Vera Mae (2011 - 2015)
Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro, Vermont, United States 🇺🇸
Farmhouse - Saison Spring Out of Production|
Score
7.90
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Farmstead® Ale with Spring Blossoms Aged in Oak Barrels
Vera Mae was our grandfather’s eldest sister; Hill Farmstead Brewery rests upon the land that was once home to her and her 13 siblings. In her honor, this Farmstead® ale is crafted from Vermont organic spelt, American hops, Vermont wildflower honey, dandelion flowers from our fields, our farmhouse yeast and water from our well. Aged in French oak wine barrels and bottled conditioned, the result is an elegant, luminescent representation of spring in Vermont: lightly tart, bright, effervescent and delicate—passing quickly while leaving just the slightest, most pleasing memory of sunshine, warmth and the promise of more.
Vera Mae pre-2016 was aged in stainless and/or puncheon, which changed to wine barrels from 2016 onwards.
Vera Mae was our grandfather’s eldest sister; Hill Farmstead Brewery rests upon the land that was once home to her and her 13 siblings. In her honor, this Farmstead® ale is crafted from Vermont organic spelt, American hops, Vermont wildflower honey, dandelion flowers from our fields, our farmhouse yeast and water from our well. Aged in French oak wine barrels and bottled conditioned, the result is an elegant, luminescent representation of spring in Vermont: lightly tart, bright, effervescent and delicate—passing quickly while leaving just the slightest, most pleasing memory of sunshine, warmth and the promise of more.
Vera Mae pre-2016 was aged in stainless and/or puncheon, which changed to wine barrels from 2016 onwards.
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9.3/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9
750mL bottled 7/9/15, drunk with Nelson on 6/3/16.
Big white head despite the dandelions (which I would think would inhibit retention/formation). Blonde-golden body with a touch of deeper brass and a high clarity.
Divine nose blooming with heavy, heavy minerality. Is this a glass of wine?? My mineral descriptors aren’t very good, but this is bursting with well water and white Burgundy wine notes. Light to moderate souring agents show through, as well as a delightfully dainty black pepper phenol character. Soft wheat and/or base malt delicateness behind it adds very light biscuit/cracker. Just incredibly understated with light floral notes on the finish and no alcohol or flaw.
The flavor mirrors the aroma, lending floral notes to the stone-like minerality and with yeast (and maybe the dandelion?) adding very easygoing, mildly tart nectarine/unripened apricot. Very low sweetness, but plenty of body, with a tight carbonation, as always and peppery phenols on the end. Really the perfect storm of fruity esters, tart acids, pepper phenols, minerals and biscuit/cracker/honey-like maltiness. As with many of their beers, they grow on you considerably during the course of the bottle and by the end you’re left pretty stupefied at just how subtle and good the beers are. A great beer, right up there with my favorites (Ann, Anna, Art, Norma, Edith, Clara....)
Big white head despite the dandelions (which I would think would inhibit retention/formation). Blonde-golden body with a touch of deeper brass and a high clarity.
Divine nose blooming with heavy, heavy minerality. Is this a glass of wine?? My mineral descriptors aren’t very good, but this is bursting with well water and white Burgundy wine notes. Light to moderate souring agents show through, as well as a delightfully dainty black pepper phenol character. Soft wheat and/or base malt delicateness behind it adds very light biscuit/cracker. Just incredibly understated with light floral notes on the finish and no alcohol or flaw.
The flavor mirrors the aroma, lending floral notes to the stone-like minerality and with yeast (and maybe the dandelion?) adding very easygoing, mildly tart nectarine/unripened apricot. Very low sweetness, but plenty of body, with a tight carbonation, as always and peppery phenols on the end. Really the perfect storm of fruity esters, tart acids, pepper phenols, minerals and biscuit/cracker/honey-like maltiness. As with many of their beers, they grow on you considerably during the course of the bottle and by the end you’re left pretty stupefied at just how subtle and good the beers are. A great beer, right up there with my favorites (Ann, Anna, Art, Norma, Edith, Clara....)
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 May 2026
at 20:30
8.8/10
—
Appearance 9
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
2012 draught at Fofa, 8/2/25.
Heavily carbonated, pale brass-golden with a large, white head.
Rich, rounded culture and no oxidation. Bit if lemony citrus character, fruity Brett and light black pepper.
Soft and gently malty. Obviously well-attenuated but not over, at this point. Cracker, honey and all sorts of mixed culture. Bright and vivacious from the stainless treatment. Stone fruit, Brett and Black pepper. Very true saison-like character.
Heavily carbonated, pale brass-golden with a large, white head.
Rich, rounded culture and no oxidation. Bit if lemony citrus character, fruity Brett and light black pepper.
Soft and gently malty. Obviously well-attenuated but not over, at this point. Cracker, honey and all sorts of mixed culture. Bright and vivacious from the stainless treatment. Stone fruit, Brett and Black pepper. Very true saison-like character.
Tried
from Draft
at
Hill Farmstead Brewery
on 03 Aug 2025
at 13:20
8.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Hazy yellow, huge frothy head. Huge aroma of grassy hops, light honey, and some great funk,and some solid sourness. Carb is lively but not over the top. Solid sour finish, great peppery flavor typical of a great saison,great stuff!
Tried
on 28 Feb 2025
at 05:34
8.8/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 9
Bottle thanks to bursprak. Pours hazy orange with a big white head. Aroma is very floral, honey, tea, esters, citrussy, elderflower. Taste is estery, straw, citrussy, elderflower, honey sweetness, herbal.
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Nov 2019
at 16:55
7.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Bottle at salthorse. Pours hazy yellow, nose is gooseberry, grapefruit, toffee, oak, taste is juicy fruit, soft toffee, floral, dry finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Jun 2018
at 10:20
7.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8.5
Bottle at salty... Light hazy golden amber... Soft salty floral sweet fruits nose... Juicy orange and vanilla fruits nose.. Soft light dry floral.. Soft vanilla sweet orange floral fruit.. Soft honey
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Jun 2018
at 16:59
8.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Bottle at home. Unclear yellow with white head. Floral perfume, lemon zest, slightly tart. Super crisp and beautiful.
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Apr 2018
at 11:41
9.2/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9
750mL bottled 7/9/15, drunk with Nelson on 6/3/16.
Big white head despite the dandelions (which I would think would inhibit retention/formation). Blonde-golden body with a touch of deeper brass and a high clarity.
Divine nose blooming with heavy, heavy minerality. Is this a glass of wine?? My mineral descriptors aren’t very good, but this is bursting with well water and white Burgundy wine notes. Light to moderate souring agents show through, as well as a delightfully dainty black pepper phenol character. Soft wheat and/or base malt delicateness behind it adds very light biscuit/cracker. Just incredibly understated with light floral notes on the finish and no alcohol or flaw.
The flavor mirrors the aroma, lending floral notes to the stone-like minerality and with yeast (and maybe the dandelion?) adding very easygoing, mildly tart nectarine/unripened apricot. Very low sweetness, but plenty of body, with a tight carbonation, as always and peppery phenols on the end. Really the perfect storm of fruity esters, tart acids, pepper phenols, minerals and biscuit/cracker/honey-like maltiness. As with many of their beers, they grow on you considerably during the course of the bottle and by the end you’re left pretty stupefied at just how subtle and good the beers are. A great beer, right up there with my favorites (Ann, Anna, Art, Norma, Edith, Clara....)
Big white head despite the dandelions (which I would think would inhibit retention/formation). Blonde-golden body with a touch of deeper brass and a high clarity.
Divine nose blooming with heavy, heavy minerality. Is this a glass of wine?? My mineral descriptors aren’t very good, but this is bursting with well water and white Burgundy wine notes. Light to moderate souring agents show through, as well as a delightfully dainty black pepper phenol character. Soft wheat and/or base malt delicateness behind it adds very light biscuit/cracker. Just incredibly understated with light floral notes on the finish and no alcohol or flaw.
The flavor mirrors the aroma, lending floral notes to the stone-like minerality and with yeast (and maybe the dandelion?) adding very easygoing, mildly tart nectarine/unripened apricot. Very low sweetness, but plenty of body, with a tight carbonation, as always and peppery phenols on the end. Really the perfect storm of fruity esters, tart acids, pepper phenols, minerals and biscuit/cracker/honey-like maltiness. As with many of their beers, they grow on you considerably during the course of the bottle and by the end you’re left pretty stupefied at just how subtle and good the beers are. A great beer, right up there with my favorites (Ann, Anna, Art, Norma, Edith, Clara....)
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Jun 2016
at 14:41
8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
Sample at the Northeastern Brewery (VT) Tasting on 08/16/2015. Hazy bright yellow color with a medium thin white head that evaporates steadily to a film. Short strings of lacing on the glass. Aroma of lemons, floral honey and malt. Medium body with flavors of herbal yeast, zesty citrus and malt. The finish is fruity with an underlying sweet honey aftertaste. Good beer overall.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Sep 2015
at 22:58
7.3/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle from a trade. Many thanks! Hazy amber colour, white foam. Medium carbonation. Sweet and sour. Notes of citrus, honey and dandelions. Easy drinkable. Bit tart and citrussy. Good.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Jul 2015
at 12:38