Just wanted to send a huge shoutout to the folks at Farmhouse Tap and Grill for putting together such a great Hill Farmstead/Grassroots event last week. The crowds were well managed, the tap list was amazing (I’m always looking for an excuse to drink vintage Hill Farmstead, especially on draft, without dipping into my cellar) and the food selection was top notch as always (that lamb burger!!!).
I have to mention it was great to see and catch up with so many friends and the Hill Farmstead crew in Vermont in a little more laid back setting than usual. Given it’s an 8 hour round trip to Greensboro all too often my visits up there are brief in hopes of getting back home at a reasonable hour. As such, pictures from the event are sparse but the experience was well worth it.
Hill Farmstead Madness & Civilization #1 may have taken best beer of the night. 2012 Vera Mae was no slouch either.
This is Paul’s serious face, as he triple fists Hill Farmstead.
Our collection of beers piled up while we huddled near the heat vent under the tent.
2012 Hill Farmstead Anna. Perfect.
The lamb burger went beautifully with the latest batch of E. I’ll admit there was some confusion since the bottles were hand labeled and did not get a chance to hit the printer before being delivered for the event and some folks mistook these bottles for the 2012 version. Bob set me straight later on, but it’s worth mentioning that this year’s version, which was aged 1.5 years in wine barrels, is drinking so well and has such a nice signature Hill Farmstead funk it passed as a vintage batch without any of us second guessing it.
I also have to thank those for the recommendation to Penny Cluse for breakfast the next morning. The herb gravy biscuits, house made sausage, and chorizo tacos were truly outstanding.
Thanks again to everyone at Farmhouse and Hill Farmstead for putting on such a great event. I can only hope (but have my doubts due to the sheer number of people coming into town) that the Waterbury events for the Hill Farmstead anniversary will go as smoothly, but I look forward to seeing you all nevertheless.
I’ll end this post with this mild HDR shot I took of Church Street Marketplace. HDR is still new to me, I need a lot of practice, and I could definitely use a higher end piece of glass for these wide angle shots, but I’m not mad at this.
matthew 'fuj' scher 
Hey Fuj, FYI.
Hello,all! The Lionheart Pub would like to invite you to our Founders Beer Social on Wednesday, June 18th at 5:00PM . This Beer Social will feature 13 Founders Brewing Company beers on draft including Founders highly acclaimed and super limited Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS). KBS is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight. ABV is 11.2%. Obviously, we will offer flights for sampling and growler service for most of the beers. All beers will be specially priced. Cheese and Crackers will be served. Below, please find a menu for the event. Please come out and sample some excellent beers from Grand Rapids, Michigan. I hope to see you there. Thank you.
Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout Imperial Stout ABV. 11.2%
KBS is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight. A bit of backwoods pleasure without the banjo. This strong stout is brewed with a hint of coffee and vanilla then aged in oak bourbon barrels. Our process ensures that strong bourbon undertones come through in the finish in every batch we brew. We recommend decanting at room temperature and best enjoyed in a brandy snifter. Ratebeer: 100
Founders Imperial Stout Imperial Stout ABV. 10.5%
A fine companion to end a meal or relax in front of the hearth with, this robust ale will cellar well for years. Brewed with ten varieties of malted barley this stout is extremely smooth, complex and rich in body. We recommend serving at cellar temperature. Sit back and enjoy its richness and complexity, you’re about to drink the ultimate winter warmer.
Ratebeer: 100
Founders Backwoods Bastard Ale Scotch Ale ABV. 10.2%
Big and delicious for your ’perty mouth. Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts. A bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark cherries. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the palate.
Ratebeer: 100
Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA ABV. 12%
Founders most complex, most innovative, most feared and yet most revered ale produced. Massive in complexity the huge malt character balances the insane amount of alpha’s used to create this monster. More IBU’s than any brewery has documented, more than you would believe and dry-hopped for twenty-six days straight with a combination of 10 hop varieties. Dangerously drinkable and deliciously evil. We dare you to dance with the Devil. 112 IBUs. Ratebeer: 99
Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale Old Ale ABV. 9.8%
This Old Ale conjures up thoughts of classic sea fairing ports, there local pubs and the weathered fisherman that frequent them. In traditional style Curmudgeon is brewed with an intense focus on the malt bill creating a very strong, rich, malty characteristic and a sweetness indicative of its cousin the barleywine. We are especially proud of the balance in this beer making it deceptively smooth and drinkable at 9.8% alcohol by volume. Ratebeer: 98
Founders Rubaeus Fruit Beer ABV. 5.7%
Not another boring summer wheat beer or lemonade shandy—Rübæus is Founders’ way to celebrate the season’s warmest months. Optimizing the flavor of fresh raspberries added at multiple stages during fermentation, this stunning berry red masterpiece is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. No question about it, with a hefty malt bill and 5.7% ABV, this beer is 100% Founders. Ratebeer: 93
Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale Scotch Ale ABV. 8.5%
Founders flagship beer. Dirty Bastard is an absolute beautiful beer to behold. Dark ruby in color and brewed with ten varieties of imported malts this beer continuously lives up to its reputation as a bold and powerful ale. Dirty Bastard is complex in the finish with hints of smoke and peat paired with a malty richness, finalized with a good bit of hop attitude. This beer “ain’t fer the wee lads.” Ratebeer: 98
Founders Breakfast Stout Imperial Stout ABV. 8.3%
You’ve got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. We’re actually not sure if this is some type of coffee cake or a beer. Either way you can drink this ale with a fork. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose toped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that seems to never fade and makes you wish breakfast could last forever. Ratebeer: 100
Founders Nitro Oatmeal Stout Sweet Stout ABV. 4.5%
A Founders take on a classic style brewed with a generous amount of flaked oats, chocolate malt, roasted barely and a healthy helping of Nugget hops, Founders Oatmeal Stout is nitrogen-infused to give it an extra smooth and creamy mouthfeel. An attractive cascade effect gives this beer its forthright visual appeal—and the body and clean flavor delivers on that initial promise. Ratebeer: 95
Founders Centennial IPA India Pale Ale ABV. 7.2%
Selected as a benchmark for the Beer Judge Certification Program used in all American based beer judgings. Centennial IPA has quickly become the IPA of choice. Pour yourself a pint of this complex flavorful ale and bask in the frothy head’s floral bouquet. Relish the immense citrus accents, achieved by the abundance of dry hopping. This ale’s sweet, malty undertones balance the hop character with a finish that never turns too bitter.
Ratebeer: 99
Founders All Day IPA India Pale Ale ABV. 4.7%
The beer you’ve been waiting for. Keeps your taste satisfied while keeping your senses sharp. An all-day IPA naturally brewed with a complex array of malts, grains and hops. Balanced for optimal aromatic and a clean finish. The perfect reward for an honest day’s work and the ultimate companion to celebrate life’s simple pleasures. Ratebeer: 96
Founders Nitro Pale Ale Pale Ale ABV. 5.4%
A testament to Cascade hops in a bottle. This medium-bodied pale ale has a distinctive floral hop aroma and refreshing citrus flavor. You’ll notice a slight malty sweetness with a balanced hop finish. Perfect to enjoy anytime, anywhere. Ratebeer: 87
Founders Porter Porter ABV. 6.5%
Dark, Rich, and Sexy. Chocolate malts and four varieties of hops make this a very full flavored ale. Ratebeer: 100
Hey Fuj,
First time commenter here, but I’ve kept up with your blog a bit. Thanks for great post. Beautiful photography of beautiful, beautiful beers. I am constantly amazed at how incredible Hill Farmstead’s beer is. There’s a lot of amazing beer out there, but does this one brewer/brewery stand so tall above the rest (in my opinion)? It’s mindblowing. I always enjoy seeing people enjoy the Farmhouse, as it’s one of my favorite places to eat and drink, was just there for a HF Everett a few weeks ago. Glad you had a good time at the event!
*how does
Hey Chris, thanks for following along!
I’ll fully admit that I think Hill Farmstead is the best brewery in the world. Beer politics and people’s (often loud mouthed) opinions of the brewer aside, I just think that Hill Farmstead is producing some of the best beers in the world, regardless of style. And that’s the thing, whatever style it is they’re tackling it’s going to be amazing. And drinkable! That’s a big part of it for me.
There are people out there making crazy over the top mouth-puckering sours/hopped up Triple IPAs/barrel aged stouts, but all too often I find that’s just a gimmick, something to have a 3-4 ounce pour of at a bottle share and never revisit. With Hill Farmstead, they don’t make a single beer I couldn’t drink an whole bottle by myself, and pretty much all of it has me coming back for more. I cannot say that for any other brewery out there, which is why I never think twice taking the four hour drive up to Vermont to go to these events and grab bottles and growler fills so often.