Maillard
Trillium Brewing Company
- From:
- Trillium Brewing Company
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- English Barleywine
- ABV:
- 15.4%
- Score:
- +3 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.52 | pDev: 3.76%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 13, 2026
- Added:
- Mar 17, 2026
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
NO SCORE
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-
Brewed in collaboration with Side Project Brewing, this double barrel-aged barleywine spent more than two years aging in hand selected bourbon barrels. Brewed with 100% Maris Otter malt and an extended overnight boil, Maillard is our interpretation of a single malt barley wine, allowing the depth of the grain and the character of the barrels to take center stage.
Named for the Maillard reaction, the chemical process that occurs when heat transforms grain during brewing, this beer celebrates the rich flavors created when malt sugars caramelize and develop complexity in the brewhouse.
The beer spent a full year in its first set of bourbon barrels before being transferred into a second round for another year of aging, creating a layered expression of oak, spirit, and malt. Pouring rich and complex, aromas of Werther’s caramel candy, brûléed sugar, soft oak, fig, and dark stone fruit rise from the glass. The palate follows with layers of caramelized sugar, ripe fig, and dark fruit, balanced by gentle bitterness. A slightly lighter, softer profile allows the barrel character to shine through.
Named for the Maillard reaction, the chemical process that occurs when heat transforms grain during brewing, this beer celebrates the rich flavors created when malt sugars caramelize and develop complexity in the brewhouse.
The beer spent a full year in its first set of bourbon barrels before being transferred into a second round for another year of aging, creating a layered expression of oak, spirit, and malt. Pouring rich and complex, aromas of Werther’s caramel candy, brûléed sugar, soft oak, fig, and dark stone fruit rise from the glass. The palate follows with layers of caramelized sugar, ripe fig, and dark fruit, balanced by gentle bitterness. A slightly lighter, softer profile allows the barrel character to shine through.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by SpeedwayJim from New York
4.37/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.37/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
16oz. Capped bottle into a Lost Abbey teku.
Pours a near pitch black mahogany. A big swirl generates a light brown head that collapses quickly. Spotty lace. Super thick legs. Nose is molasses, brown sugar, prunes, and other dried dark fruit. Mellow oak and leather. Very aromatic. Beer opens brown sugar, breakfast syrup, and dried dark fruit. Oak, mellow booze, and more syrup in the middle. Raisin, leather, and barrel to finish. Nice complexity. Full, chewy body. Low carbonation. Slick. Rich and velvety on the palate. Long finish.
Great balance, complexity, and body. Really nice.
May 13, 2026Pours a near pitch black mahogany. A big swirl generates a light brown head that collapses quickly. Spotty lace. Super thick legs. Nose is molasses, brown sugar, prunes, and other dried dark fruit. Mellow oak and leather. Very aromatic. Beer opens brown sugar, breakfast syrup, and dried dark fruit. Oak, mellow booze, and more syrup in the middle. Raisin, leather, and barrel to finish. Nice complexity. Full, chewy body. Low carbonation. Slick. Rich and velvety on the palate. Long finish.
Great balance, complexity, and body. Really nice.
Reviewed by StoutElk_92 from Massachusetts
4.9/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
4.9/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
500ml bottle
Pours dark brown maroon red near black with a creamy frothy beige yellow colored foam head. Smells like toasted brown bread, rich caramel, toffee, mapley brown sugar, molasses, light roasty malts, dark berry, black grapes, red grapes, black cherry, plum, apple, pear, raisin, figs, dates, apricot, dried fruits, subtle citrus, woody oak bourbon barrels, vanilla, and floral earthy herbal woodsy grassy piney hops. Tastes like woody oaky wet bourbon barrels, rich caramel, sweet toffee, mapley brown sugar, toasted brown bread, graham cracker, molasses, light roasty chocolate, mild leather, tobacco, vanilla, dark fruits, red grapes, black grapes, dark berry, black cherry, plum, apple, pear, raisin, figs, dates, apricot, dried fruits, subtle citrus, hints of spice, and floral earthy herbal woodsy grassy pine. Feels medium plus bodied, slick with smooth moderate low carbonation. Overall a really great double barrel aged barleywine ale.
Apr 22, 2026Pours dark brown maroon red near black with a creamy frothy beige yellow colored foam head. Smells like toasted brown bread, rich caramel, toffee, mapley brown sugar, molasses, light roasty malts, dark berry, black grapes, red grapes, black cherry, plum, apple, pear, raisin, figs, dates, apricot, dried fruits, subtle citrus, woody oak bourbon barrels, vanilla, and floral earthy herbal woodsy grassy piney hops. Tastes like woody oaky wet bourbon barrels, rich caramel, sweet toffee, mapley brown sugar, toasted brown bread, graham cracker, molasses, light roasty chocolate, mild leather, tobacco, vanilla, dark fruits, red grapes, black grapes, dark berry, black cherry, plum, apple, pear, raisin, figs, dates, apricot, dried fruits, subtle citrus, hints of spice, and floral earthy herbal woodsy grassy pine. Feels medium plus bodied, slick with smooth moderate low carbonation. Overall a really great double barrel aged barleywine ale.
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
4.48/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.48/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours a frothy semi creamy 1/2 finger tan head with fair retention, a bit of lacing, decent legs, dark molasses brown color
Nose brings lots of sweet caramel, toffee, biscuit toffee candy bar cookie, plenty of fresh oak barrel, vanilla, toasted oak, some dark fruits raisin plum candied date kinda thing, molasses, a bit of chocolate as well,
Taste brings more of the sweet malts up front, candied dried fruits, fig raisin date, lots of caramel and toffee candy, molasses, a bit of brown sugar, caramelized candi sugar, some chocolate, more toasted wafer cookie and biscuit cookie, plenty of vanilla, toasted oak and rich oak barrel, sweet bourbon juice, mild bitterness, sticky sweet finish, a bit of smooth alcohol, plenty of sweet characters lingering
Mouth is fuller bod, velvety smooth but a touch syrupy, light warming smooth alcohol, lower carb
Overall very nice beer, great barleywine with lots of caramel "Maillard" reaction characters, good barrel as well, smooth alcohol doesn't overpower, wish it had a touch more carbonation, but otherwise a nice beer, wish I could lay a couple down for a few years
Apr 18, 2026Nose brings lots of sweet caramel, toffee, biscuit toffee candy bar cookie, plenty of fresh oak barrel, vanilla, toasted oak, some dark fruits raisin plum candied date kinda thing, molasses, a bit of chocolate as well,
Taste brings more of the sweet malts up front, candied dried fruits, fig raisin date, lots of caramel and toffee candy, molasses, a bit of brown sugar, caramelized candi sugar, some chocolate, more toasted wafer cookie and biscuit cookie, plenty of vanilla, toasted oak and rich oak barrel, sweet bourbon juice, mild bitterness, sticky sweet finish, a bit of smooth alcohol, plenty of sweet characters lingering
Mouth is fuller bod, velvety smooth but a touch syrupy, light warming smooth alcohol, lower carb
Overall very nice beer, great barleywine with lots of caramel "Maillard" reaction characters, good barrel as well, smooth alcohol doesn't overpower, wish it had a touch more carbonation, but otherwise a nice beer, wish I could lay a couple down for a few years
Reviewed by dafla67 from Pennsylvania
4.49/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poirs a deep brown. Aroma is dominated by burnt sugar, caramel and dark fruits. Taste follows nose but more intense & complex. Well balance of burnt sugar, caramel, dark fruits (figs). Medium mouthfeel. Outstanding barleywine.
Mar 20, 2026
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