Blaugies - Hill Farmstead La Vermontoise

Brewer's Notes: Collaboration with Hill Farmstead Brewery

Regional beer based on malt, spelt.hops US.as

It was developed and manufactured jointly with our American friend Shaun Hill (Hill Farmstead Brewery, Greensboro, Vermont, USA). It continues to be brewed at our facilities in Braugies.

We exchanged our know-how to create this blond with pronounced bitterness with a slight lemon aftertaste.

From the label: "classic saison brewed with spelt and an abundance of noble hops."

Tasting notes
(202201) A fine saison. I left too much yeast in the bottle while pouring.

Rating = 5 glasses

Toppling Goliath Pompeii

Brewer's Notes

Inspiration for our newest Hop Patrol IPA comes from the House of Faun in Pompeii, Italy. At this site, some of the world’s most famous mosaics were preserved under layers of ash after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. In this fashion, Pompeii IPA preserves and showcases the luxurious taste of the Mosaic hop. This single-hop IPA offers a floral aroma and a truly complex “mosaic” of taste: dark citrus and pineapple flavors, with deep earthy undertones and a persistent bitterness in the finish.

January 2022

What was I thinking. Pompeii is a fine New England IPA but lacks the bitterness I crave. Maybe the beer has lost some of its bite. Best drink by = March 22, 2022. BeerAdvocate classifies it as American IPA, not New England IPA.

Rating = 4.5 glasses

August 2019

Pompeii is a single hop IPA. The single hop is Mosaic. It has tons of California IPA hop bitterness AND New England IPA hop fruitiness. Here is my previous review.

It is my new favorite IPA. Sorry Finest Kind. 

Old rating = 7 glasses.

New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek

Transatlantique Kriek is a dark cherry-red kriek. More sour than tart. Eh?

Rating = 2 glasses

Founders Highball Drifter

Highball Drifter is a bourbon-barrel aged strong ale. Interesting and good but not great. Some vanilla, molasses, and bourbon.

Rating = 3 glasses.

Trappistes Rochefort 8

Beer: 8 

Brewer: Trappistses Rochefort 

Style: #1 ranked Belgian Strong Dark Ale 

Tasting notes 

Jan 2021:Earlier review was accurate. I would add a titch of Belgian yeasty clove. 

May 2009: A bottle w/ best by date of 25 Jun 13, bottled 25 Jun 08, and consumed 2 May 2009. Complex and delicious. Sugar, apples, mild cinnamon, a tiche of sour, a little alcohol, and spicy hops. Both sips and gulps are great. 

Top 100: 29 December 2005, 10 March 2007, and 03 May 2009. 

Rating: Downgraded from 6 glasses to 5