Objective Lens
Trillium Brewing Company

 

 

Look - Black and thick with a nice tan head, big rimming and sticky lacing
Smell and taste - really nice chocolate vanilla barrel blend
Feel - medium full body and slight carb
Overall - great beer

Drank from a 1 pint .9 oz (500 ml) bottle purchased at Trillium Brewing Company, Boston, MA
Served in a tulip

This was a gusher! Fortunately, only a little bit of the beer ended up on my countertop. Once in the glass, a half-finger tall, super tight and creamy, mocha colored cap of froth topped the body. The head quickly dropped to a thin, lasting collar. Spotty lacing trickled along the glass. The resulting liquid was an intensely viscous and oily looking, pitch black hue.

The aroma was really fragrant and intense. Bourbon came through big time. The bourbon presence was sweet, rounded and very vanilla forward versus being overtly boozy. Loads of fresh vanilla bean character as well. According to the label, this beer is made with three different types of vanilla. Wow! Loads of brown sugar and rich caramel malts. Dark chocolate fudge notes were also apparent. Sweet but appropriately so given the style.

The flavor profile was sweet, rounded and quite interesting up front but felt a bit harsh and/or slightly oxidized on the back end and in the finish. Big caramel malt presence. Lots of boozy bourbon and sweet vanilla in the center. Good dose of rich dark chocolate and brown sugar too. Roasted malts appeared on the back end and in the finish. Moderately bitter. More boozy bourbon as well. I definitely felt the 15.1% in this beer. There was perhaps a hint of an oxidative, papery “twang” as well that lingering after the swallow. However, this could have simply been the result of an odd hop/malt/alcohol interplay.

Outstanding mouthfeel. Super rich and full bodied for the style. Creamy, oily and slick on the palate. The liquid contained a fine, subtle effervescence that fluffed up nicely. By the drink’s end, the sugars in the beer left slightly sticky film on my lips.

Trillium’s pastry stouts are almost always very impressive, and Observing Reason was another fantastic offering. Fans of vanilla-infused pastry stouts should definitely seek this out.

Bottle. Tan head. Black color. Thick, motor oil.

Vanilla and charred barrel. Fudge, cake batter, chewy oak, dark fruits, bourbon. Roasted, chocolate. Strong, warming, smooth.

Very thick mouthfeel. Not much carbonation. Very tasty. You CAN taste/feel the alcohol level. Pretty tasty. Not the very best, but damn good. Share with a friend!

 

500ml bottle at share. Black pour with a thin layer of tight brown head. aroma is very chocolaty, sweet, roasty and bourbon. taste Is sweet first and foremost, heavy chocolate, toffee, notes of vanilla all wrapped in big boozy warmth.

Vanilla bomb. Excellent!

500ml bottle

Pours black with a dense creamy dark brown foam head. Smells like rich sweet syrupy chocolate, fudge brownies, cookies and cream, strong fresh vanilla, icing on a cake, chocolate frosting, roasted malts, toasted toffee, dark caramel, oaky bourbon barrel, with mild earthy herbal hops. Tastes like rich dark chocolate, fresh vanillas, frosted fudge brownie, cookies and cream, espresso icing, roasted malts, toasted toffee, dark caramel, oaky bourbon barrel, with a hint of earthy hops. Feels full bodied, thick and smooth with moderate low carbonation. Overall a really great barrel aged imperial stout with vanilla.