Foster - Hill Farmstead Brewery

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Brewery filled 2 liter "genie" shaped swing-top growler into a couple of tulip glasses.

Pours black, with a ½ finger of silky looking mocha head. The flare-up on this is rich, dotting the sides with a ton of robust spotty swathes of lacing. The aroma is fresh, floral, and leafy smelling with some underlying bitter citric character. A blend of doughy, spicy rye, coffee, and sweet chocolate malts across the back of the nose really makes this smell delicious!

The taste is full of fresh hop flavor, with a lightly herbal citric bite and a moderate amount of leafy bitterness. This is just wonderfully balanced here by a flavorful backing of chocolate and caramel sweetness, dark roasted coffee, and then a dry spicy bite of rye in the back. The rye is really out there but isn't overdone but it definitely hangs the hardest in the finish, along with some lingering green hops. Very dry and spicy finish here. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a firm crispness that gives way to a silky creaminess that spreads out across the palate. No alcohol presence at all leaves this very easy drinking.

Man, I think I liked this even more than when I had it on draft. Mostly because I got to spend much more time with it here over several glasses. Yeah, I'd definitely say that this needs to be re-categorized as a Black Ale, as the rye isn't the driving force here but instead nicely compliments a very well done example of the style. The mix of citrus, chocolate, coffee, and rye here is just a delicious mix. This is another awesome effort from Hill Farmstead.

Serving type: growler

03-01-2011 20:32:34 | More by Kegatron

AgentZero

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big props to Spycow for bringing this to our Fedor-gets-his-ass-handed-to-himself tasting.

A - An almost black beer that turns brown in the light. Tan head that had good retention with a nice amount of lacing, kind of what you would expect with this style.

S - A great mix of hops and rye. This is classified as a rye beer, but if is much more hop-forward than rye forward. A lot of coffee in there as well.

T - Really hoppy, with great rye character coming in. I get healthy doses of coffee from this one, which is kind of confusing, but really awesome. The coffee and bitter hop combo are just great, really like the taste on this one. For the style this might be about the best I've ever had.

M - Medium bodied with a cleanly bitter finish.

D - Love this beer, right up there with my top 2 or 3 Black IPAs ever. Would definately recommend and want to drink again.

Serving type: growler

02-22-2011 22:51:29 | More by AgentZero

Brad007

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown/black color with a brown head into my glass. I really don't have anything much to say about the color.

Citrus and mind dominate the nose, followed closely by spiciness from the rye malt. Very unique mish-mash of aromas.

Again, the taste places an emphasis on citrus and mint from the hops. Literally, the only two things I can really taste.

The mouthfeel is helped by the rye malt. It's warm and dry with plenty of lingering hop goodness.

I like Foster. It's certainly more hop forward and the use of rye demonstrates the desire of the brewmaster to dispel any notions of rye being a less-than-desirable malt. Really, it's a notch far above the standard rye beer.

Serving type: growler

02-20-2011 05:43:10 | More by Brad007

maximum12

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Many thanks to baconsausage for this lovely growler. I've been on a massive rye kick, so anything that spanks of rye is welcome in my gullet.

Full pour into my old Dunedin Brewery pint glass. Very dark, with russet potatoes around the edges. Smell is very tame, roast, earthiness, not much else.

Foster brings two of my favorite things, a storm of rye & hops. Neither dominates; instead, they clasp hands & arrive together, in step. Rye brings a warm spice rack, & the hops are fresh-picked with a side of fall mustiness. Roast provides a framework to drape the others over. Not quite peppy enough for me, but that's probably the cross-continent trip it took in a foreign object, so I can't really blame the beer for that. Half the pint glass is gone. Huh.

Very good beer. The rye speaks to me as it always does, 7 the hops rip a good counterpoint. Love to have this fresh out the tap someday.

Serving type: growler

02-16-2011 03:18:12 | More by maximum12

jrallen34

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler provided by Chris, drank from my Hill Farmstead glass... Dark brown body with a light tan head that is very bright. Good retention and lacing... The aroma is very nice lots of rye, coffee, hoppy finish... The taste has more hops than anything, a very hoppy rye beer. Light roast coffee with lots of pine hops. The roast and hops are perfectly intertwined and compliment each other perfectly.

A great hoppy rye ipa.

Serving type: growler

02-13-2011 03:08:43 | More by jrallen34

Sean9689

Illinois

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

HF growler, thanks to Chris! Poured into Bruery tulip.

A - Pours black, cream-colored head, large bubbles here and there, a thin film as the cap.

S - Huge hop aroma, bitterness, more hops, wow!

T - Lots of hops, and I mean lots! Dankness, rye notes, bitterness, some coffee (???). Really nice hops, rye, and dankness. Excellent!

M - Light to medium, good carbonation for the style, oily finish.

D - Quite possibly the best Black IPA I've ever had. Tons of hops, dank, rye, awesomeness. Wow, this one is really stellar. Love this one, Shaun.

Serving type: growler

02-13-2011 03:07:50 | More by Sean9689

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.22/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Huge thanks to jedwards for bring this back from the Winterfest and sharing. Described as a black rye beer. Served in a tulip. Pours an inky black with a frothy, khaki-colored head that quickly recedes into a textured mass of ringlets and bubbles. Some specks and swaths of lacing present during the tasting. Nose expresses dark malts, roast and earthy hops. Taste consistent with nose, with the addition of earthy dark chocolate (perhaps baker's chocolate) and a light, lingering bitterness. Mouthfeel is light-medium with a pleasant, even, medium carbonation level. Flavorful, complex and really quite quaffable. I definitely need to visit Hill Farmstead in the near future.

Serving type: growler

02-12-2011 02:06:29 | More by Jwale73