Beerland - Trilussa

Quiet little spot right across the Ponte Di Sisto in hip Trastevere, Rome. Seems it gets kind of lost amidst the other great beer spots nearby because it always seems to be mostly empty. Customer service is ok but not super attentive. It is both a bar/outdoor cafe/bottle shop. What they do have going for them is a great selection, including Westvleteren. That counts for a lot!

Although there might be some connection in ownership, Beerland-Trilussa should not to be confused with Birreria Trilussa. They are fairly close by to each other, however, as Birreria Trilussa is just down the road at Via Benedetta, 19.

Beerland-Trilussa is just a beer shop which is next to a chip shop (which makes sense except that who's going to spend money for expensive beers to go with their fries at the end of the night except for drunk kids - oh, wait, it does make sense ! ).

I came in seeking just one beer, the latest Trappist offering, Tre Fontane from Roma, but my head was set a'reeling. There are not that many bottles available (about 200 - there's no draft, and not everything is available cold) but they're all good quality. And although I've tasted them before, I was blown away by seeing all of the Westvleteran (and without any 'grey market' labelling!). The prices brought me around, and the fact that I knew with all of the great beers available "alla spina" in the neighborhood I'd never have time to drink them all before my flight home. I paid 6€ for a Tre Fontaine and was asked if I'd like it cold. Sure, why not? Then they offered me a glass... so why not, I sat at one of their small tables and enjoyed it right there (possibly not the best place to do a review, right next to a chip shop, but what the hell).

In comparison to buying these beers in the states they're really not that bad. 6€ for a Tre Fontaine (although I did find it for 3€ elsewhere)? 11€ for a Westvleteran (sorry, I don't remember which one)? The Spencer Trappist ale sells in the U.S for about $3 a bottle. The Belgians, well that's a different story.

In conclusion, I'd say that it's not really a destination unless you're seeking out European beers and have a lot of money and some way to transport them (or just the time to drink them), OR you really wanna get that Westy! They don't really have a lot of Italian craft brews, so for that you'll have to go to Domus Birrae which is a little north of the Colosseum. If found it interesting how they displayed their beers, hanging on racks, and I enjoyed it though, so if you're in the area you might want to stop. Trestevere is the "beer neighborhood" in Roma though, so keep in mind that you'll find lots of beer elsewhere. Ciao!

Great selection - hundreds of bottles, only sold as single bottles. A lot of them are available cold or room temperature. It's obviously a little pricey (€3-€5 is probably the average bottle), but that's because they're all high class beers. They have all the Trappists (even a few bottles of Westvleteran XII for €17.50), some quality sours and lambics and the like, and a whole slew of pretty much everything. They also happen to serve American street food, which is pretty strange. The major negative aspect here is that, for some reason, I get the feeling that the people who work here don't know much about beer. However, if you're in Trastevere for some time and are itching for some variety in your fridge, it's definitely worth the stop. Also I'd check the dates on the bottles just in case.