Hold On To Sunshine - Barrel Blend
Tree House Brewing Company
- From:
- Tree House Brewing Company
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- Imperial Pastry Stout
Ranked #398 - ABV:
- 7.9%
- Score:
- 93
Ranked #3,643 - Avg:
- 4.35 | pDev: 3.68%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Aug 11, 2025
- Added:
- Feb 21, 2025
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
93
Outstanding
93
Outstanding
Brewed with Pale and Chocolate malts, lactose, coffee, cacao, and peanuts, it exhibits notes of rich milk chocolate, dark brown sugar, creamy espresso, and chocolate-covered peanut butter cups. A thread of stout previously aged in bourbon barrels adds notes of oaky spice and sweet aromas of Madagascar vanilla. These select barrels from various producers held the beer for 1-3 years, the final curation amplifying its younger counterpart’s luxurious and creamy qualities. Hold On To Sunshine Barrel Blend is a decadent treat that won’t overwhelm you with heaviness yet is loaded with delicious bold flavors that express themselves as it warms.
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Reviewed by 322wingedfoot from Pennsylvania
4.35/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Recently purchased from Tree House Saratoga but canning date wasn’t clear. Surprising to me was the peanut flavor especially on the palate. Sweet, thick and delicious.
Jun 16, 2025
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York
4.47/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.47/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
This one pours a very dark black color, with a fluffy and creamy looking head, and a bit of lacing.
This smells unbelievably chocolatey, not like chocolate milk level, but like deep dark chocolate fudginess. There’s also peanut butter, roast, caramel, and a touch of coffee.
There’s not a ton of barrel here – I get some slightly spicy caramel notes, but not much overt bourbon. It’s mainly just luxuriously creamy tasting – lots of chocolate and peanut butter, with some nice sweet coffee notes.
This is super velvety, almost like it’s on nitrogen – it’s just super creamy. It’s quite drinkable with no real booziness to it.
I wish there was *maybe* a little more barrel here, but this is still pretty sensational.
May 06, 2025This smells unbelievably chocolatey, not like chocolate milk level, but like deep dark chocolate fudginess. There’s also peanut butter, roast, caramel, and a touch of coffee.
There’s not a ton of barrel here – I get some slightly spicy caramel notes, but not much overt bourbon. It’s mainly just luxuriously creamy tasting – lots of chocolate and peanut butter, with some nice sweet coffee notes.
This is super velvety, almost like it’s on nitrogen – it’s just super creamy. It’s quite drinkable with no real booziness to it.
I wish there was *maybe* a little more barrel here, but this is still pretty sensational.
Reviewed by agreenman19 from Connecticut
4.77/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.77/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
L - pitch brown with a dark, cherry mocha head. Looks decadent.
S - woodsy, bourbon-soaked oak. Vanilla, caramel, cane sugar. Nostalgic, somehow.
T - there is so much going on here. Cinnamon, brown sugar, buttered popcorn, woodchips. Glazed creme brulee. Delicately blankets an underlying chocolate-covered candied peanut foundation. It's like those Reese's Christmas trees, or eggs, or pumpkins.
F - marshmallowy and gloopy. She thicc.
O - such an improvement over HOTS, coming from somebody who thinks PB is too overpowering in a beer. The nuttiness is an accent here, ferociously balanced by the barrel character. It's a rich, gluttonous brew, that's for sure.
Apr 28, 2025S - woodsy, bourbon-soaked oak. Vanilla, caramel, cane sugar. Nostalgic, somehow.
T - there is so much going on here. Cinnamon, brown sugar, buttered popcorn, woodchips. Glazed creme brulee. Delicately blankets an underlying chocolate-covered candied peanut foundation. It's like those Reese's Christmas trees, or eggs, or pumpkins.
F - marshmallowy and gloopy. She thicc.
O - such an improvement over HOTS, coming from somebody who thinks PB is too overpowering in a beer. The nuttiness is an accent here, ferociously balanced by the barrel character. It's a rich, gluttonous brew, that's for sure.
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut
4.36/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.36/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Decent head production and retention.
Peanuts are quite strong on the nose, carrying the bulk of the aroma profile. Coffee can tend to hid in the mix, and it does so here as well. There's a hint of the barrels trying to peak out from behind, around the peanuts, but they're largely unsuccessful. Still, it's a very pleasant aroma overall.
Flavor is much more balanced; very rich and tasty. The peanuts are present but no longer underwhelming. The barrels present a slightly syrupy sweetness, as well as notes of vanilla, oak, and coconut. The chocolate and coffee, if not quite as noticeable as the peanuts, contribute well to the overall blend; chocolate notes are stronger on the finish and aftertaste.
Mouthfeel is thick and creamy. It drinks like a much bigger beer (full, not harsh).
Mar 02, 2025Peanuts are quite strong on the nose, carrying the bulk of the aroma profile. Coffee can tend to hid in the mix, and it does so here as well. There's a hint of the barrels trying to peak out from behind, around the peanuts, but they're largely unsuccessful. Still, it's a very pleasant aroma overall.
Flavor is much more balanced; very rich and tasty. The peanuts are present but no longer underwhelming. The barrels present a slightly syrupy sweetness, as well as notes of vanilla, oak, and coconut. The chocolate and coffee, if not quite as noticeable as the peanuts, contribute well to the overall blend; chocolate notes are stronger on the finish and aftertaste.
Mouthfeel is thick and creamy. It drinks like a much bigger beer (full, not harsh).
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