Tasting: June 12, 2015
Style: Saison
Beer # 761

Dorothy by Hill Farmstead

I’ve mentioned Hill Farmstead, The Alchemist and Lawson’s Finest Liquids as the pieces of the Vermont triumvirate of holy grail brewers. Until yesterday, Hill Farmstead was the only brewery of the three that had any of their offering escape my palate. As I hoisted a glass of this saison to my lips, not only did I cross another off my list but I solved what had become a three week old mystery.

You see, it was my impression that unless you are in northern Vermont and happen to be at the brewery or within shouting distance of the brewery, you would not see Hill Farmstead beer for sale anywhere. The first leg of the mystery began in Pennsylvania over Memorial Day weekend. A local shop was hosting a Hill Farmstead event on the Tuesday following Memorial Day. If you ask my wife, she’ll tell you that I almost drove off the road as she read me the Facebook post.

Fast forward to yesterday after work. I swing through my two favorite places in Rockland County and at my second stop I see Dorothy by Hill Farmstead on the tap list. How the hell is Hill Farmstead beer getting around? I asked the server and he cleared it up. It seems that these were “festival” kegs. As he explained it, Hill Farmstead may go to a tasting event locally and they may not tap all of their inventory – so a local distributor might acquire these kegs. Anyway, I was happy to be holding Dorothy by Hill Farmstead in my hands and I was somewhat relieved to understand how the seemingly impossible came to fruition. Hopefully, I’ll see some of their other offerings by this route in the future.

Admittedly, a saison isn’t really in my wheelhouse but having one from the best is certainly the way to find an appreciation. Some saison, including those by Hill Farmstead, are described to have a funk or barnyard flavor. Having spent a few vacations at a dairy farm – I get it – a potpourri of straw and animal stank. The funkiness comes from a strain of yeast – brettanomyces (Greek for British fungus) — more familiarly known as “brett”. In other instances, brewers use bacteria to produce this unique flavor.

Dorothy by Hill Farmstead certainly has some of this funky straw/stank combo, clove but balanced out nicely with some potent and bright tangerine rind hop flavors. My first sip was a pleasant mango but that dissipated and the overall flavor turns mostly tart. It’s a wheat based beer and some stale cracker comes through. Dorothy by Hill Farmstead finishes with a little spicy black pepper. I did enjoy this beer – 91 points.