Double Baked
Tree House Brewing Company

 

Released January 2023. Big bourbon taste held by complex malting, dark colour. Rich and thick. Deep bourbon and malt aroma. Undercover level of carbonation.fruity mix. Really good.

 

Sampling a cellar temp 12 oz bottle poured into my snifter. No date stamp and no ABV on the label.
The beer pours a thick dark chocolate color, with a creamy beige head of .5cm. this foam fades to an edge layer soon after the pour and remains as such for the sampling. There is only very scattered lattice when I take a sip of the beer.
Aroma is rich and malty an complex with caramel and toffee mixing with good bourbon notes and some candied fruit. No hint of hop character and I dont get any fusol notes or spicy pepper to hint of booziness.
First sip reveals a medium to thick body with fairly sticky and coating texture. There is very mild and spacious carbonation. Definitely portrays itself as a sipping beer.
Flavor is sweet for sure and complex too. I get a lot of toffee and caramel mixing with bourbon notes and hints of chocolate. I again get candied fruits and do surprisingly find a little cinnamon on the finish. No hops anywhere to be found.
I also dont get any warming, no black peppery bite, no ABV hints at all. Crazy for so many barrels and what must be a higher ABV.
This is a tasty and complex barleywine that rolls on the sweeter side, but I am enjoying casually sipping it before heading to bed to start the work week. Glad to have picked this one up!

 

Drank from a 12 oz. green wax dipped bottle purchased at Tree House Brewing Company, Charlton, MA
Served in a tulip

The beer poured a syrupy and viscous, nearly still looking, deep mahogany color. There was zero head and absolutely no lacing. As the liquid was swirled, drippy legs tricked down the sides of the glass.

The aroma was sweet and boozy but lacked the punchiness and complexity I was anticipating. Apple brandy notes were quite apparent initially but mellowed with time. Loads of bourbon and/or rye barrel character too. Caramel and toffee notes also came through strong. The orange from the orange bitters barrels appeared later and became more prominent as the beer warmed. All in all, the nose was very reminiscent of a Manhattan. Good dose of vanilla too. Bit of toastiness and milk chocolate as well. Unfortunately, I did not pick up any weizenbock characteristics.

The flavor profile followed the nose but seemed even sweeter and boozier. Big caramel malt and brown sugar presence up front. The sugary-ness bordered on cloying. Bourbon and/or rye barrel notes were quite apparent too. I was surprised this beer was only 12% ABV. Good dose of apple brandy barrel character as well. Touch of orange bitters in the center. Like the nose, the flavor profile was very reminiscent of a Manhattan. More boozy, bourbon barrel notes on the back end and in the finish. Loads of spicy alcohol warmth.

The mouthfeel was syrupy and viscous. Fuller bodied for the style. The liquid contained a fine, subtle effervescence that was pretty typical for the style. After a few sips, the sugars in the beer deposited a sticky film on my lips.

Tree House make some of my favorite IPAs and pastry stouts on the planet, but I tend not to like their barleywines as much. Although this beer was unique and thoughtfully crafted, it came across as excessively boozy and sweet.

 

Huge apple aroma upon pouring.

 

 

 

Had on tap at Sandwich. Pours clear, chestnut in color with one inch head. Taste is deep caramel and toffee with pepper and oak. Heavy body, sweet, low carbonation. Very complex. Excellent barleywine. Loads of flavor exploding in here. More comes out as it warms.

 

 

Poured at fridge temp. Zero head and it appears pretty still overall (no signs of bubbles). The nose is fantastic. Apples, toffee, brandy, slight rum, vanilla, marshmallow. Just super smooth. No alcohol detected on the nose. Overall smells mildly sweet. The nose is so great I want to just keep sniffing it!

The taste is tremendous. A lot going on here. Definitely tastes still and intense. I immediately pick up on the rum barrels. Interesting since I wouldn't think rum is necessarily a dominant barrels when combined with bourbon and brandy, but this did get aged the longest in rum barrels so maybe it does make sense. Getting nice notes of toffee, honey, vanilla, pears, apple, almonds, and a nice sweet candy. Alcohol is not detectable on the taste, but I have to think this is up around 13% (or higher) with all that barrel aging.

Mouthfeel is super smooth and viscous. The aftertaste is definitely on the sweet side, but it's a perfect amount of sweetness. Just a glorious beer! So thankful that I got to try this.

 

 

 

 

And to end off the new beers I picked up from Tree House last week, we have a Barleywine that’s been getting quite a bit of attention lately. A Barleywine aged in bourbon, appld brandy, and rum barrels that is then blended with a Weizenbock that was aged in orange bitters barrels? This sounds absolutely insane, and I’m all about it. Let’s crack this beast open and see what it has to offer

Pours a very dark brown with a finger of tan head that fades to a ring and leaves minimal lacing

This is incredibly fruity and sweet in the nose, but in no way is it cloying. I’m picking up on aromas of baked apple, brown sugar, sticky caramel, toasted pecan, earthy bourbon, toasted oak, vanilla, funky rum, light raisin, cocoa powder, and golden raisin

In taste it’s still sweet, but unfortunately less expressive than the aroma. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting sweet caramel, smooth oak, earthy bourbon, molasses, apple skin, brown sugar, light vanilla, and raisin. The swallow brings notes of baked apple, cinnamon, toasted oak, funky rum, sweet bourbon, cocoa powder, golden raisin, molasses, and light banana

A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes mostly dry with a slight boozy heat but remains incredibly drinkable

This one is awesome. If the taste could keep up with the aroma it would be better, but I love this as is