: Heavily roasted malts are in thr front of this beer with coffee and smoke in the background.

M: Heavy body with great carbonation.

O: I disagree with the classification of this beer as a porter. It is more of a stout. Either way it is a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 16:03:42 | More by jvillefan

Skrip

South Carolina

3.71/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

550ml bottle poured into a Raleigh Beer Tasting snifter

A~ dark, pitch black. with minimal head.

S~ lots of dark malts, bitter dark chocolate, and figs with a little bit of coffee.

T~ pretty much follows the nose, more fresh coffe beans come out here. on the end theres a little vanilla bean as well. nice and dry with lots of sweetness.

M~ not too thick and not thin, really nice and smooth feel. dry on the finish.

O~ nice full flavor porter, definitely not my favorite porter but in my opinion its actually a nice mix of a stout and a porter. to me its still all about the pales/IPA's and saisons/wilds with HF!

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 00:12:38 | More by Skrip

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.99/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Thank you, Eric. Fall 2012 release.

A very dark brown that ends up being black in my Duvel glass, this beer is capped with a dense, light brown head with excellent retention and moderate lacing. The nose is pretty solid. Coffee and vanilla bean are immediately noticeable, along with an undercurrent of roast, caramel and unsweetened chocolate. Hop character is minimal here. The vanilla is surprisingly potent, lending sweetness as well as flavor to the nose. The coffee character is interesting. Unlike many coffee beers, this isn't loaded with dark roast. Instead, it's closer to a medium roast, with the fruity notes pairing well with the chocolate and vanilla.

The palate is a step up from the nose. Creamy and gently carbonated, this beer opens with a blend of vanilla, caramel, coffee and chocolate. Not as roasty as my favorite porters, though there is a pleasant grainy bitterness towards the finish. Vanilla characteristics dominate, with the unsweetened chocolate and coffee coming in second and third. The combination is quite enjoyable, though. The finish is creamy, almost with a touch of lactose, with chocolate and vanilla dominating. The medium body on this beer is just wonderful, a sentiment that is heightened by the fantastic level of carbonation. A very good beer, though pricey for what it is IMO.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 06:06:46 | More by DefenCorps

ehammond1

California

3.4/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle (2012)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, mkabull!

A very appropriately pretty porter. Very dark brown, bordering on black, with a moderate-sized, and somewhat persistent dark brown head. Leaves irregular spiderwebs of stick down the glass.

Miscellaneous roast in the aroma along with definite cinnamon. Simple and straightforward, and the cinnamon definitely adds uniqueness, though I don't think it's particularly complementary.

The flavor follows the aroma: roast, mild chocolate, some definite cinnamon character that adds some licorice and spice notes, though could be confused with an acidity. I don't think it's complementary nor works very well at all with the base beer. I would prefer this without the cinnamon. Nice, lingering chocolate character on the finish, however.

Medium bodied with moderate-high carbonation for the style.

Different strokes for different folks. A rather ordinary beer made less appealing through the addition of cinnamon.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 02:29:32 | More by ehammond1

metter98

New York

4.35/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is essentially jet black in color and has just notes of amber near the edges of the glass when it is held up to a bright light. It poured with a finger high brownish tan head consisting of large bubbles that died down but left a good amount of bubbles still covering the surface.
S: Moderately strong aromas of roasted coffee beans in the nose.
T: The taste has lots of flavors of coffee beans (slightly roasted) and chocolate malts along with notes of vanilla beans, the latter of which particularly stand out in the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a low to moderate amount of carbonation.
O: If you like coffee and vanilla beans, you'll find this to be a beer that's packed with flavors and is also very well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:33:33 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.31/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to benz08 for picking this up on his visit to VT in December.

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with some very dark amber highlights and a light to moderate amount of gentle visible carbonation at the surface. The beer has a finger tall dark tan beige that slowly reduces to an extremely thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer with a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of dark roasted malts with moderate to heavy amounts of chocolate and slightly lesser aromas of vanilla and coffee.

T: Moderate to strong flavors of dark roasted malts with some chocolate notes to it, then there are some moderate flavors of freshly brewed coffee. After that, there is a light amount of vanilla that imparts a touch of sweetness. Moderate amounts of bitterness which fades over a fairly short amount of time.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth and slightly creamy.

O: This is a really enjoyable brew that I was happy to get my hands on, and I would be happy to have a few more of these - it is a really nice brew. Very nice complexity to both the smell and the taste with nice coffee and vanilla notes (one of my favorite combinations).

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:27:39 | More by dbrauneis

rodkin

Missouri

4.21/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a dark black, with a small tan head. Decent lacing.

Smell is mocha coffee, vanilla, honey-like sweetness, slight roasty bitterness, some fruitiness, spice.

Taste is great. Coffee, vanilla, honey, slightly astringent burnt roasted coffee, sweet fruitiness, caramel, cinnamon spice. Very sweet, but the burnt coffee bitterness and bit of spice balances it nicely.

Medium thick, maybe slightly on the thinner side but it doesn't detract too much. Fairly carbonated, maybe slightly more than I'd like. But not much more.

This is a great beer. My first exposure to HF, and I'm definitely a fan.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 05:44:20 | More by rodkin

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Big thank you to Franklinn for this treat from Vermont. Into the ol' Bruery tulip for you, Twilight!

Appearance. Pours a very dark brown, pretty much black in the glass. Topped with a finger of thick and creamy, slighlty orangy, tan head that leaves a little patchy lacing.

Smell. Dark roasted coffee, some vanilla and maybe some other sweet and peppery spices that I can't identify along with a little chocolate, dark malt ...even some grassy hops.

Taste. Dark coffee and some peppery spice, dark roasted malts, dry bakers chocolate and a touch of vanilla. Pretty dry overall with a ton of flavour.

Mouthfeel. Medium body with with smooth, below medium carbonation.

Overall. A very nice flavourful porter with plenty of coffee and a unique bit of spice. Very enjoyable on this Friday afternoon! Thanks again, Franklinn ...the only one who has correctly guessed the source of my internet name that I've been using for around 15 years now. Very impressive!!!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 01:09:56 | More by Rutager

dhartogs

Virginia

5/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Sorry for the non-technical review. I had this beer about a week ago, and honestly, I have not stopped thinking about it since, kind of like a first date with a girl you know is going to turn out to be the one. The coffee bean/vanilla bean combo was amazing, took the bite out of the coffee and gave it a velvety smoothness I've never had in a beer. A friend from Vermont gifted me about 6 different offering from Hill Farmstead and this is the first one I tried. The aroma matched the flavor. Poured nice and dark, what you would expect from a winter porter. I can't want to try this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 17:25:02 | More by dhartogs

flexabull

California

4.16/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of cbeer88, thanks again!

Pours a dark brown almost black color with a very nice tan head. Great looking beer.

Aromas are of dark ripe fruits, brewed coffee, roasted malts, and a hint of vanilla.

Taste is sweet up front, milky and creamy, with notes of cocoa and vanilla. Finish is crisp, with a slightly earthy hop note.

Mouthfeel is smooth and silky, with nice full body.

Overall, a very nice beer. Leans a little too much to the sweet side for my tastes, but still well crafted and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 20:24:55 | More by flexabull

dickieb

Rhode Island

4.26/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours black with a slightly bigger than average coffee head and average lacing. The smell is quite faint with nothing but grains and chocolate malts coming through. The flavor on the other hand is rich and complex with chocolate vanilla coffee and lingering spice and cinnamon notes finish it off. The mouthfeel is not overpowering and just about right and this is a very drinkable brew. The first "dark" beer I have had from Hill Farmstead and another great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 23:36:49 | More by dickieb

tewaris

Minnesota

3/5  rDev -31.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thoroughly ordinary and the perhaps the only sub par (or at par) HF beer I have had. For one, it is over carbonated so that takes quite a bit away from this beer. It is a porter alright and suffers from the excessive acidity that porters tend to have sometimes. Among the "spices" part, I get some vanilla and that is about it. Thin body and harsh feel, I found it tough to go through my sample.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 10:42:53 | More by tewaris

sleuthdog

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Another beer courtesy of franklinn- thanks man!
Fall/Winter 2012 vintage poured into Bruery tulip

Pour: Pours black with not a bit of light penetrating this. Has a nice three fingers of khaki brown head that slowly recedes leaving a ridiculous amount of lacing behind. Whats left is a thin film of light brown on the surface of the beer with a ring and a ton of lacing.

Smell: Lightly roasted notes with vanilla, bakers chocolate, cinnamon, and slight coffee. This actually smells sweeter than I thought it would and everything is in harmony here. Really nice!

Taste: Big coffee taste with chocolate almost like dark chocolate covered coffee beans. There is a big roasty like taste mid palate yielding to a mild bitterness. I get a smokey/char taste in this too. I'm not a big fan of smoke and char but this one has it in perfect balance to even out the sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Medium feel and somewhat slick. Moderate amount of carbonation leave a tingle on the tongue and the alcohol is somewhat noticeable at the tail end of the swallow.

Overall: Thanks to franklinn I am having my first experiences with HF and must say that this brewery knows how to craft some damn fine beers! Again one spectacularly balanced big dessert like beer. Outstanding!

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 02:39:39 | More by sleuthdog

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.1/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Couldn't wait any longer! 500ml bottle into a Cigar City snifter. Shared with schen9303.

Pours pitch black with a 1.5 finger mocha head with average retention. Lacing is stringy and thick with good cling. Oily legs coat the glass. Solid, but not great given a comparison to Everett.

Nose is burnt coffee beans, roasted malt, a very mellow vanilla presence and some cocoa powder. Aromatic. Decent but I wish this was a bit sweeter.

Opens big coffee notes upfront. Some bitter chocolate, roasted malt, and sweet liquorice in the back. A slight tartness from the coffee and roasted malt towards the back. Finishes sweet with a touch of vanilla and fudge. Cocoa and just a touch of booze on the aftertaste. Really good balance.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Some bubbles in the mouth but smooth, warm, and silky going down. Messy finish with a pleasant, lingering aftertaste that leaves my lips sticky. Perfect.

I much prefer Everett over Twilight but that's not to say this isn't one of the better porters out there. Exhibits great balance in flavor and as always, a perfectly crafted feel. Worth a try but if you're into sweet porters, the vanilla is very subtle in this beer and you'll likely prefer Everett over this.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 23:34:07 | More by SpeedwayJim

hagbergl

Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had a glass of Hill Farmstead's Twilight of the Idols winter porter during a visit to Armsby Abbey in Worcester, MA. What a pleasure it was to have this venerable, rare beer, and served in authentic Hill Farmstead brewery glassware–nice touch, Armsby!

Appearance (5/5): The beer, presented in a Hill Farmstead glass, is deep black and topped by the most luxuriant, pillowy beige head that retains well. A disk of foam sticks with the beer all the way down. Lots of sticky beige-brown residue sticks to the sides of the glass. Twilight of the Idols is one impressive looking brew.

Smell (4.5/5): Twilight has a very roasty aroma complicated by notes of fresh-brewed coffee, dark chocolate, and smokiness (though I don't think there's any smoked malt in the brew). The aroma is definitely more intense than your average American Porter though less dark chocolate going on in the nose of Twilight than in Hill Farmstead's other Porter, Everett.

Taste (4.5/5): Very complex: roasty, dark bread, coffee bean bitterness, a light vanilla sweetness, dark chocolate, a bit of warm spice from the added cinnamon. Twilight is not very sweet; it still features robust and assertive porter flavors. A light alcohol flexes and warms in the finish. Subtle, beautiful, bold–that's what Twilight of the Idols is.

Mouthfeel (4.5/5): Creamy, medium-heavy body, medium-light carbonation, Twilight of the Idols is very smooth going down. Given its strength and overall "big" taste, I can't say it's the most drinkable beer; you probably won't order two in a row at the bar.

Overall (4.5/5): Twilight of the Idols is a great American Porter that features a wide array of flavors perfect for a winter beer. One of the best things about it is that all the ingredients–the vanilla beans, coffee, and cinnamon–seem to mix well together; it's not one of those beers that seems to use additives as a crutch. It also doesn't have that fake spiciness thing going on that some winter beers have (you know who you are). This is a subtle, complex, and very tasty dark ale that really brings the roast. Shaun Hill has done it again–another excellent Hill Farmstead Brewery beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2013 01:47:37 | More by hagbergl

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Fall/Winter 2012. Bottle says 7.2% ABV.

A: Deep, dark brown. Nearly black. A light-to-medium brown foamy, soapy, pillowy head that fades into a bit of lace and a ring of retention.

S: Sweet, roasted malt, some bourbon, vanilla beans, a bit of earth/wood, molasses, brown sugar, and a touch of sweet booze. Very complex. Almost the nose of an Imperial Stout.

T: Vanilla hits the tongue right away. A great balance of sweetness and roasted flavor from the malt. All the aromas in the nose come through in the flavor. A seriously delicious beer that is more enjoyable with each sip. When a Porter is done well, it's a great thing.

M: Super smooth. Like, really damn smooth. Huge flavor, great body for a Porter, and the right carbonation. As is expected from the style and the amount of sweetness in this beer, it can be a tad cloying in the finish. Just a bit, though.

O: A killer beer. A killer AP. HF can craft a great brew from any end of the spectrum. Of this I am convinced.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 02:57:02 | More by Gatch

Viciousknishs

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- pours black with a thin cap of dark espresso crema colored head. Pour head retention.

S- roasted malt with notes of caramel and chocolate blend with a rich coffee aroma. Nice hint of vanilla on the finish.

T- tastes like an iced vanilla latte. Notes of caramel, oily coffee bean and semi-sweet chocolate play on the palate as well. Lingering vanilla bean and roasted malt on the finish.

MF- slick mouthfeel with a medium body. Mild carbonation with a nice creamy texture.

D- very drinkable and smooth.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 04:01:10 | More by Viciousknishs

UCLABrewN84

California

4.4/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to jmgrub for sharing this one at my tasting.

Fall/Winter 2012 vintage.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, coffee beans, and vanilla. Taste is much the same with a rich cocoa, coffee, and vanilla flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with some great aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:58:27 | More by UCLABrewN84

HopHead84

California

4.23/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

12/29/2012

2012 Fall/Winter release 500ml bottle poured into Hill Farmstead stemware.

A: The essence of black, possessing neither brown nor crimson tones when held to light. The khaki head is mousse-like and lingers for a few minutes before settling to a bubbly froth. Sheets of lacing are scattered.

S: Firm roasted malt presence (slightly charred) with soft vanilla notes and earthy coffee. Dark chocolate is pervasive and there's a little licorice in there. I'm not really getting cinnamon in the aroma, despite the site's description of the beer. I'm not sure if this batch has it.

As the beer opens up I detect a nutty quality to the coffee, and now I'm getting some cinnamon. Very nice.

T: Bittersweet dark chocolate blends with roasted grains and a little licorice. Coffee is potent, bringing to mind earth and char. Vanilla is soft up front but a bit stronger on the back end and it tastes quite nice. There's a moderate level of bitterness and a little alcohol in the charred coffee finish. Cinnamon becomes apparent when the beer warms to room temperature, bringing to mind Mexican chocolate.

M: Lower full body with upper medium carbonation. The mouthfeel is chewy, sticky, silky, and viscous. Hill Farmstead nailed this aspect of the beer.

Overall: I'm really enjoying this. The beer has a nice blend of flavors that go well with the base Porter. It really opens up when allowed to breathe.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 02:56:08 | More by HopHead84