Wonderful Complex Individual
Trillium Brewing Company
- From:
- Trillium Brewing Company
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- American Stout
- ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 91
- Avg:
- 4.17 | pDev: 7.67%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- May 23, 2020
- Added:
- Feb 08, 2020
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
91
Outstanding
91
Outstanding
Brewed in collaboration with Dr. J Nikol Jackson-Beckham, Diversity Ambassador for the Brewers Association, and The Urban Farming Institute, Wonderful Complex Individual is inspired by the #iamcraftbeer movement. Moved by what we were witnessing online, but unsure what we, as a brewery with a self-admitted lack of diversity, could do to join the conversation, we reached out to Dr. J directly.
Immediately receptive and eager for us to engage, Jackson-Beckham accepted our invitation to visit us at Trillium for a collaborative brew day. Wanting this project to have an immediate, positive influence locally, we reached out to our friends at the Urban Farming Institute, whose values of education, community, and local agriculture align very closely with our own. Founded in 2011, UFI fosters partnerships between urban residents and farmers, with the goal of building a healthier and more locally-based food system. On Monday, January 13th, Dr. J and UFI joined us in Canton to brew Wonderful Complex Individual, a stout with sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
The aroma is complex and reminiscent of a bakery. Fresh cinnamon sticks, dark chocolate, sprinkled nutmeg, and subtle vanilla create a warm, woven patchwork on the palate. A mild sweetness is balanced wonderfully by just a touch of roasty bitterness. Medium-bodied and incredibly drinkable, Wonderful Complex Individual is a single step on a long road of diversity and inclusion in craft beer.
Immediately receptive and eager for us to engage, Jackson-Beckham accepted our invitation to visit us at Trillium for a collaborative brew day. Wanting this project to have an immediate, positive influence locally, we reached out to our friends at the Urban Farming Institute, whose values of education, community, and local agriculture align very closely with our own. Founded in 2011, UFI fosters partnerships between urban residents and farmers, with the goal of building a healthier and more locally-based food system. On Monday, January 13th, Dr. J and UFI joined us in Canton to brew Wonderful Complex Individual, a stout with sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
The aroma is complex and reminiscent of a bakery. Fresh cinnamon sticks, dark chocolate, sprinkled nutmeg, and subtle vanilla create a warm, woven patchwork on the palate. A mild sweetness is balanced wonderfully by just a touch of roasty bitterness. Medium-bodied and incredibly drinkable, Wonderful Complex Individual is a single step on a long road of diversity and inclusion in craft beer.
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Reviewed by Damian from Massachusetts
4.61/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
4.61/5 rDev +10.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Drank from a 1 pint can purchased at Trillium Brewing Company, Boston, MA
Served in a tulip
Hazy dark brown appearance. Somewhat murky looking. A thin, finely bubbled, caramel colored crown topped the liquid, but it quickly dropped to lasting, frothy collar. Tiny streaks of lacing stuck along the glass.
Outstanding aroma. Vanilla came through big time. The Madagascar vanilla addition really made its presence known. Some marshmallow too perhaps. Cinnamon and nutmeg notes were also quite apparent. Cocoa powder was detectable as well. Good dose of brown sugar sweetness. This reminded me of a sweet potato casserole. Hint of lighter roast coffee.
The flavor profile was nearly as stellar as the nose. Malty and robust on the front end. Nice melding of caramel and roasted malts. Vanilla kicked in next. Big cinnamon and nutmeg presence too. Brown sugar appeared in the center. Roasty on the back end. The beer finished with more vanilla, brown sugar and a touch of lingering roast.
Outstanding mouthfeel. Super frothy and fluffy. Medium bodied for the style. The liquid contained an ultra fine, fairly zippy effervescence that turned creamy, slick and smooth on the palate.
Wonderful Complex Individual is a fantastically well done, moderate ABV stout that punches far above its weight. Additionally, the beer represents a great cause. I might like to see an imperialized or barrel-aged version of this one day, although it might be difficult to improve on something that is already so complex yet also so drinkable.
Mar 29, 2020Served in a tulip
Hazy dark brown appearance. Somewhat murky looking. A thin, finely bubbled, caramel colored crown topped the liquid, but it quickly dropped to lasting, frothy collar. Tiny streaks of lacing stuck along the glass.
Outstanding aroma. Vanilla came through big time. The Madagascar vanilla addition really made its presence known. Some marshmallow too perhaps. Cinnamon and nutmeg notes were also quite apparent. Cocoa powder was detectable as well. Good dose of brown sugar sweetness. This reminded me of a sweet potato casserole. Hint of lighter roast coffee.
The flavor profile was nearly as stellar as the nose. Malty and robust on the front end. Nice melding of caramel and roasted malts. Vanilla kicked in next. Big cinnamon and nutmeg presence too. Brown sugar appeared in the center. Roasty on the back end. The beer finished with more vanilla, brown sugar and a touch of lingering roast.
Outstanding mouthfeel. Super frothy and fluffy. Medium bodied for the style. The liquid contained an ultra fine, fairly zippy effervescence that turned creamy, slick and smooth on the palate.
Wonderful Complex Individual is a fantastically well done, moderate ABV stout that punches far above its weight. Additionally, the beer represents a great cause. I might like to see an imperialized or barrel-aged version of this one day, although it might be difficult to improve on something that is already so complex yet also so drinkable.
Reviewed by StoutElk_92 from Massachusetts
4.75/5 rDev +13.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.75/5 rDev +13.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Pours dark with a creamy light brown foam head. Smells like sweet milk chocolate, marshmallow vanilla, some sweet cinnamon nutmeg spices, subtle sweet potato, dark caramel, cooked toffee, maple molasses, toasty graham cracker, with mild earthiness. Tastes real nice and well balanced with milk chocolate notes, creamy vanilla, hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, subtle sweet potato, dark caramel, cooked toffee, mapley molasses, toasty graham cracker, with mild earthy hops. Feels medium bodied, creamy thick and smooth, easy drinking with moderate low carbonation. Overall a really nice stout with sweet potato, Madagascar vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Feb 11, 2020
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