George - Hill Farmstead Brewery

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass at Capone's tonight.

The visual appeal of this deftly crafted brew is amazing. Deep and rich mahogany in color, George also sports a creamy top hat of foam for about 10 minutes before it dissipates. With every sip, a thick ring of lace forms, connected with the previous ring by delicate spiderwebbing.

The nose is rich and quintessential for a brown ale. Raisins, brown sugar, toasted bread, and even a hint of coffee lure me in. A good amount of bitterness balances the sweetness just so. This is phenomenal. On the palate, it opens up even more to reveal a notable bitterness, but even more shockingly, a blast of tangerine throughout, which somehow works with the bready, sweet, and coffee notes that dominated the aroma.

One of the most interesting brown ales that I have had the chance to try, and I am very glad that I did. Hill Farmstead hits a delicate balance of an over-bittered brown ale that didn't just turn into a dark IPA, and their ability to infuse the citrus with the coffee and raisin bread character of the beer is nothing short of masterful.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2012 04:00:57 | More by NittanyBeerFan

Hendry

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

George is one of the more overlooked offerings from HFS, and this 750ml growler was filled 3 weeks ago in Greensboro Bend.

Pours a deep,nearly opaque brown with a tall foamy ecru head that reduces to nothing,lacing only average.

Aroma is filled with roasted malts and coffee along with some balsa wood, with hops certainly present.

Taste is also quite roasty and rich.Deep flavors here and they change as it warms, becoming slightly cedary,some flavors of roasted nuts also lurking in the malty abyss.

Mouthfeel is medium to full, appropriate carbonation, some bitterness and acidity from the roasted flavors.

A very rich and satisfying Brown Ale, though not like one that I've ever tasted before. Definitely worth a try, quite interesting and unique.

Serving type: growler

05-25-2013 06:04:40 | More by Hendry

Mack2012

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

05-18-2013 04:04:09 | More by Mack2012

hphilip456

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

05-16-2013 03:31:20 | More by hphilip456

hoppymcgee

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%

05-14-2013 14:51:46 | More by hoppymcgee

Heavy-G

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

05-13-2013 19:34:08 | More by Heavy-G

sdaly3

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%

05-12-2013 23:51:18 | More by sdaly3

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +17.3%

05-12-2013 17:00:24 | More by mikeburd1128

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.31/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

750ml growler into a NEBCO 668 tulip.

Pours a 1 finger light coffee colored head with moderate retention. Beer is a dark, nearly opaque mahogany. Lacing is stringy and patchy with good stick. Solid.

Nose is roasted malt, walnut and chestnut shell, some caramel, and a touch of molasses sweetness. Surprisingly robust and pretty aromatic. I like this a lot!

Opens nutty. Brown sugar, walnut and chestnut shell and caramel towards the middle. More dark malt flavors float in towards the end. Finishes with a touch of booze and some molasses bittersweetness. Same in the aftertaste. Real rich. Great combination of flavors.

Light bodied with moderate to low carbonation. Slick and smooth in the mouth and goes down slick with the slightest bite. Slightly messy finish with a short, sticky aftertaste. I love it!

I'm actually a huge fan of brown ales in general. However, I have a strong preference towards robust browns that are less roasty with a bigger malt presence. George delivers on all fronts here. Its sweet and not too bitter, with a light feel that is, at the same time, full and very smooth. This is certainly a top tier brown!

Serving type: growler

05-12-2013 00:37:49 | More by SpeedwayJim

mdillon86

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.2%

05-11-2013 21:25:08 | More by mdillon86

SPRichard

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1.2%

05-11-2013 17:05:08 | More by SPRichard

cwelsh55

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.2%

05-11-2013 04:02:24 | More by cwelsh55

phishphorce

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.2%

05-11-2013 01:47:34 | More by phishphorce

IrishColonial

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

05-10-2013 22:18:18 | More by IrishColonial

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-dark brown color with a decent tan head and good lacing

S-dark malt, brown sugar, hint of coffee

T-dark roasted malt, coffee, brown sugar, light pine, moderate bitter finish

F- medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth and creamy

O- a nice brown ale with good flavor, good balance

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2013 22:37:37 | More by MDDMD

PicoPapa

Connecticut

4.09/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Taken from notes from a recent trip to Montreal and Vermont.

On tap at The Prohibition Pig. Pours a dark brown, almost black color with an inch of frothy head. A lot going on in the nose. Malts, bread, earth, nuts, and brown sugar. Hints of booze. The taste is of malts upfront with earth and brown sugar. Nutty with a slight citrus hop bitterness at the end. Creamy mouthfeel. Overall, a really good Brown ALe worth having again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2013 01:21:16 | More by PicoPapa

JaymeAyotte1

Vermont

4/5  rDev -1.2%

05-08-2013 00:45:24 | More by JaymeAyotte1

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

05-07-2013 23:28:15 | More by cadaugherty

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL growler poured into a Teku snifter.

Appearance - Deep amber. A few big bubbles. Nothing on the surface.

Smell - Nutty and chocolatey. Moderately hopped. Nice.

Taste - Hoppier than the nose implies. Nice nutty and chocolate flavor. Simple but nice. Just a bit of bitterness.

Mouthfeel - Medium body. Rich flavor. Medium low carbonation.

Overall - Quality beer as always. Nothing out of the ordinary but an excellent brown.

Serving type: growler

05-07-2013 01:04:47 | More by Alieniloquium

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

on tap at bainbridge barrel house - served in snifter

Pours an opaque chestnut brown with a thick crop of bubbled, tanned head. Dissolves slowly, leaving some rings of lacing on the glass while drinking.

Piny hops in the nose with smooth notes of cocoa beans, dark chocolate and toasted malts.

Smack of mildly bitter hops up front, piny and resinous. Full malt profile with cocoa and chocolate, backed by roasty notes. Nutty and softly sweet, finishes a bit hoppy and bitter.

Medium body, well carbonated, chewy and sticky on the tongue. A well-executed hopped up brown ale - yes, please.

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2013 21:43:15 | More by xnicknj

Tschnab

New York

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

05-06-2013 18:27:01 | More by Tschnab

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

05-05-2013 21:41:44 | More by tbeckett

stereosforgeeks

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%

05-03-2013 16:35:47 | More by stereosforgeeks

tom10101

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev -1.2%

04-29-2013 22:24:06 | More by tom10101

pearljam118

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

04-29-2013 20:58:56 | More by pearljam118