Walden - Hill Farmstead Brewery

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This one should be really interesting. collab between two of the best IPA/Pale ale breweries in U.S. Can't wait to crack it.

It pours a nice creamy fluffy big bubbled 1 finger head that fades at a med pace with some pot marked lacing, over super hazy blond slightly straw and banana colored beer.

Nose is almost exactly as I expected... it has a touch of heady topper with a touch of Hill Farmstead hops together it seems. Fresh tropical fruit, mango, papaya, guava, hint of pineapple, hint of musty fresh resinous aroma, just a touch of citrus tangerine. And the faintest hint of a light creamy malt underneath.

Taste comes on lighter at first, with a light creamy malt base to start, which makes the beer very drinkable. Then comes the fruity hops, tropical fruit galore, light mango and papaya start, followed by guava, tangerine citrus, hell there's even a hint of banana in there! A faint hint of resinous hop flavor with a touch of citrus rind and passion fruit. Bitterness is very light but lets you know it's there. A touch of lemongrass round off the hop flavors. A hint of sweetness but mostly dry, and smooth creamy malt profile. Finish is drier with a long lingering light bitterness, a hint more tropical fruit hops, a bit of citrus and resin, and a bit of light blond malts lingering.

Mouth is med to slightly lighter bodied, very soft feeling, with decent carb.

Overall... this is what a blond should be. Not any of that light malts and hint of hops. This is a blend of lots of tropical fruits, lighter malts with a full taste profile and soft feel, and ridiculously drinkable. I could pound the entire 750ml growler in a few minutes if I'm not careful. I don't think you can do a blond better, probably pinnacle of the style!

Serving type: growler

07-22-2012 20:18:13 | More by jlindros

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.96/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

The collaboration that forced me to drive to VT.

A-Pours like hoppy beers from both breweries. Very hazy but still displays that never ending glow. This one is incredibly opaque. Bubbly white head is rocky. Leaves lacing explosions along my new Alchemist glass. Beautiful.

S-An absolute perfect aroma. How on Earth did they pack such an aroma in a 4% brew!? Über-tropical nose. Smells like carbonated pineapple juice. Light Animal Cracker malt. Hoppiness almost defies reality for such a low gravity brew. One sniff and you know the Alchemist was involved. Another sniff and you're sure Hill Farmstead worked their magic too.

T-My god. This has a more beautifully molded hop bouquet than literally 9 out of every 10 Double IPAs I have tried. As hoppy as a 9% ABV DIPA. Pineapple, fresh cut grass, light pine, apples, grapefruit...you name it and it's present in the flavor. Amazing.

M-The body is unacceptably sessionable. Light and crisp with a perfectly dry finish. Moderate bitterness. Just shockingly light in body.

O/D-My two favorite breweries absolutely KILLED this collaboration. Has the flavor of a top-tier DIPA yet it has the feel of a Blonde Ale. This is why craft beer is my biggest hobby. I could drink this and only this every day and be completely satisfied. The perfect mixture of sessionability and hoppiness. If this can stand up to the best DIPAs and IPAs I have tried, it deserves a huge rating.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2012 22:22:14 | More by VelvetExtract

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is Shaun Hill's first in a line of Blonde Ales and was a collaboration with John Kimmich from The Alchemist. This beer is 40 IBUs and was hopped with Motueka, Amarillo, and Simcoe.

A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a beautiful hazy straw hue with an excellent two finger white creamy head that fades to leave sticky, thick side lacing. An appearance that is quickly becoming tell tale of a Hill Farmstead beer.

S - Smell is out of this world to be honest. Massive amounts of this tropical fruit punch / tuti fruiti aroma that I am guessing is coming from the Motueka. Its super fresh and super clean smelling.

T - Light grassy, very very lightly bitter hops start the flavour off. This is immediately followed by more of those tropical hawaiin punch / tuti fruiti flavours. That taste is awesome. Its a deliciously hopped session pale/blonde.

M - Mouthfeel is nice. Maybe due to the lower ABV it feels just the hairest thin and doesnt quite have the body of a typical blonde. That said, god damn is this drinkable. Slightly bitter on the end and bursting with flavour.

O - Overall this is a superb beer once again from Hill Farmstead. The aromas and flavors on this are a home run. I wish more brewers created beers like this, or atleast it wasn't a 5 hour drive to get some HF.

Serving type: growler

07-21-2012 20:14:22 | More by rudzud