According to the name this is pretty misleading I’d say. Pretty freaking far from green, but very murky. Hazy. Mild aroma of hops & yeast. But can it live up to the hype? That’s the question, Hamlet.

First off: good carbonation going on. Refreshing first impression. But, having tasted so many hazy IPAs lately, expectations are skyhigh for this one… and of course it’s good. Just can’t beat the last couple of Trillium’s I’ve had… subtle all the way. Sweet’ish fruitiness, with a nice stingy hop-feature in there, really culminating at the end. I mean, not bad at all would be an understatement I’m quite unfair… This is good scheisse, folks.

(Photo: M.K. Burheim)

Excitement levels rise to the max here… just buy the visuals on this bottle you know that you’re in store for something really special. As Espen Westum- whom together with wife and myself are to withness this beauty tonight, are all equally exited about this piece of delish. Being acquainted with several of their previous brews, I know this is something good.

First off: Nose is sooo distinct of cinnamon. Ridiculously distinct, straight forward superlicious! Aromatic spices, sweet chocolate vibes… it’s all in here baby. The holy diver of 2019 after that marsmallow handjee of theirs! Can wait no longer…

Christmas pastry doesn’t cover it, although it comes close. It is such clear cinnamon taste that you feel that you’re in the middle of the bakery, hints coffee, broken by traces of ginger and chocolate. Just pure and simple as only these guys at 3 Floyds can stout. Fucking masters. Dumbstruck I am! And grateful.

Incredible balance is needless to say, but even more strange is the fact that carbonation is intact in such a powerful beer. It’s just… perfect. Nothing is to be picked on. Everlasting taste & aftertaste. Live & love in a bottle is what this is.

Photo: M. K. Burheim

Oh my Lord… this yellow mushy refreshment, dressed in a beautiful white head, seems so inviting.

First off: the nose is nothing but extraordinary. Full of fruitiness, mango, oranges, piny/forest-like notes of late summer- let the bells of pleasure chime. On the palate, it works even much different ways. The refreshing elements are of course there, even almost milky intro. Then delish bitterness accompanied by freshness of carbonation transforms, as it entangles with the fruity tastes, before a throwback into absolute bitterness again. A massive angry fruit punch!

The aftertaste is also really bitter, slowly fading. It just goes to show, that some of these Tree House brews are far from overrated, but rather fantastic representatives of the current hip hazy-trend. I for one’ll let myself be led into these seductive vibes… I won’t fight it! Not at all.

Photo: M. K. Burheim

Stunningly beautiful color of murky orange yellow crossover. Pours a delicious creamy head. The nose has a pretty high orange-orientation too. Absolutely splendid. I can wait no longer…

Oh my. Fresh it is! Great carbonation and distinct bitternotes of forest/sap from trees. What’s up with these fellas at this brewery?? Just nailing it, time after time. Amazing is all I can think of. Perfect degree of fruity touch to it, with those citrusy orange elements playing a great role in the picture. Hints of sweet pineapple subtly present. I freaking love this, and have no choice but to bow & join in on the hype train (whether I like it or not). Sooo good!

Supergreat outro as well. Fresh, mildly hopped bitterness lurking beneath, that lingers, fruity undernotes fading out slowly. Breaking my parameters-law here… It ranks at 3 of all their beers as for the ones that I’ve tasted from them, but I feel a Lille bad for rating it lower than top- because for an NEIPA to be, this is nothing but amazing.

(A salute goes out to Westum!)

Photo: M. K. Burheim

TRILLIUM “Dialed up” (11%) 5/5

So, on a luxurious day as this: Why don’t we just kickstart another trip to the top of the hops?

Noticeably more dark in color, very yellow and murky this is as promising as ever… Pours a small, beautiful head. The nose is caramellish fresh fruityness. Sets the mood for the event of the year that is coming up later this week: MBCC. (Giving great challenge to any IPA’s there too!)

Taste is absolutely splendid, those ABV’s perfectly hidden, blended in with a noticeable hoppy sting of delicacy. This is what an perfect IPA tastes like! Fresh and bubbly, medium-bodied, with such smooth deep sweet notes. Hints of sharon fruit/passion fruit, smooth bitterness and elegant aftertaste.

One word sums up this thrill of a hop juice: Astonishing

Shout out to Westum!

(Photo: M.K. Burheim)

As one would expect from these guys at Trillium, this looks absolutely gorgeous, supreme, fantastic!

As one would expect from these guys at Trillium, this looks absolutely gorgeous, supreme, fantastic! Yellow (a little less though than the last one I had from them), but still that juicy murky feel to it.

Now; the aroma is detectable from even way before the nose even hits the glass… Smells beautiful of orange, grapefruity notes and citric elements… Yet a great deal of sweet fruits and of course: Amazing hops. Now, it’s time to taste this delicious beverage!

These guys sure knows how to make dry-hopped magic IPAs. Gorgeous! This one has awesome ultra-balance, rounded off with the greatest lightly bittersweet hops one can only hope for! Perfect, above what one would expect from a IPA of this sort. Highly refreshing, perfectly well carbonized and a teasing bitterness, very very hidden by the fruits and sweetness. Sends off associations towards green forests, yet infused with pineapple even. This stuff is to die for! Love it.

Cheers goes out to Westum for this one!

(Photo: M.K. Burheim)

Nose: Deep velvet’ish candynight… even the smell is to die for. Insane! Choco-coffee. Barrel aged amazeballs! The best that can be imagined, silky smooth, adult beer. This is everything.

The taste: Nutty, sweet, vanilla, marsmallowy

Chocolate mousse… perfect texture. Perfect balance. Not overly sweet as one expected. Absolutely mindblowing, with a nice tingeling spice sting to it in the beginning. Then, thick oily body that entangles in layers of heat, chocolaty sweetness. The marshmallows are clear as day here, providing the longest sweet aftertaste imaginable. Strange. Not exaggerated at all either, just incredible. Hands down. I hereby leave all hold-back and declare the best imperial stout (if not beer) in the world. Bottle 2553/3070. This is it.

Photo: M.K. Burheim

Another thrill to be experienced is here, in this can in front of me… and just by the odours, I can tell that we’re in for a treat. This dark yellow hop-soup gives associations to an orange soft drink that’s been a fave of mine since childhood. As I put my nose closer, I can sense notes of caramel. Deep yellow in colour, and pours a very fine head. I cannot hold back any longer…

WOW!! Light and bubbly. Immensely fruity and fresh, and with a multiple taste. Hoppy as hell, but not the directly bitter-hoppy way I am used to in double IPAs. First and foremost, it is the ripe fruityness and mango-notes that takes place in this one. Incredibly delicious, rounded off with a sweet drape. (To quote my better half: “Even the burp tastes good!”) There are also citric traces of orange, lemon and even spruce in here. Absolutely astonishing!

After the beautiful middle and great body, there is a small tingly hoppy heat to be sensed, before a long round aftertaste signs off. By far one of the best double IPAs I’ve ever tasted in my life. Hands down.

(A huge thanks to Espen @ Westum homebrewery!)

Photo: M.K. Burheim

Now, after reading up on this one, it’s about as close to a religious moment I’ll have this year apparently… And it sure looks fantastic. Black as night in the glass, with a suitable foamhead on top. Nose is massively infused with matured dark fruits and ripe berries, wood, bourbon hints and burnt notes. Count me in on this one, Chicago!

When it comes to taste: A variety of tastes. Starting off with beautiful sweetness of chocolate, and sort of like, say 5 seconds in, spanning over to the uttermost comfortable sour’ish side of the specter of whisky/bourbon taste (almost so that you wonder if you’ve just had a sip from a glass with that!), enhanced with heat, which in turn transforms into the most insane, rich roasted coffee taste imaginable. Gone is the fruity notes from the aromas, but what an exchange!

Mouthfeel: The body is magnificently full, like a velvety cloak dressed around the mouth gland. Perfectly carbonated (of course- this one lives up to (if not exceeds!) all of my expectations. Such quality.

Aftertaste is still lingering, minutes after swallowing… licorice… warm soothing heat. Wow. Just, WOW!

Photo: M.K. Burheim

Today, I’m in company with a fantastic beverage from Kansas… looks fantastic. Beautiful color in the glass. Nose is rose and subtle fruityness. Gooseberries and red currants is what comes to mind here. Judging by The looks I’d say it’s very little carbonation going on here… Let’s check it out.

Well, that was something quite different!There is definitely carbonation here, although it pours no head. At first, the tastebuds are paralysed by the extremely tart shock! Really, just extremely acidic before blending in with it’s seducing fruityness… almost like lemonade.

There is no defusing sweetness here, only hard-core sour attack. But a beautiful one for sure. Great maturity too… Leaving sour berries down your throat for aftertaste. Very, very nice (and I’m happy this wasn’t stored any longer!)

Photo: M.K. Burheim