32oz growler from the brewery consumed later that day, Summer 2014
Very lovely pour reveals a pale golden liquid, shimmering with fine bubbles and a medium-sized white head that recedes to cover. Clarity is high, with just a touch of chill-haze.
Fantastic tropical fruit and dry, leafy, rich herbs emanate forth from the hops. Very inviting, with some straw-like maltiness and dried haystacks. More rustic from the nose (and hoppy) than any German kolsch I’ve had, but it’s delightful, whatever it is. No alcohol or flaws.
Wonderfully attenuated, with a dry, crackery-like malt body providing just a dollop of honeyed biscuit-like sweetness. Carbonation is tight and engaging and the hops explode with ample bitterness and tons of dry, yellow tropical fruitiness and herbs. Sadly, there’s a strong bland note that severely dampens the brightness. I assume something to do with the hops. Moderately astringent, though thankfully not dirty (a la some of the dirty dishwater notes occasionally found in Night Shift’s IPAs). Strange too, as the beer is in great condition and it’s not one of the murky still-has-the-hop-particulates-in-suspsension beers that one would expect this sort of thing from. Other than that, though, fantastic, wonderfully drinkable beer (and still quite good despite that).

Draught at Publick House, Trillium 2nd Anniversary, 3/23/15
Dark ebony body seems opaque or close thereto with a beige head that slowly recedes to cover.
Milk chocolate, hersheys syrup-like nose does provide a touch of roast on the tail-end, while plentiful vanilla and cream notes further sweeten the deal. Some light vinousness, mostly passing, is the real treat and would that it were more lasting. As is, quite pleasant, if unremarkable aroma, with a medium strength overall (no alcohol noted).
Holy crap this stuff is sweet. Milk chocolate, vanilla cream, honey, chocolate milk; it’s all here. Moderate carbonation attempts to keep things from getting cloying and it’s not that the stuff tastes worty, there’s just a complete lack of balancing roasted barley/chocolate malt. Almost zero bitterness. The vanilla flavor builds up to the point where I don’t want to drink more after about 2-3 sips. Was the idea, Hey, let’s throw a bunch of vanilla, rolled oats, base malt and some darks malts just for color? Little/no hop apparency. Alcohol is concealed nicely, though!

Draught at Publick House, Trillium 2nd Annviersary, 3/23/15
Deep golden-copper pour shows this isn’t a Congress Street or Fort Point malt bill. Head is medium-sized, white and moderately well-retained. Liquid is moderately hazy.
More specialty malts in this one, at least to some extent, and it shows in the nose, adding a touch of caramel and bread to the otherwise heavily fruity (cherries, oranges, ruby red grapefruit) hop assortment. No alcohol or flaws in the nose.
Surprisingly tame in the flavor department. Sweeter than I would have expected, with more residual sugar than I’d prefer, even if it does mean zero resin burn. Very low bitterness, with predominantly cherry and candied orange hop flavors with a dash of tropical fruits thrown in. Caramel and honey build up on the palate and there is very little bitterness to combat it. Eventually, all I really taste is a canned pineapple-like flavor that is heavily sweet and very off-putting. Looking at other ratings, I see mention of garlic and onions which is spot on. Was going to say it tasted "meaty" but garlic is precisely it. Oddly enough that person still gave it a 4.3! I like garlic/onion flavor in my beer less so than him/her, I guess! 7/3/6/3/11
Canned 8/31/16, drunk 9/16/16.
A much-needed rerate here and it’s funny seeing my comments for my first time trying this as being very off-put by the garlic/onion character. Not sure if my palate has grown more accustomed to it (probably) or if that batch had some older/less-desirable hops in it. Whatever the case, while I can still sometimes pick out suggestions of garlic/scallion from some of these new hop breeds, I don’t find it very overt or frequent. That being said, I still feel about the same with this as I do with the regular Melcher Street; rather sweet/muchy and overly given to over-ripe nectarine/peach. It’s a good, solid, drinkable beer, don’t get me wrong, but not up there with their best, IMHO. Malty and wheat-flour-laden texture, with fine carbonation and decent attenuation (still a bit too sweet, I think). Needs a little less pine character, as well. Score is for this incarnation.

Draught at the Publick House, Trillium 2nd Anniv., 3/23/15
Messy pour is both quite hazy and has a rapidly receding off-white head. Body is copper-golden.
Varying notes of acetic acid dot the otherwise brett-like tartness in the nose, with plentiful fruitiness (cherries, berries, oranges) and light caramel notes. No alcohol, but lots of a strange vanillin-like note.
Much like their Valley saison series (which I guess this pretty much still is), the carbonation and body are off. It’s loose, watery and just dosent have enough tightness to keep everything together. Oak is buttery and a bit too forceful while the red wine seems at first interesting but taken with the acetic notes, seems to overpower the flimsy-ish body. Light caramel malts and a reasonable sour-profile, but too much butteriness which bogs down what should be a bright beer. No alcohol noted.

Draught at Publick House for Trillium’s 2nd Anniversary on 3/23/15
Hazy peach-copper body is topped by a sparse off-white head.
Plentiful fruity esters in the nose jump out, with ripe peaches and pieces of orange rind leading the way. A blend of light acetic notes and touches of brett give way to an oakiness that is perhaps a touch heavy-handed.
A bit more collected than the previous lot of Trillium’s Belgian offerings have been. Better carbonation and less looseness, with a delicious wood character prominently displayed from start to finish. An acetic punchiness creeps in as well as a light suggestion of diacetyl (or is it just butteriness from the barrel?). Nonetheless, the sourness (or more closely, a strong tartness) is well-controlled and quite enjoyable on the finish. Alcohol is noteable but not too problematic. These beers aren’t easy to make and Trillium is making great progress with them.

4th April 2015
ChrisOs Easter Tasting. Almost opaque dark brown beer, good pale tan head. Palate is crisp and semi dry. Mellow dark malts, mild tangy coffee. Touches of tangy fruits and paper. Light semi dry finish. An okay beer but from Trillium, disappointing.

Bottle, big thanks to Leighton @ChrisO. It pours deep brown with a small tan head. The nose is earthy, roast, good hit of coffee, light spice, umami and a hint of chocolate. The taste is earthy, roasty, plenty of coffee, toast, charred stuff, leather, mild acidity and brown bread with a dry finish. Medium body and average carbonation. Not a whole lot of depth to it. Tastes a lot like cold-brew coffee. Slightly underwhelming from these guys.