Permutation #109: Perm 52 + Perm 57
Trillium Brewing Company
- From:
- Trillium Brewing Company
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 12.4%
- Score:
- 100
- Avg:
- 4.66 | pDev: 5.15%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 12
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Feb 27, 2022
- Added:
- Feb 22, 2019
- Wants:
- 10
- Gots:
- 5
SCORE
100
World-Class
100
World-Class
Permutation is our experimental series of small batch offerings, showcasing the unique visions and innovative concepts developed by our brewing and cellar crew.
Permutation 109 draws inspiration from two of our favorite inductions in the series so far: Numbers 52 and 57. Like those batches, for this special beer we took an imperial stout aged just over two years in bourbon oak barrels and blended it with a fresh stout brewed in stainless fermenters. Next, we added coconut, almond, vanilla bean, and our Trillium blend cold brew to amplify the palate with bold depth and decadent flavor. Out the bottle, Permutation 109 pours a jet black color with a mocha brown head, presenting excitable and mouth watering aromas of toasted coconut, milk chocolate, and chewy almond shortbread with hints of bourbon. Each sip offers a chance to explore a layered palate rich with flavors of brownie batter, Almond Joys, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, coconut granola and oaky vanilla. A rush of smooth, roasty cold brew highlights the finish balancing the sweeter elements of the palate with a gentle bitterness. Full bodied with a velvety and viscous mouthfeel, Permutation 109 is the perfect night cap for the last chilly nights of winter.
MALT: Pale Malt, White Wheat Malt, Munich Malt, Flaked Oats Caramel Malt, Chocolate Malt, Black Malt, Roasted Barley
HOPS: Hop Extract
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: Toasted Almond, Toasted Coconut, Vanilla, Trillium Blend Coffee and Lactose
Permutation 109 draws inspiration from two of our favorite inductions in the series so far: Numbers 52 and 57. Like those batches, for this special beer we took an imperial stout aged just over two years in bourbon oak barrels and blended it with a fresh stout brewed in stainless fermenters. Next, we added coconut, almond, vanilla bean, and our Trillium blend cold brew to amplify the palate with bold depth and decadent flavor. Out the bottle, Permutation 109 pours a jet black color with a mocha brown head, presenting excitable and mouth watering aromas of toasted coconut, milk chocolate, and chewy almond shortbread with hints of bourbon. Each sip offers a chance to explore a layered palate rich with flavors of brownie batter, Almond Joys, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, coconut granola and oaky vanilla. A rush of smooth, roasty cold brew highlights the finish balancing the sweeter elements of the palate with a gentle bitterness. Full bodied with a velvety and viscous mouthfeel, Permutation 109 is the perfect night cap for the last chilly nights of winter.
MALT: Pale Malt, White Wheat Malt, Munich Malt, Flaked Oats Caramel Malt, Chocolate Malt, Black Malt, Roasted Barley
HOPS: Hop Extract
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: Toasted Almond, Toasted Coconut, Vanilla, Trillium Blend Coffee and Lactose
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by JerzDevl2000 from New Jersey
4.66/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.66/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Traded for this recently, as I've become quite impressed with Trillium's bottled offerings. Without a doubt, this may have been the best of the bunch, as it was even better than their other Permutations and PM Dawn beer that I was fortunate enough to have recently. Yes, this was a beast but given the time that it took to enjoy this, i can clearly say that it was well worth the effort!
This had a decent pour to it as the liquid was dark, thick, and slightly syrupy in consistency. Not a lot of head to it and the corresponding mocha lacing was also thin and short in duration. That was by far, this beer's weakest attribute as everything else about it was wonderful to behold. Brown sugar, molasses, bourbon stickiness, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and dark wood came through in the nose as the taste was full of those with so much more on top of it. Vanilla bean, toasted coconut, oatmeal grittiness, and a subtle and strong nuttiness came into the fold as they gave this beer a wonderful and rich depth that took hold of me and never quite let up. The carbonation was moderate and the mouthfeel was slick like vanilla extract but it's so rare to find an American Imperial Stout that was so strong, multi-faceted, and rich - all at the same time. An underlying caramel sweetness tied everything in together while staying in the background to the cacophony of notes that were competing to stand out above the others...
Yes, this was strong and yes, the alcohol was overt in this but it was on par with everything else that was going on here. If you like your beers to be dark, strong, sweet, viscous, rich, complex, and deep, then you've found your match here. Easily the best I've had from Trillium and one of the standouts that I've had during my 13 1/2 years reviewing beers on this site. This is a must-have!
Sep 03, 2019This had a decent pour to it as the liquid was dark, thick, and slightly syrupy in consistency. Not a lot of head to it and the corresponding mocha lacing was also thin and short in duration. That was by far, this beer's weakest attribute as everything else about it was wonderful to behold. Brown sugar, molasses, bourbon stickiness, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and dark wood came through in the nose as the taste was full of those with so much more on top of it. Vanilla bean, toasted coconut, oatmeal grittiness, and a subtle and strong nuttiness came into the fold as they gave this beer a wonderful and rich depth that took hold of me and never quite let up. The carbonation was moderate and the mouthfeel was slick like vanilla extract but it's so rare to find an American Imperial Stout that was so strong, multi-faceted, and rich - all at the same time. An underlying caramel sweetness tied everything in together while staying in the background to the cacophony of notes that were competing to stand out above the others...
Yes, this was strong and yes, the alcohol was overt in this but it was on par with everything else that was going on here. If you like your beers to be dark, strong, sweet, viscous, rich, complex, and deep, then you've found your match here. Easily the best I've had from Trillium and one of the standouts that I've had during my 13 1/2 years reviewing beers on this site. This is a must-have!
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina
4.27/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Despite a fairly hard pour, only a film of beige foam was lifted and it quickly faded to a ringlet; spotty lace
Smell: Pure Almond Joy - got the dark chocolate, got the coconut and got the almonds; there is also a mocha character attributable to the coffee, as well as some vanilla
Taste: Very sweet, up front, with the Almond Joy melting across the palate; some fruity coffee flavors emerge but fade into the sweet elements with the chocolate, vanilla and toasted almond flavors lingering
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low carbonation
Overall: Admittedly, I am not a big pastry stout fan but I do have respect for what Trillium has created here; I just think the overall impact is too sweet and I don't detect much impact from the Bourbon barrel
Thanks, BeerRay, for the opportunity
Sep 01, 2019Smell: Pure Almond Joy - got the dark chocolate, got the coconut and got the almonds; there is also a mocha character attributable to the coffee, as well as some vanilla
Taste: Very sweet, up front, with the Almond Joy melting across the palate; some fruity coffee flavors emerge but fade into the sweet elements with the chocolate, vanilla and toasted almond flavors lingering
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low carbonation
Overall: Admittedly, I am not a big pastry stout fan but I do have respect for what Trillium has created here; I just think the overall impact is too sweet and I don't detect much impact from the Bourbon barrel
Thanks, BeerRay, for the opportunity
Reviewed by M_chav from New Mexico
4.7/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.7/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
L - pours a very dark brow out of the bottle that turns into a thick looking black sludge in the glass, messy and will ruin any glassware with its black coating.
S - graham crackers and s'mores, all the marshmallow/chocolate/lite coffee fixings, this is going to be delicious
T - now the marzipan/almond and coconut take stage, its thick and chewy, diabetes in a glass. very sweet, share with friends, this would be a monster to solo dome, tons of sugar
F - so its thicc.... a decent amount of coffee is helping to cut through the residual sugars, bordering on overly sweet but it's killing the game as far as #pastrystouts go. I love it but going back for a second and third pour is a little overbearing.
O - I'm feeling torn recently, as well as this one: Coconut vibes b2, BA Coconut vibes, Adjunct Trail are all pushing the limits on what I can call "beer" - we are verging close to straight brownie batter (which is really tasty), its up there with the best blended stout I've had in recent memory and keeps up with the big body I mentioned above... Carbonation was better held in this beer than most Side Project/Angry Chair stouts so I like that. Im all over the place, its full of flavor and sugar so share and enjoy, but overall wished for more barrel.
Jul 20, 2019S - graham crackers and s'mores, all the marshmallow/chocolate/lite coffee fixings, this is going to be delicious
T - now the marzipan/almond and coconut take stage, its thick and chewy, diabetes in a glass. very sweet, share with friends, this would be a monster to solo dome, tons of sugar
F - so its thicc.... a decent amount of coffee is helping to cut through the residual sugars, bordering on overly sweet but it's killing the game as far as #pastrystouts go. I love it but going back for a second and third pour is a little overbearing.
O - I'm feeling torn recently, as well as this one: Coconut vibes b2, BA Coconut vibes, Adjunct Trail are all pushing the limits on what I can call "beer" - we are verging close to straight brownie batter (which is really tasty), its up there with the best blended stout I've had in recent memory and keeps up with the big body I mentioned above... Carbonation was better held in this beer than most Side Project/Angry Chair stouts so I like that. Im all over the place, its full of flavor and sugar so share and enjoy, but overall wished for more barrel.
Reviewed by StoutshoreBeersnob from Massachusetts
5/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
All around 5. This is the best beer I have ever had to date
Nose: Almond Joy, Coconut, Milk chocolate, Sweet Nutty Almonds, Bourbon, Vanilla and a bit of roast coffee
Taste: very similar to the nose, a boozy liquid almond joy, Sweet shredded toasted coconut (and I mean real coconut not that artificial crap some breweries have), Hints of chocolate and vanilla go back and forth, Crunchy Candied almonds, and some bourbon booze that pairs extremely well with the sweetness
Mouthfeel: Thick chewy mouthfeel. The head on this beer lasted FOREVER, Good bourbon booziness but yet this beer is so drinkable I could not stop sipping it
Jun 16, 2019Nose: Almond Joy, Coconut, Milk chocolate, Sweet Nutty Almonds, Bourbon, Vanilla and a bit of roast coffee
Taste: very similar to the nose, a boozy liquid almond joy, Sweet shredded toasted coconut (and I mean real coconut not that artificial crap some breweries have), Hints of chocolate and vanilla go back and forth, Crunchy Candied almonds, and some bourbon booze that pairs extremely well with the sweetness
Mouthfeel: Thick chewy mouthfeel. The head on this beer lasted FOREVER, Good bourbon booziness but yet this beer is so drinkable I could not stop sipping it
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