Sour ale intended as a spring beer, made with spelt, buckwheat and wheat (apart from barley), flavoured with honey and – rather unusually so but possibly inspired by Fantôme here in Belgium – dandelions, then aged in wine barrels. From a vintage (seven years) 75 cl bottle at ‘Bespelingen van het Lot’ in 3 Fonteinen’s Lambik-O-Droom. Thick, snow white, irregularly edged, slowly diminishing head over a misty warm yellow blonde beer with slight greenish tinge – looking like a spring beer for sure. Aroma of green Conference pear, chamomile, sweetclover, grape skin, green plum, freshly cut meadowgrass, wood sorrel, dock leaves, minerals, daisies, quince, lime zest, raw cucumber, touch wood. Gently tart, ‘white-fruity’ onset, green apple, quince and green plum notes but quite subtly so, with side notes of gooseberry, lime and white grape further on; minerally carb, supple yet full body. The dandelion is noticeable as a fresh, crisp, flowery-herbal presence (an effect no doubt reinforced by the honey) rather than the earthy, rooty bitterness I was expecting it to convey; layered, smooth graininess underneath, slick wheat, spicy buckwheat and cereally spelt, just full and complex enough to provide structure against a blossomy ‘floralness’, slender lemony tartness and ongoing ‘white-fruitiness’, positioned against a background of oak wood, which remains actually a background feature without exerting too much tannic astringency, which in this case would only distract from the floral, herbal, springy, blossom character of this joyful beer. Elegant, refined and subtle whilst completely flawless and clevery designed: this is Hill Farmstead ‘pur sang’ and an ideal beer for an April afternoon. Very intelligent and indeed 'spring-like', gracious beer - extra points for subtlety and 'souplesse' here.

Bottle: Poured a delicate hazy light yellow color ale with a super large foamy head with great retention and very good lacing. Aroma of fruity ester with nice floral undertones and some light honey notes. Taste is a wonderful mix between some rustic notes with some floral notes as well as some honey and light fruity ester. Body is quite full with great carbonation and no apparent alcohol. This is a great example of complexity and drinkability without being overly sweet and with great attenuation.