Category Archives: Ratings: 90 – 94

Treehouse Abstraction Vanilla & Abstraction Coffee Imperial Porters

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Treehouse Brewing, Abstraction Vanilla & Abstraction Coffee

(C) 2018 popsonhops

Treehouse Abstraction Coffee
Beer #: 1,146
Tasting: December 20, 2018
Style: Imperial Porter
ABV: 8.8%

Has a bit of an acrid flavor quality that cuts through flavors like a knife. Most likely the coffee bitterness and the alcohol ethers working in conjunction. A bit distracting as it mutes everything else down a few pegs. On the plus side, it has cocoa and nutty undertones but conversely I would like some more of a creamy mouthfeel with more mocha quality but it just wasn’t there. Still nice but only 90 points from me.

Treehouse Abstraction Vanilla
Beer #: 1,147
Tasting: December 28, 2018
Style: Imperial Porter
ABV: 8.8%

This is the clear winner when comparing these two imperial porters. Much smoother with just enough vanilla to make it push it to decadent. Not sure why this one presents more creamy than the coffee version, but it does. Like its counterpart, some nutty and cocoa flavors. I’ll push Treehouse Abstraction Vanilla a couple ticks ahead of its coffee counterpart. 92 points.

Thanks Mark for picking these up…glad you made it.

 

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Other Half Anniversary 3rd Anniversary IPA vs. Double Dry-Hopped Citra

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Other Half Anniversary (3rd) versus Other Half Double Dry Hopped All Citra Everything

(C) 2018 popsonhops

A friend texted me from the brewery…”“Go to the website, let me know what you want.”

With each request his reply was, “Don’t have that either”.

He and I are pretty in sync with beer so, he ultimately just said that the Double Dry-Hopped All Citra Everything – 92 points was excellent. Who am I to argue? That came with a second squealer of Other Half Anniversary (3th Anniversary).

I forgot that I had the Double Dry-Hopped All Citra Everything once before but I’ll admit this was better than I remember. Frankly, this eclipses the 3rd Other Half anniversary offering. I’d peg beer # 1,127 at 90 points. Super tropical, syrupy and boozy astringency.

Visit the Brewery Website

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Madness and Civilization #9 by Hill Farmstead Merry Christmas indeed!

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Madness and Civilization #9 Hill Farmstead

(C) 2017 popsonhops

Madness and Civilization #9

Tasting: December 31, 2017
Style: American Double / Imperial Stout
Beer #: 1,123
ABV: Not listed. My guess, 9.0% based ABV of components.

This bottle of Madness and Civilization was a surprise Christmas present. On the sight of the label, my eyes lit up like an eight-year-old. The only word I could utter out of my slack-jawed mouth was “wow”. Why wow? First, you have to appreciate that this is a beer that is only available at the brewery. Then you have to realize that this brewery is in the most remote area of northeastern Vermont. For persepctive, Hill Farmstead is about an hour from Stowe and about 25 miles from the Canadian border. On the drive to the brewery, you may spend a half an hour on unmarked dirt roads questioning your GPS. Lastly, you have to account that releases like this may only happen over a few days each month.

Notes from the brewery: This batch of Madness & Civilization is composed of Barrel-Aged Everett (PoH note: 8.0% ABV) and Birth of Tragedy (PoH note: 9.0%), each aged in our favorite bourbon barrels for 2 years, blended with fresh Genealogy (PoH note: 9.5% ABV), and then conditioned further with coconut and vanilla. After months of bottle conditioning, this beer is now ready for release and enjoyment.

This motor oil colored stout was a little cold at first pour and flavors were limited to a charred roasted flavor. Let it sit quite a bit, hoping that some of the adjunct flavors of vanilla and coconut would come through but I didn’t get any of those flavors. I shared this bottle with two others and they reported the same. I did pick up some cocoa, nuttiness and coffee. Mouthfeel is rich and decadent. Not as great as I was expecting but not as bad as getting underwear for Christmas. Madness & Civilization is a very good 92 points.

Read my thoughts on some other Hill Farmstead beer including Everett 97 points

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Skadoosh and Alena, The Alchemist A Pair of American-Style IPA

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Skadoosh American IPA and Alena American IPA by The Alchemist Brewery, Stowe, Vermont

(C) 2017 popsonhops

After a quick trip up to Hill Farmstead for the PBS Weekends with Yankee shoot, it was back on the road home. My friend had an early day the next day, so he was a sport in agreeing to a quick stop at the Alchemist in Stowe. I wish I thought to take some pictures but it really was a quick grab and go. Next time. My haul was some Heady Topper, The Crusher, Focal Banger and a four pack of Skadoosh and Alena.

Skadoosh:

Beer #: 1,121

This nonsensical word was used by Po, the main character in Kung Fu Panda. Apparently, it means “goodbye” or “peace”. On-line references say that this term is often used right before you beat someone’s ass. So, I assume the assaulting bitterness of this brew are appropos. There are progressive versions of Skadoosh, I believe this is version 12 as I see some on-line commentary about number 12 at the same time this was purchased. I’ll give Skadoosh 88 points.

Alena:

Beer #: 1,122

Start typing Alena in your Google search box. A few letters in Google takes over returning the most popular searches. Mine returned Alena Shiskova. It’s a beauty…uh the beer, well uh both…Here are John Kimmich’s thoughts

Yes, some mellow dankness up front. Definitely more polish than Skadoosh, some mellow juiciness, 90 points.

A flash back review of Focal Banger before it had a label!

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