Cellar Review Thread (2025)

Trillium - Red Broken Angel (2017)


Bottle dated 031017, this is an oak foeder aged wild Belgian-style strong pale ale with raspberries and plums. Pours a red orange amber color with a dense creamy off white foam head. Smells real strong and pungent with slightly acetic and vinous fruit notes, fresh plums, wild raspberries, peppercorn clove spice, funky oak, hay, straw, mild vanilla, light toasty pale malt, honey, apricot, lemony citrus, and some earthy herbal grassy hops. Tastes really good with strong pungent plums and tart raspberries, subtle kiwifruit, mild vanilla, funky oak, hay, straw, peppercorn clove spice, light toasty pale malt, honey, apricot, lemony citrus, apple, pear, and earthy herbal grassy hops. Feels medium plus bodied, slick with moderate smooth carbonation. Overall a really great oak foeder aged wild Belgian strong pale ale with raspberries and plums. 8 years strong and this is still drinking wonderfully, maybe even a bit smoother than fresh. Definitely not too sour with a moderate acidity at this point and still heavily fruited, I’m enjoying. Cheers all!

 

Returning after a month plus hiatus after the intense February Cellaruary clearing. This beer is several months from Goose Island recommended best by

Goose Island BCBS Wheatwine Ale (2019)



OG Review

4.39/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Today

• Bottle Notes: Purchased September 2020 (Clearance sale $5 plus tax). Best by 9/9/24, properly basement cellared until refrigerated yesterday and opened this early eveing.
• Appearance: Looks more rust brown than the bronze red, but could have been dark lighting in Fountainhead (RIP). 3.75
• Aroma: Let sit for 15 minutes to properly warm. Getting somewhat oxidized caramel and bourbon on ice that has completely melted and needs a refresh. 2.75
• Taste: Butterscotch caramel nice, the bourbon at times tastes harsh like rubbing alcohol. It gets better, or I grow accustomed, as it warms further. 3.25
• Mouthfeel: Strong from Go!, light prickly carbonation still holds. Too boozy, sweet and at times syrupy, caramel and butterscotch a nice contrast to the harsh alcohol / bourbon. 2.5
• Overall: Likely should have had this two-three years ago. A bargain isn't a bargain if you don't enjoy a beer within proper shelflife. Will continue to muddle through this one, glad only one more remains which I will attempt soon. 2.75

Some people claim that there's a woman to blame
But I know it's my own damn fault...

 

2013 Sweetwater Happy Ending
Held up really well - refrigerated for most of hits life. Good roast flavor with minimal ash and burnt caramel and stiff bitter finish helps with drinkability. Shared with my friend Erinn who gave me this bottle back 12 years ago - glad we could get together for another happy ending!!

 

Trillium - Fated Farmer: Fruit Salad (2018)

Packaged 03-May-2018, pouring super spritzy with a deep ruby red color and a highly carbonated rapidly receding off-white pinkish foam head. Tiny bubbles are actually rising out of the top of the glass upon pouring.

Smells fairly funky and pungent with strong fruit notes, leafy herbal earthy hops and oaky barrel. Nutty, woody, toasty dark oak, bready biscuity malts, slightly cheesy barnyard funk, jammy stone fruits like nectarine, peach, plum, some Asian pear, tart blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, red currants, fruit punch-like fruit salad with lemon acidity, and leafy herbal earthy grassy aged hops.

Taste is super sour with higher acidity than usual I feel, with a moderately strong fresh fruit medley of tart red currants, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, sour plum, nectarine, jammy peach, sweet Asian pear, fruit salad, lemon, a hint of baking spice, slight cheesy barnyard funk, toasty hay, straw, seedy nutty woody oak barrel, some bready biscuity malts, and leafy herbal earthy grassy aged hops.

Feels medium plus bodied, thick and smooth with moderate high carbonation. High acidity and moderately full flavored with fairly intense fruit notes. Nearly 7 years later this is still drinking really well, albeit very sour. It has an interesting and tasty oak and fruit complexity. Overall a really nice and unique barrel fermented wild ale with fruit. Cheers everyone!

 

I found this in a local liquor store. I was surprised to see it since the brewery closed in 2022.

Into The Black - Bank Brewing - Hendricks, MN - Black IPA - 10%

I've had this beer before, but it must have been before I joined up, because I didn't review it on here. I do remember it had a nice bitterness from the hops. The hops bitterness has faded to almost nothing. There's still a lot of the flavors you'd expect from the style, and I'd say it aged well.

 

Trillium - Fated Farmer: Blackberry (2018)



Packaged 3/22/18, this beer pours deep ruby red with a quickly receding off-white foam head. Smells a bit vinous and acetic with slight red wine vinegar, barnyard funk, oak barrel, toasty hay, straw, vanilla, fruity blackberries, wheaty bready malts, and dusty herbal earthy floral grassy hops.

Tastes really sour and acidic with fresh fruity blackberries, vinous black fruit, slightly acetic red fruit, wheaty bready malts, subtle vanilla, oak barrel, toasty hay, straw, barnyard funk, and dusty herbal earthy floral grassy hops. Feels medium plus bodied, thick and smooth with moderate carbonation and fairly high acidity. This is still drinking well at 7 years aged. Overall a really interesting and tasty barrel fermented wild ale with blackberries. Cheers all!

 

Trillium x J Wakefield - Miles Away (2017)



Bottled 14-July-2017, pours lightly hazy golden yellow with a dense creamy white foam head. Smells like strong pungent tropical guava and passionfruit, some pineapple, mango, papaya, orange citrus, grapefruit, sour lemon, white wine oak barrel, hint of vanilla, wheaty crackery bready malts, and mild earthy herbal grassy pine.

Tastes really tart and acidic with slightly acetic white wine barrel, sour lemon, grapefruit, orange citrus, papaya, tropical mango, pineapple, fresh guava, intense passionfruit, some wheaty crackery bready malts, hint of vanilla, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops. Feels medium bodied, creamy with smooth moderate carbonation and fairly high acidity.

Overall this is still drinking really well nearly 8 years later with strong and pungent tropical fruit notes pairing with the oaky wine barrels and wheaty malt. A really nice sour beer from Trillium and J Wakefield. Cheers!

 

Trillium - Blackberry Super Soak (2017)

Bottled 18-August-17, this pours deep dark ruby red with a pinkish off-white foam head. Smells super jammy and candied, fruity and maybe a bit oxidized with hints of subtle leather, mild baking spice, blackberry pie, toasty wheaty malt, oak barrel and earthy hops. Tastes like tart vinous juicy fresh blackberries, dark berry jam, candied fruit leather, cobbler pie spice, toasty wheaty malt, hay, oak barrel, and earthy grassy herbal hops. Feels medium bodied, creamy smooth with moderate carbonation. Overall this is still drinking pretty well 7+ years aged, though I want to say it has developed and changed a bit in aroma and taste. It has definitely taken on a bit more of a stewed or candied fruit taste, super jammy and slightly leathery, a nice and interesting brew to drink right now. Cheers all!

 

I first reviewed this in January 2023



I found this borderline too sweet originally but it isn't hitting me that way now. Subtle maple and vanilla jibe well with abundant breadiness, light bananas foster, and a little something herbacious. A nice honey note goo. I mentioned an unpleasant anise note originally that I'm not getting now. Pretty dang good, not sure when I'll revisit with my last one.

 

Trillium - Peach Super Soak (2017)



Bottle from 2017, pours hazy orange gold with some floatie sediment and a receding white foam head. Smells like fresh sweet peaches, peach pie, cobbler spice, toasty bready wheat malt, oak barrel, and mild earthy hops. Tastes like really sour and acidic lemon, fresh peaches, sweet peach pie, cobbler baking spice, light toasty bready wheaty crackery malt, oak barrel, hay, straw, and mild earthy hops. Feels medium bodied, creamy smooth with moderate carbonation and high acidity. Overall a real nice sour wheat ale aged in oak with peaches. Cheers!

 

Trillium - Plum Super Soak (2018)



Bottle dated 17-Jan-2018, the aroma on this one seems a bit more developed and complex than the last couple Super Soaks I reviewed that were packaged earlier in 2017. It’s possible the wheat ale base beer aged a bit longer in the oak foeder before further aging on plums. I also wonder if it is the plums themselves that provide extra depth and complexity to the overall beer.

Pours a hazy reddish orange with a dense creamy frothy white foam head. Smells pretty complex with notes of rose flower, fresh plums, candied berry, stone fruit, lemony citrus, leather, barnyard funk, slight manure, hay, straw, horseblanket, oak barrel, peppery clove spice, toasty wheaty malt, and dusty floral earthy grassy hops.

The taste on this Plum Super Soak is thankfully a bit less acidic and sour than the earlier variants I had and it’s actually really nice and elegant. Tastes like tart sour fresh plums, notes of dark berry, stone fruit, lemony orange citrus, rose flower, light toasty wheaty malt, hay, straw, oak, some leather, barnyard funk, peppercorn clove spice, and floral earthy grassy hops. Feels medium bodied, creamy with smooth moderate carbonation.

Overall a really great oak aged sour wheat ale with plums still 7 years later. The brewers seem to have dialed in the sour ale a bit better at this point I think with less acidity while still remaining sour. The plums are a nice and unique fruit addition and like always with Trillium come through intensely, fresh and natural. Lovely tart fresh plum taste in this oak aged sour wheat ale, this is a really good one. Cheers all!

 

I had this as part of a 12-pk Vertical Collection of 4 Vintages (2011, 2014, 2016, 2020) back in 2020, so it was 9 years old at the time. I remember liking the 2016 version best and I think 3-4 years takes off the rough hop edges and smoothes it all out to a great bundle of liquid joy! Just IMHO. But a great beer anytime!

 

I agree! And we really have to thank Ken Grossman for continuing to produce the beer (after 40-45 years!) that made his brewery while other breweries of note have moved on from those that helped establish theirs. Many of these brews are still available at retail (Pale Ale, Bigfoot, Celebration, Narwhal) and some can be ordered and shipped from their site (Stout, Porter, Old Chico, and a vertical Bigfoot). It shows that the demand for great beer is still there and I am seeing (in FL at least) that older, out-of-favor brands are making something of a comeback to satisfy oldsters such as me.

https://sierranevada.com/family/brews-available-online

 

Trillium - Raspberry Soak (2017)

This old oak aged fruited sour wheat ale was on tap at the brewery back in 2016. This bottle was packaged on 03/03/17 I believe and released later the next month. Right now 8 years later this pours a lightly hazy reddish orange color with a creamy white foam head. Smells like fresh fruity raspberries, candied raspberry, hint of yogurty lactic funk, cereal grains, wheaty malt, oak barrel, subtle spice, with mild earthy hops. Tastes relatively sour and acidic with fresh fruity tart raspberries, candied berry, hint of yogurty lactic funk, some barnyard horseblanket notes, toasty hay, straw, oak barrel, grainy wheaty malts, subtle vanilla, peppercorn spice, and mild earthy grassy hops. Feels medium bodied, smooth with moderate carbonation and moderately high acidity. Overall this is still drinking pretty nicely with a fresh tart and candied raspberry taste. This one brings me back because it was one of the first sour beers I had from these guys and it got me accustomed to similar beers like fruited wild ales and lambic. Raspberries are always a great fruit that are utilized well in fruit beers, especially sours imo, and the natural fresh fruit taste in this beer is a reminder of that. Another nice aged sour ale from Trillium. Cheers everyone!

 

If I remember correctly, up until a few years ago, GI was giving ALL BCBS a 5 yr shelf life (proper storage as a given) and it was shown as such on the bottle. So, maybe GI just wanted to instill a sense of urgency (2 vs 5 yrs) in all the "cellar procrastinators" so they would (finally!) open the bottle at/around a 5 yr time-frame thinking they were late to the dance? And, of course, that would be right on time as you have demonstrated!

 

Here's another brew, along with Brooklyn BCS, that the wise FL distribs failed to stock this year in the barren craft wasteland of FL! And I absolutely love both. Which, of course, means that I don't have any left.

 

Trillium - Cranberry Soak (2017)



Released in November 2017, right now this pours a lightly hazy reddish orange color with a dense creamy white foam head. Smells real leathery and elegant like a rosé natural wine with light fruity notes of fresh tannic cranberry, tart orange berries, pink fruit, lemon, some farmhouse barnyard funk, subtle manure, oak barrel, hay, straw, wheaty malts, mild peppery spice, and floral earthy grassy hops.

Taste follows with sour pink lemonade notes, tannic rosé natural wine, fresh tart cranberries, unripe orange berry, pink fruit, some leathery farmhouse barnyard funk, oak barrel, hay, straw, light toasty wheaty malts, peppercorn spice, and floral earthy grassy hops. Feels medium bodied, smooth with moderate carbonation and moderately high acidity. Overall still drinking nicely, tart, elegant and complex. Nice balance of oak, fruit and sour wheat ale complexities 7+ years later. Cheers all!