Really Big Bird
Trillium Brewing Company
- From:
- Trillium Brewing Company
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Imperial IPA
Ranked #128 - ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 95
Ranked #1,526 - Avg:
- 4.35 | pDev: 8.05%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 13
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Today at 01:10 AM
- Added:
- Jul 08, 2020
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
95
World-Class
95
World-Class
Aggressive, yet majestic. Fluffy, but not without a bite. Bigger than big. Really Big Bird is the largest and most hop-saturated addition to our Small Bird Series to-date. We took Big Bird, one of the hoppiest beers in our portfolio, and dosed it with an even more ridiculous dry-hopping rate, resulting in a beer that is unapologetic in its approach.
Presenting a densely hazy deep straw yellow, Really Big Bird wastes no time in offering its bouquet of fruit-forward aromatics. Beginning on the citrus side of the spectrum, we're first greeted with pungent notes of pithy orange, candied grapefruit, and lemon cello. As the glass warms, a tropical character presents itself in the form of a pineapple and papaya smoothie. Earthy undertones, centered around a piney bitterness create a wonderful balance atop a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel. We're going to need a bigger nest!
MALT: American 2-row Barley, White Wheat, Valley Danko Rye, Malted Oats, Flaked Wheat
Presenting a densely hazy deep straw yellow, Really Big Bird wastes no time in offering its bouquet of fruit-forward aromatics. Beginning on the citrus side of the spectrum, we're first greeted with pungent notes of pithy orange, candied grapefruit, and lemon cello. As the glass warms, a tropical character presents itself in the form of a pineapple and papaya smoothie. Earthy undertones, centered around a piney bitterness create a wonderful balance atop a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel. We're going to need a bigger nest!
MALT: American 2-row Barley, White Wheat, Valley Danko Rye, Malted Oats, Flaked Wheat
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by harrypowers from Massachusetts
4.37/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.37/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a hazy light orange with a 1F pillowy head and moderate filmy lacing.
Smells of piney hops with citrus and sweet fruit.
Tastes of resinous hops , tangy wheat, tart grapefruit, orange, lemon and pineapple with a spicy (the rye?) lightly bitter finish.
Medium body with light carbonation. Oaty smooth mouthfeel.
This is a tour de force. Nicely balanced but assertive sweet and bitter bits. Hoppy but not edgy like Turducken.
Today at 01:10 AMSmells of piney hops with citrus and sweet fruit.
Tastes of resinous hops , tangy wheat, tart grapefruit, orange, lemon and pineapple with a spicy (the rye?) lightly bitter finish.
Medium body with light carbonation. Oaty smooth mouthfeel.
This is a tour de force. Nicely balanced but assertive sweet and bitter bits. Hoppy but not edgy like Turducken.
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio
4.25/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Look tannish hazy yellow with a nice white head
Smell and taste - nice tropical mango citrus and a little dank
Feel - medium body and carb
Overall - pretty great
May 19, 2026Smell and taste - nice tropical mango citrus and a little dank
Feel - medium body and carb
Overall - pretty great
Reviewed by ScaryEd from New Hampshire
2.39/5 rDev -45.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25
2.39/5 rDev -45.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25
16 oz can. No date present.
Pours a hazy yellow gold color with large frothy white head. Average retention. Leaves plenty of cobweb lacing. Head settings into a halo.
Aroma is extremely vegetal and grassy. Slightly boozy. There's some light notes of citrus rind and honeydew melon.
Taste is vegetal, earthy, and grassy with notes of peanut shells, grape must, tomato vine, and citrus pith. Boozy on the finish.
Feel is medium-full with low carbonation. Tons of hop burn and booze warmth.
This is not good, at all. This tastes like everything wrong with Trillium hazy beer these days but ramped up to 11. It's overly vegetal with that weird peanut shell note and almost zero malt presence. The hop burn is a terrible flaw that people enjoy for some reason. Add that to the overt booziness and you get...this. Just a mess of hops.
May 19, 2026Pours a hazy yellow gold color with large frothy white head. Average retention. Leaves plenty of cobweb lacing. Head settings into a halo.
Aroma is extremely vegetal and grassy. Slightly boozy. There's some light notes of citrus rind and honeydew melon.
Taste is vegetal, earthy, and grassy with notes of peanut shells, grape must, tomato vine, and citrus pith. Boozy on the finish.
Feel is medium-full with low carbonation. Tons of hop burn and booze warmth.
This is not good, at all. This tastes like everything wrong with Trillium hazy beer these days but ramped up to 11. It's overly vegetal with that weird peanut shell note and almost zero malt presence. The hop burn is a terrible flaw that people enjoy for some reason. Add that to the overt booziness and you get...this. Just a mess of hops.
Reviewed by maltbeard01 from Pennsylvania
4.5/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.5/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured chilled from a can dated 5/15/25 (3 weeks old) into to a 16oz pint glass.
Appearance is murky hazy pale gold. Had a brief 1-finger off-white head that receded quickly.
Aroma packs a punch. Huge burst of citrus and earth. Strong notes of peach, grapefruit, and tangerine. Some earthy/grassy(hop) undertones. Praying the taste follows the nose here.
The taste....amazing. Yes, it does follow the nose. A nice burst of juicy goodness up front...grapefruit, orange rind, dank. Passionfruit as it sits. Getting a slight alcohol detection, bot nothing alarming.
Mouthfeel is fuller side of medium....but a pillowy smoothness due to the delicate carbonation. Starts sweet juicy fruit, finishes balanced with subtle bitterness thanks to the hops.
Overall, delicious. Smooth, flavorful, balanced. Another well-crafted brew from the gang at Trillium. Well done!
Jun 13, 2025Appearance is murky hazy pale gold. Had a brief 1-finger off-white head that receded quickly.
Aroma packs a punch. Huge burst of citrus and earth. Strong notes of peach, grapefruit, and tangerine. Some earthy/grassy(hop) undertones. Praying the taste follows the nose here.
The taste....amazing. Yes, it does follow the nose. A nice burst of juicy goodness up front...grapefruit, orange rind, dank. Passionfruit as it sits. Getting a slight alcohol detection, bot nothing alarming.
Mouthfeel is fuller side of medium....but a pillowy smoothness due to the delicate carbonation. Starts sweet juicy fruit, finishes balanced with subtle bitterness thanks to the hops.
Overall, delicious. Smooth, flavorful, balanced. Another well-crafted brew from the gang at Trillium. Well done!
Reviewed by clayrock81 from Florida
4.13/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.13/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured a cloudy, yellow-gold body with decent head and slowly dying lace that left some lace patches. The aroma is pleasant with some mild citric hops but you do get a touch of peach. The beer is medium-bodied, slightly juicy and plush, does have a touch of fruity sweetness that one could say is like peach, and just enough hoppy bitterness to add balance. Beer has a fuller finish and is easy to drink (ABV well-hidden).
Jul 05, 2024
Reviewed by Griffin2 from Virginia
4.44/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.44/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16 oz can dated 5/15/2024 into a shaker pint glass.
L - Pours a hazy orange color with a fluffy white head that dissipates slowly.
S - Smells of peaches and citrus.
T - Tastes matches the smell, of peaches and oranges.
F - Very creamy body with medium carbonation.
O - Really tasty Imperial IPA that hides the ABV well.
Jun 27, 2024L - Pours a hazy orange color with a fluffy white head that dissipates slowly.
S - Smells of peaches and citrus.
T - Tastes matches the smell, of peaches and oranges.
F - Very creamy body with medium carbonation.
O - Really tasty Imperial IPA that hides the ABV well.
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!