Biere De Norma - Hill Farmstead Brewery

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

pour is orangish red with an off white head leaving a decent lace. Nose is heavy red wine, juicy dark grape, notes of oak, very rustic and pleasant. Taste is a bit muted, the red wine is there but the finish is a touch empty. More Brett but not pronounced, leathery and dusty. Body is light, assertive carbonation, and a touch of dryness to it.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 20:05:47 | More by cpetrone84

merc7186

New York

4.21/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2013 release. Bomber into snifter glass.

A: Reddish/Amber Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Red Wine Barrel, Funky, Yeast

T: Currants, Yeast, Mild Red Wine

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Drying

Overall, too much hype...good but not great.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:01:57 | More by merc7186

Luk13

Quebec (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle. Hazy dark gold pour with white head, very pretty, almost glowing orange. Aroma has some brett, peach, lots of oak, vanilla, light buttery aroma, honey. Taste like TDD Dulcis, grape peel, honey, grain, butter, vanilla, very tasty. Not really sour but has a nice funk and a tart, citric finish. Palate is well carbed, and full bodied. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 17:30:18 | More by Luk13

jaasen64

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle poured into HF stemmed glass. 2012 vintage- 1200 bottles, ~850 released. Second time having this in the last month.

A- Pours a slightly murky reddish brown with a slight yellowish hue. Thin layer of white foamy head that leaves some spotty lacing and recedes to a fairly flat top.

S- Vinous fruits, sweet lightly bready malts, light sauvignon blanc wine and oak presence that balances nicely with the vinous fruits, slight vinegar tartness.

T- Vinous fruits of light grapes, some cherries, etc. (not overly fruity), balanced with sweet malts that have a subtle bready presence, finishes with a fairly light tart presence, some light oak, and wine presence. Very well balanced although a little bit sweeter then I was expecting and slighlty less tart then I was hoping.

M- Medium bodied, very easy drinking, just the right amount of carbonation, smooth.

O- This was another great beer from HF, but I wouldn't say I was blown away by it. It was slightly different then I was expecting having a slightly sweeter and less tart presence then I was expecting. I've only had a few Biere de Gardes as I wouldn't say it's a style that is brewed a lot, but this is easily the best of the style I've had and perhaps one of the best representations of the style out there. That being said I wouldn't say I enjoyed this that much more then Shaun's more common offerings such as Anna, Arthur, etc.. I highly recommend checking it out though and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 19:40:15 | More by jaasen64

jbuddle

New York

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

Had this about 3 months ago and lucky enough to split a bottle last night with my friend who went to the release with me. Cheers, Eric!

A opaque ruby red with an off white head that lasts for hours, literally. Great lacing
S super fruity, much more than I remember. Some brett dancing in the background but dominated by juicy, tart, fruits. A bit of oak too.
T A bit of a letdown from the intensely fruit forward nose, but still quite good. Citrus fruits, some pineapple and kiwi come to mind, all balanced by a nice bready backbone. Pretty funky and musty, just a bit of sourness coming around.
M Fantastic light and airy. Not super carbed like some bretty AWA's, but it did gush a bit after opening.
O A fantastic beer from HF as usual. This has developed some serious fruit notes and is starting to get a bit more sour.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 14:57:08 | More by jbuddle

ehammond1

California

4.28/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Bottle (2013)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, baconsausage!

Dark orange or a glowing, light ruby in color. Nearly clear, though some faint sediment visible throughout. Pillowy near-white head. Irregular dots of stick left down the glass.

Tart fruit, musk and dust, a little bit of farmhouse funk, and oak combine quite nicely. A bit of a yogurt character, red grape, and dried cherry character as well.

The flavor is similar to the aroma, with the farmhouse funk, dried grass, red grapes, and sun-dried cherry flavors leading the way. A bit of a muted citrus character as well. Some simple grain and bread notes, but tasty and complementary.

Medium mouthfeel with high, but creamy, carbonation. Disappearing.

Excellent departure from the style. Unique, flavorful, and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 17:13:02 | More by ehammond1

largadeer

Kentucky

4.31/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Amber body with some haziness, topped by a thin clinging head.

Vinous funk on the nose. Tamarind, leather, barnyard. Slight oxidation, touch of caramel malt sweetness. Smells quite good.

Heavy on the wine barrel, which brings an interesting tamarind and currant quality. Plenty of barnyard funkiness, too. Feels pretty big - good flavors but a bit heavy on the palate. Acidity is moderate. Finishes with lingering tamarind and red wine flavors. Pretty damn good, one of the better farmhouse ales from Hill Farmstead.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 23:15:33 | More by largadeer

drabmuh

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks Michael, beer served in a Hill Farmstead glass. Beer is ruby and mostly clear with an off white head of small and medium bubbles, some lacing, moderate retention, moderate to low carbonation.

Aroma is good, a little oaky, woody, earthy, sweet, yeast comes through nicely.

A very nice beer, delicate and complex with hints of oak, esters, yeast, mild funk, sweetness as well. An overall great beer and I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 21:02:41 | More by drabmuh

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This poured out as a deep amber color, the head was white and foamy. The retention was good and the lacing was decent. The smell of the beer was huge with fresh oak, very wooden and kind of funky. The aroma was quite impressive. The taste of the beer is malty, but has a softer oak flavor that I expected it to have judging by how strong the aroma is. There is a bit of light caramel in the aftertaste also. The mouthfeel medium bodied with a big amount of carbonation. The beer finishes on he dry side with a tart sting in the back of the tongue. Overall this beer is very nice, really impressive stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:50:14 | More by Knapp85

MasterSki

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle generously shared by Sean. Served in a tulip.

A - White foam settles to a thick collar, near-complete cap, and fingers of lace. Opaque dark orange body.

S - Tons of tropical and dusty brett, spicy and tangy oak, vanilla yogurt, light sourness, and a the bready malts you'd expect from a bière de garde. There's a mildly savory dill note.

T - The taste is a little malt-forward, with the bread and yeast flavors mingling with notes of stone fruit, vinous oak, earthy brett, green apple skin, and a lightly acidic lemon finish.

M - Smooth, medium-full body, with pleasant moderate carbonation, no alcohol presence, and a dry and mildly oaky finish.

D - Shaun's barrel-aging prowess and spontaneous culture have transformed a style I don't generally love into a very enjoyable experience. The oaky, earthy, and vinous notes balance out the malt character of the base quite nicely. That being said, it's not a beer I'd crave often - this may be too sophisticated for my palate.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 18:37:40 | More by MasterSki

Etan

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml into a tulip. Batch 2.

A: Pours a slightly murky dark amber with a nice off-white head.

S: Red wine tannins, clean lactic notes, mild acetic character, overripe cherry, leather, pineapple, a hint of caramel sweetness.

T: Taste brings moderate lactic tartness, more notes of cherry and currant, toasted grain, buttery oak tannins, vinous, apricot, a bit of pleasant wild mustiness, mild floral bitterness, dry finish.

M: Medium-bodied with silky carbonation.

O: What a treat. I can imagine this aging well in the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 02:09:44 | More by Etan

Sean9689

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared at Fountainhead.

A - Pours a burnt reddish/orange color, off-white head, sticky lace, thin cap, nice collar.

S - Tart fruit, oak, funky farmhouse notes, citrus zest. A nice mix of tartness, funk, and oak really work well together. It has just enough tartness and just enough sweetness to really capture everything.

T - Really nice oak & tart notes mixed with the funk from the base beer. Some tart fruit, oak, citrus, cherry yogurt, touch of malts. Hard to put everything into words, so I'll just say "try this".

M - Medium body, good carbonation, refreshing, dry finish.

O - This is more wild then Bière de Garde, no doubt. One of my favorite beers that I've had from HF (and I've had most all of them). I have one bottle left that I'm going to cellar for a year or so and revisit...hopefully, I'll run into another during that time. Recommend.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 14:31:39 | More by Sean9689

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Huge, huge thanks to yourefragile for sharing this beer. Served in a Hill Farmstead wine glass. Pours a light reddish-brown color with a short tan head. Good retention and a good bit of lacing throughout. The nose carries some typical biere de garde character, with some semi-sweet malt and a touch of bread, followed up with a nice oak component. Also there is a bit of cherry alongside some faint acidity. The acid component grows through the flavor, leading the way to an exquisite mouthfeel -- dry, tart, and a nice bit of oak. Even after just having Ann, this was a beautiful beer and one of the better ones I’ve had in a long time. A great take on the biere de garde style, without being in name only.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 19:32:50 | More by Thorpe429

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

750 ml bottle generously shared at the Peg's tasting on 3/8/13.

A- Pours a murky orange color, topped with a thin white head.

S- Sweet aroma of peach, apricot, brett, oak, and bready, grainy malt.

T- Bready malts and yeast upfront, followed by a nice, slightly tart, brett flavor with some peach, dry oak and a vinous, dry finish.

M- Medium-bodied, smooth feel, dry finish.

O- A very nice beer, the dry, vinous, oaky flavors and the fruity brett are really nice, the flavors are complex but very subtle, awesome stuff overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 03:49:49 | More by WillCarrera

UCLABrewN84

California

4.43/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Callmecoon for sharing this one at Retsinis' tasting.

2012 vintage. 1200 bottles.

Pours a clear dark orange with a foamy bone colored head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Tiny dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is sour and tart with fruit, acidic, and wood aromas. Taste is much the same with fruit and grain flavors on the finish. There is a medium amount of acidity on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with some great aromas and flavors that make this beer super easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 04:38:09 | More by UCLABrewN84

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.45/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle thanks to yourefragile. Thanks! Served side by side with HF Ann. Like a boss.

Served in a Hill Farmstead wine glass.

The beer is hazy and dark orange with a half inch of off white head.

The aroma brings oranges, citrus, malt, grass, light spice. Smells great.

The initial flavor is malty, followed by some earthy citrus. Again, very well done. Light spice, grass, tangerine.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Another winner from Shaun and Hill Farmstead. More confirmation that HF is one of the best breweries on the planet.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 20:19:59 | More by Huhzubendah

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a semi-cloudy deep ruby red color with a light, bubbly, semi-frothy white head, very good legs and sticks to the glass.

S - Oak, white grapes, tart red grapes, barnyard, funk sweetness,

T- Tart, oak, red and white grapes with a lingering puckering sourness., fruity.

M - Full medium body, thick, puckering.

O - ery unique and amazing.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 21:12:57 | More by jzeilinger

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

4.46/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle 7,0% Abv.
Served chilled in an over sized wine glass.
2011 Vintage
Bottle number 110

Thanks to gn0sis for this bottle.

Appearance: Norma pours out quite a lot dark than expected - appearing a reddish brown in the glass. A standard pour yields a massive off-white head that lasts really well and coats the glass in thick lacing as it recedes.

Smell: I have only had one other Bière de Garde to date (3 Monts) and this certainly smells a whole lot funkier and more rustic than that. Big dusty brett notes dominate the initial aroma, with dry grass, a big lactic character (almost yogurty), tart white grapes, a little oak, some citrus, sweeter fruits (pineapple and peach), dry autumn leaves and a light vinous note all soon becoming apparent.

Taste: The flavour is lightly tart, quite dry and fantastically refreshing - perfect for a sweltering summers day (the temperature just hit 40 °C). As with the nose, the flavour is quite rustic, with dusty brett and tart fruits dominating the flavour. Flavour notes include: Dusty autumn leaves, dry grass, some lactic tartness, an earthy quality, tart white grapes, citrus, peach, green apple peel and a little oak.

Mouthfeel: Light-medium body, with a high level of expansive but soft carbonation.

Overall: Norma is a great rustic ale and I could imagine drinking it on some small farm in the middle of nowhere with fresh bread and homemade cheese. I do however think it is one of those beers that would have escaped notice had it not come from HF.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 08:44:07 | More by Thehuntmaster

owend

New Hampshire

4.48/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-red hued, slightly murky dark copper color with a small white head that leaves behind some light lacing

S- funky along with a nice blend of fruity sweetness, oak, a bit of grass, and bready malts.

T- Bready malts with a sharp sour apple tartness nicely cut with oak overtones. Hints of not quite ripe stone fruits, including apricot and plum. Dry finish with a bit of lingering tartness on the back of the tongue.

M-relatively low carb, medium body.

O-Another very nice offering from HF. Very complex beer that offers a wonderful blend of flavors that truly develop during tasting

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 00:21:01 | More by owend

SABERG

Massachusetts

4.51/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Served into an HFP snifter.

A - Color copper, rust, tinges of burnt umber. Fine formation and retention, lacing throughout.

S - Wine, grass, ruby fruit, apricot and fresh leather. As it warms even more complex with fig and light tannins.

T - Smart, sharp tones of fruit wine, young fig, autunm flowers, mild tart mid and dry finish.

M - Initially oily then dry tight closure, tart singularity, fine blend of carbonation and body. Interesting that it could be served as an appartif, or cordial.

O - Barrel touch adds to the Biere de Mars style, complex offering from a talented craftsmen ( team). The offering is a challenge, and a pleasure. What a treasure this is.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 01:45:32 | More by SABERG

yourefragile

District of Columbia

4.54/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL 2011 bottle. Thanks Tucker. Shared shortly after the Ann release.

Pours a generally clear ruby brown with a large off white head. Long retention and sticky, thick lacing. Nose is a complex blend of sweet bread, malt, woodsy and earthy oak, vanilla, and yeasty spice. Flavor is more of the same as the nose, funky and earthy, spicy yeast and oak, mild vanilla and malt sweetness. Medium thick body, prickly carbonation, mild tartness in the finish. Just wow, as nice as Ann was, this was the standout for me. Edit: Early sample of the 2012 batch was equally special, with a little more barrel (port like) and fruit presence than I remembered from the 2011 bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 01:06:18 | More by yourefragile

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks a ton to shaun for this one, REALLY thanks Shaun. 2011 vintage, bottle number 43 of 300

Gorgeous fluffy head fluffy and rises up to over 1 finger, nice sticky lacing drops down the sides slowly. The beer is a mostly clear golden tan slight honey orange colored.

Nose, yup thats funky alright, a light horsehair wet blanket funk but not overpowering, then nice tart fruit, plenty of sourness with a definite lacto, hints of reddish berry like sour fruit.Under that is a nice saison, light saison malts, wheat like and hint of yeast spices. Touches of barrel aroma.

Taste starts rick and smooth, creamy and malty actually, with light saison malts, light toasty reddish malts as well, with a nice light buttery today oak. So much creamy milk like lactose sugar... So much creamier than I expected. Then funk, just a bit of horse blanket funk, but plenty of sourness. Tart berries almost wild berry like but not quite that much berry just fruit, a juicy tartness but dry bready malt juxtaposition. Tons of carbonation helps to keep the palate from getting too bogged down in tartness and creaminess. Finish is dry but slightly sticky, just a touch phlemy, light bready malts, more creamy lactose, some lingering funk, and tart fruit, and a light bitterness comes through with earthy fruit stem like and a bit of floral hops.

Mouth is ridiculously creamy but plenty of carbonation to offset the sour and creamy.

Overall awesome, I would call this an American wild over biere de garde, or saison, but delicious. Great wild funk, sour fruit, saison like malts, hunts of barrel, light biter hops late in the finish, and delicious delicious lacto.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 01:34:45 | More by jlindros

Skrip

South Carolina

4.59/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into a Hill Farmstead oversized wine glass.

A~ ruby red hue, darkish brown, slight copper color. nice white fluffy head and a little lacing.

S~ some orange and lemon/lime tartness followed by lots of oak.

T~ wow! grapes and black cherrys up front, then comes the orange, grapefruit, lemon/lime tartness. followed by a lot of oak just like the on the nose. pretty sour all the way through. this has crazy complexity and is still very well balanced.

M~ heres where the honey comes into play, smooth but rather thick. perfectly carbonated and slightly dry from the tartness.

O~ yup... amazing! why did i ever doubt it? well probably because Biere De Mars usually isn't my go to style but this definitely stands out from everyone i've ever had. a little of their saison style comes through as well, which i find in some of their beers like Abner and Wheat Is The New Hops. this is exactly what i love about HF. their well water also might have something to do with their outstanding brews. next time i go up there i'm totally asking them to fill a growler with their water haha.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 02:55:13 | More by Skrip

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.6/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A huge thanks to Shaun Hill for the bottle of Norma. Bottle number 43/300. Poured into an Ommegang tulip.

A - Poured a hazy golden amber that resembles a legitimate piece of Jurassic park style amber. A great head of off white cream that spontaneously former a two finger blanket later slumps to a half finger dense creamy pillow. Light side lacing.

S - Aromas of horse hair blanket and sour dense lacto dominate the nose in such an enjoyable manner. Wonderful barrel notes are faded into with some slight alcohol coming through. Slight Carmel sweetness is there too. Most aromas are dominated by the lacto and barnyard funk.

T - Wow. This is amazing. I've never had a beer with this much lacto flavour in it! Its like drinking a glass of heavy creamy with sour tart berries and funk. So much lacto, my goodness. Sour tart berries (raspberry) and nice strong barnyard funk. Great funky yeast here. Almost like a wild. Really really different.

M - Mouthfeel is just awesome. Enough carbonation to keep this from being well, too creamy and milky. Tart and sour in the mouth the alcohol isn't even remotely noticeable. Crazy drinkable.

O - Overall this beer was one of the hardest I've had to review. It transcends styles and is so damn lacto. Its just delicious. Really outstanding. All areas of lacto in this with wild ale style funk and tartness. Really enjoyable beer. Like nothing I've ever had before and will probably never have again.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 22:30:59 | More by rudzud

davey101

Connecticut

4.6/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml red waxxed bottle into a tulip glass. 2012 vintage, 1200 bottles. Shared moments after returning to CT from the Norma release on an outside patio in the cold. Can't beat it! Quick notes I jotted down.

A - Pours a cloudy dark red body. Messy off-white foam.

S - My first thought was of a Flemmish bruin. Has a lactic twang with some cherries, vinegar, apricot and plenty of oak. Some musky saison notes with a touch of caramel.

T - Tart cherries and vinegar, caramel malts, funky earthy notes, fresh apricot, and some light oak and vanilla. Really complex and tasty. The finish was unreal though. The beer was incredibly tart and then it just vanishes away. Medium bodied with nice carb.

O - The first half of the glass left me a bit underwhelmed. The more I thought about the beer the more I liked it though. Its incredibly complex and unique. Super tart with a perfectly clean finish. It drinks way too easily. Certainly worth the effort to get a bottle in person.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 04:51:15 | More by davey101