4.2
AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 16/20
adamjackson (856) – Canaan, New Hampshire, USA – DEC 8, 2012
Bottle #260. Thanks Shaun. Enjoyed at 55 Degrees F in a snifter on my GF’s birthday.
A – The beeswax surrounding this bottle smells amazing. The best smelling bottle I’ve ever had. Gorgeous clarity. Bright golden orange with a 3 finger fluffy solid white head. Head fades to a finger and remains. Pillow-like lacing sticks decently. A very nice steady stream of bubbles travel bottom to top for as long as I’m drinking it. Looks a lot like a Prosecco.
S – Grape skins and lemongrass on the nose. Lots of characters that remind me of Prosecco and Sauvignon Blanc. Lovely citrus and wine tannins and a splash of honey sweetness.
T – Very sweet like lemon, tangerines and grapefruit. Dash of wine tannins at the finish with a super dry finish. I don’t pick up a lot of honey but there is this tart wild yeast aspect that compliments the excellent wheat and grassiness.
M – Medium body and a very nice balanced medium carbonation. A hint of an astringent listerine mouth wash finish but it’s not drastic and you really have to swish quite a bit to get it.
O – Hype, Hype, Hype. So Ann, the elusive Ann. Her? I’m enjoying drinking this right now. It’s tasty and enjoyable but I prefer Art which, for most purposes, is the best beer to compare with Ann. Juicy, Mimosa and Flora, in my opinion, exceed Ann in taste, body and the nose. Art is still the definite winner of Hill Farmstead Barrel Aged farmhouse ales. Would I pick up Ann again? OF COURSE! It’s delicious and delicate and graceful throughout. However, the best saison I’ve ever had? Sorry but it’s not. Try this if you can. It’s a fantastic beer! Thanks Shaun.
Man, I always wondered if the hype train got out of control with this beer. Looks like you answered my question…and I know you have enough HF experience to trust on this one!
Yep. I enjoyed this beer but there are more plentiful beers from the Hill Farmstead that take wine barrel goodness to another level. Of course, this beer is special but party due to a limited 2 hour release of under 300 bottles. “Insta-whale” and the taste, while great, does not live up to the hype which is to be expected.
Unfortunately for most people who are hoarding this beer hoping to turn it into a million dollar “collectible glass”, Ann will be made again and possibly in larger quantities. Those that have it should enjoy it.