Background
Trillium Brewing Company was founded by JC and Esther Tetreault. They opened the first retail store in March 2013 in the Fort Point area in South Boston. At the time it was the only place where you could buy Trillium beer. Because of issues obtaining the appropriate liquor license the duo could not give out tastes or pints. During that time though, Trillium developed a cult like following. One tweet of a new release would create long lines down the street and product would be sold out in hours. Beer bars and restaurants in Boston became dismayed at the inability to offer Trillium products.
In December 2015, the Tetreault’s opened a second larger production facility and taproom in Canton, MA. This addition was needed to significantly increase production for greater availability and expanded variety. The 16,000 square foot brewery, retail space, and taproom serve as their primary production facility.
In 2017 and 2018 Trillium Brewing Company partnered with the Rose Kennedy Greenway conservancy in downtown Boston and set up pop up Trillium Gardens from May to October.
Late in October 2018 Trillium expanded presence in Fort Point after opening their original retail store around the corner just 5 years earlier. The 18,000 square foot space spans three floors and has a seated capacity of 450 people. The ground level contains a new retail space and taproom overlooking the brew house. The second level includes a main dining room. The third floor is a seasonal roof deck with a bar and additional seating.
The Tetreault’s are not the couple that ever rests as they recently announced the purchase of a farm in Connecticut. The Trillium Farm & Brewery will brew estate-grown beers and establish an agriculture program to feed the restaurant and breweries two hours away in Boston.
Experience
Some of the Search for the Holy Ale crew has experienced the original retail store and had supplied me with various hazy DIPA cans to excite us over Trillium. They have also enjoyed the pop up Trillium Gardens several times. The Greenway is a great place to soak up warm weather and enjoy the relaxed vibe. Even though the experience includes drinking somewhat pricey beer from plastic cups, it is not uncommon to find a line to get in.
We arrived on a Thursday early afternoon at the primary production facility in Canton. There was a large outdoor patio for fair weather, but too chilly for us on that day. Just inside the door to the right is the bar overlooking the brewing equipment. Canton currently does not offer flights, but each patron can buy up to two beers at a time and the bartender eagerly supplied tastes of whatever we wanted. Once you decide on which of the delicious options to try first, you move over to a cavernous room that contains a handful of barrel tables and chairs. It seemed to us it is set up to house a hundred folks standing around drinking beer. Just off this main room is a retail space where you can have growlers filled and purchase bottles and cans to take away. Canton does offer a few different snacks and I understand food trucks are often available.
We enjoyed Butler Flats Lighthouse, an excellent hazy DIPA, Double Dry Hopped Fort Point Pale Ale, a hazy Pale, Triple Seesaw: Boysenberry, Blackberry, Raspberry, a tart berry Gose & Blackberry Super Soaker, a very berry Sour. Certainly Trillium should not be missed when visiting the Boston area!
There was no nearby lodging noted in Canton. There are several lodging options near Fort Point and Greenway.
http://www.trilliumbrewing.com/
