Tree Of Light
Tree House Brewing Company

 

 

Poured at fridge temp. Pours a very dark brown - borderline black. Pours almost still and then a tiny layer of head appears (and then quickly disappears). No bubbles can be seen.

The nose is full of rich toffee and bourbon. Wow. Intense. Prunes, dates, figs, and raisins come through with equal intensity as well. A hint of tobacco and oak.

The taste is intense. Sweet upfront. Quite sweet. Maple, toffee, plums, raisins, figs, some chocolate, brown sugar, and a nice layer of vanilla. It's incredible. I feel like this is much more than the sum of the parts. While each flavor kicks ass on its own, its the masterful integration that makes this rise up quite high. The relative lack of carbonation also intensifies the flavors, which works really well here.

The mouthfeel is very thick and creamy - almost stout like. Sweet on the aftertaste. Although the ABV isn't listed, it definitely feels like something up around 13%. A bit of a boozy burn on the way down. Overall, an absolutely treat.

Glad to finally try a straight up barrel aged barleywine from Tree House. This reminded me of Grandpa as soon as I opened the bottle, bourbon and Werther's Original minus the Camel smoke greeted my nose. On the tongue this is mellow and profoundly good. Butterscotch, toffee, and a trace of chocolate liqueur provide a nice base for the rich bourbon additions. I get a little oaky tobacco at the finish. Very nice.

12 oz bottle poured into a red wine glass. Pours a dark reddish brown with a moderate head and some lacing. Aroma and flavor feature brown dark roasted malts, bourbon, vanilla, creme brulee, caramel, dark fruit, citrus rind bitterness offset by brown sugar, and butterscotch. Complex and delicious stuff. Mouthfeel is surprisingly smooth for the abv - you can tell it's a big beer but it's not all that boozy. Overall this is a special beer.

 

Pours a deep, dark brown color. Aroma is incredibly complex sweetness of bourbon, vanilla, brown sugar and caramel with significant oakiness. Taste is equally complex & well balanced. Brown sugar, caramel & bourbon starts the taste; ending with vanilla & oaky. Mouthfeel is full like good barleywines should be. Overall, one of the best barleywines I've had pleasure to drink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottle at share. Ruddy brown pour with a thin tan head. Aroma is malty, sweet, caramel with light tannic notes. Taste is sweet malts and caramel. Slick with a nice glowing warmth.

A: Pours a deep brown, mahogany color with 2 fingers of head that fades down to a thin cap

S: Lots of brown sugar, bourbon, caramel, dark fruit, toffee, vanilla, and butterscotch. Some oak and dark chocolate in the back

T: Follows the nose. Starts off with the brown sugar, caramel, and bourbon. Picks up the toffee, butterscotch, vanilla, oak, and dark fruit. Slightly hot. Finishes with lingering bourbon, caramel, and butterscotch

M: Medium-full bodied with low-moderate carbonation. Smoothed a bit by the barrels

O: An incredible BBA barleywine that makes for a great sipper. Huge barrel character and malt influence. Not sure on the abv (I’d say it’s between 13-15%) but it’s not a huge deal either way. Incredible depth and complexity from both barrel and malt standpoint. Definitely worth checking out

 

12oz. capped and waxed bottle into a Brooklyn Brewery snifter. Shared with schen9303.

Pours a dense dark, almost black mahogany. Lacing is thin but filmy and really coats the glass. No head to speak of. This one's near flat. Nose is incredibly aromatic. I get hints of molasses, anise, sweet soy sauce, booze, oak, tobacco, dried dark fruit, brown sugar, and syrup. Beer opens with layers of molasses, brown sugar, and vanilla. Sweet soy sauce in the middle coupled with more brown sugar, hazelnut, tobacco bitterness, and dried prunes. Syrup, more brown sugar, and vanilla on the finish and aftertaste. Fantastic! Body is full with low carbonation. Filmy and slick on the palate and goes down boozy and slightly hot. Long, lingering aftertaste.

The last couple of Tree House dark beers have been just a bit off but this one more than makes up for it. Simply fantastic!