Call it the return of the Boston (beer) Garden.
Trillium Brewing Company today announced that it will reopen its seasonal beer garden next month in downtown Boston.
From late May through the end of October, Trillium, in partnership with the non-profit Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, will once again operate the open-air beer garden in the middle of a 17-acre park between Boston’s South Station and the North End.
“Last year, the Trillium Garden on The Greenway was an unqualified success as Boston’s first open-air beer garden in a public park, and we are thrilled to again partner with such a great local brewery,” Jesse Brackenbury, executive director of the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, said via a press release.
In its second year of operation, Trillium Garden will serve a variety of the Canton-headquartered brewery’s offerings as well as wine from Westport Rivers Vineyards. This year, the beer garden will increase its days of operation to Wednesday through Sunday and feature additional seating.
Trillium co-founder JC Tetreault told Brewbound last year that the beer company sold anywhere from 20 to 30 barrels of beer a week while operating between three and five days a week. Trillium followed up its summer beer garden with a four-month indoor pop-up in Boston’s Roslindale neighborhood.
But this time around, Trillium will compete for foot traffic with a bevy of new outdoor watering holes that are set to pop-up throughout greater Boston this summer. At least eight temporary bars are planned for Boston and the surrounding areas, including a second establishment on the Greenway itself.
Downeast Cider will open a 4,000 sq. ft. bar on Dewey Square Plaza from late May through October, according to the Boston Globe. Downeast’s pop-up will sell the East Boston-based cidery’s offerings as well as beer and wine five nights a week.
Joining Trillium and Downeast with beer gardens in Boston Proper are Wachusett Brewing and Castle Island, both of which announced their seasonal operations earlier this month.
Wachusett Brewing Company teamed up with the City of Boston and hospitality company Delaware North to host “Boston Seasons,” a pop-up summer beer garden, ice cream shop and mini-golf course that is slated to open at City Hall Plaza on Friday, May 4. It will operate seven days a week throughout the summer.
And, starting May 11, Castle Island Brewing will open a 5,000 sq. ft. beer garden underneath Highway 93 — in between Boston’s South End and South Boston neighborhoods. The Norwood-based craft brewery’s taproom will operate Thursdays through Sundays through mid-October.
Three other Boston-area breweries — Cambridge’s Lamplighter Brewing Co., Salem’s Notch Brewing and Somerville’s Aeronaut Brewing — are also involved in the beer garden business.
Lamplighter will serve beer at the New England Open markets’ Central Flea in University Park every Sunday, starting May 6, according to Boston Magazine.
Notch Brewing, in a partnership with conservation and preservation nonprofit The Trustees, will operate a traveling biergarten throughout the greater Boston area starting on May 17. The series will run through October 31.
And, for the second consecutive year, Aeronaut will operate a pop-up beer garden at “Zone 3” in Allston, every Wednesday and Friday evening from June through September, according to the Mass. Brew Bros blog.
It’s not just breweries opening up pop-up taprooms, either. Stoughton-based specialty beer wholesaler Craft Collective will tap a rotating lineup of its clients’ beers inside a refurbished shipping container at the SoWa Power Station every Sunday from May 6 through October 28. And Major League Lacrosse franchise the Boston Cannons will host beer gardens at the club’s six home games, featuring beer from Castle Island, Bent Water Brewing Company, True North Ales and Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers.
The increasing number of taprooms, beer gardens and other satellite retail establishments owned or operated by breweries has led some Boston-area retailers to publicly and privately criticize the practice due to what they say are brewers operating competing bars with fewer restrictions.
It’s unclear if those retailers will begin to more formally push back against breweries that are expanding with satellite establishments, but a handful of bars have already stopped purchasing some of the above-mentioned breweries’ products, Brewbound understands.
At least two more beer gardens are also currently being discussed for the greater Boston area, sources told Brewbound.
A press release with additional details about the Trillium beer garden on the Greenway is included below.
Trillium Garden Returns to the Greenway
Boston, MA — Trillium Brewing Company, in partnership with the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, is excited to announce the return of the Trillium Garden on The Greenway for the Summer 2018 season.
The Trillium Garden on The Greenway is slated to open in late May 2018 and will run through the end of October, weather permitting. Open-air and in the heart of Boston, the Garden will be open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday, serving a variety of rotating draft beer options and wine from Westport Rivers Vineyards. After an incredible inaugural season, the same beautiful location will offer improved seating, with more accommodating hours of operation.
“The Garden on The Greenway last summer was a first of its kind for us and the city of Boston. We are psyched for our second season,” said Trillium co-owner Esther Tetreault. “Our goal has always been to build a strong community and share what we do. The Trillium Garden on The Greenway gives us a unique way to connect with our Boston-area fans and a perfect showcase for visitors to enjoy summer in the city we love. Come in for a beer after work or spend a whole Saturday afternoon on The Greenway with your family…the environment is perfect for any gathering opportunity.”
“Last year, the Trillium Garden on The Greenway was an unqualified success as Boston’s first open-air beer garden in a public park, and we are thrilled to again partner with such a great local brewery,” said Jesse Brackenbury, Executive Director of the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy. “Whether as a first time visitor or returning fan, we’re excited for people to visit the Garden and experience Trillium’s world class beer in our beautiful park.”
Trillium’s return to the Garden is a continuation of the Conservancy’s innovative uses of public space, including 400 free events, 7 dramatic water features, all-organic horticulture program, community-oriented Play program, and award-winning contemporary public art exhibits.
The Trillium Garden on The Greenway will again operate at High Street, across from Rowes Wharf. Additional details about the hours and opening date of the Garden will be available in the next several weeks. Follow @TrilliumGarden on Twitter for the latest updates.
About Trillium Brewing Company
Trillium opened in March 2013 with the support of family, friends, community, and three employees. That small brewery has since developed into an exciting venue of collaboration and creativity. Trillium is grounded in the concept of a New England farmhouse brewery, using local ingredients whenever possible. From wild beers, fermented with their native New England mixed microbe culture, to more hop-forward offerings, Trillium aims to produce beer that is both approachable and engaging.
Celebratory beers were first brewed to commemorate the marriage of founders JC and Esther Tetreault. This initial concept evolved into a lifestyle and dream to share, not only beer, but experiences with one another and their community. This small brewery has since developed into an exciting venue of collaboration and innovation. Trillium is a New England farmhouse style brewery, deeply rooted in the dynamic landscapes, abundant natural resources, and resilient population of the region. From their wild ales, fermented with a house native New England mixed microbe culture, to more hop-forward offerings, they aim to produce beer that is both approachable and engaging.
About Westport Rivers Winery
Westport Rivers Winery is a fifth-generation, award-winning winery located on 80 acres in Westport, MA. was Westport Rivers is New England’s largest vineyard and is committed to both agricultural production and educating the public on the value of working natural resources. The family has permanently preserved over 400 acres of working farmland and forest while committing to principles of sustainable stewardship in producing high quality food and wines.
About The Greenway and Conservancy
The Rose Kennedy Greenway, a roof garden atop a highway tunnel, is a contemporary public park in the heart of Boston. The non-profit Greenway Conservancy maintains, programs, finances, and improves the 1.5-mile Greenway on behalf of the public. The Greenway welcomes 1.4 million trackable visitors annually, plus millions more who casually enjoy the fountains, gardens, and art. The Conservancy has won numerous awards for its organic landscape care, public art, and programming.