It's not offered on Creative Cloud (as I have heard Adobe cannot pay the licensing fees or some jargon like that) and the only other option seems to be that I would have to buy it at full price! There clearly isn't a trial version from Adobe that I can find and I'm freaking out!
It's not just jargon. Adobe would have to pay for every use of an Encore trial. So they don't. But it is available as part of CS6 and of the Creative Cloud. I assume it is actually installed in the trial, but not available until Premiere is activated (meaning paid for and activated). There is a money back guarantee (true? and still 30 days?). That's really the only way to try out Encore.
See "Adobe Encore" on this page:
http://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/kb/trial-version-limitations-premi ere-pro.html