Bees
Trillium Brewing Company in Canton, Massachusetts, United States 🇺🇸
Sour / Wild Beer Series|
Score
7.36
|
|
Bees is an American Wild Ale crafted with a grist bill that highlights locally-malted Triticale, Wheat, and C-60 from our friends at Valley Malt. Aged for six weeks in stainless on local raw wildflower honey and our native New England mixed culture, Bees was then transferred to the bottle where it further conditioned for many months.
A beautiful display of local agriculture and native yeast, Bees presents a brilliant straw yellow with a visible effervescence. The nose is delightful, offering a mingling array of aromas ranging from Meyer lemon and white grapefruit to earthy lemongrass and a floral honey character. An ode to the tiny, buzzing pollinators that contribute so much to New England's ecology, Bees finishes pleasantly dry with a well-balanced acidity.
STYLE: American Wild Ale
ABV: 7.3%
HOPS: US Goldings
MALT: American 2 Row Barley, Valley Triticale, Valley Wheat, C-60
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: Raw Wildflower Honey
A beautiful display of local agriculture and native yeast, Bees presents a brilliant straw yellow with a visible effervescence. The nose is delightful, offering a mingling array of aromas ranging from Meyer lemon and white grapefruit to earthy lemongrass and a floral honey character. An ode to the tiny, buzzing pollinators that contribute so much to New England's ecology, Bees finishes pleasantly dry with a well-balanced acidity.
STYLE: American Wild Ale
ABV: 7.3%
HOPS: US Goldings
MALT: American 2 Row Barley, Valley Triticale, Valley Wheat, C-60
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: Raw Wildflower Honey
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7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Bottled 330ml. -at the Trillium Canton. Unclear golden coloured, minimal off-white head, distinct honey in the nose. Tartish, floral, honey, light fruity and dry finish.
Tried
from Bottle
at
Trillium Brewing Company - Canton
on 13 Jun 2026
at 02:41
7.9/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
750mL bottled 8/12/2014 and drunk 1/29/16.
Figured it was high time to open this guy seeing how it’s 1.5 years old.
Gently gushing bottle immediately shows the brett going strong. White head is initially large, topping a clear, straw-golden body with a very slight copper tint. Gentle carbonation courses upwards.
Whew. That’s a nice start to the nose. Pure brett in the form of cherry pie. Reminds of Brett lambicus, though I doubt that’s the culprit here (guess it could be, though). Horsey, with dry guava, hickory and light band aid on the end. Not cidery or vanilla-heavy, as I find from many honey beers. In fact, would never know there was honey from the nose. Light cellar and plastic (in a good way). No alcohol or flaws.
Lovely natural carbonation ushers on a lightly sweet, lightly tart, somewhat cider-like flavor. A touch of wax and mustiness, with only guava, lime and a hint of band aid from the nose. Still has a softly malty texture. Not at all overattenuated, yet not too sweet.
The brett hasn’t developed quite as nicely in the mouth as it has in the nose, which is a pretty common occurrence in the beer world. Maybe just a touch too much cidery-acetic character on the finish, but they’re definitely on to something, intentional or not. This would be pretty god damned good with some cherries and light oak, and maybe a little more caramel character. Very, very drinkable and with a perfect texture and balance. Sad I didn’t buy more of this, but hopefully the Agriculture series continues....
Figured it was high time to open this guy seeing how it’s 1.5 years old.
Gently gushing bottle immediately shows the brett going strong. White head is initially large, topping a clear, straw-golden body with a very slight copper tint. Gentle carbonation courses upwards.
Whew. That’s a nice start to the nose. Pure brett in the form of cherry pie. Reminds of Brett lambicus, though I doubt that’s the culprit here (guess it could be, though). Horsey, with dry guava, hickory and light band aid on the end. Not cidery or vanilla-heavy, as I find from many honey beers. In fact, would never know there was honey from the nose. Light cellar and plastic (in a good way). No alcohol or flaws.
Lovely natural carbonation ushers on a lightly sweet, lightly tart, somewhat cider-like flavor. A touch of wax and mustiness, with only guava, lime and a hint of band aid from the nose. Still has a softly malty texture. Not at all overattenuated, yet not too sweet.
The brett hasn’t developed quite as nicely in the mouth as it has in the nose, which is a pretty common occurrence in the beer world. Maybe just a touch too much cidery-acetic character on the finish, but they’re definitely on to something, intentional or not. This would be pretty god damned good with some cherries and light oak, and maybe a little more caramel character. Very, very drinkable and with a perfect texture and balance. Sad I didn’t buy more of this, but hopefully the Agriculture series continues....
Tried
from Bottle
at
Trillium Brewing Company - Fort Point Tap Room (369 Congress)
on 18 Mar 2025
at 18:01
7.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle shared in NH. Pours clear gold with a tight, foamy white head. Lightly sweet, some lemon, moderate acidity, lemon squash, low funk, nips of salt, soft pale wood dryness. Medium bodied with delicate, massaging carbonation. Clean, quenching finish, more lemon squash. Solid.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Aug 2022
at 02:15
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Pours a slightly hazy straw from a bottle. Floral aroma with buckwheat honey. Tart and sweet, lots of grape flavor. Good beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Jun 2020
at 01:06
8/10
Super brett on the nose, nice initial tartness that fades away with little to no lingering flavor. Not much honey atm (mostly front loaded) though that may change with time.
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 May 2020
at 23:38
7.9/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
750mL bottled 8/12/2014 and drunk 1/29/16.
Figured it was high time to open this guy seeing how it’s 1.5 years old.
Gently gushing bottle immediately shows the brett going strong. White head is initially large, topping a clear, straw-golden body with a very slight copper tint. Gentle carbonation courses upwards.
Whew. That’s a nice start to the nose. Pure brett in the form of cherry pie. Reminds of Brett lambicus, though I doubt that’s the culprit here (guess it could be, though). Horsey, with dry guava, hickory and light band aid on the end. Not cidery or vanilla-heavy, as I find from many honey beers. In fact, would never know there was honey from the nose. Light cellar and plastic (in a good way). No alcohol or flaws.
Lovely natural carbonation ushers on a lightly sweet, lightly tart, somewhat cider-like flavor. A touch of wax and mustiness, with only guava, lime and a hint of band aid from the nose. Still has a softly malty texture. Not at all overattenuated, yet not too sweet.
The brett hasn’t developed quite as nicely in the mouth as it has in the nose, which is a pretty common occurrence in the beer world. Maybe just a touch too much cidery-acetic character on the finish, but they’re definitely on to something, intentional or not. This would be pretty god damned good with some cherries and light oak, and maybe a little more caramel character. Very, very drinkable and with a perfect texture and balance. Sad I didn’t buy more of this, but hopefully the Agriculture series continues....
Figured it was high time to open this guy seeing how it’s 1.5 years old.
Gently gushing bottle immediately shows the brett going strong. White head is initially large, topping a clear, straw-golden body with a very slight copper tint. Gentle carbonation courses upwards.
Whew. That’s a nice start to the nose. Pure brett in the form of cherry pie. Reminds of Brett lambicus, though I doubt that’s the culprit here (guess it could be, though). Horsey, with dry guava, hickory and light band aid on the end. Not cidery or vanilla-heavy, as I find from many honey beers. In fact, would never know there was honey from the nose. Light cellar and plastic (in a good way). No alcohol or flaws.
Lovely natural carbonation ushers on a lightly sweet, lightly tart, somewhat cider-like flavor. A touch of wax and mustiness, with only guava, lime and a hint of band aid from the nose. Still has a softly malty texture. Not at all overattenuated, yet not too sweet.
The brett hasn’t developed quite as nicely in the mouth as it has in the nose, which is a pretty common occurrence in the beer world. Maybe just a touch too much cidery-acetic character on the finish, but they’re definitely on to something, intentional or not. This would be pretty god damned good with some cherries and light oak, and maybe a little more caramel character. Very, very drinkable and with a perfect texture and balance. Sad I didn’t buy more of this, but hopefully the Agriculture series continues....
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Jan 2016
at 23:32
7.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 9
Bottle thanks to Team Boston. Pours a cloudy gold with small white head that lasts. The aroma is honey, oak, funk, lemon. Thin mouth, tart, lemon, honey, light funk, very good.
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Jul 2015
at 13:27
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Bottle. Pours cloudy yellow white head. Nose/taste of honey, sour lemon, oak and lactose sourness - medium body.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Jul 2015
at 20:53
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Pours clear(!) gold into a tulip. Bright white head crackles and recedes to hug rim. Honey, hay and funk aromas. Dry with sweet honey and hay upfront turning to tart pit fruit before the lasting marshmallow finish. This one grew on me... nice blend of a wild ale and a mead.
Tried
on 26 Jun 2015
at 16:38