Holger Danske
Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro, Vermont, United States 🇺🇸
Collab with: Kissmeyer BeerSmoked / Rauchbier Special
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Score
7.68
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Smoked Brown Ale
Holger Dankse is a legendary Danish hero, one of Charlemagne’s knights in the Chanson de Roland and inspiration for Denmark’s World War II resistance group. First brewed in collaboration with our great friend and mentor Anders Kissmeyer in 2010, we continue to brew this robust, malty smoked brown ale in the spirit of that first brewday. Portions of the malt are hand-smoked on site with apple, cherry, and maple wood from the surrounding orchards and forests, emphasizing the wide-ranging connections across time and place.
Holger Dankse is a legendary Danish hero, one of Charlemagne’s knights in the Chanson de Roland and inspiration for Denmark’s World War II resistance group. First brewed in collaboration with our great friend and mentor Anders Kissmeyer in 2010, we continue to brew this robust, malty smoked brown ale in the spirit of that first brewday. Portions of the malt are hand-smoked on site with apple, cherry, and maple wood from the surrounding orchards and forests, emphasizing the wide-ranging connections across time and place.
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9.6/10
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Appearance 9
Aroma 10
Flavor 10
Texture 10
Overall 9
On tap at Mule Bar.
Appearance: thick dark brown in color with a thin cap of a khaki foamy head which slid off into oblivion, no lace
Aroma: lovely smoked malts, sly chocolate smooth qualities, slight meaty ham tones, sweet campfire woodiness, brisk earthy underneath
Flavor: wraps up all the prior noted aromas for a stellar sweetness, super quick aftertaste of smoke and ham
Texture: between light and medium bodied, between sessionable and being a sipper, clean smooth feels on the tongue; finishes clean and smoky with a touch of dry
Overall: normally, I don't mind the ash/char I usually find in this style but pretty amazed that this one by HF did not have that and it was one daggum awesome beer!
Appearance: thick dark brown in color with a thin cap of a khaki foamy head which slid off into oblivion, no lace
Aroma: lovely smoked malts, sly chocolate smooth qualities, slight meaty ham tones, sweet campfire woodiness, brisk earthy underneath
Flavor: wraps up all the prior noted aromas for a stellar sweetness, super quick aftertaste of smoke and ham
Texture: between light and medium bodied, between sessionable and being a sipper, clean smooth feels on the tongue; finishes clean and smoky with a touch of dry
Overall: normally, I don't mind the ash/char I usually find in this style but pretty amazed that this one by HF did not have that and it was one daggum awesome beer!
Tried
from Draft
on 21 Jan 2026
at 21:40
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 8
Texture 9
Overall 8
750 ml growler, thanks to Clarkvv! Aroma is soft toasted bread, soft herb, mild smoke. The flavor shows, earthy malts, softer minerals, and subtle smoke throughout the sip. Not my favorite style nut this is very approachable and shows no campfire or ash. It works if You are introducing someone to smoked malts.
Tried
from Growler
on 12 Jan 2025
at 18:24
7.4/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Growler shared by ClarkVV--thanks, Clark! Cola brown, nice viscosity, trace lacing. Aroma is strong smoke, roasted malt. Taste is strong smoke, roasted malt as aroma. Smooth, soft carbonation, finish as taste, a little thin. Not complex but well executed.
Tried
on 12 Jan 2025
at 16:09
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
750mL growler filled 12/19/24, drunk 1/12/25.
Clear mahogany. Small, light-tan head, moderate retention.
Very light, dainty wood smoke. Light toast, lots of lovely mineral and very slight chocolate giving a dainty, fruity, bright aroma. Super balanced and easy-going. Amber ale-like with a mild, smokey edge. Clean.
Toasty, mildly smokey, somthing Cascade or Centennial-like with a grapefruit and very mild pine character. Light-to-medium-bodied with good attenuation, lots of mineral and a hint of chocolate, toast and mild, easygoing smoke. Maybe could use a touch more intensity of flavor for its size, but a nitpick, for sure.
Clear mahogany. Small, light-tan head, moderate retention.
Very light, dainty wood smoke. Light toast, lots of lovely mineral and very slight chocolate giving a dainty, fruity, bright aroma. Super balanced and easy-going. Amber ale-like with a mild, smokey edge. Clean.
Toasty, mildly smokey, somthing Cascade or Centennial-like with a grapefruit and very mild pine character. Light-to-medium-bodied with good attenuation, lots of mineral and a hint of chocolate, toast and mild, easygoing smoke. Maybe could use a touch more intensity of flavor for its size, but a nitpick, for sure.
Tried
from Growler
at
Hill Farmstead Brewery
on 12 Jan 2025
at 15:59
8/10
Thanks Clark this is really nice.
Tried
from Growler
on 12 Jan 2025
at 10:55
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Tap. Farmhouse Tap and Grill, Burlington, VT. Menu says 7%. Nearly black. Super lacing, lasting, beige head. Nose has light savoury smoke. Wood smoke. Hint of liquorice. Taste is smoky sweet. Soft, wood ash bitterness. Medium body. Smooth on the palate. Fine carbonation. Lovely balance of sweetness and bitterness on the finish. Nice.
Tried
from Draft
on 21 Nov 2019
at 20:55
9/10
BACON
Tried
from Draft
on 16 Nov 2019
at 10:55
7.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Growler thanks to Mike. Pours black with small tan head that lasts. The aroma is strong roast, dark chocolate, oak, smoke. Slick body, roasted malt, cocoa, bitter finish, very good.
Tried
from Growler
on 11 Jan 2018
at 19:02
7.5/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Growler thanks to Youri! Pours crystal clear reddish mahogany, large creamy tan head, dissipates slowly, nice lacing. Aroma is roasty, pine, coffee, a bit nutty. Flavor is light sweet, medium bitter. Medium body. This is basically a black IPA, and a good one.
Tried
from Growler
on 26 Nov 2017
at 12:37
7.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Owl Farm, Brooklyn tap: pours dark brown with a beige head. Aroma is slightly smoky, kind of woody and very malty. Taste is soet ofamoky. Somewhat bitter. Loads of malts. Very smooth but with a finish with a hefty bite.
Tried
from Draft
on 17 Nov 2017
at 22:06