Snowy Sunday in February…

Retail Space and Tap Room, Lawson’s Finest Liquids

Brew House and Tap Room Door

So, what did I have?…

Double Sunshine Beer #: while there was a day when this was one of my most sought after beer, the hazy, juicy beer world has left this in the past. 88 points.

Triple Sunshine. Beer # There are much better triples out there that mask their booziness a bit better. 85 points

Maple Fayston. Beer # A good basic stout, 89 points

Cherry Stout: probably the best of what I had, 92 points.

All in all, it was worth the stop just to check it out.

Tree House Stouts, Charlton, MA.

Tree House Brewing: Fleeting Moment (Imperial Milk Stout brewed with Coffee, Chocolate, Maple Syrup, Ceylon Cinnamon, and Vietnamese Cinnamon), Double Shot Vanilla Bean (Originally brewed for, and released at, the 2018 Tree House Brewing Company Sixth Anniversary Party it has be rereleased in 2019 in 500mL bottles.), Stardust (Imperial Milk Stout brewed with dark chocolate, white chocolate, coffee, and macadamia nuts!) and Sense of Wonder (Imperial Milk Stout base beer blended with a high quality array of coffee, chocolate, and almonds).

On to Tree House Stouts:

Fleeting Moment (Beer #1, 170 ): English Sweet/Milk Stout 9.2% ABV. Amazing complexity, I get all the ingredients in waves cinnamon is just right. A tad sweet if that isn’t your thing…it is my thing. If you’ve had Perrin No Rules think of a more elegant version. 95 points.

Stardust (Beer #1,171 ): Nice fudge chocolate and mellow coffee notes. The macadamia nuts are nice subtle addition but you have to seek them out (at least I did). Once again, a nice stout 93 points.

Double Shot Vanilla Bean (Beer #1,172 ): Clear winner of the group. Decadent with solid and smooth vanilla. Love it 96 points. Read about my first Double Shot experience from 2015

Sense of Wonder (Beer # 1,173): Not really picking up the almonds here but certainly strong coffee and fudge. 93 points.

Visit Tree House Brewing’s Website

The Big Lebowski!

Beer # 1,169. Admittedly, ‘m a little afraid…15% alcohol by volume beer. Simply massive and potentially a scalding boozy burn. But I’m pleasantly surprised at Perrin No Rules. It is so sweet (almost to a fault) and filled with milk chocolate, simple syrup, brown sugar and underlying cinnamon. Completely disguises the massive alcohol profile.

I enjoyed Perrin No Rules and put it at 92 points.

Hill Farmstead,, Nelson (Single Hop): Beer #1,155 :750 ml fill from the brewery. Soft and pillowy as expected. New Zealand hop presents orange rind bitterness. Pretty assertive bitterness. 91 points

Hill Farmstead Harlan: Beer #1,156: You know that smell of fresh hops and sweet malt that fills the air at a brewery? This beer’s flavor comes as close to that experience as anything I’ve ever had. Love it…96 points

Hill Farmstead, Society & Solitude # 6: Beer #1,157: I’ve now had what I’ll call the sweet spot of the Society & Solitude run… # 4, # 5 and now # 6. This is so amazingly good. Soft edges on the bitterness, soft mouthfeel, lush fruit, lemons, strawberry…so good 97 points.

Foam & Other Half, Mouthful of Diamonds: Beer #1,158 – Spectacular collaboration. soft but assertive, juicy…really juicy, orange rind, pear. 97 points.

Foam, Like Clockwork: Beer #1,159 – Straight from the brewery. When it was fresh, spectacular. Massive aroma, full-bodied, juicy beyond belief that squelches any hint of bitterness. A few weeks in it changes with a shift in power between juice/bitter. I’ll judge it on the fresh…96 points.

Foam, Think I’m in Love: Beer #1,160 – First time having this beer, filled with strawberry and assertive bitterness. Second time, more of a dank herbal experience. Hoppy resin, lemon-grass. 92 points.

Tree House, Snow: Beer #1,161 – A unique beer from Tree House. The predominant flavor feature to be lemon. Chewy mouthfeel. Bitterness is a bit much for my liking but still a nice beer 90 points.

Upper Pass, First Drop: Beer #1,162 – Double Dry-hopped. zmade with Azacca, Centennial, Mosaic and Citrus hops. Tastes a bit old school. Some orange rind zest bitterness. Had higher expectations 88 points

Treehouse BBBright: Beer #1,163 – Easy drinking beer, soft, pithy with lemon, pineapple and mango. 93 points.

Green Empire Brewing, Side Business: Beer #1,164 – From Colchester, VT. A really a nice beer, the advertise it as grapefruit and pine but I find it opens with some nice strawberry, pineapple. Enjoyed this to a 92.

Treehouse, AAAlter Ego: Beer #1,165 – Big fan of Alter Ego. the AAA version doesn’t seem to ramp it up but still a really nice beer 94 points.

Upper Pass, Cloud Drop: Beer #1,166 – Really nice aroma after I crack open the can, juicy with just the right amount of bitterness. 92 points

Hill Farmstead James: Beer #1,167 – A black IPA. Has the Hill Farmstead softness but it rubs off the edges of what should (in my expectation) a little more roasted and lemon flavors. Still a nice easy drinking beer from Hill Farmstead, 91 points

Treehouse Super Sap: Beer #1,168 – Always thought of regular Sap more of a west coast IPA with it’s pine nature and slightly amplified bitterness. Super Sap was a pleasant surprise, really nicely balanced juicy, pine, 94 points.