What Is Enlightenment? - Hill Farmstead Brewery

CliffBrake

New Hampshire

4.65/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Hazy pale orange-yellow color with a large frothy head. Great retention, leaving gobs of lacing on the glass.

The aroma is prominent, complex, and HOPPY! It is hard to pick out which notes are dominant....apple, pine, (pineapple?), grapefruit, mint, a bit of bitter orange rind. It is easy to let the imagination go and just explore the complexity of the aroma and the flavor that follows suit with a suite of fruity and spicy hop characteristics.

The malt base is a very neutral presence that is felt more in the mouthfeel than in the flavor. There is a touch of sweet bread that provides the perfect stage for the hops and unlike a lot of the super hoppy APA's on the market, the mouthfeel is round and does not feel thin or out of balance with the big hop presence. The finish is crisp and dry.

What is enlightenment? Well in this case it is when a hop lovers dream is fully realized in a truly balanced and sessionable ale. After a few more glasses, maybe a other aspects of enlightenment will reveal themselves. Cheers!

Serving type: growler

04-26-2012 21:04:13 | More by CliffBrake

goldenM13

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-20-2013 00:58:21 | More by goldenM13

GrumpyOldTroll

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +7.2%

05-20-2013 00:19:06 | More by GrumpyOldTroll

jbeervt

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-19-2013 16:48:06 | More by jbeervt

jrallen34

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-19-2013 15:03:13 | More by jrallen34

Greenplastic615

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +7.2%

05-19-2013 03:34:44 | More by Greenplastic615

scotv

New York

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-19-2013 00:20:06 | More by scotv

4ster

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-18-2013 20:11:34 | More by 4ster

AnitaBrewski

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -9.7%

05-18-2013 18:15:32 | More by AnitaBrewski

FrancisT

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-17-2013 18:02:03 | More by FrancisT

Thomas_Picton

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-17-2013 00:07:25 | More by Thomas_Picton

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-16-2013 21:49:06 | More by Slatetank

cfrances33

Illinois

4.74/5  rDev +7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

2L growler thanks to ILOVESTOUTS poured into a Hill Farmstead stem.

Pour: A lightly hazy pale mango, with a billowing, three fingers, soapy, thick white head. Incredible lacing - literal chunks of head are left on the glass. Head retains for a good portion of the pour

Smell: Bright tangerine and oranges up front, with a touch of mango. Some raw dough and a touch of uncooked oats balance the citrus juiciness. Some light pine is in there, too.

Taste: Tangerines and oranges mix with a light pine. Some floral hops. A nice doughy backbone provides a touch of delicate sweetness and prevents the hops from dominating too much. Finishes with a mix of doughy bread and tangerine juice.

Mouthfeel: Incredible. Perhaps the most drinkable beer I've ever had. Lightly bitter, but more juicy than anything. The malt profile provides some body, but only just. Sessionable and refreshing.

Overall: A pale ale that lives up to its hype. Absolutely delicious. Thanks Evan!

Serving type: growler

05-16-2013 17:11:13 | More by cfrances33

stanowsf

Connecticut

4.75/5  rDev +7.2%

05-16-2013 03:03:02 | More by stanowsf

jampics2

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-15-2013 17:01:34 | More by jampics2

Holland

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-14-2013 02:31:33 | More by Holland

wizmasta

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +12.9%

05-14-2013 02:00:01 | More by wizmasta

CB_Crowe

Vermont

4.5/5  rDev +1.6%

05-14-2013 01:51:55 | More by CB_Crowe

Heavy-G

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +7.2%

05-13-2013 19:34:38 | More by Heavy-G

flipdog0

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -9.7%

05-13-2013 18:48:54 | More by flipdog0

thezoobrew

New York

5/5  rDev +12.9%

05-13-2013 18:29:10 | More by thezoobrew

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-13-2013 15:52:10 | More by ColForbinBC

luvbier

Vermont

4.75/5  rDev +7.2%

05-13-2013 10:20:17 | More by luvbier

SpeedwayJim

New York

4.34/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Positive Pie. Reviewed from notes. Served in a Hill Farmstead pint.

Served with a 1 finger foamy white head with moderate retention. Beer is a cloudy pastel lemon. Lacing is thick and layered with very good stick. Real pretty. I wouldn't expect any less.

Nose is mango, citrus, and papaya with a splash of cane sugar and the slightest hop bitterness. Moderately aromatic. Solid.

Opens manga, papaya, and cane sugar sweetness. Pulpy and juicy in the middle with some citrus hop bitterness creeping in towards the end. A robust citrus malt backbone with a sprinkling of hop bite at the finish. Clean, tropical fruit aftertaste.

Light bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth and quenching in the mouth and goes down light and dry. Very drinkable. Clean finish with the slightest lingering aftertaste.

This pale ale really delivers and I wouldn't have expected any less from Hill Farmstead. Almost like an Ephraim light that I could drink all day long. An exception example of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2013 00:26:19 | More by SpeedwayJim

SPRichard

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-11-2013 16:55:25 | More by SPRichard