About
We are a hyper-local nanobrewery in Bristol, Vermont with a 3 barrel brewhouse. Reserve your table for outdoor dining Fri-Sat for a true VT farm to pint experience!
Hogback Mountain Brewery was founded in 2015 by Kevin Hanson with his love of brewing.
In 2018 Jamie and Sam Sawyer were looking for a new adventure in the Vermont craft beer scene and Kevin was looking to have more time to mow his lawn. Everything made perfect sense and in 2019 Hogback Mountain Brewery will move from Kevin’s carriage barn to its new location on Rocky Dale Road in Bristol, Vermont. Though Jamie and Sam are changing locations and will branch out with a taproom this spring, the mission of "local supporting local" has never changed.
Sam is 2017 graduate of the American Brewer's Guild and is the creative force behind many of our brews.
TAPROOM is open!! Stop in to experience some true VERMONT beers crafted with Vermont-grown ingredients.
Hogback Mountain Brewery was founded in 2015 by Kevin Hanson with his love of brewing.
In 2018 Jamie and Sam Sawyer were looking for a new adventure in the Vermont craft beer scene and Kevin was looking to have more time to mow his lawn. Everything made perfect sense and in 2019 Hogback Mountain Brewery will move from Kevin’s carriage barn to its new location on Rocky Dale Road in Bristol, Vermont. Though Jamie and Sam are changing locations and will branch out with a taproom this spring, the mission of "local supporting local" has never changed.
Sam is 2017 graduate of the American Brewer's Guild and is the creative force behind many of our brews.
TAPROOM is open!! Stop in to experience some true VERMONT beers crafted with Vermont-grown ingredients.
6.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Poured from bottle thanks Airforcehops golden orange with a nice thin white head. Aromas of citrus salty wheat and grass. Taste is salty citrus water like ocean drops with fruit. Meh. --- Beer merged from original tick of AB Kilbourn Grist Mill on 26 Nov 2016 at 22:53 - Score: 6
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Nov 2016
at 21:51
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Draft, 4 oz glass, total clarity, fast dying. Aroma is green tea leaves, earthy, and floral. Caramel malt based, a tad bit much caramel. But the hop profile is decent; floral, earthy, tea.. bitterness is moderate. Decent, doesn’t become overly sweet.
Tried
from Draft
on 11 Nov 2016
at 10:36
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Poured into an English pint glass, the appearance was a dark burnt red color. Muddled transparency. Thin white foamy head that dissipates mildly. Light messy sticky foamy lace.
The aroma started with sweet clean earthy, grassy and tobacco-esque hops firmly grasp some caramel and toffee malts.
The flavor glides between the malts and the hops decently, very smooth and balanced. Subtle crisp bitterness of the hops. Light tobacco aftertaste with a quick finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a really nice sessionable feel. Low carbonation yields quite a nice crisp smoothness about it.
Overall, I like it for me but with the heavy use of wet hopped cascade I can’t see a ton of Vermonters and non-modern APA drinkers will like. Also, seems almost reminiscent of an English styled one.
The aroma started with sweet clean earthy, grassy and tobacco-esque hops firmly grasp some caramel and toffee malts.
The flavor glides between the malts and the hops decently, very smooth and balanced. Subtle crisp bitterness of the hops. Light tobacco aftertaste with a quick finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a really nice sessionable feel. Low carbonation yields quite a nice crisp smoothness about it.
Overall, I like it for me but with the heavy use of wet hopped cascade I can’t see a ton of Vermonters and non-modern APA drinkers will like. Also, seems almost reminiscent of an English styled one.
Tried
from Can
on 22 Oct 2016
at 14:52
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
This was poured into an English pub glass.
The appearance was a dark brown color with a thin white to off white foamy head that quickly dissipated. Sly foamy sticky lace.
The aroma takes in crisp sweet grassy and earthy hops. Balancing nutty to caramel to toffee malt levels bounce on into some coffee bean and cocoa rich tones.
The flavor brings it all together nice and balanced, full and smooth. The aftertaste is semi-dry with a crisp nuttiness to it. Quick dry coffee to cocoa-ish finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a nice sessionable feel all about it. Carbonation runs nice and light.
Overall, nice American styled brown ale. Hops seems to hit just right against the smooth malt bill. Well done and I would have this again.
The appearance was a dark brown color with a thin white to off white foamy head that quickly dissipated. Sly foamy sticky lace.
The aroma takes in crisp sweet grassy and earthy hops. Balancing nutty to caramel to toffee malt levels bounce on into some coffee bean and cocoa rich tones.
The flavor brings it all together nice and balanced, full and smooth. The aftertaste is semi-dry with a crisp nuttiness to it. Quick dry coffee to cocoa-ish finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a nice sessionable feel all about it. Carbonation runs nice and light.
Overall, nice American styled brown ale. Hops seems to hit just right against the smooth malt bill. Well done and I would have this again.
Tried
from Can
on 21 Sep 2016
at 15:43
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
On tap at Vermont Tap house.
This was poured into a pint glass.
The appearance was a soft hazy burnt yellow/orange color with a one finger white foamy head that dissipated at a nice pace. Stringy lacing.
The smell had a clean sweet brisk corn malt. Slight lemon. Moderate amount of bready malts.
The flavor takes in a ton of the bready sweetness. Lingering bready malty aftertaste and finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light on the body with a fair sessionability about it. Low carbonation.
Overall, nice pale lager that I would have again.
This was poured into a pint glass.
The appearance was a soft hazy burnt yellow/orange color with a one finger white foamy head that dissipated at a nice pace. Stringy lacing.
The smell had a clean sweet brisk corn malt. Slight lemon. Moderate amount of bready malts.
The flavor takes in a ton of the bready sweetness. Lingering bready malty aftertaste and finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light on the body with a fair sessionability about it. Low carbonation.
Overall, nice pale lager that I would have again.
Tried
from Draft
on 22 Jul 2016
at 02:16
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
This was poured into a pokal.
The appearance was a subtle hazy burnt crisp yellow to orange color. Quickly dissipating finger’s worth of head. No lacing.
The smell started off with sweet blood orange with a sour-ed wheat meshing in underneath. Low salinity. Slight citrus, subtle grass.
The flavor combines all of the previously mentioned flavors with a slight sticky sweet to sour aftertaste. A tad more wheat comes in as it warms, and not necessarily so sour (I don’t mind, but different, definitely). Leans dry sour on the finish.
On the palate, light to medium bodied with nice saline content providing an ample amount of balanced sweet to sourness.
Overall, good gose for the most part, but part of me wants to say the wheat portion of this wasn’t fully sour-ed. Hmmm...I’d still have this again, but it actually does sit a tad heavier than expected.
The appearance was a subtle hazy burnt crisp yellow to orange color. Quickly dissipating finger’s worth of head. No lacing.
The smell started off with sweet blood orange with a sour-ed wheat meshing in underneath. Low salinity. Slight citrus, subtle grass.
The flavor combines all of the previously mentioned flavors with a slight sticky sweet to sour aftertaste. A tad more wheat comes in as it warms, and not necessarily so sour (I don’t mind, but different, definitely). Leans dry sour on the finish.
On the palate, light to medium bodied with nice saline content providing an ample amount of balanced sweet to sourness.
Overall, good gose for the most part, but part of me wants to say the wheat portion of this wasn’t fully sour-ed. Hmmm...I’d still have this again, but it actually does sit a tad heavier than expected.
Tried
on 19 Jul 2016
at 13:55
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
This was poured into a pokal.
The appearance was a glossy burnt orange almost brown color with a quickly dissipating slim finger’s worth of little white head. No lacing.
The smell took in the sour to sweet to tart lemon rind bitterness. Delicate sweetness comes in-almost bubblegum-like. Wheat portion doesn’t seem as sour-ed as some goses I’ve had before. Still there, slightly.
The taste had a good combined effort between the sour to tart lemon rind and pulp. Light sweet bubblegum to sour aftertaste treats the finish as well.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a bit of a tad heavier sort of feel to it than some other goses I’ve had. Saltiness lines my tongue nicely, not as puckering, but still a decent level all around.
Overall, its a pretty good gose for the most part, I could see myself having again on warmer days.
The appearance was a glossy burnt orange almost brown color with a quickly dissipating slim finger’s worth of little white head. No lacing.
The smell took in the sour to sweet to tart lemon rind bitterness. Delicate sweetness comes in-almost bubblegum-like. Wheat portion doesn’t seem as sour-ed as some goses I’ve had before. Still there, slightly.
The taste had a good combined effort between the sour to tart lemon rind and pulp. Light sweet bubblegum to sour aftertaste treats the finish as well.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a bit of a tad heavier sort of feel to it than some other goses I’ve had. Saltiness lines my tongue nicely, not as puckering, but still a decent level all around.
Overall, its a pretty good gose for the most part, I could see myself having again on warmer days.
Tried
on 12 Jun 2016
at 18:41
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
This was poured into a becher pint glass.
The appearance was a fairly dark in its complexion leaning to the burnt amber/red almost brown side. A thin rim of a white foamy head started and dissipated at a nice pace. Light lacing slides around the glass nicely.
The smell starts off with sweet green/tobacco leafy crisp dryness. Light toffee sweetness, some caramel malt. Light tropical fruits do end up coming out just a bit as it warms.
The taste was moderately sweet with a touch of the toffee/caramel malt bouncing into the dry tobacco \"greeny/fresh\" feel surrounding it. Tobacco - sem-wet in the aftertaste and leading into the (slightly spicy) finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body. Decent sessionability about it. Carbonation rides nice and even.
Overall, interesting IPA, might lean towards the English side for the style without any \"soapiness.\" Do-able for me, but nothing over the top.
The appearance was a fairly dark in its complexion leaning to the burnt amber/red almost brown side. A thin rim of a white foamy head started and dissipated at a nice pace. Light lacing slides around the glass nicely.
The smell starts off with sweet green/tobacco leafy crisp dryness. Light toffee sweetness, some caramel malt. Light tropical fruits do end up coming out just a bit as it warms.
The taste was moderately sweet with a touch of the toffee/caramel malt bouncing into the dry tobacco \"greeny/fresh\" feel surrounding it. Tobacco - sem-wet in the aftertaste and leading into the (slightly spicy) finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body. Decent sessionability about it. Carbonation rides nice and even.
Overall, interesting IPA, might lean towards the English side for the style without any \"soapiness.\" Do-able for me, but nothing over the top.
Tried
on 11 Jun 2016
at 20:18
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
This was poured into a pokal.
The appearance was a modest transparent to semi-cloudy yellow color with a self-paced carbonation rising nicely. Head quickly dissipates. Lacing slides quickly into the beer.
The smell starts off with a sour/bitter blood orange rind. Sour mashed wheat is there underneath riding in for the balance. Slight salt ever so subtle. Lemon slides in as it warms.
The taste was there. Starts sour like a gose should in the flavor, takes in the blood orange bitterness, subtle sweet pulp - somewhat there. Salty to sour finish. No aftertaste.
On the palate, this one sat about a light on the body with a nice crisp sweet to sour sessionable feel, definitely crushable!
Overall, damn nice gose, this company does the lower ABV-ed beers really well!
The appearance was a modest transparent to semi-cloudy yellow color with a self-paced carbonation rising nicely. Head quickly dissipates. Lacing slides quickly into the beer.
The smell starts off with a sour/bitter blood orange rind. Sour mashed wheat is there underneath riding in for the balance. Slight salt ever so subtle. Lemon slides in as it warms.
The taste was there. Starts sour like a gose should in the flavor, takes in the blood orange bitterness, subtle sweet pulp - somewhat there. Salty to sour finish. No aftertaste.
On the palate, this one sat about a light on the body with a nice crisp sweet to sour sessionable feel, definitely crushable!
Overall, damn nice gose, this company does the lower ABV-ed beers really well!
Tried
on 26 May 2016
at 21:07
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
This was poured into a weizen glass, (only proper/correct/traditional glassware for any weizen styled beer).
The appearance had the normal hazy to burnt/cloudy bronzed orange to brown color. Lasting one finger white foamy head that dissipated at a nice pace.
The smell started off with the normal qualities of a hefeweizen - bready/German yeastiness up front, and then the banana esters and then the clove. Light bubblegum as it warms.
The taste follows the smell pretty much the same. Sticky sweet breadiness. Aftertaste seems a bit weaker than some other true hefeweizens I’ve had by other brewers. Wet yeasty finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium in body. Nice crisp sweet sessionability about it. Low carbonation.
Overall, for the style, its not bad, more yeastiness than expected, not as balanced as some other ones. I could see myself coming back to it, but perhaps not a go-to
The appearance had the normal hazy to burnt/cloudy bronzed orange to brown color. Lasting one finger white foamy head that dissipated at a nice pace.
The smell started off with the normal qualities of a hefeweizen - bready/German yeastiness up front, and then the banana esters and then the clove. Light bubblegum as it warms.
The taste follows the smell pretty much the same. Sticky sweet breadiness. Aftertaste seems a bit weaker than some other true hefeweizens I’ve had by other brewers. Wet yeasty finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium in body. Nice crisp sweet sessionability about it. Low carbonation.
Overall, for the style, its not bad, more yeastiness than expected, not as balanced as some other ones. I could see myself coming back to it, but perhaps not a go-to
Tried
on 12 May 2016
at 22:17