Rocky Road
Trillium Brewing Company

Rocky RoadRocky Road
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From:
Trillium Brewing Company
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
ABV:
11.5%
Score:
94
Avg:
4.34 | pDev: 6.22%
Ratings:
24 | reviews: 5
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 31, 2021
Added:
Feb 28, 2019
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
Collaboration with Great Notion Brewing

We teamed up with our friends at Great Notion to brew our latest dessert-inspired imperial stout: Rocky Road. To achieve the elements of this classic ice cream, we added over 400 pounds of marshmallows to the mash along with lactose and then conditioned the beer over an extended period with chocolate, toasted almonds, and Madagascar Vanilla Beans to maximum their flavor.

The end result pours black with a light brown head. Swirling the glass, the nose is instantly greeted with sweet aromas of vanilla ice cream, crunchy almond butter and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies that extend right through to the palate. Lightly charred marshmallows balance against a nutty and softly roasted malt profile while Rocky Road’s velvety carbonation and thick body provide a soft and creamy mouthfeel that perfect calls to mind that satisfying first spoonful of ice cream stolen right out of the pint.

MALT: Pale Malt, Caramel Malt, Flaked Oats, Black (Patent), Chocolate, Munich, White Wheat
HOPS: Hop Extract
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: Marshmallows, Chocolate, Madagascar Vanilla Beans, Toasted Almond, and Lactose
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.73 by vfgccp from New York

May 31, 2021
 
Rated: 4.28 by NolaHopHead from Louisiana

Dec 31, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by JonB25 from Delaware

Dec 22, 2019
 
Rated: 4.34 by hopley from Massachusetts

Dec 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by wvsabbath from West Virginia

Oct 25, 2019
 
Rated: 3.96 by crobinso from Colorado

Oct 01, 2019
 
Rated: 4.5 by smartassboiler from Illinois

Aug 19, 2019
Photo of dafla67
Rated by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

4.44/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Pours jet black. Aroma is vanilla & chocolate. Taste is sweet chocolate, vanilla & marshmallows. Taste is really good. Mouthfeel is a bit thin.
Jun 21, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Jun 13, 2019
 
Rated: 4.16 by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

Jun 13, 2019
Photo of Jlabs
Reviewed by Jlabs from New York

4.55/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured into a tulip glass via bottle

Color is dark Auburn with mocha foan

Smell is milk chocolate, marshmallows and vanilla

Taste is fudgy chocolate and sweet marshmallows with a dash of vanilla
It definitely tastes like Rocky Road with a hint of alcohol burn ..very sweet

Medium carbonation and the mouthfeel is a bit light
This a very good dessert stout
May 10, 2019
Photo of Damian
Reviewed by Damian from Massachusetts

4.19/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Drank from a 25.4 fl oz (750 ml) bottle purchased at Trillium Brewing Company, Boston, MA
02/26/19
Served in a tulip

Dark brown in appearance and somewhat thin looking on the pour. The body was topped by a near finger-tall, khaki colored crown that quickly fell to a thin halo. Small dots and streaks of lacing stuck along the glass.

The aroma was much more subtle than I anticipated. Malty and slightly sweet. A touch metallic initially. Moderately roasty. Brown sugar notes were apparent. Some booziness as well. Bourbon came to mind. Hint of vanilla. As the beer sat, the nose turned sweeter and more rounded, and the vanilla intensified.

The flavor was similar to the aroma but somewhat punchier. Malty and fairly robust on the front end. Nice brown sugar sweetness. Vanilla appeared in the center. Some creamy lactose too. Perhaps marshmallow. Boozy notes came through on the back end and in the finish. More alcohol and a touch of bitterness after the swallow.

Excellent creamy, slick and smooth mouthfeel. Medium-full bodied for the style. The liquid contained a fine, fairly zippy effervescence that fluffed up beautifully on the palate.

With no discernible chocolate or almond presence and just a bit of vanilla and marshmallow, I would be hard pressed to call this Trillium/Great Notion collaboration a “rocky road” stout. An enjoyable beer for sure but not one that was particularly distinctive or memorable.
May 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.88 by Phineasco from Massachusetts

May 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.23 by Uconnelmo from Connecticut

Apr 19, 2019
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

3.76/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Dark coffee brown to matte black with a tall tan foam that quickly settles to a thin film and ring leaving bubbly lace.

Like many of their stouts, taste is a little astringent and sharply metallic, but less so here perhaps than others. This at least translates as much as it can to a nuttiness with vanilla-speckled chocolate bar. Marshmallow does develop deep underneath and also on the exhale as it warms, and a note of milk chocolate helps it come closer to Rocky Road, but for the majority of the session I really don't get that character.

The medium body has a frothy carbonation that finishes semi-dry and lightly stinging, as a mild roast that nears coffee comes out on the exhale.
Apr 08, 2019
 
Rated: 4.38 by Cwarwick812 from Massachusetts

Apr 08, 2019
 
Rated: 4.27 by needMIbeer from Virginia

Apr 06, 2019
 
Rated: 4.53 by Futbolmanby from Michigan

Mar 23, 2019
Photo of Radcpa
Reviewed by Radcpa from Washington

4.42/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Very dark brown appearance with slight tan head. Aroma is a light vanilla and chocolate. Taste is also a vanilla and chocolate with a touch of almond.
Mar 14, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by Dizzy242 from Massachusetts

Mar 10, 2019