Civil Disobedience #1 - Hill Farmstead Brewery

RSchaeffer

New Hampshire

4.97/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Review #24
750mL bottle

A sincere thanks to Tucker for this treat.

A - Pronounced hiss upon opening the cap. Pours hazy straw in color with two fingers of foamy white head, sticky lacing around the glass.

S - Complex and beautiful nose. Tangelos, lemon zest, floral notes, and hints of earthiness from the brett.

T - Tangelos, lemon zest, pear, and white grapes. A mineral note that I've come to expect from Hill Farmstead's saisons.

M - Medium bodied, medium to high carbonation. Exceptionally smooth, almost creamy yet dry.

O - Hands down the best saison that I have had from Hill Farmstead. I honestly don't think my review does the beer justice. Quite a way to kick off the Civil Disobedience series. Given the blend, I'm anxious to try 'Mimosa' when it's released.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 22:10:09 | More by RSchaeffer

Bardwashrind

Colorado

4.83/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle acquired from aapp, thanks again for making this happen.

Took close to a minute to open the bottle. A long hissing spewed from under the cap that was being slowly pried off. Bubbles were rising near the lip of the bottle but no liquid was lost. Great color that held a tone similar to fresh squeezed lemonade with a think unfiltered haze. Almost a shade of grey but that's the kind of thing I get excited about most of the time.

People could smell this one from across the room. The orange component gave off floral high notes, with a subtle but distinct crispness coming from the saison base and then all rounded by the earthy brett. Seamless was the first thing that came to mind. The beer was a pleasure to sniff and smell and admire.

Long on the tongue with a creamy carbonation giving amazing weight. Flavors of wild flowers, tangelos, white grapes and a little limestone. The brett added such a finesse through complexity that the typical 'barn-yard funk' didn't do justice in explanation. Even when it left the palate, the flavors kept persisting for close to a minute. Orange bitterness, grassy perhaps and that lovely, lovely brett drying it all up.

This was tasted in conjunction with a series of other big beers and stood on a level all it's own. I kept a small taster aside and would periodically come back to it for a comparison sake. Unreal how distinct and unique these Hill Farmstead beers come off. They taste crafted rather than manufactured, simply delicious rather than overly complicated. Civil for sure and winning me over in obedience.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 16:09:06 | More by Bardwashrind

vfgccp

New York

4.15/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A – Pear-gold body. Pillowy white head leaves a rocky lace with great topography.

S – Yeasty with crisp, white-fruit flavors like pear, white peach, and tart apple. Subtle, fresh washed lemon citrus. Reminds me of a dry Riesling.

T – Lemon, yeast, green banana, white grape, pear, and a mild under-ripe white peach tartness. The tart note ebbs sour right before an acidic, semi-sweet finish.

M – A medium body with surprising smoothness and breadth holds level throughout the profile.

O – Refreshing, bright and fruity.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 01:05:14 | More by vfgccp

wadecats

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

So - "The mystery saison is a blend of two different batches of arthur and a bit of a beer called 'mimosa' (working title... not official)."

The smell of the Mystery Saison was orange and citrus for sure, giving off moderate unicorn blanket stink. The balance was just right, definite orange citrus flavor with slightly more carbonated than their other saisons. A white clean head held it's own and settled at a cool speed, minimally sticking to the side of our glasses - best summer breakfast beer I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 18:27:28 | More by wadecats

drabmuh

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by starrdogg. Thanks Matt.

Beer poured into a tasting glass, beer is yellow with a slight haze, lazy head, low carbonation, no lacing, looks fine.

Aroma is Brett c with a mild grainy sweetness. Minimal lactic acid, perhaps some Brett b.

Beer is light and pretty bitter on the back end the bitterness is accented by the dryness of the beer, thin bodied, nice yeast character, overall enjoyable, basically it is a brett c / brett b saison but I'm more betting on c at this point. More pineapply in the palate than funky. Funk is there, i'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 04:02:57 | More by drabmuh

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by starrdogg. Thanks Matt.

Served along side Hill Farmstead Art, Arthur, Flora, and McKenzie Irma Extra.

The beer is hazy and yellowish orange in color with a thick white head that leaves some nice lacing on the snifter. The aroma brings some wine, brett, oak, funk. Good flavor, with brett and oak notes. Well balanced and tasty. Medium bodied and smooth. Really nice mouthfeel. Overall, a solid beer. I would have this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 18:25:29 | More by Huhzubendah

Verecund

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Civil Disobedience #1. "[A] blend of two different batches of arthur and a bit of a beer called 'mimosa' . . . a saison brewed with orange zest . . . and brett clausenii."

Opened up on September 1, 2011. Huge thanks for this, Jesse.

I only let this sit for a day or so, and the pour is a hazy golden straw with two fingers of white head that leaves intricate webs of lacing.

Bright and pronounced tangerine and citrus, lemon zest, pineapple, and soft floral attributes. There's a touch of that typical Hill Farmstead saison earthy, mineral component on the nose; combined with the orange/citrus and straw backbone, it reminds me of the scent of wet stone.

Very soft sourdough bread graininess with just a hint of citric tartness on the front of the palate. Fairly fruity and sweet through the mid-palate - green apple, tangerine, pear - though there's a bit of spiciness (especially white pepper) on the mid-to-late-palate. The finish expresses both a light fruitiness and the 'wet stone' mineral and earthy bitterness. It's a step down from the nose, but it's pleasant and complex enough.

Medium, medium-light bodied with medium-high carbonation. Champagne-like feel. Fairly dry on the finish, which stretches the bitter-sweet mineral note for a few seconds.

Based on the description, I was hoping CD1 would feature a brighter orange component than it does. Nevertheless, this is a superb example of the style. I'm really glad I got the chance to try this.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 03:16:51 | More by Verecund

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Consumed alongside its relatives Art & Arthur.

A: Pours a bright, hazy yellow/orange with a big fluffy white head.

S: Smells initially of a mild brett/funk, but has some oak and wine come through upon further examination.

T: First thing I notice about the flavor is how much brighter it is than Art & Arthur. It's not a nice, semi-sweet flavor with great balance. There's some subtle wine barrel in there and the brett comes in at the end, but doesn't overpower it.

M: Light bodied with high carbonation and one of the driest finishes I've experienced in a beer. Michael noted that it makes your mouth feel like when you get that suction thing at the dentist . . . in a good way.

O: This is my favorite of all of the Hill Farmstead saisons I've had. The flavor just has an amazing balance to it, and it's got such a bright flavor for a saison. I'd love to try this one again with some age on it to see what the brett does, but it was great as is.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 03:37:51 | More by starrdogg

koopa

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this one up at Hill Farmstead's Saison Event a few weeks ago.

Appearance: Pours the classic hazy straw yellow with a nice 3 finger white crown composed of fine carbonation bubbles that display medium retention and nice lace.

Smell: Classic, albeit very nice, saison yeast flavor with the faintest hint of spice....ginger perhaps and something a touch floral? Whisper of sulfur gives it that nice egg shell quality that works so well in both saisons and belgian wits in my humble opinion. Also a hint of green grape/white wine character that blends seamlessly.

Taste: A surprisingly down hill departure from the appearance and smell...Some of the same notes detected in the aroma but also a grainy characteristic, almost a bit of fusel alcohol like presence, and some honey. Hops seem a touch floral but also add a touch of harsh bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Thin side of medium bodied with a sweet finish and carbonation that's actually a bit prickly.

Overall: The taste needs some work and the mouthfeel could use some improvement but the appearance and smell are wonderful.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 22:29:39 | More by koopa

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to starrdogg for sharing this bottle. Served in a Hill Farmstead long-stem tulip.

Pours a clear and fairly-bright yellow color with a good white head. Mostly clear, though there's a bit of haze. Head stays around for a good bit before falling and leaving behind some nice lacing to coat the glass. Thin collar throughout.

The nose starts off pretty tame, but really starts to open up as it warms and after a few good swirls. Light oak and wine character come through along with a touch of Brett, which is there with more of a light pineapple and lemon-rind character than pure funk.

Flavor isn't quite as nice, as the Brett doesn't really make its way through yet. Maybe a bit more time on these bottles to let the Brett develop a little bit more. Other than that, still quite good with some nice wine-barrel character plus some light wheat. Mild earth and lemon.

Mouthfeel is quite crisp with good carbonation and a light body. Very dry finish.

Overall, really quite nice and thoroughly enjoyable. I wish the bugs had come through just a bit more, but this was really nice as is.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 11:46:47 | More by Thorpe429

womencantsail

California

4.33/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer pours a hazy yellow color with a tall white head.

S: Very complex aromas here. Lots of floral hops with tons of citrus notes to it as well. Grapefruit, orange peel, and lemon zest are all there, as is a bit of pepper and some sweet fruits. Light bready malt and yeast in the background.

T: There is a bit more fruity sweetness to the flavor. Lots of pear and sweet apple to go with the lemon and orange zest. White pepper notes along with some yeast and grass with just a hint of bready malt sweetness.

M: Medium bodied with medium to high carbonation.

O: A very solid saison. Great flavors and a pleasure to drink.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 03:11:32 | More by womencantsail

baconsausage

Vermont

4.33/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Convinced my sister to share this with me. Thanks sis!
I should say before hand that I dont care for saisons in general, but do apprciate the style and occasionally find one I really enjoy. This is one of those.

Pours a light hazy light straw yellow with some huge rocky head that fades away to soapy whisps of white lacing.

A bit of fruity funk in the nose. Tropical, I get some lemon cause I know its there.

Taste is sweeter than expected. Lots of soft fruit flavor, pinapple, some light tart lemonyness. Crisp and very refreshing, enjoyed this a great deal and is my favorite of all the saisons had at Hill.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 01:45:01 | More by baconsausage

kingcrowing

Vermont

4.85/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

750ml bottle poured into a tasting glass and split with the family after my grandfather's funeral.

Pours a hazy amber with a nice white head. Nose is funky Brett, a bit tart and very crisp.

Taste is exquisite, very bretty and tart, this is up there with many the great Belgians thative had, and ery refreshing with a full Mothfeel, an awesome beer. I wish I was up for a more I. The depth review.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 19:59:40 | More by kingcrowing

HopHead84

California

4.68/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

8/14/2011

Bottle poured into my Hill Farmstead glass on a lovely summer day. Bottle opens with a sinister hiss.

A: A soft pour yields a transparent straw yellow gold body with three fingers of white sea foam that recede in craters and caverns after five minutes. Thick sheets of soapy lacing are all over the glass. This beer looks fantastic.

S: Earthy and lightly musty, with bright notes of apple, pineapple, and pear. Tangerine is most pronounced, with a light tangelo zest presence. I get hay and a touch of mineral. There's a moderate floral presence with a light spiciness.

T: The flavor opens with a very light tartness accompanied by hay, earth, and a lightly spicy floral aspect, this segues into lightly sweet apple, pear, tangerine, and tangelo zest. There's a light leather note, as well as a lower earthy bitterness. The smooth finish displays pepper-like phenols with a light acidity and a nice dry highly attenuated finish.

M: Upper light body with high carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp and dry.

Overall: This is a delicious Saison, one of the best I've had. Seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 22:37:08 | More by HopHead84