Trillium PM Dawn

I don’t drink coffee. Not hot coffee or iced coffee, no Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks. It’s not that I dislike coffee per se, I just never started drinking it and I have a few reasons to keep that trend going. Due to some sleeping issues I’ve had to deal with I try to avoid caffeine in general. I also don’t need the added expense or calories (assuming I wouldn’t drink my coffee black), I’d rather save both for beer. So while I would probably enjoy quality coffee now (I do like the aroma which is a huge part of flavor), I am still avoiding it. Many of my co-workers are shocked that I made it through graduate school without taking up coffee, I joke that I only have one more test, namely the upcoming short nights due to the pending birth of my first child. I guess we’ll see what happens over the next few months. Many beer drinkers are also coffee enthusiasts, and breweries have noticed. Many are starting to brew porters or stouts with coffee, often using artisanal/craft beans from small producers. This winter Trillium Brewing Company brewed a couple of coffee-infused stouts including PM Dawn, which was made with cold-brewed coffee. The beer is probably done for the season, but due to it’s popularity it will most likely be revisited next winter.

Trillium PM DawnTrillium PM Dawn pours midnight black with a mild light brown head. The scent is dominated by strong coffee aromas, fresh and vibrant. The coffee leads the flavor too, rich and bold. The dark malts work well with the coffee flavor, touches of dark chocolate, roasted nuts and toasted bread. There is just a little bitterness, presumably from early hop additions, but this beer packs the malt-forward flavor you’d expect from a stout. PM Dawn is full bodied but goes down smooth, even at 9% ABV you don’t taste the alcohol. Again, I am not a coffee drinker but this is a very solid coffee beer, tons of flavor and easy to drink. Hoppy Boston score: 4.5/5.

Previous Trillium Reviews:

Brewery Overview: Trillium, Trillium Sinister Kid, Trillium Congress St. IPATrillium Farmhouse AleTrillium Wakerobin Rye

Leave a comment