Fudge
Tree House Brewing Company

2 month old can

Canned December 11, 2019. Appearance is pretty much like every other stout, with the only interesting item of note (at least to me) is the discrete yet persistent small center of carbonation that bubbles up from a single point of focus just off center from the middle of the glass. Almost like the bubbles are struggling to escape something very thick and have to band together to gain the collective strength to breach the surface.

Aroma is very sweet. It doesn't burst from the glass, but up close it's pleasant. Maybe a hair more lactose than I'd prefer, but that sweetness is mostly balanced from some nice underlying chocolate and faint roast notes.

Taste is better than I expected, with a little bite up front (whether from the cocoa or some roasted malts I can't say) doing a nice job of balancing out some underlying sweetness. I do get impressions of chocolate from this, but it's not all the way to fudge. Creamy and full feel, as expected.

Overall, good beer. I don't think I'd want to drink two back to back, but as a slow sipper on a Sunday morning, I'm enjoying it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brew: Tree House Brewing Company - Fudge

Intro: 12 oz. poured into a tulip glass. Shared with a friend.

Appearance: Pitch black, Moderate head maybe 2 inches. Moderate lacing as I drank

Smell: Fudge and chocolate is the headliner here.

Taste: Followed the smell.

Mouthfeel: Creamy medium mouthfeel, medium carbonation.

Drink: Very smooth and enjoyable.

Conclusion: Treehouse has the milk stouts downpat. Have not had a bad one yet and I’ve nearly 15. Fudge is no exception. Pick it up if you run across it

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 oz. can. Deep brown. Smells of cocoa powder and malt. Tastes pretty tangy up front. Acidic with lactose and cocoa. Some chocolate as it does down. Sweet with lingering lactose and cocoa powder. Medium heavy. It's sharp and almost sour. Not good.

 

 

 

 

A: Poured from the can into a tulip glass as "Rainbow in the Dark" plays. . . . Dark. Black. Motor oil. Small tannish head settles on top.

S: Not a strong nose, but about what you'd expect: fresh brownies meet chocolate milk.

T: I remember Southern Tier Choklat and loving it when it first came out. . . . This beer goes in that direction: really chocolatey overall. Fresh brownies keep coming to mind (I made some for the kids earlier this week, which might explain it). Chocolate milk, and a touch of dark chocolate. Tasty.

M: A little on the syrupy side - carbonation is modest. But it drinks lighter than its weight.

O: Quite good. A definite dessert beer. Drinks easy for 9.2%.

Poured from a 16 oz can into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Dark, dark brown pour... nearly black. No light is getting through. A finger of foamy mocha-colored head leaves nice lacing.

S: Dark chocolate... fudge, roast, and espresso.

T.F: Sweet roasty grains and fudge (go figure... just like the name says). Big and chocolatey... lactose, spice, and chicory. Medium bodied. Smooth and creamy. Generally sweet but with some roast/dark cocoa bitterness for balance. A bit of booze comes through... warming and complex.

O: A ridiculously tasty milk stout. Hits the 'fudge' flavor they were going for hard... and it's like drinking a gooey chocolate dessert.

 

 

16oz can dated 12/11/20.

Pours opaque black with a dark brown head. Decent retention with short ropes of lacing. Dark chocolate in the nose with espresso and brownie batter. Full bodied with an oily, creamy mouthfeel. Black forest cake with chocolate syrup and cocoa on the palate. Finishes sweet and chocolaty.

L: Black as pitch with a flash of a dark tan head to a wide dense ring and some minor scraps of lacing.

S: Like brownie batter! Even better as it comes to temp.

T: Somewhere between the nose and chocolate milk. The initial has some dark fruit like a dark ale, but I was pleased that this vanished quickly.

F: Rich medium weight and ideally carbonated.

O: This is a fine brew. Unlike some of the TH heavier milk stouts I would very gladly have it again.

Tree House Fudge; 16oz can poured into a snifter; opaque, jet-black pour with a dark-mocha head that fizzles away quickly and loudly; huge impressions of cocoa, vanilla, and maple syrup sweetness; underlying espresso character, lactose/cream are present as well, combining with the cocoa for an impressive note of milk chocolate; the most impressive thing about this brew is actually the balance, I can say I've had brews with more explosive chocolate characteristics (Prairie Fudge comes to mind) but this brew is so extremely drinkable and the sweetness isn't over-bearing, balanced well by the roasty smoothness. Overall; phenomenal milk stout. Thanks Adam!

 

 

 

 

 

Decanted from a 16 oz (473 ml) canned into a conical pint glass; canned 04/24/20, code ARE WE FOREVER CHASING CHOCOLAH?
A: Pours a basically black hue with a one to two finger, foamy/fluffy, light brown head, solid retention and wide, foamy rings of lacing.
S: Aromas of fudge (yes, the name is on point), plum rind, cherry, licorice, and cookie.
T: Very sweet this aroma elements all represented in the flavor. Lot of lactose (glad I'm not intolerant). Bitterness clearly present, but overwhelmed by the sweetness, appearing more as a licorice or peppermint (at least to my palate)
M: Medium bodied with strong effervescence initially. Creamy mouthfeel. Reminds me of licking the fudge frosting when icing a cupcake.
O: This did replicate the experience of consuming "fudge," although obviously a bit thinner. A worthwhile gustatory experience.

 

Pours out like motor oil. A finger of mocha brown appears and quickly fades.

Nose is roasty malt, chocolate, and a mild bit of coffee. Strange considering there is apparently no coffee in it. As it warms, I get some of that vanilla and lactose sorta thing going on.

Taste is definitely more chocolate forward. Semi-bitter bakers chocolate dominates. Roasted malts having a significant presence as well. A touch of fruit presence bringing sort of a tart quality. All of this coalesces to a smoky chocolaty stout with a nice bitterness.

Mouthfeel is medium to fullbodied. Mild carbonation. Its not as thick or dense as I would have expected considering what went into this brew. A little bit of a sticky, cloying quality but not overwhelming.

Overall a solid stout from Tree House. Not my favorite of theirs but considering what this is going up against its still stands on its own. This is not a crazy overdone choco-blast dessert drink. This is a balanced, respectable stout that leans toward a chocolate flavoring. This is a dignified brew, make no mistake. Well done.