Trail
Tree House Brewing Company


Beer Geek Stats
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- From:
- Tree House Brewing Company
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Pilsner - German
Ranked #40 - ABV:
- 5.2%
- Score:
- 88
Ranked #13,695 - Avg:
- 3.95 | pDev: 9.87%
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 28, 2022
- Added:
- Sep 04, 2015
- Wants:
- 9
- Gots:
- 49
SCORE
88
Very Good
88
Very Good


Notes:
Formerly known as Trail Magic.
Another foray into crispy refreshing lagers! Trail Magic pours a brilliant yellow in the glass with a puffy white head. Noble hops mingle with a clean cracker-like malt base resulting in a most refreshing beverage. A bit of spice with a soft but dry finish provide balance, making Trail Magic hard to put down... Clean and crispy, just the way we like them! A beer that makes us relish the waning summer days. . .
Another foray into crispy refreshing lagers! Trail Magic pours a brilliant yellow in the glass with a puffy white head. Noble hops mingle with a clean cracker-like malt base resulting in a most refreshing beverage. A bit of spice with a soft but dry finish provide balance, making Trail Magic hard to put down... Clean and crispy, just the way we like them! A beer that makes us relish the waning summer days. . .
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
4 by Patches826 from Massachusetts on Apr 28, 2022
4.25/5 rDev +7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by Lucular from Maryland
16 oz can split with two friends. Poured into a wine glass. Pours a slightly cloudy straw yellow. Fluffy head, nice lacing. Aroma and flavor feature clean biscuity/bready malts and floral/grassy hops. Low bitterness and just a hint of doughy sweetness. Mouthfeel is crisp and on the light side, but not thin. Overall it's a fantastic rendition of a German pilsner.
Apr 27, 2022
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
by Lucular from Maryland
16 oz can split with two friends. Poured into a wine glass. Pours a slightly cloudy straw yellow. Fluffy head, nice lacing. Aroma and flavor feature clean biscuity/bready malts and floral/grassy hops. Low bitterness and just a hint of doughy sweetness. Mouthfeel is crisp and on the light side, but not thin. Overall it's a fantastic rendition of a German pilsner.
Apr 27, 2022
4 by 322wingedfoot from Pennsylvania on Apr 26, 2022
4 by McSeal from Connecticut on Apr 24, 2022
4.43 by rangerred from Tennessee on Oct 22, 2021
3.88 by lost_sailor from Massachusetts on Sep 24, 2021
4.18/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Squire from Mississippi
Shimmering clear golden color with white cap and lacing.
Aroma of yeasty French bread crust seasoned with Noble Hopsl
Taste is clean, crisp and beautifully balanced. On entry this is classic Pilsner with all the right moves. Beer presents with sweet malt with just the right amount of hops to balance. I get simple flavors of malt, cracker, bread crumb and floral hops that though simple weave together to form a complexity greater than the sum of parts.
A bit fuller than medium texture with balancing carbonation
Not a blockbuster overly flavored brew, rather a delightful accompaniment to any dish that I would prepare.
Jul 23, 2021
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Squire from Mississippi
Shimmering clear golden color with white cap and lacing.
Aroma of yeasty French bread crust seasoned with Noble Hopsl
Taste is clean, crisp and beautifully balanced. On entry this is classic Pilsner with all the right moves. Beer presents with sweet malt with just the right amount of hops to balance. I get simple flavors of malt, cracker, bread crumb and floral hops that though simple weave together to form a complexity greater than the sum of parts.
A bit fuller than medium texture with balancing carbonation
Not a blockbuster overly flavored brew, rather a delightful accompaniment to any dish that I would prepare.
Jul 23, 2021
4.35 by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania on Jun 07, 2021
4 by mtimmerman84 from New York on Jun 05, 2021
3.94 by edzo22 from Massachusetts on May 05, 2021
1.84/5 rDev -53.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
by jwjon1 from Pennsylvania
Purchased 1/31/2021 direct from the source. Canned 11/23/2020.
Tells you all you need to know.
They can’t sell this malarky.
Sure. It’s a lager. Not exactly a hot cake. But a good lager is a good lager. This is not a good lager.
Waaaaaay under attenuated. Cloying in fact. Takes what should be a clean, crisp beer to a sticky, sweet mess. Even helles are typically drier than this can.
It’s filtered. I’ll give it that.
Feb 07, 2021
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
by jwjon1 from Pennsylvania
Purchased 1/31/2021 direct from the source. Canned 11/23/2020.
Tells you all you need to know.
They can’t sell this malarky.
Sure. It’s a lager. Not exactly a hot cake. But a good lager is a good lager. This is not a good lager.
Waaaaaay under attenuated. Cloying in fact. Takes what should be a clean, crisp beer to a sticky, sweet mess. Even helles are typically drier than this can.
It’s filtered. I’ll give it that.
Feb 07, 2021
3.79 by Jcoleman4 from Ohio on Feb 02, 2021
4.02 by mmalley from Massachusetts on Jan 21, 2021
3.43 by OlDuckyBill from Pennsylvania on Jan 16, 2021
3.83/5 rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut
Pale straw with close to two fingers of dense white head. Aroma is bread & grass. Taste is good, but a little muted. Plenty of grains, just doesn't pop the way Suarez beers do (by comparison). Decent amount of carb. Could be a little more clean. Good, not great.
Dec 03, 2020
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut
Pale straw with close to two fingers of dense white head. Aroma is bread & grass. Taste is good, but a little muted. Plenty of grains, just doesn't pop the way Suarez beers do (by comparison). Decent amount of carb. Could be a little more clean. Good, not great.
Dec 03, 2020
4/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by EMV from Pennsylvania
Poured from a 16 oz can into a Dogfish Head tulip
L: Crystal clear light golden pour. Thick fluffy white head leaves great lacing.
S: Lightly toasted malts/grains and German hops.
T.F: Grains/malts up front. A bit of sweetness with a nice dash of bitter hops. Lemon/citrus, herbal notes, with earth and pine. Crisp and clear. Light bodied... super drinkable and smooth. Moderate carbonation. Clean finish.
O: A crisp/clean and easy drinking Pils. Well executed (as expected) and great for a change of pace from their IPA lineup.
Nov 24, 2020
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by EMV from Pennsylvania
Poured from a 16 oz can into a Dogfish Head tulip
L: Crystal clear light golden pour. Thick fluffy white head leaves great lacing.
S: Lightly toasted malts/grains and German hops.
T.F: Grains/malts up front. A bit of sweetness with a nice dash of bitter hops. Lemon/citrus, herbal notes, with earth and pine. Crisp and clear. Light bodied... super drinkable and smooth. Moderate carbonation. Clean finish.
O: A crisp/clean and easy drinking Pils. Well executed (as expected) and great for a change of pace from their IPA lineup.
Nov 24, 2020
4.27 by snowmageddon from Massachusetts on Nov 22, 2020
3.69 by DVMin98 from North Carolina on Nov 19, 2020
3.96/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by BEERMILER12 from Maine
A: Pours a golden orange color with 2 fingers of head that fades down to a thin cap that leaves decent lacing
S: Earthy and lightly spicy noble hop character, crackery malt, and grain
T: Follows the nose. Starts off with a mix of earthy and spicy noble hops and then picks up some crackery malt and grain. Finishes with lingering earthy notes
M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation
O: A solid German pilsner that is easy to drink. Nothing too special, obviously (it is a pilsner, after all). Worth a drink
Nov 14, 2020
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by BEERMILER12 from Maine
A: Pours a golden orange color with 2 fingers of head that fades down to a thin cap that leaves decent lacing
S: Earthy and lightly spicy noble hop character, crackery malt, and grain
T: Follows the nose. Starts off with a mix of earthy and spicy noble hops and then picks up some crackery malt and grain. Finishes with lingering earthy notes
M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation
O: A solid German pilsner that is easy to drink. Nothing too special, obviously (it is a pilsner, after all). Worth a drink
Nov 14, 2020
4.46/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by ChristopherProvost from Massachusetts
Appearance: almost clear (maybe a slight bit of chill haze), golden straw color; pours with a good head that dissipates quickly and leaves almost no lacing
Smell: honestly, I don't get much more than biscuit and cracker, maybe a tiny bit of straw or grassy character
Taste: fresh baked bread, crackers
Feel: Light, crisp, clean, refreshing. Totally crushable.
Overall: Trail is one of the best American German-style pilsners I've ever tasted. Crisp, clean, and refreshing with just touch of that hop bitterness on the back end. It's everything I want in a pilsner.
Nov 13, 2020
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by ChristopherProvost from Massachusetts
Appearance: almost clear (maybe a slight bit of chill haze), golden straw color; pours with a good head that dissipates quickly and leaves almost no lacing
Smell: honestly, I don't get much more than biscuit and cracker, maybe a tiny bit of straw or grassy character
Taste: fresh baked bread, crackers
Feel: Light, crisp, clean, refreshing. Totally crushable.
Overall: Trail is one of the best American German-style pilsners I've ever tasted. Crisp, clean, and refreshing with just touch of that hop bitterness on the back end. It's everything I want in a pilsner.
Nov 13, 2020
3.9 by westcoastbeerlvr from California on Nov 12, 2020
3.16 by CraftFan5 from New Jersey on Nov 02, 2020
4.1 by MJSFS from Florida on Nov 01, 2020
4.1 by TangoJuliet from New York on Oct 03, 2020
4.71 by JamieDuncan from Maryland on Sep 26, 2020
4.85/5 rDev +22.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
by bubseymour from Maryland
Best Pilsner I’ve had in years
Sep 23, 2020
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
by bubseymour from Maryland
Best Pilsner I’ve had in years
Sep 23, 2020
4.19/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Kendo from New York
Canned on 8/10/20, consumed on 9/20/20, after mowing the lawn on a cool late-summer day.
The label only says "Trail" - i.e., not "Trail Magic," but the artwork looks the same as the picture here, and the stamp on the bottom says "It's still magic to me," so I'm pretty sure this is the same beer. Perhaps they were forced to change the name for some legal reason. . . .
A: Poured into a pilsner glass, the body is faint, clear yellow with a 1-finger white head on top. Nice slow-rising bubbles of carbonation.
S: Like a pilsner - modestly floral. Grassy noble hops over crackery malt.
T: First impression: "clean" (which makes sense for a lager). Foundation of modest crackery malt and grains is followed by grassy and fruity noble hops.
M: Crisp, light in body/heft, carbonation is modest and the feel is smoother than expected.
O: A really nice pilsner - easy to drink, with nice clean, balanced flavors.
Sep 20, 2020
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Kendo from New York
Canned on 8/10/20, consumed on 9/20/20, after mowing the lawn on a cool late-summer day.
The label only says "Trail" - i.e., not "Trail Magic," but the artwork looks the same as the picture here, and the stamp on the bottom says "It's still magic to me," so I'm pretty sure this is the same beer. Perhaps they were forced to change the name for some legal reason. . . .
A: Poured into a pilsner glass, the body is faint, clear yellow with a 1-finger white head on top. Nice slow-rising bubbles of carbonation.
S: Like a pilsner - modestly floral. Grassy noble hops over crackery malt.
T: First impression: "clean" (which makes sense for a lager). Foundation of modest crackery malt and grains is followed by grassy and fruity noble hops.
M: Crisp, light in body/heft, carbonation is modest and the feel is smoother than expected.
O: A really nice pilsner - easy to drink, with nice clean, balanced flavors.
Sep 20, 2020
4.4/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by ArrogantB from Colorado
Pretty fresh can. Considering the current trend of lagers being "hip" I'm surprised to not hear more about this one. Super clean, traditional German pils flavor, delicious. I'm going to be a heretic and say better than what Bierstadt is putting out right now.
Sep 04, 2020
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by ArrogantB from Colorado
Pretty fresh can. Considering the current trend of lagers being "hip" I'm surprised to not hear more about this one. Super clean, traditional German pils flavor, delicious. I'm going to be a heretic and say better than what Bierstadt is putting out right now.
Sep 04, 2020
4.48 by Justincredble from Pennsylvania on Sep 01, 2020
3.78 by DucksFan16 from Tennessee on Aug 30, 2020
4.17/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by DaveMaciolek21 from New Jersey
A crisp, bright slice of German countryside! Pale gold, an instantly thinning modest one-finger white head. A zesty bite courtesy of European hops, and a nice long-lasting aftertaste that brings the malt forward, reminding you that the days are getting a little shorter, and nights a little cooler. If the pandemic is keeping you from flying to Bavaria, this is the next best thing to being there.
Aug 27, 2020
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by DaveMaciolek21 from New Jersey
A crisp, bright slice of German countryside! Pale gold, an instantly thinning modest one-finger white head. A zesty bite courtesy of European hops, and a nice long-lasting aftertaste that brings the malt forward, reminding you that the days are getting a little shorter, and nights a little cooler. If the pandemic is keeping you from flying to Bavaria, this is the next best thing to being there.
Aug 27, 2020
4 by Fettpopps from Massachusetts on Aug 18, 2020
3.96 by Dharmelink from Wisconsin on Aug 18, 2020
4/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by Stevedore from Oregon
Lighter golden yellow body, two finger white head, nice retention. I like this a lot. IMO analogous to Slow Pour and Mary, nice deep malt character but with a crisp, mildly floral bite. Good body, leaves nothing to search for. Well balanced and delicious.
Jul 31, 2020
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by Stevedore from Oregon
Lighter golden yellow body, two finger white head, nice retention. I like this a lot. IMO analogous to Slow Pour and Mary, nice deep malt character but with a crisp, mildly floral bite. Good body, leaves nothing to search for. Well balanced and delicious.
Jul 31, 2020
3.75 by R11415 from New York on Jul 09, 2020
4 by atlbravsrno1 from New Hampshire on Jul 06, 2020
4.25 by MellowHype from Massachusetts on Jun 24, 2020
3.74 by Sulty from Massachusetts on Jun 17, 2020
3.88/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
by VoxRationis from New York
Decanted from a 16 oz (473 ml) can into a Tree House, Willi Becher; canned on 05/25/20, code GROUND SCORE.
A: Pours a crystal clear, golden color with a short lived, one finger, foamy,-white head, largely rim retention with islands of foams, and spotty lacing.
S: Floral at first. None of those "off" notes common at first in AALs. Aromas are then derived from grasses and grains, increasingly directed toward barley as it warms.
T: Dry. Palate follows the nose with barley more evident as it warms. Lightly peppery bitterness with a nicely crisp finish.
M: Light bodied with moderate carbonation. A touch of astringency after swallowing
O: Trail Magic is a solid, very drinkable German Pilsner. Flavorful, thirst quenching, and eminently approachable.
Jun 14, 2020
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
by VoxRationis from New York
Decanted from a 16 oz (473 ml) can into a Tree House, Willi Becher; canned on 05/25/20, code GROUND SCORE.
A: Pours a crystal clear, golden color with a short lived, one finger, foamy,-white head, largely rim retention with islands of foams, and spotty lacing.
S: Floral at first. None of those "off" notes common at first in AALs. Aromas are then derived from grasses and grains, increasingly directed toward barley as it warms.
T: Dry. Palate follows the nose with barley more evident as it warms. Lightly peppery bitterness with a nicely crisp finish.
M: Light bodied with moderate carbonation. A touch of astringency after swallowing
O: Trail Magic is a solid, very drinkable German Pilsner. Flavorful, thirst quenching, and eminently approachable.
Jun 14, 2020
4.36/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by toca from Connecticut
Pilsners are not my preference, but purchased a Treehouse beer bundle which included a couple of Trails. Glad I was able to try it!
Look -has a very pleasant clean, golden complexion with a two finger head that disappears in several minutes.
Smell - a classic Pilsner. nice malty nose with earthy undercurrents.
Taste - Definitely Pilsner tasting that will be most refreshing on a hot summer day.
Feel - Decent carbonation, crisp, refreshing, and easy to drink.
Overall - A very well done style of a Pilsner beer. Thirst-quenching and highly recommended for those who like pilsners.
Jun 12, 2020
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by toca from Connecticut
Pilsners are not my preference, but purchased a Treehouse beer bundle which included a couple of Trails. Glad I was able to try it!
Look -has a very pleasant clean, golden complexion with a two finger head that disappears in several minutes.
Smell - a classic Pilsner. nice malty nose with earthy undercurrents.
Taste - Definitely Pilsner tasting that will be most refreshing on a hot summer day.
Feel - Decent carbonation, crisp, refreshing, and easy to drink.
Overall - A very well done style of a Pilsner beer. Thirst-quenching and highly recommended for those who like pilsners.
Jun 12, 2020
Trail from Tree House Brewing Company
Beer rating:
88 out of
100 with
308 ratings