Big Bear Barrel Blend
Tree House Brewing Company

 

16oz can poured into a snifter.

A: Dark mahogany brown with a solid two and a half finger light brown head. The foam texture is fine bubbled and creamy. Retention is superb. Lacing forms in thin, delicate rings.

S: Fresh corny-sweet bourbon and barrel aromas of nougat and caramel are front and center. Toasty oak. Semi sweet dark chocolate and some nutty toffee come up as the malt base asserts itself. Brown cocoa powder and perhaps a flash of medium roast coffee. With time and warmth, the barrel flavors open even more with a pleasant marshmallow, vanilla, and toasted coconut dimension.

T: More or less follows the nose. It opens with a wave of corny-sweet bourbon, though it is not hot. Rich dark caramel sauce, creme brulee glass, and a subtle smokiness. Toasty oak. Malt base rides up on the mid-palate with a lot of toasty grain, pervasive nuttiness, baker's, chocolate, brown cocoa powder, and a bit of nutty coffee. Perhaps a fleeting hint of earthy hops. Long finish of toasty malt, cocoa, and sweet smoky bourbon.

M: Medium-full body. Has the texture of homemade whipped cream with a heavy cream base. Carbonation is ample but gentle. Very light barrel tannin and some alcohol warmth.

O: Straightforward, but really damn pleasant. The decision to blend this back with fresh beer was a good one, because even in a blend the "barrel juice" nature of it is quite potent. It really doesn't come across as hot at all though. The base beer itself has a quiet malty complexity, and the barrel adds to it without overwhelming it. It ends up being fairly hedonistic and surprisingly drinkable.

 

 

2025 vintage

Pours a dark brown, almost black with half a finger of foamy, mocha-colored head. Nose is roasted malts, hints of vanilla, coffee, and char. Taste is packed with flavor. Coffee and char are big standouts. Tobacco, wood, dark chocolate round things out. Mouthfeel is medium body, moderate carbonation. Finish is bitter coffee, dark chocolate, and char.

From a 16oz can dated 2025 into a pint shaker.

Pours an opaque black with about two fingers of tan head. Decent retention, ok lacing.

Bourbon, coffee, toffee, caramel, dark chocolate and nuts on the nose.

Taste follows. Coffee bitterness rounded out by some caramel, nuts and vanilla. Barrel is a little more in the background.

Sticky, coating, full-bodied mouthfeel. Low carbonation. Coffee aftertaste.

Fun beer to drink. Not sure if I would have pegged the base beer as a brown ale because there's so much else going on here. Nice sipper.

Super dark brown/black with a tiny tan head. Nose is full on bourbon, no wait there is bread, no wait there is chocolate...it is all those things as it warms up. Taste is less bourbon than the nose but it is still there. All the scents that come through on the nose come through on the taste with a bitterness on backend to finish this off very well!

 

 

Drinking in s large snifter at the brewery.
Pours a dark mahogony with a medium tan head.
Looks like a stout.
Smells strongly og bourbon.
Smooth luscious mouth feel.
Tastes strongly of bourbon overiding a great brown ale.
Really nice!

 

 

Had on tap. Pours opaque, dark brown in color with one quarter inch head. Taste is big barrel, char, and roasted malt. Heavy body, roasty, moderate carbonation. Lots of barrel. Average but probably awesome if you like coffee.