Flight Friday: Edward
In the past few weeks, if you engaged me in conversation about anything, I would undoubtedly find a way to mention how beautiful our recent journey through Vermont was. One of our favorite experiences during our time up there was visiting Hill Farmstead Brewery, where we were completely captivated by the sheer beauty and the calming ambiance of the place. Today, I'm excited to break from the usual Tree House Friday as it seems to have been lately, and bring you Hill Farmstead's Edward. Edward is appropriately named for Shaun Hill's grandfather who passed in 2002. Shaun began Hill Farmstead on the land that once belonged to his grandfather and his five children and this beer was made in his honor. This beer comes in at an easy-drinking 5.2% ABV and features American Northeastern hop varieties of Centennial, Chinook, Columbus, and Simcoe. You can read Hill Farmstead's full take on the beer here: https://hillfarmstead.com/beer/edward/ Let's dive in and I'll give you my thoughts on what makes this pale ale so amazing!
Appearance: Poured into a nonic pint glass, this beer appears semi-hazy with a nice solid golden hue. Great head retention that seemed very inviting.
Aroma: You can tell this beer underwent a good bit of dry-hopping and has some good quality aromatics. Stepping back from the heavier, bigger IPAs, this beer has less in the way of any phenolic or ester-like qualities. Big notes of citrus in the form of orange and a bit of grapefruit.
Flavor: This pale ale leans slightly towards the hazy style, though it doesn't quite reach the same haziness level as your typical hazy IPA or double IPA. Right from the get-go, it hits you with a robust wave of bitterness, beautifully complemented by vibrant orange and tangerine notes. Beyond this initial burst of citrus, subtle hints of lemon and honeydew melon emerge in the background. The mouthfeel, soft and velvety, coexists harmoniously with a light and crisp character. Additionally, this beer boasts a pleasant malt backbone, featuring delicate bread and cracker-like undertones. In essence, it embodies the quintessential American pale ale style while also infusing a subtle New England influence throughout the entire brew. In the case of Edward, I'm bestowing upon it a remarkable rating of 9.7/10. My only lament lies in the limited distribution of this exceptional brew beyond the confines of the Northeast. I'm confident it would become a mainstay in my refrigerator, particularly for those easygoing day-drinking occasions!
I hope everyone enjoyed this review and more to come from Hill Farmstead in the very near future! Cheers, happy Friday everyone!