Motueka Pale Ale - Hill Farmstead Brewery

andrewinski1

Maine

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pilsner glass. The color is hazy straw. There is a decent sized head with nice sticky lacing.

The aroma is lots of citrus with mild sweet candy.

The taste is dry and crisp, with a nice zesty hop finish. This has a clean taste to it, no strong yeast presence.

This is light with a relatively soft creamy carbonation.

This is really tasty. I thought the last batch was a bit grassy, but this has more citrus and zesty hop flavor.

Serving type: growler

02-12-2012 04:18:36 | More by andrewinski1

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at devils den in philly

Pours a hazy golden straw color with a thin layering of white head. Sticky lacing webs across the glass while drinking.

Bitter and floral in the nose with a punch of hops. Some grainy notes with citrus and straw.

Floral and bitter hops up front on the tongue, followed by a snap of lemon and citrus peel. Somewhat grainy with some soft bready notes. Milder malt backbone in between the earthy hop flavor. Finishes dry with a touch of citrus.

Lighter medium body, slightly higher carbonation, bubbly and brisk on the tongue. Another nice beer from HF, but I've had better from them.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2012 00:58:42 | More by xnicknj

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on tap at the Armsby Abbey as part of the Hill Farmstead tap takeover. Reviewed from notes.

A - Pours a hazy golden orange with a nice thick head that leaves loads of spotty lacing.

S - Very nice citrus notes as well as light grassy hops. Nice floral fruits as well.

T - More of those tasty citrus (oranges) and light pine. There are very nice fruit notes to go along with this too (mango, light grapefruit).

M - Mouthfeel is slightly lower carbonated resulting in a creamy and smooth feel.

O - Overall I enjoyed this APA. Shows off what a single hop variety can do. Nice fruit notes on this one, worth having again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2012 00:13:21 | More by rudzud

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On Tap at Blue Dog.

Motueka comes out of the spout and into the tulip a hazy yellow color with some blond highlights resembling a dirty saison. A nice bright white head that fades, leaving nothing.

Smell is bright and clean with a dose of floral hop, that one being Motueka I believe a new strain from New Zealand. There is a light citrus thing going and I get lemon. Not the most pungent of scents.

This is easy going beer and a true pale. It does not jump out at you but the Motueka hop leaves a floral taste with each sip. Lemon comes up. Some trace amounts of malt, without the sweetness. I am always impressed with how clean Hill Farmstead beers taste and this one is no different.

as stated above, the beer is clean. I wonder what type of water Shawn uses up there (Well Water?). Anywho, it's clean, the body is light and the carbonation is there but subdued. A lingering aftertaste of lemon, which lasts.

Not my favorite from the HF hoppy offerings. Perhaps it's this hop strain. I do dig the craft that went into it. This upsets me now that I know I missed the Galaxy single hop version, which is supposed to be the tits.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2012 04:55:33 | More by onix1agr

Hojaminbag

Colorado

4.33/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Motueka has an orange colored body and a creamy, tan head. Retention and lacing are both very good.

The aroma is very fruity without being aggressively hoppy, with a little bit of malt in the background.

I am completely unfamiliar with the hops in this one, but they are certainly very good. They are lightly spicy, but with a lot of fruit character to them. The fruit flavor isn't the typical, aggressive citrus flavor that come from American hops, but rather softer and tropical in nature, with hints of lemon as well. There is also some grass and resin flavors. The malt is understated, which is good, because the hops in this one are not overwhelming.

Soft carbonation, but smooth.

Motueka Single Hop Pale Ale has a very interesting flavor profile considering it only uses one hop, and I like it. This is a well-done pale ale.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2012 20:39:55 | More by Hojaminbag

Gfunk720

Connecticut

4.75/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at Blackback, out of HFS stemwear. Reviewed from notes

A- Straw tan, with some pale yellow hues. Pours with a healty pure white foamy head. Nice lacing, and a nice overall glow.

S- Soapy hops, lots of citrusy/lemon and pine. Fresh grass, with a nice light malt profile. The hops just smell so fresh and pronounced. This can't be a APA...

T- Crisp and fizzy at first. Then smooths to a nice pale malt and piney lemony hops. The aftertaste is a very complex mix of resinous pine, fresh grass, and citrus. It just lingers in your mouth.

M- Perfect for the style.

O- Though this was a little bitter and dry, this was probably the best APA I've ever had. To think this was made with one type of hops, and is only 5.2% amazes me. Had a Daisy Cutter the other day, and this beer absolutely blows it out of the water. People need to remember this is not a 7-8% IPA, but just a hopped Pale Ale

-GFunk

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2012 16:13:38 | More by Gfunk720

Retail1LO

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Capone's.

Pours a beautiful pineapple/grapefruit juice color. Conversely, it's got a brilliant straw haze to it. The nose is marvelous. A light citrus with honey and an herbal tone. Very nice. The taste is smooth. Very sessionable beer indeed. Citrus, more honey, and some grass. This is a different animal from any APA I've had previously. Diggin' it. The mouthfeel is smooth with out any bitterness or lingering aftertaste. It goes out like a lamb. Overall, this was a nice beer. This is the kind of beer you can cozy up to and have a few in succession.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 18:26:36 | More by Retail1LO

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Capones. The pour was a hazy peach orange with a small white head. The yeast looked somewhat disturbed but not too bad. Nose is dry, floral hops, light fruits, quite herbal. Flavor, as with Hill Farmstead's better pale ales, is very dry, earthy, and floral. Some lemon and mint type of zest, and a light softer fruit profile. Restrained and very well done. I'd like to have a super clean, fresh sample of this to really gauge it but I liked it quite a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2012 19:56:56 | More by JAXSON

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draft pour into a pint glass for $6.00. Sampled 1/11/12.

A: Server with a finger and a half of foamy off-white head. Well retained. The body is super hazy - if not murky with little transparency - and a muddy orangey amber in color. Unfiltered? Lacing begins to thoroughly coat the glass, then gets broken by up as the head dries out.

S: The nose is hop forward, but not as straightforward as, say, Edward is. Mango flesh comes through - in its earlier stages of ripeness - and not quite juicy yet. The malt bill is fairly neutral while the yeast imparts a doughy, soapy quality. The nose is rather good, just not a standout.

T: The taste comes together with a little more complexity. Tropical notes beyond mango linger long on the back end. The sweetness of star fruit and papaya is offset nicely by the hop bitterness.

M: The mouthfeel is smooth, creamy and gently carbonated. The flavor lasts long, leans towards dry, and the bitterness extends the flavor rather than bringing it to an end.

O: Motueka is a very good single hopped pale ale. Very easy to drink, refreshing and well-balanced. I'd be happy to order another.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2012 03:03:57 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Armsby Abbey.

A- Hazy yeasty yellow-orange body with a creamy white head. Nice size and retention. Spotty rings of lace down the glass.

S- Not as intense as the flavor but it's quite nice. Hoppy notes of floral and fruits, like peach, kiwi and citrus.

T- A big blast of flavor but smooth and balanced. Hops drop a big fruit flavor but not the usual citrus pine. I get big hints of peachy mango, sugar coated grapefruit, kiwi, strawberry and some citrus. Combined with floral notes, this beer takes on a really interesting profile, from a single hop varietal!

MF- Creamy body with good moderate carbonation. A bitter sweet feel that drinks smoothly.

Sean makes a damn good single hopped pale ale. As flavorful or more so than many stronger IPAs. I would drink this by the growler if I had it available.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2012 03:48:49 | More by cbutova

infi

New York

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Blind Tiger, East Village.

Poured into a tulip.

Very hazy, yellow-tinted body with great carbonation. Thin, vibrant white head that recedes quickly.

Great amount of earthy hop characteristics on the nose. Smells of crushed lemongrass. I'm guessing those are the Motueka hops? Very nice. Some passion fruit and dried mangoes and a touch of grapefruit to create a nice synergistic profile. Very aromatic and floral. Didn't expect any less from HF.

Tastes incredibly clean, fresh and balanced. Sweet malt backbone underneath the floral, grassy hop infusion. There's an unripened mango-like sweet and sourness imparted on the flavors. Really awesome. One of the best tasting pale ales I've had.

Lighter side of medium. Perfect carbonation. Not overly aggressive. Smooth drinking. After missing so many other HF pales, I finally was able to try one and Motueka certainly didn't disappoint. Absolutely loved it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2012 01:30:23 | More by infi

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

4.53/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

OK, so this beer is in the underrated category for me. Hill Farmstead’s big beers and DPA’s get world class ratings that are justly deserved. But this beer is right in the class of those others. I think folks drop the scores a bit since it’s not barrel aged, 9% and/or doesn’t contain a hyped hop like Citra or Nelson. But the bottom line is that this is an amazing beer and one I would Love to have a keg of for a party.

About a finger of very creamy tight head that immediately begins depositing lace all over the inside of the glass. Just a great looking beer. Color is fairly light and more on the straw side of the ledger. Dull on color and slightly cloudy.

Aroma is wonderful and a balanced blend of grassy/lemon hops and some nice bready notes.

Loved the flavor and the great bready flavors. Again balance rules the day here and you can just feel the freshness and craftsmanship in the flavors. For a Pale Ale, there is a lot going on here. The grassy notes again are present and a nice yet mild fresh hop flavor. Light citrus notes under the bread notes.

A fresh unfiltered feel, fairly light bodied.

Great beer… I don’t want to use the term… session.. so I won’t. But I could drink this all day! ;-)

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2011 19:26:12 | More by Reagan1984

Sean9689

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at HF during my visit in late June/early July. From notes.

A - Pours a golden yellow color, mirky/hazy, nice white head, sticky lacing, thin collar, thin cap on top.

S - Lots of floral hoppy notes, slight touch of citrus, some grassy notes in there as well. The floral characteristics of this beer is what really stands out, very unique.

T - Grass, citrus, floral, touch of pine. The grassy notes are more pronounced here and meld well with the floral and citrus. A nice hoppy resin finish.

M - Light, good carbonation, oily pine finish.

O - Another solid APA from HF. Not my favorite, but it's great to try so many variations. Shaun and Dan are artists when it comes to hops!

Serving type: on-tap

09-12-2011 15:30:43 | More by Sean9689

321jeff

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml swing-top growler provided by Michael, thanks!

Pours a bright but hazy golden yellow with a minimal amount of head, but apparently the growler may have leaked a bit in transit. What head there is leaves some lacing and a thin collar sticks around for the whole drink.

The aroma is fairly unique, somewhat earthy with some lemon. Fruity in a non-citrus way. Not overpowering, but very pleasant overall.

The taste is also unique, somewhat earthy with moderate bitterness. I get some resin mixed in as well. There's also a sharp flavor that I can't quite put my finger on... kind of like the sharpness you get out of a sharp cheese... interesting.

The mouthfeel is what you'd expect for a 5% APA, fairly thin, but carbonation held up well considering there was some leaking and a lack of head. I feel like this unique hop would be better suited for a hoppy saison rather than a pale ale, but it's interesting nonetheless.

Serving type: growler

07-28-2011 00:42:39 | More by 321jeff

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL growler (Thanks Tucker!) served in a stemmed Stillwater wine glass.

Looks like a HF pale ale, blah blah blah. Hazed honey golden color with a thin off white head that fades to a thin film and spotty lacing. Aroma has light bready malt with mild lemon sweetness and floral hops. Flavor is sharp and pleasantly bitter. Chewy medium thick body with prickly fine carbonation. Initially citrus sweet before finish floral, earthy and citrus rind. A well made pale ale as usual from HF, and an interesting new hop to try. I agree with Jeff who said Motueka might be a nice addition to a saison but for a single hop pale it's not quite cutting it for me.

Serving type: growler

07-28-2011 00:34:23 | More by yourefragile

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap @ the Blackback Pub & Flyshop (Waterbury, VT) on 7/15/11. Served in a stemmed Hill Farmstead glass.

Pours a hazy gold, with a finger of bright-white head. This retains with some foamy edges that flare-up into a creamy 1/2 finger cap, leaving behind some heavy swathes of patchy lacing. The aroma smells floral, lightly spicy, and a touch tank with an underlying layer of soft bitter fruitiness in the nose. Malts are soft yet supportive with a sweet graininess, while I’m also picking up a bit of a protein like egg smell here as well.

The taste is fresh and biting on the palate, with a combo of grapefruit and lemon flavors popping in the mouth. This is balanced by notes of sweet grains and an additional soft fruitiness, as well as some grassy and herbal textures that soften the edges of the bitterness a bit. The finish on this is dry and crisp, with a lingering pithy feel. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with some softness to the edges of the carbonation before laying some sharpness down the middle of the tongue. That 5% is spot on here, having some presence in the mouth but still keeping this quite quaffable.

While I didn’t find this quite as full flavored as I did some of the other New Zealand single hop Pale Ales from here, this was still pretty darn solid, with a nice mix of bitterness, fruit, and herbal/floral character that kept this breezy and enjoyable to drink. This was another nice APA from here.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2011 18:43:54 | More by Kegatron

koopa

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Blackback Pub in Waterbury VT.

Appearance: Pours a pale straw that is cloudy, has a 1 finger white crown, shows some retention and some lace.

Smell: Herbal, floral, and citrus hops.

Taste: Grainy malt, minor citrus notes, some herbal notes, and a touch of lemons.

Mouthfeel: Thin with good carbonation.

Drinkability: Quite drinkable due to thin body and relatively low bitterness.

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2011 05:15:06 | More by koopa

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.95/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Black Back in Waterbury VT.
Pours a cloudy yellow amber color with a thinnish off white head that dissipates quickly. Smells citrusy, lemons and grapefruit with wisps of grainy bready malts. Taste is what I expected from the aroma. Floral citrusy hops with faint hints of malt. Lemon and grapefruit with some bready grainy malt in the background. Relatively dry finish leaves the citrus lingering on the palette. Medium to thin body, resinous mouthfeel, moderate level of bubbles. I really enjoyed this one for its simplicity and ease of drinking, if I weren't geeked out by all the choices I had I could have easily drank this one all night.

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2011 22:00:10 | More by johnnnniee

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750mL growler shared by Thorpe429. Thanks Mike!

The beer is an extremely hazy yellow hue with a tiny head. The aroma is of fresh, dank hops, floral notes, and citrus, particularly grapefruit. Malt presence is minimal, with some very nice citrus flavor. The body is pretty thin, and this beer is highly drinkable. I didn't enjoy this beer nearly as much as the Galaxy Imperial Single Hop IPA we had next to it, but it's a fine beer nonetheless. I would definitely have this again.

Serving type: growler

07-12-2011 02:37:36 | More by Huhzubendah

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750mL growler courtesy of SFLpunk. Shared at last Thursday's tasting. Served in a HopCat tulip. Notes from my in-progress tasting sheet.

Pours a pale yellow color with a small white head. Nice collar on the way down. The nose brings a very light malt presence. Alongside the malt in the nose comes some citrus and floral hops. Mild grapefruit in the background. The flavor is a nice combination of floral and citrus. Apparently this is what Motueka hops are like. Moderate bitterness in the finish after a light body with good carbonation. Dry in the finish as well. Very good brew; I wouldn't expect anything less.

Serving type: growler

07-12-2011 00:20:25 | More by Thorpe429

drabmuh

Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler shared by Thorpe the other day, I'm always up to try something new from HF. Poured into a tiny snifter.

Beer is hazy and yellow with a wispy white head of small bubbles, some lacing, low carbonation.

Mildly grassy, citrus, earthy hop notes, some floral stuff going on in the nose for sure.

Beer is light and airy on the palate and has a wide bouquet of hop flavors on the midpalate like flowers and citrus with a mild grinding earthiness to the whole thing. I really enjoy this beer a lot. Beer is quite good overall, I could drink it again but it is not my favorite APA.

Serving type: growler

07-11-2011 20:02:18 | More by drabmuh

mdfb79

New York

3.78/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 07/07/11 notes. 750ml growler shared by Thorpe429 the other night; thanks Mike.

a - Pours a hazy yellow color with one inch of white head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells of citrus hops, lemons, floral notes, and some spices, and herbs. Lemons come out a lot in the nose which I enjoyed.

t - Tastes of light citrus hops, floral spoces, herbs, and spices. Taste has some light bitterness to it. More spice/herbs/earthy notes than the nose, and not quite as much citrus/lemon.

m - Light body and low carbonation. Very easy to drink.

o - Overall a pretty good APA, but I prefer their Edward. The nice thing about their APA's is that they are low ABV and very easy to drink. Would have it again.

Serving type: growler

07-11-2011 17:40:39 | More by mdfb79

MasterSki

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I think Kan shared this at Sean's 30th birthday. Accidentally opened it thinking it was Double Citra and was quite confused for a while. Served in ye olde plastick cuppe.

A - A finger of white foam settles to a thick cap, leaving behind spotty lacework. Body is a hazy apricot color.

S - A single hop pale ale done right (in the Minneapolis Town Hall vein). Plenty of hop flavor and aroma, with a fairly neutral malt backdrop. This particular hop is heavy on lemons and earthy herbs - kind of like a cross between Saaz and Sorachi Ace to me. Not my favorite hop, but executed quite effectively.

T - Taste is pretty similar - a bready, neutral, malt character supports lemon and earthy hop flavors, as well as some herbal bitterness in the finish.

M - Medium bodied, with medium-low carbonation - plenty big for the lower ABV in any case. Perhaps a touch grainy in texture. Quite dry as well, but not particularly resinous.

D - Not my favorite hop, as it's a bit too high on the herbaceous bitterness and light on other sorts of flavors. That being said, it's a beer that is easy to drink and highly effective at achieving its stated purpose - showcasing the Motueka hop.

Serving type: growler

07-03-2011 13:28:00 | More by MasterSki

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured via growler procured at the Hill Farmstead brewery on 6/19/11. Thanks to FooFaa for sharing.

A - Dispensed a hazy golden apricot-colored liquid with a sparse half-inch bubbly white head that reduced to deposit spotty lacing all the way down the glass.

S - The Motueka hops impart a spicy, citrusy character with a hint of earthiness and grassy notes. Overall, the nose is pretty complex for a single-hopped brew. Sweet malt provides balance to the aroma.

T - Flavor incorporates a spicy character with a hint of citrus (primarily grapefruit), pepper and grass. Malt base is comprised of lightly toasted grains and sweet caramel notes. Flavor is well-balanced overall.

M - Light bodied with an oily texture, perhaps a tad thin overall. Finishes dry and spicy with lingering bitterness on the palate.

D - Fine single hopped ale with a spicy character and uniquely complex hop flavor and aroma.

Serving type: growler

06-27-2011 05:47:26 | More by ffejherb

Bendurgin

Maine

4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Andy shared the growler. Poured into a tulip. This one pours a dense hazy yellow with a finger of fluffy white head. Real nice soapy lace on this.

Rich orange marmalade aroma with a bit of mango and pineapple. The aroma just seems a little syrupy but we've got a really nice bitter finish. A nice orange flavor profile with a nice medley of tropical fruit flavors. Mostly just fruity with a little bit of a bitter finish.

Nice light body with good soft carbonation. Overall a pretty accesable pale ale. Nice and simply and easy to drink and enjoy.

Serving type: growler

06-18-2011 20:51:16 | More by Bendurgin