PM Dawn Vanilla
Trillium Brewing Company
- From:
- Trillium Brewing Company
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Imperial Pastry Stout
Ranked #528 - ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 94
Ranked #2,335 - Avg:
- 4.27 | pDev: 5.39%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 22
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 12, 2026
- Added:
- Oct 18, 2018
- Wants:
- 6
- Gots:
- 7
SCORE
94
Outstanding
94
Outstanding
Continuing our exploration on the base of our bold American Imperial Stout infused with cold-brew coffee, we are proud to present Vanilla PM Dawn. We took our base recipe then slightly dialed back the ratio of cold brew Italian Roast from Barrington to allow the heavy dose of vanilla bean to balance the beer and perfectly accentuate its flavor profile.
Vanilla PM Dawn presents an opaque black with brown head and lacing. On the nose, an inviting freshly, roasted dark coffee aroma draws you in as highlights of Madagascar vanilla and burnt sugar syrup entice the palate. The flavor profile displays vanilla lattes, pot de crème, dried red fruit, molasses, and bitter baking chocolate. As with all of our PM Dawn variants, Vanilla PM Dawn offers a medium to heavy body with a luscious mouthfeel and a light bitterness for a balanced and smooth finish.
MALT: American 2-row Barley, Caramunich, C-60, C-120, Dextrine, Black (Patent), Roasted Barley, Special B, Chocolate Malt
HOPS: Columbus
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: Madagascar Vanilla
Vanilla PM Dawn presents an opaque black with brown head and lacing. On the nose, an inviting freshly, roasted dark coffee aroma draws you in as highlights of Madagascar vanilla and burnt sugar syrup entice the palate. The flavor profile displays vanilla lattes, pot de crème, dried red fruit, molasses, and bitter baking chocolate. As with all of our PM Dawn variants, Vanilla PM Dawn offers a medium to heavy body with a luscious mouthfeel and a light bitterness for a balanced and smooth finish.
MALT: American 2-row Barley, Caramunich, C-60, C-120, Dextrine, Black (Patent), Roasted Barley, Special B, Chocolate Malt
HOPS: Columbus
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: Madagascar Vanilla
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by CHickman from New York
4.29/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Had it on tap, pours as black as ink with a small tan head that left outstanding lacing. Smells like a burst of vanilla poured into a stout with some brownie batter floating in it. Tastes like a mix of vanilla, charred malts, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, burnt coffee, brown sugar, piney hops, smoked wood and more hints of vanilla like vanilla beans. It’s a rich stout overall, but it's very smooth and there’s zero sign of the ABV so if you appreciate a vanilla infused stout then this is spot on.
Mar 12, 2026
Reviewed by harrypowers from Massachusetts
4.34/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours completely black in color with a 1F brown head with light lacing.
Smells and tastes of bitter dark chocolate and coffee followed by sweeter bits of vanilla and marshmallow. The finish is lightly spicy, bitter and boozy warm.
Heavy body with light carbonation. Lush syrupy mouthfeel.
This is big, strong, brooding and complex sipper. I appreciate that it is not cloy.
Recommended!
Feb 12, 2025Smells and tastes of bitter dark chocolate and coffee followed by sweeter bits of vanilla and marshmallow. The finish is lightly spicy, bitter and boozy warm.
Heavy body with light carbonation. Lush syrupy mouthfeel.
This is big, strong, brooding and complex sipper. I appreciate that it is not cloy.
Recommended!
Rated by hman43 from North Carolina
4.07/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.07/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Very dark brown head average retention strong coffee treacle vanilla spice low dark fruits
Feb 09, 2025
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
4.22/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.22/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Canned 2024/11/20
Pours a foamy fizzy brown 1/2 finger head with fair retention, spotty lacing, jet black color
Nose starts with fresh roasted coffee, espresso like, into dark chocolate and rich vanilla, little marshmallow and nougat, vanilla ice cream, general roasty notes
Taste brings more of the coffee up front, more like cold brew soft coffee, then more dark chocolate, cocoa, hot cocoa even, fair vanilla with more vanilla ice cream, nougat, a touch nutty, some bitterness from roasted malts and hint of spicy hop, creamy chocolate milk late into a mild dry semi sweet finish with a flash of alcohol warmth and coffee grounds lingering
Mouth is fuller bod, creamy and a little lush, med frothy carb, very light smooth alcohol warmth
Overall pretty nice, vanilla added a nice touch, finish was a bit too much coffee grounds but otherwise a good beer
Feb 01, 2025Pours a foamy fizzy brown 1/2 finger head with fair retention, spotty lacing, jet black color
Nose starts with fresh roasted coffee, espresso like, into dark chocolate and rich vanilla, little marshmallow and nougat, vanilla ice cream, general roasty notes
Taste brings more of the coffee up front, more like cold brew soft coffee, then more dark chocolate, cocoa, hot cocoa even, fair vanilla with more vanilla ice cream, nougat, a touch nutty, some bitterness from roasted malts and hint of spicy hop, creamy chocolate milk late into a mild dry semi sweet finish with a flash of alcohol warmth and coffee grounds lingering
Mouth is fuller bod, creamy and a little lush, med frothy carb, very light smooth alcohol warmth
Overall pretty nice, vanilla added a nice touch, finish was a bit too much coffee grounds but otherwise a good beer
Reviewed by Porter1312 from Massachusetts
4.14/5 rDev -3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.14/5 rDev -3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours extremely dark, as an American Imperial Stout would suggest. Lacing and head is a soft opeque brown that lasts quite a while. On the nose, PM gives freshly ground coffee and vanilla bean, as advertised. Pleasant, but I was expecting a bit more. Taste is outstanding, a big rush of vanilla bean and thick malty chocolate sweetness followed by a smooth bittering, almost tannic bite, of the cold pressed coffee. Mouthfeel is silky and medium-thick but not viscous. Outstanding release from Trillium. Cheers!
Dec 09, 2024
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan
4/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Not an actual rating but I didn't want to skew the numbers too much. I drank one of these that had been in my cellar for over 1 1/2 years and it didn't age well. It was canned in June of 2020 so it's over 2 years old at this point.
Certainly wasn't horrible, but the similarly aged PB version was much better in all aspects, so it's specifically this vanilla version.
In any case, this is just a public service announcement: Drink these fresh!
I return you to your regularly scheduled reviews now...
Aug 13, 2022Certainly wasn't horrible, but the similarly aged PB version was much better in all aspects, so it's specifically this vanilla version.
In any case, this is just a public service announcement: Drink these fresh!
I return you to your regularly scheduled reviews now...
Reviewed by mothman from Minnesota
4/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap. Tan head. Black color.
Really nice coffee here. Kind of cold press like. Not roasted. Nice vanilla but not too sweet. Chocolate. Caramel. Full bodied.
Oct 10, 2021Really nice coffee here. Kind of cold press like. Not roasted. Nice vanilla but not too sweet. Chocolate. Caramel. Full bodied.
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