Brewery Trip! Trillium Brewing Company

Trillium has long been one of my favorite breweries and when I heard of their plans to move to a new location in Canton I was filled with mixed emotions. First I was excited to see what the new location would bring and what it would look like. However, I was a little sad. I had been to the original Canton location more times that I can count and it played host to countless memories, even though most of them involved waiting in line. Between new friends and amazing beers this new location had a lot to live up to and let me tell you… it does.

One of the first things you notice pulling up to the new Trillium is how massive the facility is. Between the outdoor patio, restaurant, and bar location it is significantly larger than the previous location. While the restaurant was closed when I visited the menu looked delicious and gave us something to look forwards to. Upon walking in the front doors you see some of the smaller tanks and a large rack of barrels which just fills you with excitement for those future offerings. There is ample room to sit and a few areas with couches for groups as you make your way to the bar. There are dedicated lines for both pours and cans with the can area being self-serve which I have never seen at a brewery. Additionally, you can place an online order for cans and then pick them up at the end of the visit.

I only got one pour while I was there which was ‘Weather Observatory’ and it was fantastic, it was just a quick trip for cans of ‘Plane Over Car Over Train Over Boat’, ‘Middle Aged Genius’, and a smattering of other cans/bottles. The main reason I went was because after being open for nearly a year I still had not made the trip to visit. Now that I have been, I cannot wait to go back.   

Brewery Trip! Dorchester Brewing Company

Back in 2016 when I was doing bar prep and getting ready to move out of Boston I had heard of a new brewery opening in Dorchester. While I did not visit back then, I was able to back in April during our Boston trip and while I had always heard good things about the brewery they COMPLETELY blew away my expectations.

Dorchester Brewing Company sits near a busy intersection on Massachusetts Ave. in Dorchester. While I would not go strolling around too far past this area it is in a relatively good section of Dorchester. The taproom inside is quite nice but the two stars of the show are the outdoor patio and the rooftop deck. While I was not able to check out the roof deck the patio was awesome.

The draft list was exquisite. They had a variety of styles on their tap list which I am always a fan of, however, it was their IPAs that instantly called my name. My flight had three and while all were fantastic it was their imperial pilsner that won the day. It was crisp, clean, and would be the perfect beer on a hot summer day. Additionally, I was able to grab a sip of my girlfriend’s (now fiancée, not a big deal but sort of a big deal) Russian Imperial stout that was perfectly textbook and absolutely delicious. The food was also amazing. While we had other dinner plans and just split an order of loaded fries they were awesome as well.

Dorchester Brewing Company is one of the best breweries in the city bar none, and you had better believe that the next time we visit Boston we will be back.

Rhode Trip: Tilted Barn Brewery

(The next part in a multi-part series as we complete the Rhode Island Brewer’s Guild Passport. To learn more about the passport and download the app click HERE)

While it has been a while since the last #RhodeTrip entry I can assure you that I have been frequenting many of our fine breweries but more on that in future posts. Those who know me know that I have been preaching the good word of Tilted Barn since I first tried ‘The Chosen One’ back in 2016 and my love of this brewery has only grown since then. I had made multiple trips to the old barn and with them only doing to-go cans during the pandemic I eagerly awaited the opening of the new barn, plus seeing it take shape with each trip down only heightened this anticipation. When it opened and the pictures were posted online my expectations grew even higher.

Now, I have a history of being let down due to having unrealistically high expectations. I had been trying to lower these expectations as the pictures gave Tilted Barn a “Tree House” type vibe, which is an INSANELY high bar but with each picture I just could not help myself. Let me be the one to tell you though, Tilted Barn’s new location is one of the most beautiful breweries I have ever been to.

Located on top of a hill that overlooks the farm, the outdoor patio area has a breath-taking view of the entire farm. Inside there is a picture-perfect wooden bar with a dozen taps and refrigerators full of cans. The front facing windows let in the sunlight that showcases the white tile floors, light brown wood, and open atrium for an absolutely gorgeous entryway. I was seated on the second floor that has artwork of their cans and a view of the actual brewery. 

The woodwork on the second floor is stunning. While my knowledge of the subject is very limited it looks like the various joints are fitted with pegs and not screws which really fits into the rustic feel of the barn. Even more exciting are all of the tanks on the lower level which filled my head with joy for the beers that are about to come down the line… and speaking of beer.

While they are not doing flights they are doing six ounce pours of all offerings and I was allowed to order two at once. I was able to try a few offerings as my girlfriend ordered something different than I did. However, my two standouts were ‘DDH Cactus’ which was juicy, hoppy, and full of flavor. There was also ‘Lawn Boy’ which was the first Tilted Barn Lager I have had. It was crisp, clean, and perfect for a hot day… or in this case a supremely cold one. I hope it is brewed again once the weather turns. Also there was 'Tupelo' an Imperial Stout named after one of the brewery dogs. It had great notes of both chocolate and coffee and is a perfect cold weather beer. 

In all, the new barn is amazing. It is sad losing the old barn as it was a cozy and intimate setting, but this new location really raises the stakes and will certainly allow for more experimentation and collaboration from one of Rhode Island best breweries. Plus, I’m pretty sure Matt is happy to have everyone off his front lawn.

Tilted Barn is located at 1 Hemsley Place. Exeter, RI 02822. For more information about the brewery, their beer, and to book a reservation please click HERE

Part one: Long Live Beerworks

Part two: Buttonwoods Brewery

Part three: LineSider Brewing Company

Part four: Taproot Brewing Company

Part five: Community Bruin (CLOSED)

Brewery Trip! Rising Tide Brewery

We are back home in Rhode Island after an amazing trip and it was a lot of fun and very relaxing. While there were a lot of places that were closed or had limited seating there were many others that took the proper precautions to allow for us, and others, to feel safe. One of these places was Rising Tide Brewery.

Rising Tide is not in the Old Port but slightly off the beaten path. It is right next to Austin Street Brewery and is very close to a few other breweries. When things return to normal it should be an awesome area to visit and we will be making the trip. Unfortunately, Austin Street was only open for cans when we visited.

The outdoor area was large but I am not sure if it was just a temporary situation or their usual seating arrangement. I was able to see the inside part of the brewery and it looks like it was a commercial garage of some kind. Definitely a really funky set up when things were normal.

I was surprised to see that they were offering flights as most breweries have stopped this during COVID-19. This was awesome as I was able to try a few of their beers and they were pretty good. The stand outs were 'Hesperus' a super complex barleywine with a heavy malty profile, rich with caramel and bourbon. There was also 'Maine Island Trail Ale' a session IPA with a light and crisp flavor profile and a nice and simple hop.  They also have wood fired pizza, oysters, and other food and while we did not get anything since we already ate beforehand but it looked and smelled amazing.

Rising Tide is a very good brewery in an really awesome area definitely worth the trip. 

Brewery Trip! Maine Beer Company

Greetings from Portland, ME. My girlfriend and I booked this trip a few weeks ago needing a bit of a getaway and Portland is just the best but more on that later. While things still feel very different than the last time I was up here, it is nice to see all of the businesses, restaurants, bars, and breweries adapting to the restrictions and social distancing guidelines. While there are a lot of breweries that have not been able to open yet, Maine Beer Company has been able to.

The last time I visited the brewery was a couple years ago. The new addition to the tap room is absolutely beautiful as is the new outdoor seating. Inside the tap room is a fountain along with a second retail shop for bottles, glasses, and other merchandise. The back wall it a showcase to the kindness and generosity of the brewery, outlining their business practices and charitable donations.

While they are not doing flights of beer, I was able to get two smaller pours and my girlfriend was able to get one as well. I was able to try 'Bicentennial' and 'Wolfe's Neck' which were both awesome. 'Bicentennial' had a very nice hoppy flavor with a surprisingly crisp finish while 'Wolfe's Neck' had a really nice haze to it. Additionally, my girlfriend tried 'Prince Percy' which was one of the best pilsners I have ever had. It was incredibly light, crisp, and citrusy with a refreshingly clean finish. Moreover, they have some of the best wood fired pizza around.

'Bicentennial'

If you're in the area HERE. There is a ninety minute seating limit so plan accordingly you can book your reservation.