Hill Farmstead Elaborative # 2

Hill Farmstead Elaborative # 2

Brewer's Description: 

Elaborative Two was brewed September 2012 with our friends Brad Clark and Ryan Burke. We crafted this farmstead ale with pumpkins grown by Ben’s Pumpkins. The beer was aged in a variety of wine barrels — as well as a barrel from Virtue Cider in Michigan — with wild yeast and bacteria. After a year, the unique threads were blended together and conditioned in the bottle.

So yes Im a huge Hill Farmstead fan... but I can confidently say I have never had a beer from this brewery that wasn't worth every dollar I spent on it. This one was no different !

My thoughts: 

Pours a deep golden almost copper color with a finger plus of sticky eggshell foam. Lots of interesting layers of rustic grain, vinous wet wood funk, black tea and lemon. To simplify the flavors it taste like a arnold palmer... lots of earthy tea qualities assuming from the barrels as well as the pumpkin addition with nice tart lemon notes. The barrel funk adds beautiful complexity to this mix and the palate is a bit round and fuller than a typical hill saison but the carbonation level is perfect. Im really digging this beer from beginning to end. Delicious !

Buy, Forage & Hoard or Pass By?

Ok well lets be honest... if you didn't make the trek to the hills of Greensboro, VT for the release of this beer than you simply couldn't buy it. But there may be some bottles still lurking around in the cellars of fellow foragers and hoarders... some of those people may have no idea just how good this "pumpkin" beer is.
Try to forage this one with all your might, and if you disagree...
send me a message and Ill make you an very fair offer for your bottle !

Final Rating: 

AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 18/20

Final Score:

4.4 out of 5