Daybreak - Hill Farmstead Brewery

CliffBrake

New Hampshire

4.78/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Opaque black color with a small light tan head that maintains a slick of foam and leaves many small spots of lacing on the glass.

Aroma of chocolate and roasted malt with orange and a touch of alcohol. Very aromatic and complex.

Chocolate and orange are the primary flavors, and great complimentary flavors at that. Roasty with a tart acidity.

Velvety and creamy body with a bit of tart juiciness to balance the smoothness. A great mouthfeel for sipping and contemplating on its own, even independent of the flavors.

Decadent and intense. This is a great beer for sipping and enjoying slowly over the course of an evening. An awesome experience. I first had this on tap at the harvest festival last fall and it impressed me as one of the greatest beers of 2011. Now with a few more months in the bottle, it still has the power.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 01:43:03 | More by CliffBrake

tom10101

Quebec (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -16.3%

04-29-2013 22:22:17 | More by tom10101

Takeanotherswing

New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

03-06-2013 03:06:56 | More by Takeanotherswing

djrn2

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -4.3%

03-04-2013 23:55:52 | More by djrn2

tectactoe

Michigan

4.14/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This one pours completely black, not much light passes through this one, even at the edges. The head is tan with a slight tiny of grey. Some wet legging and a bit of spotty lacing is left along the edges of the glass. The aroma pounds forward with a helping of creamy coffee and some light hints of cocoa nibs. Some faint vanilla sits quietly in the background somewhere, accompanied by an almost bourbon-like warmth and character. Overall, it's a bit sweet and grainy on the nose, though I'm not getting much of a citrus character. Maybe a very, very faint hint of orange peel, but nothing that really stands out or catches my attention.

Daybreak starts off with a pillow of some lightly roasted malts and immediately dives into a somewhat smokey character, with a campfire-like charred component and hefty helpings of ash on the back end. Halfway through, the citrus comes out, and in a pretty big way; a nice blast of orange zest and lemon rind rushes to the corners of my mouth and provides a solid sweetness that isn't quite strong enough to be "tart". As quickly as this citrus joined the party, it bows it head and ducks out just as quick, leading the way into an aftertaste that's a bit nutty, woody, and very roasty. Alcohol is tame, especially considering it's 10.5% ABV. Medium-heavy body with a creamy texture and a mild amount of carbonation.

Very solid stout here, with a nice, albeit somewhat strange, addition of citrus flavors. Very drinkable and smooth given the high alcohol content. This went down without a problem, although I don't know if it's worth giving up a lot to get your hands on it. Nevertheless, still a solid stout all around.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 20:38:14 | More by tectactoe

Kelp

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

02-25-2013 04:43:48 | More by Kelp

jbuddle

New York

4/5  rDev -4.3%

01-22-2013 21:28:40 | More by jbuddle

Luk13

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -10.3%

01-22-2013 00:42:00 | More by Luk13

Quackus

New York

4/5  rDev -4.3%

01-18-2013 22:46:05 | More by Quackus

largadeer

California

4/5  rDev -4.3%

01-14-2013 04:39:19 | More by largadeer

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev -4.3%

01-13-2013 21:43:19 | More by spycow

afksports

New York

3.75/5  rDev -10.3%

01-09-2013 16:16:27 | More by afksports

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Sweetwater mini-snifter.

For whatever reason, this beer makes me think of bad vampire novels or something... Anyway, it pours a deep dark sienna topped by a finger of light brown foam. The nose comprises candied orange peel, dry roasted malts, buttery toffee, and dusty lemon zest. The taste holds notes of mandarin orange syrup, roasted malts, light dark chocolate powder, and candied orange peel. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a very light moderate carbonation, a smooth feel, and a dry finish. Overall, a pretty nice stout, one that shows that a stout can indeed be blended with fruity elements without the latter taking over and ruining things, but it wasn't entirely my cup of tea: While the elements didn't actually clash, they didn't seem in complete cooperation and harmony, either. Still, it didn't turn out all that badly...

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 21:27:29 | More by TMoney2591

homebrew311

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours opaque black with dark brown layer of head, spotty lacing left behind. Nose has dark chocolate and earthy hops paired with bright orange character. Notes of creamy vanilla, chocolate, and spicy character that I am familiar with from other Mikeller stouts. Taste is heavy on chocolate, roast, light on Citrus character. Some malty sweetness in the middle. Mouthfeel is moderate with light carbonation. Overall, it is quite interesting, the orange doesn't come through on the palate as much as I would have hoped.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 22:54:04 | More by homebrew311

Florida9

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: very dark. Appears black, but light around the edge shows this to be dark brown. Forms a frothy mocha colored head. No lacing.

S: Lots of roasted malts. Maybe a little char. There is some citrus as well, but its a bit more acidic smelling than it would be from hops.

T: Roasted malts, light sweetness. Orange. Chocolate and cocoa. Citrus.

M: on the heavier side of medium, but a little thin for the style. Lower carbonation. Mild bitterness. Slight citric acidity.

O: A good beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 22:53:08 | More by Florida9

BeerCosmonaut

Vermont

4/5  rDev -4.3%

01-05-2013 04:42:37 | More by BeerCosmonaut

doughanson78

Washington

4/5  rDev -4.3%

01-05-2013 03:29:25 | More by doughanson78

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Josh for this one. 500ml bottle into a Cigar City snifter. Shared with schen9303.

Pours a big, 2 finger frothy mocha head with good retention. Beer is opaque black with stringy, thick lacing with decent cling. Moderately oily legs. Very solid overall.

Nose is orange rind, cocoa powder, liquorice, fudge, roasted malt, and lactose. Aromatic. Decently complex though a touch grainy.

Opens sweet fudge, mocha, and chocolate. Some citrus sweet notes float in and out but don't really make their presence felt. Roasted malt tartness with lactose to smooth things out at the middle. Finishes chocolate and some dark fruit. Coffee, cocoa powder, and roasted malt in the aftertaste. Decent. This one grows on you with time.

Medium to full bodied with low carbonation. Silky and rich in the mouth and warm with a touch of heat going down. Messy finish with a sticky, lingering aftertaste. Near perfect as always with Hill Farmstead.

Although this is still a very solid creation, its not one of the better dark beers from Hill Farmstead. That's not a knock against Daybreak but rather a complement to the incredible lineup from HF. Probably not worth the asking price but I wouldn't mind revisiting this in the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 02:42:09 | More by SpeedwayJim

chippo33

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

11-30-2012 03:22:16 | More by chippo33

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

pour is jet black with creamy dark caramel head. Nose is heavier on the roast coffee, light vanilla and some touch of milk chocolate, light cherry and fair bit of citrus takes over. Body is thick, very heavy and creamy, taste is heavy roast coffee with notes of peat. There is some milk chocolate mid palate and faint sweetness in back and a slowly increasing citrus very powerful in back. It's almost like a loaded hop stout with assertive carbonation and a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 18:38:36 | More by cpetrone84

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4/5  rDev -4.3%

11-27-2012 18:37:45 | More by coreyfmcdonald

Mark000

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -4.3%

10-21-2012 16:52:43 | More by Mark000

buffs9

Colorado

4/5  rDev -4.3%

10-14-2012 20:46:34 | More by buffs9

xenjoiii

New York

4/5  rDev -4.3%

10-08-2012 02:45:22 | More by xenjoiii

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle into some snifters. The brew appears brown in color with some ruby brown clarity when held to the light. A finger of mocha head sits atop and slowly fades leaving spotty lacing on the glass. A swirl revives a finger back to the surface.

The aroma includes a hearty inclusion of musty coffee coupled with pulp from oranges. It has a bit of a soapy feel before the onset of more citrus as fruity alcohol notes. There is am herbal aspect and a minor veggie element here that while not obnoxious, just doesnt totally work for me.

The taste is bitter like chocolate with some hebal hops and a strong flavor of musty coffee. Some orange zest brighten things up a bit and transitions the flavor away from stale coffee. More sips reveal an earthen flavor mixed with fruit and some catty to veggie hop quality.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is musty and bitter with zesty elements which is unique but not good enough to warrent the trouble acquiring again. Its not a terrible brew but its also something I really wouldnt be interested in again either. Old coffee plus orange zest just didnt pan out all that well together.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 19:25:27 | More by stakem