Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Beer Review: Blueberry Flora

Reviewing Blueberry Flora from the Hill Farmstead Brewery out of Greensboro, Vermont.

Score: 87

February 2014 vintage bottle from the June 2014 release, served in a stemmed Hill Farmstead taster glass and enjoyed on 08/06/14. Thank you Paul for the chance to tick this one!

Appearance: Pours a murky blueberry juice purple color, with a thin layer of head that completely settles. No lacing or retention, with a little residual oiliness that clings to the sides of the glass. 4/5

Smell: Blueberries and oak. A hint of citrus, and a little bit of wine/tannic character on the back half of the whiff. Some blue cheese/yogurty funk too. 3.75/5

Taste: Tart, but delicate blueberry flavor throughout. A hint of lemon zest upfront, with a wine flavored finish. Has a bit of that cheesy/yogurt funk lingering on the finish too, which I do not love, but which is also not pronounced enough to ruin the beer. Notes of oak and wheat on the finish too, increasingly so as it warms, masking much of the funk. 3.75

Mouthfeel: Light-medium bodied, appropriately carbonated. Has a delicateness to the sourness, without much acidity, though the finish is like a white wine with a mild tannic character. A little bit creamy on the mouthfeel. The dregs of the bottle make the last sips super dry. 4.5/5

Overall: This beer is complex and has an excellent mouthfeel, but I would prefer more blueberry fruitiness/tartness and less funk. I much prefer a blueberry sour more in the vein of Blueberry Flanders to this brew (though they are entirely different creatures).

Cost: $20 for a 500 ml bottle.

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