Quadruple Shot - Vanilla Bean
Tree House Brewing Company

 

 

 

Can dated 2025 from BIF '25 @roguer

Pours jet black with a one finger, foamy head that dissipates quickly leaving a ring and thin layer of mocha-colored bubbles. Smells of vanilla, coffee, Hershey's syrup, and leather. Taste is incredibly decedent and follows the nose with notes of chocolate syrup, vanilla, and espresso. There is a sourness in the taste, most comparable to under-extracted espresso, but it isn't off-putting and does help moderate the sweetness of this beer. Mouthfeel is moderately carbonated, syrupy, and thick. Finish is velvety dark chocolate and soured espresso.

 

 

 

 

Pours thick, near black with absolutely no head formation despite a pretty aggressive pour. Nose is milk chocolate, light vanilla, light bourbon and leather. These notes become slightly more prominent as it warms, but they fail to evolve. Taste is pretty similar - Hershey's syrup (or Bosco), moderate barrel notes. It seems this beer is built around having an ultra-thick mouthfeel, as nothing else about it (look, aroma, taste) seem to have been given much thought. It is thick to the point of exhaustion, and I can't seen any point to it being this way except that it can be. Choo choo.

L - pour is dark, sticky, and viscous. Brown bordering on black with a mocha head that leaves a faintly crimson-hued ring of lacing behind. The beer almost has a liquified marshmallow appearance when swirled. Dense, silky head with legs so sticky, it even holds the foam up.

S - rich, toasted marshmallow filled with Hershey's chocolate. Caramel syrup and coconut cake. Cherry wood, dark fruits, and nougat.

T - more of the nose, but with added bourbon character, contributing woodsiness and Milk Duds sweetness which blends beautifully with the vanilla bean. Nothing artificial or forced, but rather the vanilla amplifies and sweetens the base flavors of coffee, chocolate ice cream, and fudge. Luxardo cherries, Nilla Wafers, and mocha. Finishes with decadence down to the last drop. A sipper for sure.

F - undeniably creamy and fulfilling. Dense velvet that coats the lips after each sip. Watch out for the beetus.

O - I felt the vanilla worked well in this beer and like most TH stouts, the beer isn't built around the adjunct, but rather the adjunct serves to improve existing flavors. We wouldn't be seeing the cherry and oaky caramel flavors as much without it. Perhaps a bit sweet, but isn't that the point?