Pounding Trees
3 Stars Brewing Company


Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- IPA - Imperial
Ranked #3,669 - ABV:
- 8%
- Score:
- 88
Ranked #19,413 - Avg:
- 3.9 | pDev: 10.77%
- Reviews:
- 16
- Ratings:
- From:
- 3 Stars Brewing Company
- District of Columbia, United States
- Avail:
- Rotating/Seasonal
- Wants
- 0
- Gots
- 12
SCORE
88
Very Good
88
Very Good


Notes:
Reviews: 16
| Ratings: 65
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metter98 from New York
3.81/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: The beer is crystal clear light yellow in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high bright white head that left a short head covering the surface, a collar around the edge, and some lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: Light aromas of herbal hops are present in the nose—basil seems to stand out in particular.
T: The taste has flavors of basil herbs and tangerine citrus along with notes of stone fruit and a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a little crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The taste of this IPA has an interesting mix of basil, citrus, and stone fruit.
Serving type: can
Jan 19, 2019
3.81/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A: The beer is crystal clear light yellow in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high bright white head that left a short head covering the surface, a collar around the edge, and some lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: Light aromas of herbal hops are present in the nose—basil seems to stand out in particular.
T: The taste has flavors of basil herbs and tangerine citrus along with notes of stone fruit and a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a little crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The taste of this IPA has an interesting mix of basil, citrus, and stone fruit.
Serving type: can
Jan 19, 2019
ExtraStout from Massachusetts
3.63/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pounding Trees by 3 Stars Brewing Company, 8.0% ABV. 16 oz. can poured into a Sam Adams glass.
This brew was just an okay brew that could have been made a bit better by a higher ABV. Made well but nothing sets it aside from the rest.
Jan 01, 2019
3.63/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pounding Trees by 3 Stars Brewing Company, 8.0% ABV. 16 oz. can poured into a Sam Adams glass.
This brew was just an okay brew that could have been made a bit better by a higher ABV. Made well but nothing sets it aside from the rest.
Jan 01, 2019
Lucular from Maryland
3.6/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pineapple juice. The appearance isn't very interesting, it smells tasty and the flavor is sweet pineapple juice without much else going on. Mouthfeel is viscous and syrupy.
Dec 10, 2018
3.6/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pineapple juice. The appearance isn't very interesting, it smells tasty and the flavor is sweet pineapple juice without much else going on. Mouthfeel is viscous and syrupy.
Dec 10, 2018
secondtooth from Indiana
3.59/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Cloudy golden amber. Nice big head of off-white suds. Attractive lace.
Aroma: Fruity tropical hops. Not bad.
Taste: Big, syrupy hops, pine and floral, with a punchy and dry, warming finish. Not bad.
Sep 12, 2018
3.59/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Cloudy golden amber. Nice big head of off-white suds. Attractive lace.
Aroma: Fruity tropical hops. Not bad.
Taste: Big, syrupy hops, pine and floral, with a punchy and dry, warming finish. Not bad.
Sep 12, 2018
Tbonus from Maryland
4.67/5 rDev +19.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
I am tired of reading ratings of 3.0 4.0 on every damned beer out there except Budweiser.
I have been chasing beer for decades. I am applying this rating to a truly fantastic Double Dry Hopped IPA (draft ) because that's what it is, fantastic. ....
Ignore the 3.5 Trolls who never love anything and grab this for true deliciousness! You will thank me..Venmo great fully accepted ;)
Apr 21, 2018
4.67/5 rDev +19.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
I am tired of reading ratings of 3.0 4.0 on every damned beer out there except Budweiser.
I have been chasing beer for decades. I am applying this rating to a truly fantastic Double Dry Hopped IPA (draft ) because that's what it is, fantastic. ....
Ignore the 3.5 Trolls who never love anything and grab this for true deliciousness! You will thank me..Venmo great fully accepted ;)
Apr 21, 2018
Greywulfken from New York
3.83/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Deep gold leaning toward amber, not quite clear; off-white head a few fingers high, and plenty of lacing left behind... tropical and muted citrus on the nose followed up with a rather unexciting flavor profile - the malts are fairly forward, adding a big body to the mild citrus and resins from the hops... I'd swear I'm picking up banana among the vague tropical impressions, and the citruses are dark and fleshy, but edged with something earthy and dull... Medium-full feel, low carbonation, moderately sweet and mildly bitter... A decent enough DIPA, but didn't do anything special for me...
Nov 05, 2017
3.83/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Deep gold leaning toward amber, not quite clear; off-white head a few fingers high, and plenty of lacing left behind... tropical and muted citrus on the nose followed up with a rather unexciting flavor profile - the malts are fairly forward, adding a big body to the mild citrus and resins from the hops... I'd swear I'm picking up banana among the vague tropical impressions, and the citruses are dark and fleshy, but edged with something earthy and dull... Medium-full feel, low carbonation, moderately sweet and mildly bitter... A decent enough DIPA, but didn't do anything special for me...
Nov 05, 2017
daliandragon from Maryland
3.85/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Local brew from the District. Pours pretty with a big white head and hazy straw body. Nose also fits with citrus and herbal hops and a touch of mango or passionfruit.
The taste is more balanced and relatively mild. Medicinal and herbal hops along with a malty backbone make this a bit of an outlier among DIPAs. No forest of pine or withering bitterness here. Different, but definitely drinkable for 8.0%. Smoother and less carbonated than you usually find the style. A little more bitterness in the finish. Not amazing, but different enough to at least try.
Oct 22, 2017
3.85/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Local brew from the District. Pours pretty with a big white head and hazy straw body. Nose also fits with citrus and herbal hops and a touch of mango or passionfruit.
The taste is more balanced and relatively mild. Medicinal and herbal hops along with a malty backbone make this a bit of an outlier among DIPAs. No forest of pine or withering bitterness here. Different, but definitely drinkable for 8.0%. Smoother and less carbonated than you usually find the style. A little more bitterness in the finish. Not amazing, but different enough to at least try.
Oct 22, 2017
Smakawhat from Maryland
3.38/5 rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Poured from the can into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Pale caramel amber body color, with a nice nut brown like appearance. Fairly clear, with a slight reaching three finger off white colored head, but a little tinier than your average DIPA. Good staying power, sort of creamy to soapy like appearance on top.
Good solid simple aroma if a little malty. Touches toasty caramel, a little flour like in quality, but with very little hop aromatics. Not sure where this is going.
Palate takes things down slightly. A very syrupy and sweet tasting mouthfeel, large amounts of thick brown sugar with very little hop bitterness or character. A fleeting amount of faint citrus perhaps, but washes a bit thick and boozy. Good malt bill, and also distinct with touches of nut and biscuit.
Like this malt profile, but the hops on this thing in flavor and aroma are practically non existent.
Oct 15, 2017
3.38/5 rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Poured from the can into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Pale caramel amber body color, with a nice nut brown like appearance. Fairly clear, with a slight reaching three finger off white colored head, but a little tinier than your average DIPA. Good staying power, sort of creamy to soapy like appearance on top.
Good solid simple aroma if a little malty. Touches toasty caramel, a little flour like in quality, but with very little hop aromatics. Not sure where this is going.
Palate takes things down slightly. A very syrupy and sweet tasting mouthfeel, large amounts of thick brown sugar with very little hop bitterness or character. A fleeting amount of faint citrus perhaps, but washes a bit thick and boozy. Good malt bill, and also distinct with touches of nut and biscuit.
Like this malt profile, but the hops on this thing in flavor and aroma are practically non existent.
Oct 15, 2017
DarkSideOfTheMoon from Virginia
4.07/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a pint can into a pint glass. Quite a bit of foam. Has a cloudy, straw/gold color...looks like a hefeweizen if i didnt know better. Smell of grapefruit, peach, passionfruit..definitely smells like a DIPA. Taste is mild - certainly hoppy but not too much. Not much citrus taste considering the smell upfront. Pleasant and not overpowering. Medium mouthfeel but quite easy drinking considering the ABV. Overall a great west-coast style DIPA brewed on the east coast.
Mar 03, 2017
4.07/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a pint can into a pint glass. Quite a bit of foam. Has a cloudy, straw/gold color...looks like a hefeweizen if i didnt know better. Smell of grapefruit, peach, passionfruit..definitely smells like a DIPA. Taste is mild - certainly hoppy but not too much. Not much citrus taste considering the smell upfront. Pleasant and not overpowering. Medium mouthfeel but quite easy drinking considering the ABV. Overall a great west-coast style DIPA brewed on the east coast.
Mar 03, 2017
Mongrel from Maryland
3.76/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
This one has a lot in common with #ultrafresh, namely some weird/ambiguous notes of coconut and mint that are muddled in with a bunch of other indistinct citrus/tropical hop flavors. Definitely more subdued than Ultrafresh. And again, mouthfeel rules the day: soft and pillowy. The whole experience is sort of soft and pleasant, "but fails to stand out in any real way," to quote another reviewer.
Dec 03, 2016
3.76/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
This one has a lot in common with #ultrafresh, namely some weird/ambiguous notes of coconut and mint that are muddled in with a bunch of other indistinct citrus/tropical hop flavors. Definitely more subdued than Ultrafresh. And again, mouthfeel rules the day: soft and pillowy. The whole experience is sort of soft and pleasant, "but fails to stand out in any real way," to quote another reviewer.
Dec 03, 2016
craftaholic from New York
4.49/5 rDev +15.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
More lace than a VS commercial, beautiful notes of malt and resinous hops on the nose. Drinks too dangerously easily for the ABV. Lip smackingly good.
Nov 09, 2016
4.49/5 rDev +15.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
More lace than a VS commercial, beautiful notes of malt and resinous hops on the nose. Drinks too dangerously easily for the ABV. Lip smackingly good.
Nov 09, 2016
dar482 from New York
3.58/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
The beer comes in a light to medium amber color.
The aroma is quite sweet, candy and caramel sweetness, pine, grapefruit candy.
The flavor follows with that malty and caramel sweetness, not much fruit, with earthy, resiny, and pine throughout. Less sweetness than the aroma, onto dry and bitterness while offering great West Coast DIPA drinkability.
Nov 02, 2016
3.58/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
The beer comes in a light to medium amber color.
The aroma is quite sweet, candy and caramel sweetness, pine, grapefruit candy.
The flavor follows with that malty and caramel sweetness, not much fruit, with earthy, resiny, and pine throughout. Less sweetness than the aroma, onto dry and bitterness while offering great West Coast DIPA drinkability.
Nov 02, 2016
ThisWangsChung from Maryland
3.7/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a lightly hazy amber color. The head is two fingers high and white in shade. It has a phenomenally dense, frothy texture, and its retention is excellent. Plenty of lacing sticks to the glass. The slightly murky look this has isn't as attractive as a perfectly clear or completely turbid product, however.
I pick up some nice tropical fruit notes on the aroma, along with some stone fruit like apricot. This also has a decent amount of malt backbone to it - the hop/malt interplay almost makes it seem candy-like. The aroma is completely devoid of any grass or pine notes that might provide bitterness to the palate. Honestly, I could use a bit more of that (just for the sake of balance). It smells very nice otherwise.
This is a touch more bitter tasting compared to what the aroma indicated. It's a subtle rindy bitterness near the start, that quickly gives way to more grapefruit, orange flesh, papaya, and mango flavors. Notes of caramel, brown sugar, cookie, and white bread round out the malty finish - the nuanced malt backbone helps it stand out compared to other IPAs. It could use just a twinge more bitterness, but it's tasty regardless.
The feel is fairly thick, with a little bit of sweetness coating the palate post-swallow. There isn't a whole lot to scrub said sweetness, so the drinkability is slowed down slightly. There is, however, a nice amount of finely-bubbled carbonation to will it down well enough.
People who don't like IPAs would like this. People who like IPAs would also like this - crazy, right? This doesn't quite measure up to some of the stunners I've had from The Veil this week, but it's certainly a good DIPA that stands out in a crowded field. I find it very similar to another local DIPA in DC Brau's On The Wings Of Armageddon - both beers have a nice maltiness combined with impressive hop flavors. I'll definitely have it again if I can find it fresh.
3.7/5: Not quite top tier, but hardly anything to shake a stick at either
Oct 26, 2016
3.7/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a lightly hazy amber color. The head is two fingers high and white in shade. It has a phenomenally dense, frothy texture, and its retention is excellent. Plenty of lacing sticks to the glass. The slightly murky look this has isn't as attractive as a perfectly clear or completely turbid product, however.
I pick up some nice tropical fruit notes on the aroma, along with some stone fruit like apricot. This also has a decent amount of malt backbone to it - the hop/malt interplay almost makes it seem candy-like. The aroma is completely devoid of any grass or pine notes that might provide bitterness to the palate. Honestly, I could use a bit more of that (just for the sake of balance). It smells very nice otherwise.
This is a touch more bitter tasting compared to what the aroma indicated. It's a subtle rindy bitterness near the start, that quickly gives way to more grapefruit, orange flesh, papaya, and mango flavors. Notes of caramel, brown sugar, cookie, and white bread round out the malty finish - the nuanced malt backbone helps it stand out compared to other IPAs. It could use just a twinge more bitterness, but it's tasty regardless.
The feel is fairly thick, with a little bit of sweetness coating the palate post-swallow. There isn't a whole lot to scrub said sweetness, so the drinkability is slowed down slightly. There is, however, a nice amount of finely-bubbled carbonation to will it down well enough.
People who don't like IPAs would like this. People who like IPAs would also like this - crazy, right? This doesn't quite measure up to some of the stunners I've had from The Veil this week, but it's certainly a good DIPA that stands out in a crowded field. I find it very similar to another local DIPA in DC Brau's On The Wings Of Armageddon - both beers have a nice maltiness combined with impressive hop flavors. I'll definitely have it again if I can find it fresh.
3.7/5: Not quite top tier, but hardly anything to shake a stick at either
Oct 26, 2016
starrdogg from District of Columbia
3.94/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pounding Trees is a perfectly pleasant, balanced, drinkable DIPA that fails to stand out in any real way. The aroma is underwhelming, and it doesn't have much of a hop bite, but it's still one of the better (maybe best?) hoppy beer that 3 Stars has put out. Honestly, dry hop the shit out of this and you might have something great on your hands!
Oct 25, 2016
3.94/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pounding Trees is a perfectly pleasant, balanced, drinkable DIPA that fails to stand out in any real way. The aroma is underwhelming, and it doesn't have much of a hop bite, but it's still one of the better (maybe best?) hoppy beer that 3 Stars has put out. Honestly, dry hop the shit out of this and you might have something great on your hands!
Oct 25, 2016
ksimons from Illinois
4.06/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A-color is a hazy golden yellow with two fingers worth of white head that leaves a layer of lace around the top
S-aroma is of lots of citrus and a light pine finish
T-taste is similar to the aroma with lots of citrus and a bitter pine finish
M-medium body and crisp carbonation
Overall another nice DIPA from 3 Stars, worth trying if you find it
Oct 21, 2016
4.06/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A-color is a hazy golden yellow with two fingers worth of white head that leaves a layer of lace around the top
S-aroma is of lots of citrus and a light pine finish
T-taste is similar to the aroma with lots of citrus and a bitter pine finish
M-medium body and crisp carbonation
Overall another nice DIPA from 3 Stars, worth trying if you find it
Oct 21, 2016
dcbeerguy007 from District of Columbia
4.83/5 rDev +23.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Pounding Trees is the newest DIPA from 3 Stars and delivers a great juicy hop character without a lot of bitterness. There are a ton of different hops in here including Galaxy, Motueka, Calypso and more and they really contriibute to the citrus profile of this beer. The nose is welcoming and presents you with grapefruit rind and orange juice while the finish is crisp and clean. Really nice beer, gonna keep an eye out for more of these from 3 Stars.
Oct 10, 2016
4.83/5 rDev +23.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Pounding Trees is the newest DIPA from 3 Stars and delivers a great juicy hop character without a lot of bitterness. There are a ton of different hops in here including Galaxy, Motueka, Calypso and more and they really contriibute to the citrus profile of this beer. The nose is welcoming and presents you with grapefruit rind and orange juice while the finish is crisp and clean. Really nice beer, gonna keep an eye out for more of these from 3 Stars.
Oct 10, 2016
Pounding Trees from 3 Stars Brewing Company
Beer rating:
88 out of
100 with
65 ratings
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