Eternal Optimist
Tree House Brewing Company
- From:
- Tree House Brewing Company
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- American Blonde Ale
- ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- +7 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.09 | pDev: 4.65%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 26, 2026
- Added:
- Feb 13, 2026
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
Eternal Optimist is a Blonde Stout that pours a surprisingly glowing golden hue. What begins as a rich and velvety malt bill is then conditioned on freshly scoured vanilla beans, crushed cacao nibs, and a specialty batch of coffee. Notes of sweet vanilla cupcakes, dark chocolate, and cocoa dusted lattes swirl from the glass. To further mimic a traditional dark Stout our coffee team carefully extended the roasting time of Monochrome, furthering its bold and toasty profile.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by cttreehousefan from Connecticut
4.02/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Described on the can as a Blonde Stout. This was canned for Spring 2026. These were a "thing" around 2014 (a la Stone's "Master of Disguise"). Let's see how this one is. Out of the fridge for about 15 minutes before pouring into my Sensorik goblet.
The color is either a dark amber or dark honey with good clarity. A semi-vigorous pour yields a one and a half inch head of off-white foam. The head settles to a solid ring and thin film of foam on top. Lacing leaves beautiful webs around the glass.
Aromas of chocolate and then coffee. There is also a strong note of vanilla in the mix. There is some malt sweetness but no roasted malts as one would expect for a stout.
Flavors as noted in the aroma; chocolate, vanilla and coffee. Some mild hop bitterness is there also but it's a light touch. This reminds me of drinking a cream soda but with less sweetness and with a bit of a hop bitter bite to it.
The body would be a bit light for a stout but would be a bit heavier than a blonde ale.
This was an enjoyable and interesting beer to try. I miss the roasted notes that the dark malts would lend to the mix.
Mar 26, 2026The color is either a dark amber or dark honey with good clarity. A semi-vigorous pour yields a one and a half inch head of off-white foam. The head settles to a solid ring and thin film of foam on top. Lacing leaves beautiful webs around the glass.
Aromas of chocolate and then coffee. There is also a strong note of vanilla in the mix. There is some malt sweetness but no roasted malts as one would expect for a stout.
Flavors as noted in the aroma; chocolate, vanilla and coffee. Some mild hop bitterness is there also but it's a light touch. This reminds me of drinking a cream soda but with less sweetness and with a bit of a hop bitter bite to it.
The body would be a bit light for a stout but would be a bit heavier than a blonde ale.
This was an enjoyable and interesting beer to try. I miss the roasted notes that the dark malts would lend to the mix.
Reviewed by Jw13 from Massachusetts
4.34/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
A Blonde Stout? Never heard of one of those.
Pours a clear dark gold, with a slight haze of bubbles and a small but creamy head. Smells like a stout - lots of roasty notes with some faint chocolate. Tastes like a stout but with the body and mouthfeel of a Tree House IPA. From the can notes, it sounds like it's brewed as a strong pale ale, and gets the "stout" character from adjuncts: coffee, cacao nibs and vanilla, none of which would be out of place in a "real" stout.
Overall a very nice experiment - sort of the opposite of a Black IPA. The "stout" flavors are there, but not as intensely as they would be in a genuine stout. Coupled with the lighter body, it makes for a very drinkable "stout light".
Feb 13, 2026Pours a clear dark gold, with a slight haze of bubbles and a small but creamy head. Smells like a stout - lots of roasty notes with some faint chocolate. Tastes like a stout but with the body and mouthfeel of a Tree House IPA. From the can notes, it sounds like it's brewed as a strong pale ale, and gets the "stout" character from adjuncts: coffee, cacao nibs and vanilla, none of which would be out of place in a "real" stout.
Overall a very nice experiment - sort of the opposite of a Black IPA. The "stout" flavors are there, but not as intensely as they would be in a genuine stout. Coupled with the lighter body, it makes for a very drinkable "stout light".
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!